**3. Practical aspects**

Bioelementology is a science, which can unite all the "omics", probably including genomics. Authors of the term "genomics", V.A.McKusick and F.H.Riddle, in the editorial article to the first issue of the journal "Genomics" have explained introduction of the new term as follows: "…logies" are very academic, while "…omics" are more aggressive and democratic [13] in

C, H, N, O, P, S, Si, Ca (structural) K, Na, Ca, Cl, Mg (electrolytic)

H2O, O2, N2 etc.

acid, rhamnose, talose)

Metabolome (components)

tyrosine, valine)

Metallome Lipidome Proteome Genome Transcriptome

(…?)

Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Cr, Mo, Se\*, Sn\*, F\*, I\*, Ni\*, V\*, B\*\* (enzymatic)

Nucleic acids (deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, deoxythymidine, adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, uridine)

Glycans (Fucose, galactose, glucose, glucuronic acid, mannose, Nacetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, neuraminic acid, xylose, nononic acid, octulosonic acid, arabinose, arabinofuranose, colitose, fructose, galactofuranose, galacturonic acid, glucolactilic acid, heptose, legionaminic acid, mannuronic acid, N-acetylfucosamine, N-

acetylperosamine, N-acetylquinovosamine, perosamine, pseudaminic

Proteins (Alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, asparagine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan,

Lipids (Fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, polyketides,

prenol lipids, saccharolipids, sphingolipids, sterol lipids)

acetylgalacturonic acid, N-acetylmannosamine, Nacetylmannosaminuronic acid, N-acetylmuramic acid, N-

Thus, bioelementology is a part of biology (and of the "life science" in terms of V.I.Vernadsky), a science about biological role of substances, important for building and existence of the living

style of live matter studying.

**Table 2.** Classification of bioelements

matter [3].

Secondary

Primary

Simple

230 Pharmacology and Nutritional Intervention in the Treatment of Disease

Complicated

Complicated (components of bioelemental systems,

"omes")

The materials above illustrates that the evolution of living organisms on Earth was accompa‐ nied by a broadening and deepening of the utilization of chemical elements and their com‐ pounds, i.e., in fact, by diversification, improvement and complication of bioelements. This process continues today in both natural and artificial environment, if allowing for the devel‐ opment of biotechnology, genetic engineering and pharmacy.

Diversification of bioelements is a natural tool of the evolution aimed at adaptation of living organisms to the changing conditions of their existence. The emergence of new bioelements accompanies the process of evolution from simple prokaryotic cells (universal) to specialized cells within multicellular organisms with longer duration of individual life at a deceleration of reproduction rate. Changing the composition of the extracellular environment, such as the concentration of key ions or gases, it is possible to cause a cascade of formation of new bioelements. More diverse set of bioelements is observed in organisms with relatively low reproduction rates, but with a longer individual life.

It must be remembered that a set of bioelements is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the formation of life. In many cases in medicine, in our opinion, it is possible to use bioelements for maintaining organs and tissues instead of using cell cultures and tissues, because it is not always necessary or possible (including for financial reasons) to recover the function by a substance, organ or tissue, completely identical to the living one (e.g., in transplantology, orthopedics, in treatment of osteoporosis, diseases of skin, hair, etc.).

of secondary bioelements which are more effective, better available and safe is a fruitful direction toward provision of humans and animals by "blocks of life". The developing of socalled artificial life technologies is a controversial way for accumulation of bioelements, because such experiments can produce undesirable effects from unknown protocells and other

Bioelements and Bioelementology in Pharmacology and Nutrition: Fundamental and Practical Aspects

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/57368

233

An example of technology for enlargement of food density for future use is enrichment of algae (Spirulina, Nostoc) [16]. We have managed to obtain the greatest possible accumulation of some essential trace elements by cell cultures of S. platensis and S. maxima. This could considerably increase the value and applicability of spirulina biomass in human health care nutrition. The work has begun from registering a patent [17] for a method of obtaining selenium-containing preparation of spirulina biomass enriched with selenium in organic form with pronounced antioxidant properties. The content of selenium in the cells was determined by atomic-adsorption and fluorometric methods, the total elemental composition of the cell –

