NEURO-PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF GINKGO BILOBA LEAVES EXTRACT ON CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY INDUCED EXPERIMENTALLY IN OVARIECTOMIZED RATS

Objective: This study investigated the possible neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in ovariectomized rats.Methods: Rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups as follows: Sham-operated group, Ovariectomized group (OVX), Cerebral I/R injury ovariectomized group (OVX+I/R) and two treated groups given Ginkgo biloba leaves extract in two doses [(OVX+I/R)+Gin50 and (OVX+I/R)+Gin100] for one month starting one month after ovariectomization. Two months after ovariectomization, cerebral I/R injury was induced. 24 h later, blood and brain samples were collected.Results: Ginkgo biloba (50 and100 mg/kg) significantly decreased concentrations of TNF-α, MDA and NO, increased GSH concentration in serum and brain tissue and improved the histopathological pictures of treated rats when compared to ovariectomized cerebral I/R injury group. The effect of Ginkgo biloba high dose was better than the low dose.Conclusion: Thus the study suggests Ginkgo biloba as a potent supplement for protection against cerebral I/R injury in estrogen deficient females, after full clinical evaluation. The proposed mechanisms include neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actions

HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF MONASCUS PURPUREUS (RED RICE YEAST) IN DIABETIC RATS ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH PIOGLITAZONE: AN EFFECT MEDIATED THROUGH CYTOKINES, ANTIOXIDANTS AND LIPID BIOMARKERS

Objective: Diabetes induces many complications such as cardiovascular problems, cataracts, kidney damage and polyneuropathy. Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes is considered one of the most common animal models in rats. The present study investigated the effects of Monascus purpureus (MP) alone or in combination with pioglitazone on glucose level and on liver in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats.Methods: In this study were divided into five experimental groups (normal, untreated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B.W., IP), treated STZ-diabetic with Monascus purpureus (500 mg/kg B. W, oral), treated STZ-diabetic with pioglitazone (10 mg/kg B.W., oral) and treated STZ-diabetic with MP (250 mg/kg B. W, oral)+pioglitazone (10 mg/kg B.W., oral)). Treatment continued for 14 d then blood sampling was done to assess blood glucose. At the end of the study, the animals were fasted overnight, anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (60 mg/kg i.p.), and sacrificed to collect tissues samples (liver, pancreases).Results: Throughout the experimental period, all treatments significantly (P<.05) lowered serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, c-peptide and IL-6. In addition, hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides levels were also lowered. Moreover, the treated diabetic rats showed higher activity of reduced glutathione (P<.05) in the liver compared with the diabetic control rats and inhibited diabetes induced elevation in the level of malondialdehyde in liver.Conclusion: The results of this study clearly demonstrated that MP act by many ways, including anti-hyperglycemic, antioxidant effects and pancreatic β-cell protection. From these points, it seems that MP may be a useful supplement to alleviate the development of diabetes and its complications

Phytochemical Screening, Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry Analysis, and Antidiabetic Effects of Corchorus olitorius Leaves in Rats

BACKGROUND: Therapies for diabetes mellitus are still meeting failure in most cases, especially in the developed stages of the disease due to incredible associating complications. Hence, there is a need for continuous development of curative therapies for that stubborn disease. AIM: We aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effects of one of the most popular plants cultivated in Egypt, C. olitorius. METHODS: Phytochemical screening of total alcoholic extract of Corchorus olitorius leaves and its aqueous and chloroform fractions revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, tannins, coumarins, and alkaloids. RESULTS: The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 12 and nine chemical compounds in aqueous and chloroform extracts, respectively. C. olitorius decreased serum glucose level and α-amylase activity. This effect was more pronounced in the total alcoholic extract and its chloroform fraction than the aqueous one. The extracts also adjusted the lipid profile, reduced liver injury parameters, and caused remarkable improvement and increase number, size, and density of functioning β-cells. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of C. olitorius besides its beneficial effect on diabetic complications such as hyperlipidemia and liver injury. The presence of some phytochemicals such as theophylline, trans-2, 3-dimethoxycinnamic acid, 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin, apigenin 7-glucoside, and glycitein may contribute to such pharmacological effects

Anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective potential of leaf essential oil of Cinnamomum glanduliferum in ethanol-induced rat experimental gastritis

