The Antioxidant Effects of Mushroom Extracts in Boosting Immune System in Mammals using Albino Rats as a Model

Mushrooms have been widely used as medicine in the treatment of several infections and also boosting the immune system. The present study was carried out to ascertain the haematological and the antioxidants properties of aqueous extracts of Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus tuber-regium. Twenty five albino rats were grouped into five, each group consisting of five rats of A to E. Group A serves as the control, group B to D were fed with Pleurotus tuber-regiumin 400mg, 600mg and 1000mg concentration respectively while group E was fed with 400mg of Agaricus bisporus. On completion of the administration of extracts, the haematological profiles and antioxidant parameters were analysed. The experimental rats showed some little significant increase in both the haematological profile and biomarkers properties with P<0.05, Generally the haematological profiles implies that there was no significant decrease in the level of the experimental rats immunity and also some organs such as the liver and the kidney were intact. SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA are antioxidant enzymes measured to detect toxic consequences of oxidative stress in mammalian systems. The SOD values in rats treated with 400mg/kg/lb of SOD is 113.58mm/mg/protein and rats treated with1000mg/kg in pleuntus tuberregium, the values of MDA is 23.32±2.09 (nmol/ml). There was a significant difference in the liver homogenated and kidney homogenated biomarkers in the rats treated with Pleurotus tuber regium and Agaricus bisporous. They are cellular and enzymatic defenses against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes toxic and adaptive responses within a cell. The importance of an antioxidant defenses in protecting cells and organisms from oxidative damage and toxicity. Further research with higher dosage of the extracts may be required to test on laboratory rats before providing the true haematological and antioxidant properties. Keywords: Mushroom, Antioxidants and Albino rat

Hepatotoxicity of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Bridelia ferruginea on the Liver of Albino Rats

The hepatic effect of aqueous extract of Bridelia ferruginea leaves on the liver of albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) was investigated. The rats were fed with their feed (pellets) and clean water and were left for a period of four weeks to acclimatize to their new environment and thereafter the experiment commenced. The rats were grouped into four groups; the control group which did not receive the extract at all and three other groups according to dose of extracts administered orally. There was a steady increase in weight in both control and treated group in the treated group. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration was a mean value of  10.4 +1.0U/I for the control group while the treated groups were 38.1 + 3.8U/I, 57.7 + 19.3U/I, and 77.6 + 6.0U/I (at the doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg weight/day) respectively. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration had a mean value of 11.5 + 0.5U/I for the control group and 45.6 + 1.3U/I , 44.6 + 4.1U,  41.5 + 2.4U/I  and 50.5+3.3 UI (at the doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg weight/day).The transaminases (AST and ALT) are well known enzymes used as biomarkers to predict possible toxicity to the liver. Possible damage to liver cells resulted in elevation of both these transaminases in the serum. Furthermore, measurement of enzymatic activities of AST and ALT is of clinical and toxicological importance as changes in their activities are indicative of liver damage by toxicants or in diseased condition. Histological section of the control group had a normal architecture were the central veins,portal traits hepatocytes and sinusoids appear normal. The lobula unit is also well define. However, group rats treated with 50mg/kg/bw and 100mg/kg/bw showed disintegration of the hepartic cells represented by the separation and disruption of these cells in the tissue with karyolitic nuclei. Also, in rats group treated with 150mg/kg/bw showed extensive area of patchy and confluent hepatocyte necrosis and lobular inflammation Keywords: Hepatotoxicity, Bridelia ferruginea,Albino rat

Clofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) agonist, and Its molecular mechanisms of action against sodium fluoride–induced toxicity

AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS : Data will be made available based on request from the corresponding author.Sodium fluoride (NaF) is one of the neglected environmental pollutants. It is ubiquitously found in the soil, water, and environment. Interestingly, fluoride has been extensively utilized for prevention of dental caries and tartar formation, and may be added to mouthwash, mouth rinse, and toothpastes. This study is aimed at mitigating fluoride-induced hypertension and nephrotoxicity with clofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) agonist. For this study, forty male Wistar rats were used and randomly grouped into ten rats per group, control, sodium fluoride (NaF; 300 ppm) only, NaF plus clofibrate (250 mg/kg) and NaF plus lisinopril (10 mg/kg), respectively, for 7 days. The administration of NaF was by drinking water ad libitum, while clofibrate and lisinopril were administered by oral gavage. Administration of NaF induced hypertension, and was accompanied with exaggerated oxidative stress; depletion of antioxidant defence system; reduced nitric oxide production; increased systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure; activation of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB); and testicular apoptosis. Treatment of rats with clofibrate reduced oxidative stress, improved antioxidant status, lowered high blood pressure through the inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity, mineralocorticoid receptor over-activation, and abrogated testicular apoptosis. Taken together, clofibrate could offer exceptional therapeutic benefit in mitigating toxicity associated with sodium fluoride.Cape Peninsula University of Technology and National Research Foundation (South Africa).https://link.springer.com/journal/12011hj2023Paraclinical Science