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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
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Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Biological Samples Using the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances Assay
Published on: May 12, 2020
Does Enterococcus faecalis contribute to salivary thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances?
1Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
In Vivo (Athens, Greece)
|May 6, 2009
Summary
Salivary thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS), markers of oxidative stress, may originate from the bacterium Enterococcus faecalis. This microbe
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Oral Health
Background:
- Thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) indicate oxidative stress and lipoperoxidation.
- Salivary TBARS levels are influenced by age, smoking, and periodontal status.
- The source of salivary TBARS is currently unknown, with microbial factors and inflammation as suspected contributors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of Enterococcus faecalis in generating salivary thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS).
- To explore the hypothesis that E. faecalis produces extracellular superoxide, leading to oxidative damage and increased TBARS.
Main Methods:
- This study is a hypothesis-generating review, not an experimental study.
- It synthesizes existing knowledge on TBARS, oxidative stress, and Enterococcus faecalis virulence factors.
Main Results:
- Enterococcus faecalis exhibits resistance to oxidative stress and can produce extracellular free radicals.
- E. faecalis is implicated in caries and periodontitis, conditions associated with oxidative stress.
- A proposed mechanism involves E. faecalis superoxide production causing host cell membrane lipoperoxidation, increasing salivary TBARS.
Conclusions:
- Enterococcus faecalis is a potential source of salivary thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS).
- Further research is required to experimentally validate the hypothesis that E. faecalis contributes to TBARS levels through oxidative damage.
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