Bunium incrassatum Bois. Batt. Trab. (Talghouda) in the improvement of thyroid tissue damages in female rats

This study aims to determine the nutritional and therapeutic effects of dried Bunium incrassatum Bois.Batt.Trab. Tubers powder on rats with hyper and hypothyroidism. Thirty female Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups. G1 (C) received a normal diet. G2 (CT) received a normal diet with dried Talghouda tubers powder dissolved in water. G3 (Hpo) was treated with Carbimazole® (5 mg/day) for 6 weeks. G4 (HpoT) was treated with Carbimazole® (5 mg/day) for 6 weeks and Talghouda for 7 weeks after induced hypothyroidism. G5 (Hpy) was treated with Levothyroxine® (600µg/Kg body weight/day) for 6 weeks. G6 (HpyT) had hyperthyroidism induced by Levothyroxine® (600µg/Kg body weight/day) for 6 weeks and then treated with Talghouda for 7 weeks. A dose of Talghouda was chosen at 1.03g/Kg body weight/day, and all treatments were given by gavage. Phytochemical analysis was carried out for Talghouda, and the thyroid glands of each group were then recovered for histological study. Talghouda treatment showed a highly significant (p 0.01) increase in body weight in groups G2, G4 and G6 with gland repair and reactivation of thyroid follicles in hyper and hypothyroid rats compared to G1, G3 and G5.  The powder of dried Talghouda tubers, used as traditional medicine in Algeria, improved the damages caused by hyper and hypothyroidism

IN VIVO EVALUATION OF WOUND HEALING AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ROOTS OF CENTAUREA AFRICANA (L.) IN TOPICAL FORMULATION

Objective: The present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of methanolic extract of Centaurea africana roots in albino Wistar rats.Methods: Following extraction of the C. africana roots with 80% methanol, the extract was formulated as an ointment (5% and 10% w/w). The ointment was then evaluated for wound healing activity using excision and incision wound models. Parameters, including wound contraction, epithelization time, histopathologically, and hydroxyproline content, were determined using the excision model, whereas tensile strength was measured from the incision model. In parallel, edema of the ear, locally induced by croton oil, was studied for the assessment of anti-inflammatory activity.Results: Wound treated with 5% and 10% methanolic extract ointment exhibited a significant wound healing activity in both models as evidenced by increased wound contraction, shorter epithelization time, higher tissue breaking strength, and increased hydroxyproline content. The methanolic extract also produced dose-related significant reduction (p<0.001) of inflammation.Conclusion: Results of the present study revealed that C. africana displays remarkable wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities.Keywords: Anti-inflammatory activity, Centaurea africana roots, Methanolic extract, Incision and excision wound model

Antagonistic Effect of the Lactic Bacteria Isolated from the Camel Milk on Staphylococcus aureus in Yoghourt Manufacturing

This paper deals with the lactic bacteria found in the raw camel milk producing antibacterial substances. Samples of milk were obtained from female camels of herds from nomads living in the south of Algeria. The antibacterial activity of the bacteria was tested on Staphylococcus aureus strains and to highlight this activity in a yoghourt for therapeutic purpose.Among the seven (07) strains of lactic bacteria which were isolated from camel milk Lb. fermentum (Lc17) presented the highest antagonistic effect on S. aureus. After incorporation in the yoghourt ,It was verified that there was no interaction between the lactic ferments of yoghourt and Lb. fermentum and no modification of the acidity. However the realization of a yoghourt containing Lb. fermentum with shown a total inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus to a load 5,87 log UFC compared to that of yoghourt made up exclusively of lactic leavens, after 4 hours of incubation in mixed culture

Antagonistic Effect of the Lactic Bacteria Isolated from the Camel Milk on Staphylococcus aureus in Yoghourt Manufacturing

