EFFECT OF PURSLANE (PORTULACA OLERACEA) ON RENAL ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY IN RAT

Objective: Use of herbal medicines has increased in recent years and many researches show their values in the treatment and prevention of diseases. In several studies, antioxidant properties of purslane (PO) were demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of PO (EEPO) on the renal function and antioxidant status after induction of ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury in the rat kidney.Methods: 30 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n=6): sham operated+ vehicle (sham), sham operated+ EEPO 300mg/kg (control), I/R, I/R+ EEPO 150 and 300 mg/kg. Unilateral nephrectomy was performed in all animals, 20 days before the experiment. PO extract or vehicle was administered for 5 days, So that the last dose was administered a half hour before induction of the left kidney I/R (45 min ischemia /24 h reperfusion). At the end of reperfusion period, blood and renal tissue samples were obtained for the serum urea and creatinine (Scr) measurements as well as the tissue antioxidant assays.Results: Induction of I/R and pretreatment with PO extract, increased the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD). There were no significant changes in the levels of MDA, GSH and FRAP among different groups. On the other hand the Scr and serum urea of the I/R and treated groups were elevated compared to the sham group.Conclusion: Purslane did not strongly affect the renal antioxidant status and could not prevent the renal injury following I/R. Probable reason might be the stimulation of immune system by the PO extract

Ovarian protection in cyclophosphamide-treated mice by fennel

Evaluation of protective effect of fennel on mouse ovary against the destructive effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) was the aim of this study. Adult female NMARI mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8): (A) negative control, (B) CP200 mg/kg, (C) fennel 400 mg/kg/day, (E, F, and D) that received fennel 200, 400 and 100 mg/kg/day respectively + CP200 mg/kg. Their ovary weight, volume, and diameter (WVD) were measured. Five micron sections were stained using the H&E method. The serum levels of oestrogen and progesterone were measured using ELISA kit. The results showed that WVD significantly reduced in the CP-treated groups in comparison with the A and C, but WVD increased after treatment of the mice with fennel extract, in comparison with B group. A significant decrease of serum in terms of oestrogen and progesterone levels among CP-treated groups in comparison with the A group was observed. In the CP-treated groups a reduction in the number of different ovarian follicles in comparison with the A and C groups was observed. However, in the treated animals with fennel extract, these parameters significantly increased in comparison with the B group. Finally, it is concluded that fennel can protect ovary from cyclophosphamide side effects. Keywords: Cyclophosphamide, Fennel, Mice, Ovar

The effect of Aqueous Purslane (Portulaca Oleracea) Extract on Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat

Background: According to the previous studies Portulaca oleracea (PO) has antioxidative effects and several factors such as oxidative stress is involved in the renal injury caused by ischemia - reperfusion (I/R). Therefore, the goal of present study is to evaluate the renal I/R injury in rats received aqueous extracts of PO (AEPO). Material and Methods: First, the right nephrectomy was performed in adult male Wistar rats and after 20 days they were divided into 5 groups (6=n). Sham operated+vehicle (sham), sham operated+ AEPO300mg/kg (AEPO group), I/R, AEPO150+I/R and AEPO300+I/R. Each group was treated orally for 5 consecutive days by 150 or 300 mg/kg of either AEPO or saline. On the fifth day of treatment, I/R (45 min ischemia/24 hours reperfusion) or sham operation was performed on the left kidney and amounts of urea and creatinine in serum and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) in the kidney tissue were measured. Comparisons between groups were analyzed by ANOVA and LSD test. P values of 0.05 or less were considered statistically significant. Results: Induction of I/R increased urea and creatinine levels. AEPO had no effect on serum urea and creatinine, of non-ischemic animals, but increased the levels of urea and creatinine in I/R and treatment groups. SOD activity was significantly higher in all groups (except AEPO300 group) compared to the sham group. However the levels of MDA, GSH and TAA of I/R and treatment groups did not show any significant differences in comparison to sham group. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the PO aqueous extract did not ameliorate the I/R injury and even possibly some ingredients in the extract aggravate the renal I/R injury

Sodium hydrogen sulfide may not protect the kidney against ischemia/reperfusion damage in male and female rats

