ANTIULCEROGENIC EFFICACY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF VITIS VINIFERA LEAVES IN RATS

Objective: The ethanolic extract of Vitis vinifera leaves (VVE) (500 mg/kg body weight), ranitidine (50 mg/kg body weight) and both of them were tested for their gastroprotective and curative effects against the incidence of peptic ulcer. Methods: The antiulcer effects of VVE were investigated using a combination of indomethacin and cold-stress for 2h. To ascertain the mechanism of action of VVE, its protective and curative effects were studied on gastric volume, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index and malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione–S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO) activities of both stomach and duodenum of rats. Moreover, histopathological effects on stomach and duodenum were determined.Results: The antioxidant activity of VVE was demonstrated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. VVE was found to reduce the ulcer index, gastric volume and the level of gastric juice acidity. Also, VVE showed gastroprotective and curative activities mainly through improvement of antioxidant status and decreasing lipid peroxidation accompanied with amelioration of both stomach and duodenum architectures.Conclusion: The prophylactic and curative effects of VVE proved to be effective in preventing gastric and duodenal ulceration which may be probably due to its antioxidant and anti-acid secretory effects

Toxoplasma gondii: Ultrastructure study of the entry of tachyzoites into mammalian cells

AbstractToxoplama gondii (Apicomplexa: Coccidia), an obligatory intracellular parasite with a unique capacity to invade virtually all nucleated cell type from warm-blooded vertebrate hosts. Despite the efficiency with which Toxoplasma enters its host cell, it remains unresolved if invasion occurs by direct penetration of the parasite or through phagocytosis. In the present work, electron microscopic study was designed to examine the entry process of Toxoplasma (RH strain) into macrophages and non phagocytic-host cells (Hela cells) and to observe the ultrastructure changes associated with intracellular parasitism. The results showed that both active invasion and phagocytosis were occurred and revealed that invasion is an ordered process that initiates with binding of the parasite at its apical end followed by tight-fitting invagination of the host cell membrane and a prominent constriction in the parasite at the site of penetration. The process ended by the professional parasitophorous vacuole that is distinct at the outset from those formed by phagocytosis in which once Toxoplasma triggered, phagocytic uptake can proceed by capture of the parasite within a loose fitting vacuole formed by localized membrane ruffling. The cytopathic effects of the parasite on macrophages and Hela cells were demonstrated within 5–15h post-inoculation in the form of degenerative mitochondria, swelling Golgi apparatus and widening of endoplasmic reticulum indicating intracellular oedema. These changes were exaggerated and several cells were found dead after 48–72h

Protective effect of Echinochrome against intrahepatic cholestasis induced by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate in rats

Abstract The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of echinochrome (Ech) on intrahepatic cholestasis in rats induced by a single (i.p.) injection of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) (75 mg/kg body weight). The rats were pre-treated orally for 48hr (one dose / 24hr) with Ech (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight) or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 80 mg/kg body weight drug then, injected with ANIT. ANIT markedly increased serum activities of alanine amino transaminase (ALT), aspartate amino transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which was accompanied by a massive inflammation of epithelial cells on bile duct at 24h after ANIT injection. ANIT also increased the levels of total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), indirect bilirubin (IB), however decrease albumin content (ALB). In addition ANIT increased hepatic MDA and NO level and decreased GSH level and GST activity. The Ech exerted hepatoprotective and anticholestatic effects as assessed by a significant decrease in the activities of serum AST, ALT and ALP, and the levels of TP, TB, DB and IB as well as liver MDA level and NO level. In conclusion, Ech was found to possess hepatoprotective effect against intrahepatic cholestasis induced by hepatotoxin such as ANIT