ANTIFUNGAL AND ANTIHEPATOTOXIC EFFECTS OF SEPIA INK EXTRACT AGAINST OXIDATIVE STRESS AS A RISK FACTOR OF INVASIVE PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS IN NEUTROPENIC MICE.

Background: There is a great need for novel strategies to overcome the high mortality associated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in immunocompromised patients. To evaluate the antifungal and antihepatotoxic potentials of Sepia ink extract, its effect on liver oxidative stress levels was analyzed against IPA in neutropenic mice using amphotercin B as a reference drug. Materials and Methods: Eighty neutropenic infected mice were randomly assigned into four main groups. The 1st group was treated with saline, neutropenic infected (NI), the 2nd group was treated with ink extract (200 mg/kg) (IE) and the 3rd group was treated with amphotericin B (150 mg/kg) (AMB) and 4th group was treated with IE plus AMB. Treatment was started at 24 h after fungal inoculation (1×109 conidia/ml). Results: The present study revealed good in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of IE against A. fumigatus. IE significantly reduced hepatic fungal burden and returns liver function and histology to normal levels. Compared with the untreated infected group, mice in the IE, AMB, and IE+ AMB groups had increased glutathione reduced (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels at 24 and 72 h after inoculation with A. fumigatus conidia. Conclusion: It is then concluded that in combination with antifungal therapy (AMB), IE treatment can reduce hepatic fungal burden, alleviate hepatic granulomatous lesions and oxidative stress associated with IPA in neutropenic mice

The potential role of mefloquine against Schistosoma mansoni infection by prohibition of hepatic oxidative stress in mice

The present study was designed to assess the relationship between anti-schistosomal effect of the antimalarial drug mefloquine (Mef) and the oxidative stress status of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Forty mice were divided into eight groups (5 mice/group); control (I, II), infected (III, IV), Mef low dosage (200 mg/kg) (V, VI), and Mef high dosage (400 mg/kg) (VII, VIII). Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) was administered orally as a single dose at days 14 and 35 post infection (PI). All mice were sacrificed after 8 weeks PI. Oral administration of Mef (200 or 400 mg/kg) at day 14 or 35 PI reduced the total worm burden by 84%, 78% and 94%, 85.7% respectively. Meanwhile, Mef treatment reduced egg load in the intestine and the liver. Following Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) treatment to mice at day 14 or 35 PI, the oogram pattern showed complete disappearance of all immature and mature ova. Treatment of mice with Mef at the two tested doses significantly decreased the activities of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT enzymes as compared to infected untreated group. However, administration of Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) at day 14 or 35 PI significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the MDA level and increased the levels of GSH and CAT as compared to infected untreated group. In conclusion, Mef is an effective curative anti-schistosomal and anti-oxidative drug as it alleviates the biochemical and the oxidative stress alterations. Also, Mef has schistosomicidal and ovicidal effects

Therapeutic efficacy of chitosan against invasive candidiasis in mice

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance has resulted in the need for new approaches to be developed to combat the previously easily treatable infections. This work aims to evaluate the antifungal and antioxidant effects of the chitosan, as a new alternative or complementary anti-fungal drug, alone or in combination with amphotericin B against a pathogenic Candida albicans in mice. Eighty neutropenic infected mice were randomly assigned into four main groups (20 mice/group). The 1st group was treated with saline, neutropenic infected (NI group) (IPC group, invasive pulmonary candidiasis), the 2nd group was treated with chitosan (ED50) (CE group), the 3rd group was treated with amphotericin B (150 mg/kg) (AMB group) and the 4th group was treated with chitosan plus amphotericin B (CE + AMB group). Treatment was started at 24 h after fungal inoculation and was administered for 3 consecutive days. All the previous treatments demonstrated notable growth inhibition against a C. albicans isolate as indicated by measuring the mean diameter of the inhibition zone. Compared with IPC group, CE, AMB, and AMB + CE-treated animals had 73%, 87%, and 90% reduction in fungal burden, respectively. Furthermore, treatment with CE and/or AMB for 24 and 72 h significantly decreased MDA, SOD, CAT and NO levels and increased GSH and in the lung tissues as compared with the infected untreated group. In conclusion, CE treatment, with the combination of antifungal therapy, can alleviate oxidative stress and lung injury associated with IPC in neutropenic mice