Background and purpose: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is a pathologic phenomenon that caused to increase risk of mortality. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) on renal IR injury in male and female rats. Experimental approach: Fifty-eight male and female rats were randomized into 4 groups of control, sham, IR, and IR + NaHS. The IR was performed by 45 min of ischemia by vessel clamping followed by 24 h reperfusion. The NaHS (100 µmol/kg) treatment was applied 10 min prior to IR. Finally, after 24 h of reperfusion, the measurements were performed. Findings/Results: The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, tissue level of malondialdehyde, and kidney tissue damage score (KTDS) were increased by IR. Urine volume, creatinine, and urea clearances decreased by IR. NaHS administration improved some parameters in males but exacerbated KTDS and serum markers related to renal function. Conclusions and implications: Our data demonstrated that NaHS didn’t protect female rats against renal IR injury. In males, it has null effects or just a few protective effects via antioxidant activity

Perillyl alcohol and quercetin modulate the expression of non-coding RNAs MIAT, H19, miR-29a, and miR-33a in pulmonary artery hypertension in rats

Background: Non-coding RNAs, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), play critical roles in the pathogenesis and progression of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). LncRNA H19, myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT), miR-29a, and miR-33a have been suggested as potential targets for treating arterial hypertension. We explored the expression pattern of non-coding RNAs H19, MIAT, miR-29a, and miR-33a in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats. Moreover, we investigated whether perillyl alcohol (PA) and quercetin (QS), two plant derivatives with beneficial effects on PAH-induced abnormalities, act through regulating the expression of these non-coding RNAs. Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 30) were divided into five groups. MCT (60 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously to induce PAH. PA (50 mg/kg daily) and QS (30 mg/kg daily) were administered three weeks after induction of PAH. H&E staining and qRT-PCR were performed to assess arteriole wall thickness and gene expression, respectively. Results: Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) increased in MCT and MCT + Veh. groups compared to the control group (in both P < 0.001). QS and PA decreased RVSP and RVH significantly. Wall thickness and fibrosis score in the MCT group (score 3) increased compared to the control group (score 0). PA and QS ameliorated wall thickness and fibrosis to score 1 (mild). Also, the expression of miR-29a and miR-33a decreased in the PAH group (in both, P < 0.001). Treatment with PA and QS decreased the expression of H19 (P < 0.001) and MIAT (P < 0.01) and increased the expression of miR-29a (P < 0.01) and miR-33a significantly (P < 0.05 for QS and P < 0.001 for PA). Conclusions: The beneficial effects of PA and QS on PAH-induced abnormalities were exerted through returning the dysregulated expression of H19, MIAT, miR-29a, and miR-33a to normal levels in rats with MTC-induced PAH. This study emphasized the therapeutic potential of PA and QS in PAH. However, more detailed investigations are needed to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms

The effect of aqueous extract of Rosa damascena on formaldehyde-induced toxicity in mice testes

Context: Rosa damascena L. (Rosaceae) (RD) essential oil and extracts are commonly used as a flavour in herbal medicine which increase libido. Previous studies have shown inhalation of RD flower’s oil increases libido and causes protective effects in formaldehyde (FA)-induced testicular damage. Objective: The protective effects of aqueous extract of RD on the male reproductive system of mice were examined following FA-induced damage. Materials and methods: Forty-eight adult NMRI male mice were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 8): control (normal saline, 10 mg/kg); RD40 (40 mg/kg, p.o.); FA treated (10 mg/kg of 10%, i.p.) and FA + RD treated at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg (FA + RD10), (FA + RD20) and (FA + RD40), respectively, for 40 days. At the end of treatment regimes, serum testosterone (T) level and the reproductive activity, viz. body/organ weights, testicular structure and sperm characteristics were studied. Results: Formaldehyde administration significantly decreased serum T level (p < 0.001), testicular weight/volume, tubular diameter and sperm characteristics compared to the control group (p < 0.05). RD (40 mg/kg) administration in FA-treated mice significantly improved serum T level, testicular weight/histological structure, tubular diameter, Leydig cell number and epididymal sperm characteristics in comparison to its lower doses and the control group (p < 0.05). Discussion and conclusions: We may conclude that RD flower extract can withstand effects of FA in the male reproductive system of mice possibly due to its antioxidative properties