Context: Nothing could be found in the literature concerning Cinnamomum glanduliferum (Wall) Meissn (Lauraceae) bark (CG) in Egypt. Objective: To investigate CG volatile oil chemically and its anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective effects. Materials and methods: Essential oils were investigated by GC-MS. Leaves oil was assessed at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg for its anti-inflammatory effect against carrageenan-induced rat oedema model. Serum inflammation markers were measured. The gastro-protective effect of the same doses of the volatile oil was also tested in ethanol-induced non-ulcerative gastritis model in rats. Stomach oxidative stress markers were examined following 1 h after intragastric ethanol administration. Results: Twenty-five and 20 compounds were identified from leaf and branch oils, respectively (98.85 and 99.13%). The major ones were: eucalyptol (59.44%; 55.74%), sabinene (14.99%; 7.12%), α-terpineol (6.44%; 9.81%), α-pinene (5.27%; 4.71%). Following 4 h of treatment leaves volatile oil at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg significantly reduced paw volume to 94, 82 and 69%, respectively. The same doses significantly reduced COX-2 activity to 73.8, 50.7 and 21.4 nmol/min/mL, respectively. A significant reduction of PGE2 concentration was observed (2.95 ± 0.2, 2.45 ± 0.15 and 1.75 ± 0.015 pg/mL). CG oil exhibited a significant modulatory effect on ethanol-induced gastritis in rats as the level of NO reduced to 32, 37 and 41 μM nitrate/g and also a significant inhibition of lipid peroxidation was observed via reduction of MDA concentration (1.15, 1.11 and 1.04 nmol/g). Conclusion: CG volatile oil exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect and protected against ethanol-induced non-ulcerative gastritis

Alleviation of haloperidol induced oxidative stress in rats: Effects of sucrose vs grape seed extract

Haloperidol (HP) is a classic antipsychotic drug known for its propensity to cause extrapyramidal side effects. HP is known to induce oxidative stress due to increased turnover of dopamine. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of sucrose (1 and 5 mg/kg; p.o.) and grape seed extract (GSE; 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg; p.o.) on the oxidative stress induced in rats by HP (1 mg/kg; p.o.) in the liver and the brain tissues. Oxidative stress was induced by injection of HP for 14 consecutive days which was concurrently administered with sucrose and GSE. Liver and brain levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (nitrite) levels were determined in the brain and liver. Results of the present study revealed that HP-treated rats showed elevated levels of NO in the brain and MDA in the brain and liver. HP-treated rats showed also decreased levels of NO levels in the liver and GSH in the brain and liver. Treatment of HP-treated rats with GSE reversed all the oxidative stress markers in both the brain and liver due to its potent antioxidant property. On the other hand, sucrose attenuates the levels of NO in the brain and liver and the brain levels of MDA and GSH. It can be concluded that both GSE (a potent anti-oxidant) and sucrose (as a source of energy) have beneficial impacts on the brains of HP-treated rats. However, GSE is more potent in alleviating the oxidative stress associated with HP in the liver

Grape seed extract attenuates hyperglycaemia-induced in rats by streptozotocin

The current study aimed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of grape seed extract (GSE) on some metabolic and biochemical changes associated with streptozotocin (STZ; 50 mg/kg; i.p.)-induced hyperglycaemia in male rats. Blood samples were used to determine serum levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG). Some biochemical markers for oxidative stress viz., serum lipid peroxides level (measured as malondialdehyde; MDA) and total antioxidant capacity as well as serum nitric oxide (NO) level were assessed. Hyperglycaemic animals received GSE (100 and 300 mg/kg/day) orally on daily basis for 28 consecutive days and their effects were determined 24 h after the administration of the last dose. Results of the present study revealed that STZ-induced hyperglycaemia is associated with decreased serum insulin level with increased levels of TC and TG. Hyperglycaemia was also associated with increased level of serum MDA together with decreased total antioxidant capacity and level of serum NO. GSE succeeded to improve the serum glucose level in STZ-treated rats in a dose dependent manner. It also showed a restoration of the increased serum level of TC, TG and MDA and of the suppressed insulin and total antioxidant capacity as well as the decreased plasma level of NO. From our results it can be concluded that GSE has beneficial effects against the biochemical changes associated with STZ-induced hyperglycaemia. These beneficial effects might be related to the ability of GSE to improve hyperglycaemia in addition to its anti-oxidant property

'Methyl palmitate attenuates adjuvant induced arthritis in rats by decrease of CD68 synovial macrophages

The study was designed to investigate the potential anti-arthritic effects of methyl palmitate in an adjuvant arthritis model in rats that shares many histopathological similarities with human RA. The underlying mechanism and its effect on CD68 macrophages were investigated, as a further argument to its possible efficacy in RA treatment. A normal control group was injected only with saline, arthritic group, and three treatment groups with CFA induced arthritis received methyl palmitate (MP) at three different doses (75, 150, 300 mg/kg/week for 3 weeks, intraperitoneal). The degree of ipsilateral paw swelling, ankle diameter, spleen index, thymus index and the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β were measured. In addition, the underlying molecular mechanism was investigated using CD68 expression. Methyl palpitate significantly and dose dependently decreased the arthritic symptoms as measured by ipsilateral paw volume and ankle diameter. It showed no effect on body weight but significantly decreased splenic, thymus index, serum TNF-α and IL-1β. CD68 macrophages expression and the overall synovial inflammatory cellularity were halted. Methyl palmitate exhibits significant anti-inflammatory and exerts a potential anti-arthritic effect in a rat model of adjuvant induced arthritis. Furthermore, it inhibits expression of synovial CD68 macrophage that validate its therapeutic potential adjuvant arthritis

Protective and therapeutic potentials of Dunaliella salina on aging-associated cardiac dysfunction in rats

