Lam Rosanna Yen Yen. / Thesis submitted in: September 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-154). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Chinese Abstract --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Abbreviations --- p.xii / List of Figures --- p.xv / List of Tables --- p.xix / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Reactive oxygen species --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Intracellular sources of ROS --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Extracellular sources of ROS --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Superoxide anion radicals --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Hydrogen peroxide --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.5 --- Hydroxyl radicals --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.6 --- Singlet oxygen --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.7 --- Peroxyl radicals and peroxides --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.8 --- Damage of cellular structures by ROS --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2 --- Antioxidative defence in the body --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Antioxidant proteins --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Antioxidant enzymes --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Antioxidant compounds --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.3.1 --- Vitamin E --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.3.2 --- Vitamin C --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3.3 --- Glutathione --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3.4 --- Urate --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3.4.1 --- Purine metabolism --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.3.4.2 --- Xanthine oxidase --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Oxidative stress and antioxidant defence mechanisms in RBC --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Oxidative stress and antioxidant defence mechanisms in LDL --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3 --- Human diseases originated from pro-oxidant conditions --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Atherosclerosis --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Ischemia /reperfusion injury --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- DNA mutation --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Other pro-oxidant state related diseases --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4 --- Hyperuricemia and gout: diseases originated from an extreme antioxidant condition --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Inhibition of XOD as a treatment method for hyperuricemia --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Relationship between ROS injury and hyperuricemia --- p.22 / Chapter 1.5 --- Antioxidants in human nutrition --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6 --- Chinese medicinal therapeutics --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Rhubarb --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Aloe --- p.26 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Ginger --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Objectives of the project --- p.30 / Chapter 1.6.5 --- Strategies applied to achieve the objectives of the present project --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and methods --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1 --- XOD inhibition assay --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Assay development --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Dose-dependent study --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Reversibility of the enzyme inhibition --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Lineweaver-Burk plots --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of mouse liver microsomes --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Preparation of mouse liver microsomes --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Basis of assay --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Assay procedures --- p.35 / Chapter 2.3 --- AAPH-induced hemolysis inhibition assay --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Preparation of RBC --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Basis of assay --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Assay procedures --- p.37 / Chapter 2.4 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of RBC membrane --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Preparation of RBC membrane --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Basis of assay --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Assay procedures --- p.40 / Chapter 2.5 --- ATPase protection assay --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Preparation of RBC membrane --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Preparation of malachite green (MG) reagent --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Basis of assay --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Assay procedures --- p.42 / Chapter 2.5.5 --- Determination of ATPase activities --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.6 --- Assay buffers --- p.43 / Chapter 2.6 --- Sulfhydryl group protection assay --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Preparation of RBC membrane --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Basis of assay --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Assay procedures --- p.45 / Chapter 2.7 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of LDL by the AAPH method --- p.46 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Basis of assay --- p.46 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- Assay procedures --- p.46 / Chapter 2.8 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of LDL by the hemin method --- p.47 / Chapter 2.8.1 --- Basis of assay --- p.47 / Chapter 2.8.2 --- Assay procedures --- p.47 / Chapter 2.9 --- Protein assay --- p.48 / Chapter 2.10 --- Statistical analysis --- p.48 / Chapter 2.11 --- Test compounds --- p.48 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Xanthine oxidase inhibition assay: results and discussion --- p.49 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2 --- Results --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3 --- Discussion --- p.59 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition in mouse liver microsomes: results and discussion --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2 --- Results --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3 --- Discussion --- p.69 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Assays on protection of RBC from oxidative damage: results and discussion --- p.71 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.71 / Chapter 5.2 --- Results --- p.75 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- AAPH-induced hemolysis inhibition assay --- p.75 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of RBC membranes --- p.82 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Ca2+-ATPase protection assay --- p.88 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Na+/K+-ATPase protection assay --- p.95 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Sulfhydryl group protection assay --- p.100 / Chapter 5.3 --- Discussion --- p.110 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- AAPH-induced hemolysis inhibition assay --- p.110 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of RBC membranes --- p.111 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Ca2+-ATPase protection assay --- p.113 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Na+/K+-ATPase protection assay --- p.114 / Chapter 5.3.5 --- Sulfhydryl group protection assay --- p.115 / Chapter 5.3.6 --- Chapter summary --- p.117 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Lipid peroxidation inhibition assay of LDL: results and discussion --- p.118 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.118 / Chapter 6.2 --- Results --- p.118 / Chapter 6.3 --- Discussion --- p.134 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- General discussion --- p.137 / References --- p.142