José María Busto Villarreal
Dean of the Institute of Health Sciences
The current special issue of the “Mexican Journal of Medical Research” brings together the work of clinicians and basic researchers from various institutions whose interests are located around the scientific and academic updated in various areas of health sciences.
I am very grateful to the editorial committee for inviting me to write the “Editorial” in the present issue of the journal.
During the last 20-30 years there have been countless investigations on so-called "Free Radicals"1-3. In general, free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron and that by the “law of mass action” they will seek to recover it in the molecules that are close to them; these molecules could possess significant or insignificant role in vital actions in the living organisms1-3. When “free radicals” recover an electron, they leave to the affected molecules without one electron, which becomes in another “free radical” that in turn seek the equilibrium with another molecule, causing a chain reaction that may cause problems of varying magnitude. The problem is that these unstable molecules are part of the cells, which will be affected, and by extension, will alter the function of organs and systems, which could manifest with various symptoms and/or diseases. Several findings show that free radicals can be increased with the food natural metabolism, normal breathing, and with exercise or physic activity (although this last is known that will bring beneficial results). However, the exposure to pollution or other external factors, such as waste combustion, radiations, and ingestion of processed foods, pesticides and the pollution in general are the main providers of free radicals. At the end, free radicals are capable of hindering regeneration and cell reproduction, which is observed in cell death and aging of those exposed persons. Several diseases have been attributed in part to the involvement of free radicals, such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus and ulcerative colitis, among others1-3. In the present issue of this journal, Sánchez-Gutiérrez and coworkers explains us in theirs review manuscript on the “peroxisomes”, which are cellular organelles present in eukaryotic cells involved in detoxification processes4. In the same report, the importance of peroxisomes in the development of age-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular alterations are mentioned. Evidence suggests that peroxisomes can regulate the production of free radicals, and thus could help regulate aging and the diseases that accompany it. Furthermore, increase of endogenous cellular defense mechanisms to avoid or reduce the formation of free radicals and thus to avoid damage is suggested (as the heat shock response). That may be realized by nutritional antioxidants or pharmacological compounds, which could be seen as a therapeutic intervention in diseases causing tissue damage or as a strategy to delay the aging process and diminish the appearance of neurodegenerative diseases associated with age5.
A clinical case of ameloblastoma in a 14-year-old male patient is presented in the present number of the journal. The unicystic ameloblastoma is a tumor, typically unilocular radiographic appearance, macroscopically cystic nature and this has relatively better response to conservative treatment6, 7. Likewise, in the present issue of the journal, Khouli and coworkers show an interesting review manuscript about the Broselow tape8. The Broselow tape is one method of rapid weight estimation in pediatric resuscitations. Finally, Romero Molina talks us about the importance of the health of the laboratory animal in preclinical results9. Mainly, the manuscript explains us that the microbial quality of the laboratory animals allows to reduce (or eliminate) the negative effects of pathogen agents (not associated with the objective of the study) in the expected experimental results.
As a final conclusion, we can ensure that the manuscripts published in this issue contribute to the dissemination of important basic and clinical information. We invite to the reader to make a critical reading of the material and we invite you to write a basic or clinical manuscript to be published in our magazine.
1. Valko M1, Leibfritz D, Moncol J, Cronin MT, Mazur M, Telser J. Free radicals and antioxidants in normal physiological functions and human disease. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007; 39: 44-84.
2. Dröge W. Free radicals in the physiological control of cell function. Physiol Rev. 2002; 82: 47-95.
3. Calabrese V, Guagliano E, Sapienza M, Mancuso C, Butterfield DA, Stella AM. Redox regulation of cellular stress response in neurodegenerative disorders. Ital J Biochem. 2006; 55: 263-82.
4. Vargas-Mendoza N, Izquierdo-Vega JA, Madrigal Santillán EO, Sánchez-Gutiérez M. Peroxisomes and Free Radical Production: Cell Aging. Mex J Med Res 2014; 2: 20-25.
5. Calabrese V, Scapagnini G, Colombrita C, Ravagna A, Pennisi G, Giuffrida Stella AM, Galli F, Butterfield DA. Redox regulation of heat shock protein expression in aging and neurodegenerative disorders associated with oxidative stress: a nutritional approach. Amino Acids 2003; 25: 437-44.
6. De la Paz López A, Recendez Santillán N, Varela Ibáñez E, Escamilla-Acosta MA, Romo-Hernández G. Unicystic Ameloblastoma of the Mandible. Clinical Case Presentation and Literature Review. Mex J Med Res 2014; 2: 1-10.
7. Seintou A, Martinelli-Kläy CP, Lombardi T. Unicystic ameloblastoma in children: systematic review of clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2014; 43: 405-12.
8. Khouli M, Ortiz MI, Romo-Hernández G. Utility of the Broselow tape in Emergency Departments. Mex J Med Res 2014; 2: 11-15.
9. Romero Molina MA. Microbiological Quality of Experimental Animal. Mex J Med Res 2014; 2: 16-20.