The protective effect of Liza klunzingeri protein hydrolysate on carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress and toxicity in male rats

Objective(s): Today, consumers are looking for food products providing health benefits in addition to meeting the basic nutritional needs of the body. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and cytotoxic effects of Liza klunzingeri protein hydrolysate both in vivo and in vitro. Materials and Methods: Fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) was prepared using enzymatic hydrolysis with papain. In vitro antioxidant activity was assessed using five different antioxidant assays. The cytotoxic effect on 4T1 cell line was evaluated using the MTT assay. The distribution of the molecular weight of FPH was measured using HPLC. In the in vivo study, CCl4-exposed Wistar rats were orally treated with FPH (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg) or gallic acid (50 mg/kg) for 28 consecutive days. Results: Enzymatic hydrolysis gave hydrolysate rich in low molecular weight peptides (<1000 Da) with strong free radicals (ABTS, DPPH, and OH) scavenging activity and cytotoxicity. Treatment of CCl4-exposed rats with all doses of FPH significantly lowered serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). FPH at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg significantly decreased lipid peroxidation and improved total antioxidant capacity in serum, liver, and kidney of the CCl4 exposed rats. All doses of L.klunzingeri protein hydrolysate reduced CCl4-induced nitric oxide production of the kidney. Liver histopathological damage caused by CCl4 also ameliorated with all doses of FPH. Conclusion: L. klunzingeri protein hydrolysate can be considered as a functional food to alleviate oxidative stress. Keywords Author Keywords:Antioxidant activity; Cytotoxicity; Liza klunzingeri; Oxidative stress; Protein hydrolysat

The comparison of clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients with COVID‐19: A case‐control study

Abstract Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) with significant morbidity and mortality. We reported and compared the clinical and para‐clinical findings of immunocompromised and immunocompetent COVID‐19 patients in a case‐control study at the Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods In this study, 107 immunocompromised COVID‐19 patients were recruited as the case group, and 107 immunocompetent COVID‐19 patients as the control group. The participants were matched based on age and sex. The patients' information was retrieved from the hospital records in an information sheet. Associations between clinical and para‐clinical findings with the immune status were assessed using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results The initial pulse rate and recovery time were significantly higher in immunocompromised patients (p < .05). Myalgia, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, headache, and dizziness were more frequently reported by the control group (p < .05). Regarding the prescribed medications' duration, Sofosbovir was used longer in the case group, while Ribavirin was used longer in the control groups (p < .05). The most common complication in the case group was acute respiratory distress syndrome, although no major complications were observed in the control group. According to the multivariate analysis, recovery time and Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Kaletra) prescription were significantly higher in the immunocompromised compared to the immunocompetent group. Conclusion Recovery time was significantly longer in the immunocompromised compared to the immunocompetent group, which emphasizes the necessity of prolonged care in these high‐risk patients. Also, it is recommended to investigate the effect of novel therapeutic interventions to reduce the recovery time in addition to improving the prognosis of immunodeficient patients with COVID‐19