The possibility to obtain spirulina biomass enriched with selenium in organic form, which has increased bioavailability, has promptly caused the appearance of works extending this direction. In some works a spirulina preparation enriched with bioavailable selenium in combination with reduced glutathione was administered to rats, allowing normalization of intestinal permeability, impaired after systemic anaphylaxis. In other studies it was shown that effective regulation of homeostasis was possible by addition of selenium-rich spirulina to rats' feed. Also there were reports about successful use of selenium-enriched spirulina and yeast as a dietary supplement for patients with non-specific ulcerative colitis and for patients

The material demonstrates that electromagnetic radiation of millimeter range (EHF) at low non-thermal intensity, which can be characterized as extremely weak and possibly even superweak physical influence, can affect various aspects of metabolism of phototrophic cyanobacteria and microalgae, stimulate growth and yield of biomass of the cultures etc. It can also influence the accumulation of some essential trace elements in cells of cyanobacteria. It is shown that EHF radiation can reduce the toxicity of trace elements introduced into the medium. And, for the first time, it is established that the entering of elevated concentrations of certain trace elements into cultural medium causes shifts in general mineral profile of the

As it is ahown in Figure 2, for the effective prevention and treatment of human disease it is essential to control and correct the initial imbalances of bioelements, caused by suboptimal nutrition, ecological influence, stress etc. We can do this for relatively healthy people that to prevent their disease. If we missed the possibility of the correction of human health by bioelements in stages I-II, we need to start the treatment but also with the restoration of basic

**4. Novel paradigm of the nutrition and pharmacology**

defects of metabolism (stable deficiency of bioelements).

modified organisms.

by developed complex of ICP-AES methods [18].

with coronary heart disease [19-20].

cyanobacterial cells.

The development of bioelementology may lead to appearance of modified cells or technologies for creation of new cells which can be used for medical purposes. Without going into details, we only note that this tale may sooner become a reality with the correct formulation of tasks, based on the correct understanding of the hierarchy of "pre-living" processes and of the life itself, on the formation of new methodological approaches on its basis, on the proper division of essential substances in necessary and sufficient, primary and secondary, with a better understanding of the boundary between "pre-living" and "living", between the set of bioele‐ ments and life.

It is reasonable that the deficiency of only one primary bioelement can due to the extinction of living organism in Earth. According to US Department of Energy (2010), in not far future chemical (elemental) diversity may be sacrified (Table 3). The lack of rare earths can stop the "Clean green future", but deficiency f only one trace element (cobalt) can have the dramatic effect on a lot of species, for which this element and the vitabin B12 are essential.


**Table 3.** Risk of supply disruption by 2015 (US Department of Energy, 2010)

This is why the mankind needs to plan and realize the emergent actions. Below we present our point of view on the strategy of survival.

Strategy of survival:

	- **a.** Conservation of nature (±)
	- **b.** Biotechnological (microbial etc.) production of resources (+)

Of course, today the mankind is not ready to reduce its resource consumptions, which leads to decreasing of number of bioelements. Also, on a pity, the nations are not ready to agree with free redistribution of resources between them. The conservation of nature has also a lot of limitations because of decreasing of forests and desertization intensive use of more and more soils and water for agriculture etc. Only the biotechnological (or pharmaceutical) production of secondary bioelements which are more effective, better available and safe is a fruitful direction toward provision of humans and animals by "blocks of life". The developing of socalled artificial life technologies is a controversial way for accumulation of bioelements, because such experiments can produce undesirable effects from unknown protocells and other modified organisms.

always necessary or possible (including for financial reasons) to recover the function by a substance, organ or tissue, completely identical to the living one (e.g., in transplantology,

