News | September 9, 2008

ESA Biosciences Announces Handbook On Oxidative Metabolism

ESA Biosciences, Inc., a Magellan Biosciences company, has announced that the latest version of its popular 'Handbook on Oxidative Metabolism' is now available on compact disk (CD).

Available free-of-charge from ESA Biosciences, the handbook provides readers with a 500-page reference source showing the beneficial use of electrochemical detection (ECD) in the study of pro-oxidant production, macromolecular damage, and antioxidant protection.

The cells of all aerobic organisms, including humans, are constantly exposed to an oxygen-rich environment that leads to the generation of potentially damaging pro-oxidants such as free radicals and peroxides - a process often called "oxidative stress." Fortunately, we are equipped with a battery of antioxidant defenses designed to prevent pro-oxidant formation or to intercept them before they can damage important cellular components, such as proteins, lipids, and DNA. However, oxidative stress has been implicated in many diseases, including atherosclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, many cancers, and even aging - so it is a critical area of research for scientists. One of the most sensitive and specific techniques used to study oxidative stress and the intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved in the condition is the use of ECD coupled with an HPLC. Since ECD relies upon oxidation of the molecule being detected, it is an ideal technique for highly sensitive measurement of the various highly redox-active compounds involved in oxidative metabolism.

The latest version of the 'Handbook of Oxidative Metabolism' leads the reader through an introduction to the topic, the chemistry of reactive species, damage and repair of the body's defensive mechanisms, how the negative effects of oxidative stress can be prevented, and the consequences when the body's natural defenses fail. Where appropriate, the guide outlines HPLC-electrochemical detection-based methods and provides references to published literature that describes analytical methodology relevant to measuring the effect of reactive species.

A wide-ranging bibliography of articles is included, which details the many diseases associated with pro-oxidant production including rheumatoid arthritis, athersclerosis, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and reperfusion injury.

About ESA Biosciences, Inc.
ESA Biosciences, Inc. enables answers to pressing applications challenges by applying its expertise in specialty detection and electrochemistry, combined with components, kits, and reagents, for analytical laboratories, commercial diagnostics laboratories, and the clinical point-of-care setting. ESA Biosciences, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Magellan Biosciences, Inc.

SOURCE: ESA Biosciences, Inc