Do You Feel Good On Doxycycline or Coffee? It May Be A Clue:)
*This article is not medical advice. Before starting on any health related regimen, seek the advice of your Primary Care Physician or an M.D.
What do coffee and doxycycline have in common ? They scavenge the free radical Super Oxide!
Super oxide is produced in many places in the body - but in particular, in the mitochondria, account for about 80% of all super oxide produced. Much has been published about super oxide over the years - claiming it has to do with broad aging markers if not dealt with efficiently by the body. The basics….a researched named, Fridovich, coined, “The Super Oxide Theory of Aging” identified CuZnSOD in 1969 and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in 1973, and proposed ”the Superoxide Theory,” which postulates that superoxide (O2•−) is the origin of most reactive oxygen species (ROS) and that it undergoes a chain reaction in a cell, playing a central role in the ROS producing system. Increased oxidative stress on an organism causes damage to cells, the smallest constituent unit of an organism, which can lead to the onset of a variety of chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurological diseases caused by abnormalities in biological defenses or increased intracellular reactive oxygen levels.[5]
“Excess Super Oxide = No Bueno”
Coffee is A Super Oxide and Hydroxyl Radical Scavenger
Coffee is a rich source of dietary antioxidants, and this property, coupled with the fact that coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages, has led to the understanding that coffee is a major contributor to dietary antioxidant intake. Brewed coffee is a complex food matrix with numerous phytochemical components that have antioxidant activity capable of scavenging free radicals, donating hydrogen and electrons, providing reducing activity and also acting as metal ion pro-oxidant chelators. More recent studies have shown that coffee components can trigger tissue antioxidant gene expression and protect against gastrointestinal oxidative stress. This paper will describe different in vitro, cell-free and cell-based assays that both characterize and compare the antioxidant capacity and mechanism of action of coffee and its bioactive constituents. Moreover, evidence of cellular antioxidant activity and correlated specific genomic events induced by coffee components, which are relevant to antioxidant function in both animal and human studies, will be discussed. [2]
Caffeine has also been shown to scavenge superoxide radical with a bimolecular rate constant of 7.5 × 101 M−1s−1[3].
Although caffeine is well known for producing bioactive symptoms that include the reduction of fatigue and enhancing alertness, it also has an antioxidant property, as shown by the affinity to scavenge hydroxyl radical with bimolecular rate constants that range from 2.6 × 109 M−1s−1 [19] to 5.9 × 109 M−1s−1 [4].
Doxycycline is a Super Oxide Scavenger, but also inhibits NrF2
"Doxycycline (DOX), a derivative of tetracycline, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that exhibits a number of therapeutic activities in addition to its antibacterial properties. For example, DOX has been used in the management of a number of diseases characterized by chronic inflammation. One potential mechanism by which DOX inhibits the progression of these diseases is by reducing oxidative stress, thereby inhibiting subsequent lipid peroxidation and inflammatory responses. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that DOX directly scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibits the formation of redox-mediated malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) protein adducts. Using a cell-free system, we demonstrated that DOX scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during the formation of MAA-adducts and inhibits the formation of MAA-protein adducts. To determine whether DOX scavenges specific ROS, we examined the ability of DOX to directly scavenge superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we found that DOX directly scavenged superoxide, but not hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, we found that DOX inhibits MAA-induced activation of Nrf2, a redox-sensitive transcription factor. Together, these findings demonstrate the under-recognized direct antioxidant property of DOX that may help to explain its therapeutic potential in the treatment of conditions characterized by chronic inflammation and increased oxidative stress." For folks with rare loss of function mutations on Keap1, or challenges in the SOD2/GPX4 axis, one would expect benefit here.
Perhaps this is a clue to what one of the stressors is on your body's system:).
References:
Novel Antioxidant Properties of Doxycycline, By Dahn L Clemens, et. al. Int J Mol Science. 2018 Dec 17;19(12):4078. doi: 10.3390/ijms19124078. PMCID: PMC6321135 PMID: 30562944Antioxidant Property of Coffee Components: Assessment of Methods that Define Mechanisms of Action. Ningjian Liang† and David D. Kitts†*Molecules. 2014 Nov; 19(11): 19180–19208. Published online 2014 Nov 19. doi: 10.3390/molecules191119180Shi X., Dalal N.S., Jain A.C. Antioxidant behaviour of caffeine: Efficient scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Food Chem. Toxicol. 1991;29:1–6.Kumar S.S., Devasagayam T.P., Jayashree B., Kesavan P.C. Mechanism of protection against radiation-induced DNA damage in plasmid pBR322 by caffeine. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 2001;77:617–623.A mitochondrial superoxide theory for oxidative stress diseases and aging. By Hiroko P Indo. J Clin Biochem Nutrition. . 2014 Dec 23;56(1):1–7. doi: 10.3164/jcbn.14-42. PMCID: PMC4306659 PMID: 25834301