CORN SILK OFFERS MULTIMECHANISTIC APPROACHES IN MITIGATING OBESITY IN RODENTS

ABSTRACTObjective: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of corn silk extracts (aqueous and methanolic) against obesity in an animal model.Methods: Animals were fed high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 12 W to induce obesity and then treated either with Orlistat, corn silk extracts (aqueous andmethanolic) for 6 W. Anthropometric measurements (abdominal circumference [AC], thoracic circumference [TC], and body mass index [BMI]) wererecorded. Biochemical parameters including lipid profile (serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, andlipase), glucose, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of basal insulin resistance were assayed. Inflammatory cytokines visfatin, haptoglobin(Hp), afamin, endothelin-1, calprotectin, and protein S100B levels were quantified.Results: Significant decrease in TC, AC, and BMI was detected in HCD-fed groups treated with corn silk extracts with respect to HCD-fed group.Biochemical analyses indicated marked hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of corn silk extracts. Treatment of HCD-fed groups with corn silkextracts experienced significant regression of visfatin, Hp, endothelin-1, calprotectin, and protein S100B levels relative to HCD-fed group.Conclusion: In conclusion, the current findings revealed the antiobesity potential of corn silk extracts. This effect may be attributed to its hypolipidemic,hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory properties of the active phytochemicals present in the extracts.Keywords: Obesity, Corn silk, Insulin resistance, Hyperlipidemia, Inflammation, Rodents

QUERCETIN AND ELLAGIC ACID IN GASTRIC ULCER PREVENTION: AN INTEGRATED SCHEME OF THE POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF ACTION FROM IN VIVO STUDY

  Objective: The present study was initiated to describe the gastroprotective role of quercetin (Qu) and ellagic acid (EA) on aspirin-induced gastric ulcer (GU) in rats.Methods: Forty adult female albino rats of Wistar strain were distributed into: Control group, GU group, Omeprazole group, Qu group, and EA group. Gross examination, biochemical analyses including serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serotonin (ST), ferritin, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), and fibronectin (FN) levels were estimated. Moreover, histopathological and histochemical examinations of stomach tissue samples were carried out.Results: Gross examination of gastric mucosa of rats in GU group revealed hyperemia of the stomach mucosa. Furthermore, rats in GU group experienced a significant rise in serum ACTH, ferritin, HO-1, IL-2 and AGEs levels accompanied with significant drop in serum ST and FN levels versus control counterparts. Pre-treatment of GU group with Omeprazole, Qu or EA caused marked improvement in the measured biochemical parameters. Histopathological and histochemical examinations of stomach tissue samples documented the protective action of Omeprazole, Qu and EA with different degrees against GU caused by aspirin.Conclusion: As a conclusion to this study, we can state that both Qu and EA have gastroprotective effect against aspirin-induced GU in rat model. Of note, Qu showed superior impact than EA as an antiulcer agent in this study. The corresponding mechanisms are speculated to be associated with inhibiting stress-induced gastric lesion, attenuating the oxidative stress, iron chelation and blunting ferritin level, modulating inflammatory cascade, and promoting the healing process

Biochemical and histological evidences for the antitumor potential of Teucrium Oliverianum and Rhazya stricta in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta are medicinal plants used in traditional and herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes, liver diseases and inflammatory conditions. The present study was planned to investigate the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats.Materials and Methods: Forty adult male rats weighing 170-200 g were divided into four groups; each group was comprised of ten rats: (1): Normal healthy animals served as negative control group, (2):  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group in which the rats were orally administered Nnitrosodiethylamine (dissolved in 0.9% normal saline), in a dose of 20 mg/kg b.wt. five times a week for six weeks, (3): HCC group treated with Teucrium oliverianum extract in a dose of 600 mg/kg b.wt for two months and (4): HCC group treated with Rhazya stricta extract in a dose of 750 mg/kg b.wt for two months. Serum alanine  aminotransferase (ALT), asparatate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and  gammaglutamyl transferase (γ-GT) activities were estimated. Serum  carcinoembyronic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU), glypican-3 (GPC-3), golgi protein 73 (Gp-73) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were determined. Histopathological examination of liver tissue sections was also carried out.Results: The HCC group showed significant elevation in serum AST, ALT, ALP and γ-GT activities as well  as CEA, AFP, AFU, Gpc-3, Gp 73 and VEGF levels versus the negative control group. Photomicrograph of liver tissue sections of rats in HCC revealed hepatic parenchyma with foci of anaplastic hepatocellular carcinoma as well as other foci of cystic cholangio carcinoma associated with areas of telangictasis with haemorrhage as well as individual hepatocellular necrosis.Conclusion: Treatment of HCC groups with Teucrium oliverianum or Rhazya stricta extract experienced significant improvement in the measured biochemical parameters as well as in the structural  organization of the liver. In conclusion, the current study provided experimental evidences for the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta against hepatocellular carcinoma. Such effect could be attributed to hepatoprotective properties, antiproliferative activity and antiangiogenic potential.Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Teucrium oliverianum, Rhazya stricta, rat

BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FOR THE ANTITUMOR POTENTIAL OF TEUCRIUM OLIVERIANUM AND RHAZYA STRICTA IN CHEMICALLY-INDUCED HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Background: Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta are medicinal plants used in traditional and herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes, liver diseases and inflammatory conditions. The present study was planned to investigate the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male rats weighing 170-200 g were divided into four groups; each group was comprised of ten rats: (1): Normal healthy animals served as negative control group, (2): Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group in which the rats were orally administered Nnitrosodiethylamine (dissolved in 0.9% normal saline), in a dose of 20 mg/kg b.wt. five times a week for six weeks, (3): HCC group treated with Teucrium oliverianum extract in a dose of 600 mg/kg b.wt for two months and (4): HCC group treated with Rhazya stricta extract in a dose of 750 mg/kg b.wt for two months. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparatate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gammaglutamyl transferase (γ-GT) activities were estimated. Serum carcinoembyronic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU), glypican-3 (GPC-3), golgi protein 73 (Gp-73) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were determined. Histopathological examination of liver tissue sections was also carried out. Results: The HCC group showed significant elevation in serum AST, ALT, ALP and γ-GT activities as well as CEA, AFP, AFU, Gpc-3, Gp 73 and VEGF levels versus the negative control group. Photomicrograph of liver tissue sections of rats in HCC revealed hepatic parenchyma with foci of anaplastic hepatocellular carcinoma as well as other foci of cystic cholangio carcinoma associated with areas of telangictasis with haemorrhage as well as individual hepatocellular necrosis. Conclusion: Treatment of HCC groups with Teucrium oliverianum or Rhazya stricta extract experienced significant improvement in the measured biochemical parameters as well as in the structural organization of the liver. In conclusion, the current study provided experimental evidences for the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta against hepatocellular carcinoma. Such effect could be attributed to hepatoprotective properties, antiproliferative activity and antiangiogenic potential

QUERCETIN AND ELLAGIC ACID IN GASTRIC ULCER PREVENTION: AN INTEGRATED SCHEME OF THE POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF ACTION FROM IN VIVO STUDY

  Objective: The present study was initiated to describe the gastroprotective role of quercetin (Qu) and ellagic acid (EA) on aspirin-induced gastric ulcer (GU) in rats.Methods: Forty adult female albino rats of Wistar strain were distributed into: Control group, GU group, Omeprazole group, Qu group, and EA group. Gross examination, biochemical analyses including serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serotonin (ST), ferritin, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), and fibronectin (FN) levels were estimated. Moreover, histopathological and histochemical examinations of stomach tissue samples were carried out.Results: Gross examination of gastric mucosa of rats in GU group revealed hyperemia of the stomach mucosa. Furthermore, rats in GU group experienced a significant rise in serum ACTH, ferritin, HO-1, IL-2 and AGEs levels accompanied with significant drop in serum ST and FN levels versus control counterparts. Pre-treatment of GU group with Omeprazole, Qu or EA caused marked improvement in the measured biochemical parameters. Histopathological and histochemical examinations of stomach tissue samples documented the protective action of Omeprazole, Qu and EA with different degrees against GU caused by aspirin.Conclusion: As a conclusion to this study, we can state that both Qu and EA have gastroprotective effect against aspirin-induced GU in rat model. Of note, Qu showed superior impact than EA as an antiulcer agent in this study. The corresponding mechanisms are speculated to be associated with inhibiting stress-induced gastric lesion, attenuating the oxidative stress, iron chelation and blunting ferritin level, modulating inflammatory cascade, and promoting the healing process