Therapeutic effect of Sepia ink extract against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients that requires aggressive therapy. Because of the widespread use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, antitumor drugs, and immunosuppressive drugs, the morbidity of IPA is currently increasing. The ink secretion of molluscan species was identified as one of the novel sources of bioactive compounds. So the present study designed to investigate the antifungal and antioxidant effects of Sepia officinalis ink extract against IPA in mice. Eighty neutropenic infected mice were randomly assigned into four main groups (20 mice/group). The 1st group was treated with saline, neutropenic infected, the 2nd group was treated with ink (200 mg/kg) and the 3rd group was treated with amphotericin B (150 mg/kg) and the 4th group was treated with ink plus amphotericin B (Ink 200 mg/kg and AMB 150 mg/kg). Treatment was started at 24 h after fungal inoculation and was administered for 3 consecutive days. The present study demonstrated good in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of IE against Aspergillus fumigatus. Compared with IPA group; IE-treated, AMB-treated, and AMB + IE-treated animals had a 67.80%, 83.41%, and 72.68% reduction in the pulmonary fungal burden, respectively. Treatment with IE and/or AMB for one and three days significantly decreased MDA and increased GSH and SOD levels in the lung tissues as compared with the infected untreated group. In conclusion, the results of our in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that IE has therapeutic effect against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis via reducing oxidative stress

Ameliorative effect of the sea cucumber Holothuria arenicola extract against gastric ulcer in rats

Holothuria arenicola is the most important and abundant sea cucumber species in the Mediterranean Sea on the Egyptian coast. This work aimed to investigate the prophylactic and the curative effects of H. arenicola extract HaE (200 mg/kg) on gastric mucosal damage following indomethacin and cold stress in healthy rats. Sixty-four rats were randomly divided into four main groups. Rats of the first group (8 rats/group) were administered distilled water orally (control group), rats of the second group (8 rats/group) were administered single oral dose of indomethacin (150 mg/kg) and exposed to cold stress (4 ± 1 °C) for 30 min to induce gastric ulcer (GU) model (ulcer group), rats of the third group, prophylactic group (24 rats/group) were treated with HaE and/or ranitidine (RAN) and then exposed to GU and rats of the fourth group, curative group (24 rats/group) were exposed firstly to GU and then treated with HaE and/or RAN. The results clearly indicate that pre-treatment with HaE and/or ranitidine significantly decreases the ulcer index, showing 72.50%, 53.11% and 80.56% ulceration inhibition, respectively. However, post-treatment with HaE and/or ranitidine significantly decreases the ulcer index, showing 51.66%, 62.41% and 67.78% ulceration inhibition, respectively. The results also showed that pre and post-treatment with HaE and/or RAN significantly decreased gastric malondialdehyde (MDA) level and enhanced reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. The results clearly indicate that pre-treatment with HaE is preferable

Antiurolithiatic effect of a polyherbal formulation against sodium oxalate-induced urolithiasis in rats

Abstract Background The present study assesses the role of polyherbal formula (LACTN) against sodium oxalate (NaOx)—stimulated urolithiasis prophylactic and curative. Forty-eight rats were separated into the following regimen’s groups: Groups I, II, III, and IV (prophylactic groups). Group I (control group) received saline as vehicle. Group II (urolithiatic group) received 70 mg NaOx / kg b.wt, i.p. Groups III and IV received LACTN and cystone prophylactic (500 and 750 mg/kg b.wt, respectively) from 1st day to 7th day of urolithiasis induction. Groups V, VI, VII, and VIII (curative groups): these were divided into the prophylactic regimes, but LACTN and cystone were administered from 7th day to 14th day of urolithiasis induction. Results Urolithiatic rats co-/post-treated with LACTN and cystone elevated the urinary volume significantly (P < 0.05). Also, a significant decrease (P < 0.05) was observed in the serum and urine calcium and phosphate concentrations beside the increased magnesium value in urolithiatic rats co-/post-treated with LACTN. LACTN significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorates serum and urine creatinine, urea, and uric acid concentration. Moreover, urolithiatic rats co-/post-treated with LACTN significantly (P < 0.05) diminished MDA and increased GSH, GST, SOD, and CAT compared with urolithiatic rats. Conclusions LACTN has anti-lithogenesis effect that may be due to its ability to remove the already presenting stone and/or to prevent the generation of extra calcium oxalate crystals. This action may be due to its components’ synergetic action that may provide encouraging combined formula to prevent/treat urolithiasis

