In vivo antioksidativni potencijal biljke Teucrium polium u usporedbi s α-tokoferolom

The present study was undertaken to explore antioxidant potential of Teucrium polium (Lamiaceae) in vivo. Antioxidant activity was measured by three tests including inhibition of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, total antioxidant power (TAP), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in serum. Rats received dry extract of T. polium in 80% ethanol by intragastric intubation at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg kg-1 daily for 14 days. Treatment of rats with T. polium extract showed significant antioxidant activity in the DPPH test as compared to the control. T. polium extract at doses of 50 and 100 mg kg-1 significantly increased rats\u27 TAP and decreased TBARS compared to the control. Administration of T. polium at a dose of 200 mg kg-1 per day did not significantly alter serum TAP and TBARS. Antioxidant activities of T. polium at doses of 50 and 100 mg kg-1 were comparable to that of -tocopherol (10 mg kg-1) in all experiments.U okviru ovih istraživanja ispitan je antioksidativni potencijal biljke Teucrium polium L. Lamiaceae in vivo. Antioksidativni učinak je mjeren pomoću tri testa koji uključuju inhibiciju 1,1-difenil-2-pikrilhidrazil (DPPH) radikala, ukupnu antioksidativnu snagu (TAP) i reaktivne supstancije tiobarbiturne kiseline (TBARS) u serumu. Štakorima je davan suhi ekstrakt T. polium u 80%-tnom etanolu intragastričnom intubacijom u dozama od 50, 100 i 200 mg kg-1 dnevno tijekom 14 dana. Pokusi su pokazali značajno antioksidativno djelovanje T. polium DPPH testom u usporedbi s kontrolom. T. polium je u dozama 50 i 100 mg kg-1 značajno povisio TAP i snizio TBARS u usporedbi s kontrolom. Primjena ekstrakta T. polium u dozi od 200 mg kg-1 dnevno nije značajno mijenjala serumske TAP i TBARS vrijednosti. Antioksidativni učinak T. polium u dozama 50 i 100 mg kg-1 u svim eksperimentima bio je sličan učincima α-tokoferola (10 mg kg-1). Preliminarna ispitivanja ukazuje na antistresni učinak T. polium koji je usporediv antioksidativnom učinku. Međutim, potrebna su daljnja ispitivanja da se rasvijetli bi li T. polium mogla biti korisna u uklanjanju posljedica oksidativnog stresa

Benefits of Zataria multiflora Boiss in Experimental Model of Mouse Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition of the intestine with unknown etiology involving multiple immune, genetic and environmental factors. We were interested to examine the effect of total extract from Zataria multiflora Boiss, a folk medicinal plant on prevention and treatment of experimental IBD. Z. multiflora was administered (400, 600, 900 p.p.m.) through drinking water to IBD mice induced by intrarectal administration of acetic acid. Prednisolone was used as the standard drug for comparison. Biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic examinations of colon were performed. Biochemical evaluation of inflamed colon was done using assay of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration as indicators of free radical activity and cell lipid peroxidation. The activity of MPO and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) increased in acetic acid-treated groups while recovered by pretreatment of animals with Z. multiflora (400–900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone. Z. multiflora (600 and 900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone-treated groups showed significantly lower score values of macroscopic and microscopic characters when compared with the acetic acid-treated group. The beneficial effect of Z. multiflora (900 p.p.m.) was comparable with that of prednisolone. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potentials of Z. multiflora might be the mechanisms by which this herbal extract protects animals against experimentally induced IBD. Proper clinical investigation should be carried out to confirm the activity in human

Effects of Satureja khuzestanica on Serum Glucose, Lipids and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Satureja khuzestanica is an endemic plant of Iran that is widely distributed in the Southern part of the country. It has antioxidant properties and thus it seems to be useful in diseases related to oxidative stress such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The present study investigates the effect of S. khuzestanica supplement in metabolic parameters of hyperlipidemic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Twenty-one hyperlipidemic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized in a double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial to receive either S. khuzestanica (tablets contain 250 mg dried leaves) or placebo once a day for 60 days. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and at the end of the study. Samples were analyzed for levels of glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as marker of lipid peroxidation and ferric reducing ability (total antioxidant power, TAP). Treatment of patients by S. khuzestanica for 60 days induced significant decrease in total cholesterol (P = 0.008) and LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.03) while increased HDL-cholesterol (P = 0.02) and TAP (P = 0.007) in comparison with the baseline values. S. khuzestanica did not alter blood glucose, triglyceride, creatinin and TBARS levels. In comparison with baseline values, no significant change was observed in blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, TBARS and TAP in placebo-treated group. Usage of S. khuzestanica as a supplement to drug regimen of diabetic type 2 patients with hyperlipidemia is recommended

