Gastroprotective Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Hericium erinaceus

Hericium erinaceus is a famous tonic in oriental medicine. The gastroprotective effects of aqueous extract of H. erinaceus against ethanol-induced ulcers in Sprague Dawley rats were investigated. The possible involvements of lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were also investigated. Acute toxicity study was performed. The effects of aqueous extract of H. erinaceus on the ulcer areas, ulcer inhibition, gastric wall mucus, gross and histological gastric lesions, antioxidant levels, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were evaluated in ethanol-induced ulcer in vivo. In acute toxicity study, a high dose of 5 g/kg did not manifest any toxicological signs in rats. The extract promoted ulcer protection as ascertained by a significant reduction of the ulcer area. Furthermore, it exhibited a significant protection activity against gastric mucosal injury by preventing the depletion of antioxidant enzymes. The level of MDA was also limited in rat stomach tissues when compared with the ulcer control group. Immunohistochemistry showed upregulation of HSP70 protein and downregulation of BAX protein in rats pretreated with the extract. The aqueous extract of H. erinaceus protected gastric mucosa in our in vivo model. It is speculated that the bioactive compounds present in the extract may play a major role in gastroprotective activity

Effects of Schiff base derived metal complexes on experimentally induced gastric ulcer and excision wound in rats / Shahram Golbabapour

Schiff base metal complexes have shown various bioactivities in a number of diseases. This work was conducted to evaluate bioactivity of three Schiff base metal derivatives [Cu(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) complexes] on gastric tissue for their gastroprotective properties, and on excision wound in accelerating the wound repair process in vivo. The toxicity of the complexes were examined in both acute and subchronic levels. In the gastroprotection experiment, male rats were divided into 6 groups [normal control, ulcer control, standard control, Cu complex, Co complex and Zn complex) and received 5 mL/kg of the vehicle (Tween-20 (5%)], omeprazole (20 mg/kg) or any of the complexes (20 mg/kg) dissolved in the vehicle, respectively. Then all of the groups but the normal control group received 5 mL/kg ethanol (95%). The animals euthanized and their stomachs were dissected for gross evaluation, microscopic observations, immunohistology assessments and endogenous bioassays. In the wound healing experiment, under sedation condition, a circle of ~314.16 mm2 of the anterior dorsal side of the nape was excised from each rat (male). Rats were divided into 5 groups (wound control, standard control, Cu complex, Co complex and Zn complex) and received a topical application of 0.2 mL (two time per day) of either the vehicle [Tween-20 (5% v/v) and CMC (2% v/v)], Intrasite gel or any of the complexes (20 mg/kg) dissolved in the vehicle, respectively. After 15 days, the rats were euthanized and the skin area was excised for gross evaluation, microscopic observations, immunohistology assessments, endogenous bioassays and apoptosis array. The laboratory results showed no histopathological and biochemical signs of toxicity. Gastroprotection rate for the pretreatment with either Co or Zn complexes showing less gastric lesions (~86% protection) against oral administration of ethanol. Histological assessment confirmed the protective features of these complexes. Endogenous bioassays appeared comparable with omeprazole (especially for Co and Zn complexes). The lipid peroxidation activity was remarkably low among these three complexes. The expression of HSP70 and BAX appeared comparable according to the protection rates, where the higher protection rate showed higher expression of HSP70 and lower expression of BAX as confirmed by western blot assay. Wound repair rate was measured 90%, 88% and 82% for Cu, Co and Zn complexes respectively, as compared with the standard control group (93%) where that of the wound control group was 78%. Bioactivity of tissue homogenates showed comparable results among the standard control group and the three complexes [especially Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes]. Microscopic structure of wound and immunohistochemistry against TGFβ1, Ki67 and α-smooth muscle actin showed mild histological differences among the groups. Apoptotic protein array revealed that the treatment with Cu(II) complex caused similar protein profile except for IGFBP-1 to IGFBP-4. Co(II) complex also appeared different in the expression profile of IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5 with reference to the standard control group. Out of these three complexes, Zn(II) complex showed similar protein profile for the studied proteins