ANTIULCEROGENIC EFFICACY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF VITIS VINIFERA LEAVES IN RATS

Objective: The ethanolic extract of Vitis vinifera leaves (VVE) (500 mg/kg body weight), ranitidine (50 mg/kg body weight) and both of them were tested for their gastroprotective and curative effects against the incidence of peptic ulcer. Methods: The antiulcer effects of VVE were investigated using a combination of indomethacin and cold-stress for 2h. To ascertain the mechanism of action of VVE, its protective and curative effects were studied on gastric volume, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index and malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione–S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO) activities of both stomach and duodenum of rats. Moreover, histopathological effects on stomach and duodenum were determined.Results: The antioxidant activity of VVE was demonstrated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. VVE was found to reduce the ulcer index, gastric volume and the level of gastric juice acidity. Also, VVE showed gastroprotective and curative activities mainly through improvement of antioxidant status and decreasing lipid peroxidation accompanied with amelioration of both stomach and duodenum architectures.Conclusion: The prophylactic and curative effects of VVE proved to be effective in preventing gastric and duodenal ulceration which may be probably due to its antioxidant and anti-acid secretory effects

Renoprotective effect of Mangifera indica polysaccharides and silymarin against cyclophosphamide toxicity in rats

The present study aims to evaluate the possible protective role of polysaccharides extracted from the Egyptian mango Mangifera indica L. (MPS) and silymarin against cyclophosphamide (CP) nephrotoxicity in male albino rats. Male rats were randomly divided into, control group (administered distilled water orally for 10 days) and MPS (500, 1000 mg/kg, p.o.) and/or silymarin (150 mg/kg, p.o.) treated groups for 10 days. In the last 5 days of treatment rats were administered CP (150 mg/kg, i.p). The MPS revealed significant prophylactic effect against kidney injury induced by CP as demonstrated by enhancement of the kidney function via decreasing serum creatinine, urea and uric acid. Treatment of rats with MPS extract and/or silymarin significantly increased the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity while decreased the level of total malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). Also, histopathological examinations confirmed the protective efficacy of MPS and/or silymarin against CP nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, the obtained results of the present study support the protective antioxidant role of MPS and/or silymarin against CP-induced kidney disorder in rats

Protective and Curative Effects of the Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra Extract against DMBA-Induced Hepatorenal Diseases in Rats

Oxidative stress is a common mechanism contributing to the initiation and progression of hepatic damage. Hence there is a great demand for the development of agents with potent antioxidant effect. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of Holothuria atra extract (HaE) as an antioxidant against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene- (DMBA-) induced hepatorenal dysfunction. Experimental animals were divided into two main groups: protective and curative. Each group was then divided into five subgroups pre- or posttreated either with distilled water (DMBA subgroups) or with HaE (200 mg/kg body weight) for seven and fourteen days. Single oral administration of DMBA (15 mg/kg body weight) to Wistar rats resulted in a significant increase in the serum liver enzymes and kidney function’s parameters. DMBA increased level of liver malondialdehyde (MDA), decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in the liver tissue, and induced liver histopathological alterations. Pre- or posttreatment with HaE orally for 14 days significantly reversed the hepatorenal alterations induced following DMBA administration. In conclusion, HaE exhibits good hepatoprotective, curative, and antioxidant potential against DMBA-induced hepatorenal dysfunction in rats that might be due to decreased free radical generation