The effect of lithium tetraborate as a novel cardioprotective agent after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Epidemiological studies suggest that acute kidney injury has certain effect on myocardial function. In this study, for the first time, we tested a boron compound namely lithium tetraborate an act as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in ischemia-reperfusion injury. For this, we employed an in vivo rat model with kidney ischemia reperfusion injury to evaluate cardiac injury to clarify the mechanisms of lithium tetraborate. The evaluation of cardiac injury through kidney artery occlusion and reperfusion rat model indicated that lithium tetraborate could (1) reduce oxidative stress-induced endothelial dysfunction; (2) attenuate the inflammatory response of cardiac cells; and (3) alleviate the apoptosis and necrosis of myocytes. In summary, lithium tetraborate demonstrates significant therapeutic properties that contribute to the amelioration of cardiac damage, and it could be a promising candidate for future applications in myocardial dysfunction

The effect of black mulberry (Morus nigra) extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage

In this study, the effect of Morus nigra (M. nigra) on carbon tetrachloride (CCI4)-induced hepatic injury in the rat was investigated. A hepatotoxic rat model was developed by the injection of CCI4 dissolved in soybean oil (1 mL/kg/twice a week, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection). Following the formation of hepatic injury, extracts of M. nigra at doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg/kg were administered to rats by i.p. injection for eight weeks. At the end of administration, rat livers were excised by dissection. The activities of liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were detected in the serum, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were established in the liver. Histological changes and immunohistochemical localization of caspase-3 and 8-oxo-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OhdG) were performed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of liver sections and caspase-3 and 8-OhdG immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that the M. nigra extract prevented protein oxidation generated by CCI4. The extracts demonstrated the ability to modulate the activity of SOD and GPx, and also prevented the CCI4-induced increase in AST and GGT levels. These results indicate that M. nigra extracts provided significant protection against CCl4-induced hepatic injury and might also present a novel approach for the treatment of some liver diseases

Toxicological evaluation of submerged liquid culture from Phanerochaete chrysosporium mycelium on human blood cells: cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and oxidative damage

Mushrooms produce a variety of bioactive antioxidant secondary metabolites including ectins, polysaccharides, pigments, phenolic compounds, sterols and terpenes. Extracellular and intracellular compounds produced by submerged liquid fermentation are important industrially and economically. Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC) is the model white-rot fungus that easy cultivation on lignocellulose-containing substrates. PC can be used as a bioprotein source. Aims of this study were to determine the in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of hot water extract obtained from PC on human peripheral blood monunuclear cells (hPBMCs). Cytotoxicity was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakeage assay and neutral red (NR). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) were detected to determine the oxidative damage. Genotoxicity was characterized by micronuclei and chromosome aberrations assays for specify DNA damage. PC (5-75 µg/ml) significantly increased antioxidant capacity and these doses did not cause any significant alterations to cytotoxicity on hPBMCs. The elavated doses of PC (5-250 µg/ml) did not cause increase in genotoxic. Whereas, 250 and 500 µg/ml doses of PC statistically increased TOS levels, NR uptake, LDH release, CA/cell frequency and MN formation however decreased TAC levels. This study is the first time on cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and oxidative damage of PC on hPBMCs. In conclusion, the consumption of PC can be safe for humans, but it has also exposure period and dose-dependent effects on inducing oxidative damage and toxicity on hPBMCs

Differences and similarities of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, Kawasaki disease and macrophage activating syndrome due to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a comparative study

To compare the clinical and laboratory findings of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) and with macrophage activating syndrome due to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA-MAS) on real-life data. Patients diagnosed with MIS-C, KD, and sJIA-MAS from 12 different centers in Turkey who were followed for at least 6 months were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of all patients were analyzed. A total of 154 MIS-C, 59 KD, and 31 sJIA-MAS patients were included. The median age of patients with MIS-C were higher than those with KD while lower than those with sJIA-MAS (8.2, 3, 12 years, respectively). Myalgia (39.6%), cardiac (50.6%), gastrointestinal (72.7%), and neurological (22.1%) involvements were more common in patients with MIS-C compared to others. MIS-C patients had lower levels of lymphocyte (950 vs 1700 cells/mu l) and thrombocyte (173,000 vs 355,000 cells/mu l) counts and higher pro-BNP (1108 vs 55 pg/ml) levels than KD. Ferritin levels were higher in patients with MIS-C compared to patients with KD while they were lower than patients with sJIA-MAS (440, 170, 10,442 ng/ml, respectively). Patients with MIS-C had a shorter duration of hospitalization than sJIA-MAS (p = 0.02) while they required intensive care unit admission more frequently (55 vs 8 patients, p < 0.001). The median MAS/sJIA score of MIS-C patients was - 1.64 (- 5.23 to 9.68) and the median MAS/sJIA score of sJIA-MAS patients was -2.81 ([- 3.79] to [- 1.27]). MIS-C patients displayed certain differences in clinical and laboratory features when compared to KD and sJIA-MAS. Definition of the differences and similarities between MIS-C and the other intense inflammatory syndromes of childhood such as KD and MAS will help the clinicians while making timely diagnosis