Enzymes are catalysts of biological origin, and according to their chemical composition, they are simple or complex proteins. There are several theories about the enzyme's mechanism of action. Today, the Michaelis-Menten theory is generally accepted. According to this theory, during enzymatic reactions, an intermediate compound is created between the enzyme and the substrate. After the formation of this complex, the enzyme catalyzes a chemical reaction that changes the substrate into another molecule, which we call the product. The product is then separated and released from the active site of the enzyme, which is then ready to bind the next substrate molecule. Enzyme activity can be affected by different molecules. The purpose of this study is to use the spectrophotometric approach to determine whether sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) serve as activators or inhibitors of enzymatic reactions. The obtained results show that both additives bind to the enzyme-substrate complex, causing non-competitive inhibition.

In this study, the impact of glucocorticoid, betamethasone dipropionate on enzyme activity in vitro and its effects on hematological parameters in vivo was investigated. The immobilized catalase, crucial for cell oxidative stress response via hydrogen peroxide reduction, exhibited a robust electrocatalytic response, maintaining its biological activity. The in vitro inhibition kinetics of catalase, as determined by electrocatalytic methods and expressed using Lineweaver-Burke diagrams, revealed an uncompetitive type of inhibition with altered Imax and Km in the presence of a range of betamethasone dipropionate concentrations. The in vivo experiments conducted on Rattus norvegicus demonstrated significant alterations in hematological parameters following betamethasone dipropionate administration. These changes included a decrease in erythrocyte count, an increase in hemoglobin, a reduction in mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and an elevation in mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Notably, the leukocyte counts substantially increased. The observed hematological shifts suggest an impact of betamethasone dipropionate on the hematopoietic system, reinforcing the need for cautious corticosteroid administration. The findings underline the necessity for judicious corticosteroid treatment, acknowledging both enzymatic and systemic repercussions.

Glucocorticoids prevent or suppress the full inflammatory response to the infectious, immunological or physical agents by inhibiting early inflammatory events such as edema or cell exudation. The main effect of glucocorticoids on the inflammatory process is the inhibition or recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes. In this study, the effect of the glucocorticoid betamethasone on the hematological parameters of rats of the species Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout 1769 was examined in vivo. Betamethasone has been shown to affect the values of hematological parameters four hours after application and leads to a significant decrease in the prevalence of lymphocytes and monocytes, but also leads to a statistically significant increase in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit values.

Aim: The chief aim of this study was monitoring of laboratory parameters of chronic kidney failure in elderly patients. Methods: All samples were taken and processed by standard methods and according to the principles of good laboratory practice. Data were collected in an organized and systematic manner in the form of a questionnaire with respect to ethical principles and as such were analyzed by statistical tests and analyses (Student's t-test, Analysis of variance-ANOVA, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients). The limit of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Mean values of creatinine clearance and proteinuria for the total study population were: 41.30 ± 21.43 mL/min, 1.5 ± 2.3 g/L/24 h, respectively. Hematological parameters did not significantly differ from normal values. The highest frequency of comorbidities was observed in subjects aged ≥ 80 years with an average of 2.03 comorbidities per subject. Serum creatinine and urea values as well as creatinine clearance are good indicators of disease progression. Conclusion: The results of the presented research suggest that old age is a predisposing risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease, and that in combination with comorbidities (hypertension and/or diabetes), it contributes to poor prognosis or disease progression.

Aluminium and its alloys have excellent corrosion resistance. When aluminium is exposed to the atmosphere, a thin invisible oxide Al2O3 is formed, protecting the metal from further oxidation. Compared to pure metals, alloys can have higher corrosion resistance depending on the content of certain alloying elements. Various substances such as organic or inorganic inhibitors can affect the corrosion of aluminium alloys and thus slow down the degradation of the material. In this paper, we studied the inhibitory effect of potassium dichromate on the corrosion processes of aluminium alloy. All measurements were performed in 0.5 M sodium chloride solution with the addition of different concentrations of inhibitors. The methods used were potentiodynamic polarization, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry.

Most pharmaceutical and nutritional compounds are marketed as enzyme inhibitors, and such inhibitors show their specific action in inhibiting enzymes within cells. Since their discovery, corticosteroid treatment has been one of the most used and effective treatments for various inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Corticosteroids have anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, so it is hypothesized that these corticosteroids will have an inhibitory effect on the enzyme catalase. This study aimed to examine the effect of the corticosteroid’s betamethasone dipropionate and prednisone on catalase activity in vitro. A spectrophotometric method was used based on the reaction between hydrogen peroxide, enzymes, and corticosteroids. After incubation at 37°C with the addition of ammonium heptamolybdate, a stable complex was formed, and the absorbances were analysed. The obtained results indicate an uncompetitive type of inhibition in betamethasone dipropionate, while prednisone acts as a partial competitive agent.