This paper deals with the lactic bacteria found in the raw camel milk producing antibacterial substances. Samples of milk were obtained from female camels of herds from nomads living in the south of Algeria. The antibacterial activity of the bacteria was tested on Staphylococcus aureus strains and to highlight this activity in a yoghourt for therapeutic purpose.Among the seven (07) strains of lactic bacteria which were isolated from camel milk Lb. fermentum (Lc17) presented the highest antagonistic effect on S. aureus. After incorporation in the yoghourt ,It was verified that there was no interaction between the lactic ferments of yoghourt and Lb. fermentum and no modification of the acidity. However the realization of a yoghourt containing Lb. fermentum with shown a total inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus to a load 5,87 log UFC compared to that of yoghourt made up exclusively of lactic leavens, after 4 hours of incubation in mixed culture

Chronic toxicity of six pesticides mixture traces on biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters of liver and kidney in female Wistar rats

Introduction. The modern world uses several toxic chemicals, among them, pesticides which present a potential risk to humans when they are exposed to many pesticides at the same time through diet. Objective. The present study aimed to eva-luate the toxic effect of six pesticides mixture on liver hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters, in rats. Material and methods. Female Wistar rats, aged two months and weighed 150±5 g, were divided into three groups of ten rats. Pesticides mixture (Chloroperiphos-methyl, Deltamethrin, Methidathion, Cypermethrin, Acetami-prid, and Abamectin), at Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI and ADI×2), was administered orally for 7 months. Results. Pesticides mixture at ADI exposed rats exhibited severe damage in liver and kidney structure and function. At dose of ADI×2, more severe effects, with notable changes and damage, were observed in liver and kidney histology by several forms of inflammation, denaturation, and necrosis of cells and tissues. This showed direct impact on functioning and metabolism of these organs by significant changes in biochemical and haematological parameters (total cholesterol, total proteins, aspartate-aminotransferase, alanine-aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamiltransferase, total bilirubin, potassium, iron, urea, creatinine, uric acid, hemoglo-bin and hematocrit). Conclusion. The six pesticides mixture is toxic at ADI×2, and even at ADI that represents security dose of one pesticide. However, in a mixture, this dose causes deleterious effects on liver and kidney structure and function in rats

Effect of Spirulina platensis ingestion on the abnormal biochemical and oxidative stress parameters in the pancreas and liver of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Context: Previous studies have shown that Spirulina platensis Gomont (Phormidiaceae) (SP) extract has beneficial effects on many disease conditions. The putative protective effects of SP were investigated in diabetic rats. Objective: The current study investigates the antioxidant effects of SP in diabetic Wistar rats. Materials and methods: Alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg body weight) was intraperitoneally administrated to induce diabetes. An aqueous suspension of SP powder in distillate water (10% w/v) was administrated orally by gavage (1 mL/day) for 50 days. Histopathological, biochemical and antioxidant analyses were performed. Glycemia, liver function and HOMA-IR were assessed using Spinreact and ELISA kits. Results: SP exhibited high-antioxidant activity. The IC50 values of the SP aqueous extract were 70.40 and 45.69 mg/L compared to those of the standard antioxidant BHT, which were 27.97 and 19.77 mg/L, for the DPPH and ABTS tests, respectively. The diabetic animals showed a significant increase in glycaemia (from 4.05 to 4.28 g/L) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (50.17 mmol/g protein) levels. Treatment with SP significantly reduced glycaemia by 79% and liver function markers [glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (Alk-p)]) by 25, 36 and 20%, respectively, compared to that of the controls. There was a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (48%), total antioxidant status (43%), glutathione peroxidase (37%) and glutathione reductase (16%) in the diabetic rats treated with SP. Discussion and conclusion: These results showed that SP has high antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging, antihyperglycemic and hepatoprotective effects in diabetes

Fruit vinegars attenuate cardiac injury via anti-inflammatory and anti-adiposity actions in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