The development of bioelementology may lead to appearance of modified cells or technologies for creation of new cells which can be used for medical purposes. Without going into details, we only note that this tale may sooner become a reality with the correct formulation of tasks, based on the correct understanding of the hierarchy of "pre-living" processes and of the life itself, on the formation of new methodological approaches on its basis, on the proper division of essential substances in necessary and sufficient, primary and secondary, with a better understanding of the boundary between "pre-living" and "living", between the set of bioele‐

It is reasonable that the deficiency of only one primary bioelement can due to the extinction of living organism in Earth. According to US Department of Energy (2010), in not far future chemical (elemental) diversity may be sacrified (Table 3). The lack of rare earths can stop the "Clean green future", but deficiency f only one trace element (cobalt) can have the dramatic

> Level Elements Critical Y, Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, In

Near-critical La, Ce, Te

This is why the mankind needs to plan and realize the emergent actions. Below we present

Of course, today the mankind is not ready to reduce its resource consumptions, which leads to decreasing of number of bioelements. Also, on a pity, the nations are not ready to agree with free redistribution of resources between them. The conservation of nature has also a lot of limitations because of decreasing of forests and desertization intensive use of more and more soils and water for agriculture etc. Only the biotechnological (or pharmaceutical) production

Non-critical (but not far future) Co, Li, Ga

**Table 3.** Risk of supply disruption by 2015 (US Department of Energy, 2010)

**2.** Free redistribution of resources between countries (nations) (?)

**4.** Artificial life technology developing (protocells etc.) (±)

**b.** Biotechnological (microbial etc.) production of resources (+)

our point of view on the strategy of survival.

**1.** Reducing of resources consumption (?)

**a.** Conservation of nature (±)

Strategy of survival:

**3.** Restoring of resources:

effect on a lot of species, for which this element and the vitabin B12 are essential.

orthopedics, in treatment of osteoporosis, diseases of skin, hair, etc.).

232 Pharmacology and Nutritional Intervention in the Treatment of Disease

ments and life.

An example of technology for enlargement of food density for future use is enrichment of algae (Spirulina, Nostoc) [16]. We have managed to obtain the greatest possible accumulation of some essential trace elements by cell cultures of S. platensis and S. maxima. This could considerably increase the value and applicability of spirulina biomass in human health care nutrition. The work has begun from registering a patent [17] for a method of obtaining selenium-containing preparation of spirulina biomass enriched with selenium in organic form with pronounced antioxidant properties. The content of selenium in the cells was determined by atomic-adsorption and fluorometric methods, the total elemental composition of the cell – by developed complex of ICP-AES methods [18].

The possibility to obtain spirulina biomass enriched with selenium in organic form, which has increased bioavailability, has promptly caused the appearance of works extending this direction. In some works a spirulina preparation enriched with bioavailable selenium in combination with reduced glutathione was administered to rats, allowing normalization of intestinal permeability, impaired after systemic anaphylaxis. In other studies it was shown that effective regulation of homeostasis was possible by addition of selenium-rich spirulina to rats' feed. Also there were reports about successful use of selenium-enriched spirulina and yeast as a dietary supplement for patients with non-specific ulcerative colitis and for patients with coronary heart disease [19-20].

The material demonstrates that electromagnetic radiation of millimeter range (EHF) at low non-thermal intensity, which can be characterized as extremely weak and possibly even superweak physical influence, can affect various aspects of metabolism of phototrophic cyanobacteria and microalgae, stimulate growth and yield of biomass of the cultures etc. It can also influence the accumulation of some essential trace elements in cells of cyanobacteria. It is shown that EHF radiation can reduce the toxicity of trace elements introduced into the medium. And, for the first time, it is established that the entering of elevated concentrations of certain trace elements into cultural medium causes shifts in general mineral profile of the cyanobacterial cells.