Biochemical and molecular evidences on the protection by magnesium oxide nanoparticles of chlorpyrifos-induced apoptosis in human lymphocytes

Background: Chlorpyrifos (CP) is one of the most widely used organophosphate (OP) insecticides in agricultural and residential pest control with its attendant adverse health effect. In the present study, it is proposed to investigate the possible modulatory role of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) against CP-induced toxicity in human lymphocytes and determine the mechanisms lying behind this protection by viability and biochemical assays. Materials and Methods: Isolated lymphocytes were exposed to 12 μg/mL CP either alone or in combination with different concentrations of MgO NPs (0.1 μg/mL, 1 μg/mL, 10 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL). After a 3-day incubation, the viability and oxidative stress markers including cellular mitochondrial activity, caspase-3 and -9 activities, total antioxidant power, lipid peroxidation, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were measured. Also, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as inflammatory index, along with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were measured. Statistical differences were determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Dunnett′s multiple comparison tests. Results: It is indicated that CP-exposed lymphocytes treated with MgO NPs resulted in a substantial reduction in the pace of mortality as well as the stages of oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Also, MgO NPs (100 μg/mL) meaningfully restored CP-induced increase of TNF-α (P < 0.001) and decrease of AChE activity (P < 0.001) and were capable of preventing CP-treated human lymphocytes from apoptosis (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that MgO NPs in approximate 100 nm diameter not only make cells resistant to the toxic properties of CP but also attenuate toxic effects of CP, which is demonstrating the potential of MgO NPs to be applied in future immune deficiency therapeutic strategies

Anti-Aging Effects of Some Selected Iranian Folk Medicinal Herbs-Biochemical Evidences

Objective(s): In the current study, the effects of selected folk medicinal herbs were evaluated in D-galactose-induced aging in male mice.   Materials and Methods: Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 12 groups composing sham, control, and treated groups. Aging was induced by administration of D-galactose (500 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks). A positive control group was assigned that received vitamin E (200 mg/kg/day). The extract of herbs was prepared, lyophilized, and used in this study. The herbs were administered by gavage for 4 weeks to D-galactose-aged animals at the selected doses (mg/kg/day) as follows: Zingiber officinale (250), Glycyrrhiza glabra (150), Rosmarinus officinalis (300), Peganum harmala (50), Aloe vera (150), Satureja hortensis (200), Teucrium scordium (200), Hypericum perforatum (135) and Silybum marianum (150). One group of animals was assigned as sham and not given D-galactose. Results: At the end of treatment, pro-inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interlukine-1β (IL-β), interlukine-6 (IL-6), NF-kappaB (NF-κb), total antioxidant power (TAP), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as lipid peroxidation (LPO) marker and male sex hormones i.e. testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) were measured in the blood.   Conclusion: These data for the first time indicate significant anti-aging potential of examined herbs. Results showed that D-galactose induces a significant oxidative stress and promotes proinflammatory cascade of aging while all herbs more or less recovered these changes. Among 9 herbal extracts, Silybum marianum showed the best effect in restoring aging changes

Restoration of morphine-induced alterations in rat submandibular gland function by N-methyl-D-aspartate agonist

The effects of morphine, 1-aminocyclobutane-cis-1,3-dicarboxylic (ACBD; NMDA agonist) and 3-((R)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphoric acid (CPP; NMDA antagonist) and their concurrent therapy on rat submandibular secretory function were studied. Pure submandibular saliva was collected intraorally by micro polyethylene cannula from anaesthetized rats using pilocarpine as secretagogue. Intraperitoneal injection of morphine (6 mg/kg) induced significant inhibition of salivary flow rate, total protein, calcium, and TGF-b1 concentrations. Administration of ACBD (10 mg/kg) and CPP (10 mg/kg) alone did not influence secretion of submandibular glands. In combination therapy, coadministration of CPP with morphine did not influence morphine-induced changes in salivary function while ABCD could restore all morphine-induced changes. In combination treatment, ACBD prevented morphine-induced reduction of flow rate, total protein, calcium, and TGF- b1 and reached control levels. It is concluded that morphine-induced alterations in submandibular gland function are mediated through NMDA receptors