<p><b>Context:</b> Fruit vinegars (FVs) are used in Mediterranean folk medicine for their hypolipidemic and weight-reducing properties.</p> <p><b>Objective:</b> To investigate the preventive effects of three types of FV, commonly available in Algeria, namely prickly pear [<i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> (L.) Mill (Cectaceae)], pomegranate [<i>Punica granatum</i> L. (Punicaceae)], and apple [<i>Malus domestica</i> Borkh. (Rosaceae)], against obesity-induced cardiomyopathy and its underlying mechanisms.</p> <p><b>Materials and methods:</b> Seventy-two male Wistar rats were equally divided into 12 groups. The first group served as normal control (distilled water, 7 mL/kg bw), and the remaining groups were respectively treated with distilled water (7 mL/kg bw), acetic acid (0.5% w/v, 7 mL/kg bw) and vinegars of pomegranate, apple or prickly pear (at doses of 3.5, 7 and 14 mL/kg bw, acetic acid content as mentioned above) along with a high-fat diet (HFD). The effects of the oral administration of FV for 18 weeks on the body and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) weights, plasma inflammatory and cardiac enzymes biomarkers, and in heart tissue were evaluated.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Vinegars treatments significantly (<i>p</i> < .05) attenuated the HFD-induced increase in bw (0.2–0.5-fold) and VAT mass (0.7–1.8-fold), as well as increase in plasma levels of CRP (0.1–0.3-fold), fibrinogen (0.2–0.3-fold), leptin (1.7–3.7-fold), TNF-α (0.1–0.6-fold), AST (0.9–1.4-fold), CK-MB (0.3–1.4-fold) and LDH (2.7–6.7-fold). Moreover, vinegar treatments preserved myocardial architecture and attenuated cardiac fibrosis.</p> <p><b>Discussion and conclusion:</b> These findings suggest that pomegranate, apple and prickly pear vinegars may prevent HFD-induced obesity and obesity-related cardiac complications, and that this prevention may result from the potent anti-inflammatory and anti-adiposity properties of these vinegars.</p

Identification of Algerian Field-Caught Phlebotomine Sand Fly Vectors by MALDI-TOF MS

International audienceBackground Phlebotomine sand flies are known to transmit Leishmania parasites, bacteria and viruses that affect humans and animals in many countries worldwide. Precise sand fly identification is essential to prevent phlebotomine-borne diseases. Over the past two decades, progress in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as an accurate tool for arthropod identification. The objective of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS as a tool for identifying field-caught phlebotomine.Methodology/Principal Findings Sand flies were captured in four sites in north Algeria. A subset was morphologically and genetically identified. Six species were found in these areas and a total of 28 stored frozen specimens were used for the creation of the reference spectrum database. The relevance of this original method for sand fly identification was validated by two successive blind tests including the morphological identification of 80 new specimens which were stored at -80 degrees C, and 292 unknown specimens, including engorged specimens, which were preserved under different conditions. Intra-species reproducibility and inter-species specificity of the protein profiles were obtained, allowing us to distinguish specimens at the gender level. Querying of the sand fly database using the MS spectra from the blind test groups revealed concordant results between morphological and MALDI-TOF MS identification. However, MS identification results were less efficient for specimens which were engorged or stored in alcohol. Identification of 362 phlebotomine sand flies, captured at four Algerian sites, by MALDI-TOF MS, revealed that the subgenus Larroussius was predominant at all the study sites, except for in M'sila where P.(Phlebotomus) papatasi was the only sand fly species detected.Conclusion The present study highlights the application of MALDI-TOF MS for monitoring sand fly fauna captured in the field. The low cost, reliability and rapidity of MALDI-TOF MS analyses opens up new ways in the management of phlebotomine sand fly-borne diseases

Implication of Ca²⁺ influx in LA-induced increases in [Ca²⁺]i in CD36-positive TBC.

<p>The CD36-positive TBC were isolated from CVP of <i>P. obesus</i> as described in Materials and Methods. Ca²⁺ imaging studies were performed in Ca²⁺-free (0% Ca²⁺) or Ca²⁺-containing (100% Ca²⁺) media. The changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ (F₃₄₀/F₃₈₀) were monitored under the Nikon microscope (TiU) by using S-fluor 40× oil immersion objectives. (A) represents the experiments performed in Ca²⁺-containing (100% Ca²⁺) and Ca²⁺-free medium (0% Ca²⁺). (B) represents the Δ increases in [Ca²⁺]i in the presence of a SOC channel blocker (ABP at 5 µM) in Ca²⁺-containing (100% Ca²⁺) medium. In both the experimental conditions, LA was used at 20 µM.</p