Objective: To investigate the possible protective and/or therapeutic potentials of Dunaliella salina (D. salina) biomass, its carotenoid and polar fractions on cardiac dysfunction associated with D-galactose (D-GAL) induced aging in rats. Methods: Aging associated cardiac dysfunction was induced in rats by injection of D-GAL (200 mg/kg; i.p) for 8 weeks. D-GAL injected rats were treated with two regimens; protective regimen where D. salina biomass (250 mg/kg), its carotenoid (250 μg/kg) and polar (250 μg/kg) fractions were given orally for two weeks concurrently with D-GAL injection as well as treatment regimen where the three treatments were given orally for 28 consecutive days after D-GAL injection. Results: D-GAL injection for 8 weeks was accompanied with dramatic electrocardiographic changes as well as profound elevation in serum levels of homocysteine, creatinine kinase isoenzyme and lactate dehydrogenase in addition to the reduction of the cardiac content of glucose trasporter 4. D-GAL also induced reduction in cardiac superoxide dismutase activity and elevation of inducible nitric oxide synthetase and interleukin-6. On the other hand, oral administration of D. salina carotenoid fraction as well as the total biomass significantly attenuated the D-GAL-induced disturbances in the above mentioned parameters where the protective regimen appeared more successful in controlling the manifestations of cardiac dysfunction. The histopathological examination further emphasized the promising results. Besides, the HPLC analysis of the carotenoid fraction of D. salina revealed the presence of 2.31% β -carotene. Conclusions: D. salina carotenoid fraction as well as the total biomass ameliorate D-GAL-induced aging associated cardiac dysfunction which is attributed to the potent antioxidant activity of β -carotene

Attenuation of Age-Related Hepatic Steatosis by Dunaliella salina Microalgae in Senescence Rats through the Regulation of Redox Status, Inflammatory Indices, and Apoptotic Biomarkers

Background. Hepatic steatosis is the most common type of chronic liver disease and is considered an established risk factor of major chronic diseases. Purpose. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Dunaliella salina, a microalga and its isolated zeaxanthin on age-related hepatic steatosis as well as their underling mechanism. Study Design. Age-related hepatic steatosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (200 mg/kg/day) for eight consecutive weeks. D. salina biomass (BDS; 450 mg/kg), its polar fraction (PDS; 30 mg/kg), carotenoid fraction (CDS; 30 mg/kg), and isolated zeaxanthin heneicosylate (ZH; 250 μg/kg) were orally administered to D-galactose treated rats for two weeks. Methods. Blood samples were collected 24 hours after the last dose of D. salina treatments, animals were sacrificed, and liver tissues were isolated. Sera as well as hepatic tissue homogenates were used for further investigations. Liver tissues were also used for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. A computed virtual docking study for the biologically active candidates was performed to confirm the proposed mechanism of action. Results. Oral treatment of D-galactose-injected rats with BDS, PDS, CDS, or ZH ameliorated the serum hepatic function parameters as well as serum levels of adiponectin, apolipoprotein B 100, and insulin. Furthermore, D. salina decreased the hepatic lipid contents, redox status biomarkers, inflammatory cytokine, and showing antiapoptotic properties. Molecular docking of β-carotene and zeaxanthin on various receptors involved in the pathophysiological cascade of steatosis highlighted the possible mechanism underlying the observed therapeutic effect. Conclusion. D. salina carotenoids have beneficial effect on age-related hepatic steatosis in senescence rats through the regulation of redox status, inflammatory indices, and apoptotic biomarkers

Eugenol alleviates acrylamide-induced rat testicular toxicity by modulating AMPK/p-AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and blood–testis barrier remodeling

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of eugenol treatment on reproductive parameters in acrylamide (ACR)-intoxicated rats. The study evaluated alterations in relative testes and epididymides weights, sperm quality, serum hormonal status, seminal plasma amino acids, testicular cell energy and phospholipids content, oxidative and nitrosative stress parameters, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/ phosphoinositide 3-kinase/phosphor-protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (AMPK/PI3K/p-AKT/mTOR) signaling pathway, blood–testis barrier (BTB) remodeling markers, testicular autophagy and apoptotic markers, as well as histopathological alterations in testicular tissues. The results revealed that eugenol treatment demonstrated a significant improvement in sperm quality parameters, with increased sperm cell concentration, progressive motility live sperm, and a reduction in abnormal sperm, compared to the ACR-intoxicated group. Furthermore, eugenol administration increased the levels of seminal plasma amino acids in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, eugenol treatment dose-dependently improved testicular oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers by increasing oxidized and reduced glutathione levels and reducing malondialdehyde and nitric oxide contents as compared to ACRgroup. However, eugenol treatment at a high dose restored the expression of AMPK, PI3K, and mTOR genes, to levels comparable to the control group, while significantly increasing p-AKT content compared to the ACRgroup. In conclusion, the obtained findings suggest the potential of eugenol as a therapeutic agent in mitigating ACR-induced detrimental effects on the male reproductive system via amelioration of ROS-mediated autophagy, apoptosis, AMPK/p-AKT/mTOR signaling pathways and BTB remodeling