A Concise Review on Epigenetic Regulation: Insight into Molecular Mechanisms

Epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for the regulation of transcription of imprinted genes and those that induce a totipotent state. Starting just after fertilization, DNA methylation pattern undergoes establishment, reestablishment and maintenance. These modifications are important for normal embryo and placental developments. Throughout life and passing to the next generation, epigenetic events establish, maintain, erase and reestablish. In the context of differentiated cell reprogramming, demethylation and activation of genes whose expressions contribute to the pluripotent state is the crux of the matter. In this review, firstly, regulatory epigenetic mechanisms related to somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) reprogramming are discussed, followed by embryonic development, and placental epigenetic issues

Autoimmune Hepatitis and Stellate Cells: An Insight into the Role of Autophagy

Autoimmune hepatitis is a necroinflammatory process of liver, featuring interface hepatitis by T cells, macrophages and plasma cells that invade to periportal parenchyma. In this process, a variety of cytokines are secreted and liver tissues undergo fibrogenesis, resulting in the apoptosis of hepatocytes. Autophagy is a complementary mechanism for restraining intracellular pathogens to which the innate immune system does not provide efficient endocytosis. Hepatocytes with their particular regenerative features are normally in a quiescent state, and, autophagy controls the accumulation of excess products, therefore the liver serves as a basic model for the study of autophagy. Impairment of autophagy in the liver causes the accumulation of damaged organelles, misfolded proteins and exceeded lipids in hepatocytes as seen in metabolic diseases. In this review, we introduce autoimmune hepatitis in association with autophagy signaling. We also discuss some genes and proteins of autophagy, their regulatory roles in the activation of hepatic stellate cells and the importance of lipophagy and tyrosine kinase in hepatic fibrogenesis. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of the regulatory role of autophagy in autoimmune hepatitis, the pathway analysis of autophagy in autoimmune hepatitis is also included in this article. </jats:sec

Chemically Induced Breast Tumors in Rats Are Detectable in Early Stages by Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging but Not by Changes in the Acute-Phase Reactants in Serum

The present study was undertaken to develop a rat model for monitoring the early development of breast cancer. Twelve female rats were divided into two groups of six rats that were either treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to induce breast cancer or with bacterial lipopolysaccharide to induce inflammation. Serum samples taken from the rats prior to the treatment were used as controls. By the 14th week, presence of the tumor was detectable by contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and confirmed by histopathology. When the serum proteins of the rats were examined by 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), no difference could be detected in the profiles of all proteins before and 18 weeks after administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. However, higher expression of alpha-1B glycoprotein was detectable by 2-DE in serum samples of rats at the 18th week post-treatment with lipopolysaccharide

Gastroprotective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Curcuma xanthorrhiza Leaf against Ethanol-Induced Gastric Mucosal Lesions in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Herbal medicines appeared promising in prevention of many diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the gastroprotective effect of Curcuma xanthorrhiza leaf in the rats induced gastric ulcer by ethanol. Normal and ulcer control received carboxymethycellulose (5 mL/kg) orally, positive control was administered with 20 mg/kg omeprazole (reference drug) and 2 groups were received 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of the leaf extract, respectively. To induce of gastric ulcers formation, ethanol (5 mL/kg) was given orally to all groups except normal control. Gross ulcer areas, histology, and amount of prostaglandin E2, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were assessed to determine the potentiality of extract in prevention against gastric ulcers. Oral administration of extract showed significant gastric protection effect as the ulcer areas was remarkably decreased. Histology observation showed less edema and leucocytes infiltration as compared with the ulcer control which exhibited severe gastric mucosa injury. Furthermore, the leaf extract elevated the mucus weight, level of prostaglandin E2 and superoxide dismutase. The extract also reduced malondialdehyde amount significantly. Results showed leaf extract of Curcuma xanthorrhiza can enhanced the gastric protection and sustained the integrity of gastric mucosa structure. Acute toxicity test did not showed any sign of toxicity (2 g/kg and 5 g/kg)