Do You Feel Good on Coffee or Doxycycline? 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.
Coffee and Doxycycline
It is well understood that many chronic illnesses are characterized by chronic inflammation and increased oxidative stress. How might coffee and doxycycline affect this? What coffee and doxycycline have in common is they both scavenge superoxide and other reactive oxygen species, thus reducing oxidative stress.
“Antioxidant activity measured in plasma of subjects both before and 1 and 2 h after a 200-mL drink of brewed coffee exhibited significantly higher antioxidant capacity than controls [108].”[2]
Coffee: A Superoxide 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.”[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: Scavenges Superoxide
“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…. 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.”[1]
Something to Think About
If you feel better after ingesting coffee or doxycycline, perhaps this information provides some clues as to what one of the stressors on your body is (i.e. oxidative stress).
References:
1. Novel Antioxidant Properties of Doxycycline
2. Antioxidant 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/molecules191119180
3. Shi X., Dalal N.S., Jain A.C. Antioxidant behaviour of caffeine: Efficient scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Food Chem. Toxicol. 1991;29:1–6.
4. 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.
References:
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