Protective effect of berberine chloride on Plasmodium chabaudi-induced hepatic tissue injury in mice

AbstractThe present study aimed to investigate the protective role of berberine (BER) against Plasmodium chabaudi-induced infection in mice. Animals were divided into three groups. Group I served as a vehicle control. Group II and group III were infected with 1000 P. chabaudi infected erythrocytes. Group III was gavaged with 100μl of 10mg/kg berberine chloride for 10days. All mice were sacrificed at day 10 post-infection. The percentage of parasitemia was significantly reduced more than 30%, after treatment of mice with BER. Infection caused marked hepatic injuries as indicated by histopathological alterations as evidenced by the presence of hepatic lobular inflammatory cellular infiltrations, dilated sinusoids, vacuolated hepatocytes, increased number of Kupffer cells and the malaria pigment, hemozoin. These changes in livers led to the increased histological score. Also, infection induced a significant increase in liver alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and a significant increase in the total leucocytic count. Moreover, mice became anemic as proved by the significant decrease in erythrocyte number and haemoglobin content. BER showed a significant protective potential by improving the above mentioned parameters. Based on these results, it is concluded that berberine could offer protection against hepatic tissue damage

Histochemicl Alterations in The Activites of Hepatic Dehydrogenases Induced by Lead in Male Albino Rats (Rattes norvegicus ).

An investigation was carried out to measure the dustfall rates at eight localities in Riyadh city during the period 21 March - June 21, 1990. High rates of dustfall were recorded in all districts with an average of 24.48 tonlkm2/month and a range of 9.87 - 51.76 tonlkm2/month. The collected dust samples were analyzed for the following contents: Sulphate, nitrate, chloride, calcium, sodium, potassium, lead and tar. The results are discussed and compared with other findings

Indigofera oblongifolia leaf extract regulates spleen macrophage response during Plasmodium chabaudi infection

Malaria is a major health problem that still affects numerous countries. The current study aimed to identify the role of Indigofera oblongifolia leaf extract in regulating mouse spleen macrophages during the progression of Plasmodium chabaudi infection. Three doses of the leaf extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) were administered to mice inoculated with P. chabaudi infected erythrocytes. The weight of the infected mice improved after the treatment with I. oblongifolia. The infection causes disorganization of macrophage distribution in the spleen. After the mice had been treated with the leaf extract, the macrophages appeared to be reorganized in the white and red pulp areas. In addition, the I. oblongifolia leaf extract (IOLE) significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity of the mice spleens infected with P. chabaudi. The phagocytic activity of spleen macrophages was increased in the infected group as indicated by the significant decrease in the number of fluorescent particles in the spleen sections. This number increased in the mice spleens after treatment with IOLE. Based on these results, it is suggested that IOLE regulate macrophage response of the spleen during the blood stage of malaria in mice