Background and Objectives: Multiple evaluations of oxidative stress in individuals with substance use disorder show elevated levels compared to non-substance-abusing individuals. Information concerning antioxidant defense mechanisms in relation to alcohol and opioid dependence is variable and sometimes contradictory. The objective of the present investigation was to identify and compare several antioxidants in plasma during distinct phases of alcohol and opioid dependency (intoxication and withdrawal). Materials and Methods: This case study focuses on individuals with opioid and alcohol addiction. We recruited 80 participants (males aged 40 ± 10 years) and equally divided them into two categories: those with alcohol addiction and those with opioid addiction. A control group consisted of 20 healthy adults (males aged 35 ± 10 years). The spectrophotometric methods were used to quantify catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in plasma. Antioxidant values were analyzed between groups using pairwise Mann–Whitney tests. Results: During withdrawal from alcohol and opioids, catalase activity tends to decrease compared to intoxication. The overall activity of superoxide dismutase exhibited an increase during alcohol intoxication and withdrawal and a reduction during opioid withdrawal compared to the intoxication phase. Both alcohol and opioids reduced plasma GPx activity in withdrawal cases, although the extent of this decrease varied considerably. Conclusions: The study confirms the valuable impact of addiction on the organism’s oxidative stress and reveals various behaviors of antioxidant defense enzymes during intoxication and withdrawal phases.

The dose-dependent effects of single metals (Zn, Ni, and Cu) and their combinations at steady time-actions on the cell viability of the bacteria Shewanella xiamenensis DCB 2-1, isolated from a radionuclide-contaminated area, have been estimated. The accumulation of metals by Shewanella xiamenensis DCB 2-1 in single and multi-metal systems was assessed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. To estimate the response of the bacteria’s antioxidant defense system, doses of 20 and 50 mg/L of single studied metals and 20 mg/L of each metal in their combinations (non-toxic doses, determined by the colony-forming viability assay) were used. Emphasis was given to catalase and superoxide dismutase since they form the primary line of defense against heavy metal action and their regulatory circuit of activity is crucial. The effect of metal ions on total thiol content, an indicator of cellular redox homeostasis, in bacterial cells was evaluated. Genome sequencing of Shewanella xiamenensis DCB 2-1 reveals genes responsible for heavy metal tolerance and detoxification, thereby improving understanding of the potential of the bacterial strain for bioremediation.

Safe drinking water and microbial inactivation from surfaces and devices are among the World Health Organization’s priorities. Plasma-activated water (PAW) inactivates microorganisms mainly by producing radicals (hydroxyl radicals, superoxide, nitrogen oxide, etc.), which form secondary reactive species like nitrates, nitrites, hydrogen peroxide, etc., from the air–liquid interface, where the plasma interacts with the water. A plasma arc device for water treatment with enhanced arc length was constructed at the Andronikashvili Institute of Physics (TSU) and used in the study. PAW’s antibacterial efficacy has been evaluated against Gram-negative E. coli and remarkably stress-resistant Gram-positive B. pumilus. This study identifies reactive oxygen (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions) and nitrogen species (total nitrate and nitrite ions) in plasma-activated water, analyzing their potential impact on antioxidant enzyme activity and their relationships with bacterial cell viability. B. pumilus exhibits greater resistance to plasma-activated water as a disinfectant compared to E. coli. Catalase is more effective than superoxide dismutase in protecting cells from external oxidative stress, based on the two antioxidant enzymes studied.

Background/Objectives: In brain physiology and disease, MMP-9 is a significant and apparently peculiar factor. Numerous studies have implicated neuroinflammatory processes involving MMP-9 in the pathophysiology of addiction. This study aims to evaluate plasma MMP-9 level as a biomarker for the stages of alcohol and opioid addiction. Methods: The case subjects were patients with opioid and alcohol addiction. The quantitative assessment of MMP-9 plasma concentration was performed using monoclonal antibodies against human MMP-9. Results: MMP-9 levels in the plasma of patients with alcohol and opioid dependence differ from MMP-9 concentrations in apparently healthy donors. During the intoxication stage, MMP-9 concentrations in individuals with alcohol and opioid dependence are similar and higher than in the control group. While the MMP-9 level is close to the control level after alcohol withdrawal, it stays increased during opioid withdrawal. When MMP-9 levels in plasma were measured in three distinct intoxicated states (light, moderate, and heavy) in cases of alcohol addiction, the results were all similar. Two distinct opioid intoxicated states (methadone and buprenorphine) and three withdrawals—following methadone, buprenorphine, and heroin abuse—were associated with high MMP-9 levels.