NEPHROPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF PLUMERIA RUBRA AGAINST CISPLATIN INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS

Objective: The current study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of standardized hydroalcoholic extract of Plumeria rubra (HAEPR) against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats.  Methods: HAEPR was administered orally at 3 dose levels (100,200,400 mg/kg). Vitamin E (250 mg/kg) was used as a Standard nephroprotective agent. The kidney function test (estimation of serum creatinine, albumin, blood urea nitrogen) oxidative stress study (estimation of superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde activity) and histological examination of kidneys was conducted. Results: The efficacy of HAEPR was compared with Cisplatin (CP) treated group. Serum creatinine and BUN was significantly (p<0.01) elevated in CP-treated group compared to the control group. HAEPR (100,200 mg/kg) and Vitamin E (250 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.01) decreased the serum creatinine and BUN levels. CP treated group exhibited significant (p<0.01) decrease in albumin when compared to control. Significant (p<0.01) increase in the serum albumin level was found in HAEPR (100,200 mg/kg) and Vitamin E (250 mg/kg) compared to CP group. Significant (p<0.01) decrease in the activity of SOD was observed in the CP group as compared to control. HAEPR (100 and 200 mg/kg) and Vitamin E (250 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.01) increased SOD levels. HAEPR (400 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.05) increased SOD levels. HAEPR (100,200,400 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.01) decreased MDA levels as compared to CP group. Histopathological examination of the kidneys showed that HAEPR markedly ameliorated Cisplatin-induced renal tubular necrosis. An extract was found effective at all doses, although low dose (100 mg/kg) was found to be more effective and comparable with the standard group (Vitamin E 250 mg/kg).  Conclusion: Present investigation revealed that HAEPR resulted in attenuation of Cisplatin-induced renal damage in rats

Decreased Type I Interferon Production by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Contributes to Severe Dengue

The clinical presentation of dengue virus (DENV) infection is variable. Severe complications mainly result from exacerbated immune responses. Type I interferons (IFN-I) are important in antiviral responses and form a crucial link between innate and adaptive immunity. Their contribution to host defense during DENV infection remains under-studied, as direct quantification of IFN-I is challenging. We combined ultra-sensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) digital ELISA with IFN-I gene expression to elucidate the role of IFN-I in a well-characterized cohort of hospitalized Cambodian children undergoing acute DENV infection. Higher concentrations of type I IFN proteins were observed in blood of DENV patients, compared to healthy donors, and correlated with viral load. Stratifying patients for disease severity, we found a decreased expression of IFN-I in patients with a more severe clinical outcome, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). This was seen in parallel to a correlation between low IFNα protein concentrations and decreased platelet counts. Type I IFNs concentrations were correlated to frequencies of plasmacytoid DCs, not DENV-infected myloid DCs and correlated inversely with neutralizing anti-DENV antibody titers. Hence, type I IFN produced in the acute phase of infection is associated with less severe outcome of dengue disease

The effect of Spirulina sauce, as a functional food, on cardiometabolic risk factors, oxidative stress biomarkers, glycemic profile, and liver enzymes in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients:A randomized double-blinded clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to investigate the effect of Spirulina on cardiometabolic risk factors, oxidative stress biomarkers, glycemic profile, and liver enzymes in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. METHODS: This randomized, double‐blind clinical trial was performed on 46 NAFLD patients. Subjects were allocated to consume either Spirulina sauce or placebo, each 20 g/day for 8 weeks. Fatty liver grade, liver enzymes, anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and serum lipids, glucose, insulin, malondialdehyde, and antioxidant capacity were assessed pre‐ and postintervention. RESULTS: Fatty liver grade was significantly different between the two groups. A significant change for ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) was seen between the two groups (p = .03 and .02, respectively), while ALP (alkaline phosphatase) serum levels were not significantly different within or between groups. Pertaining to glycemic profile, all variables, except HOMA‐IR, were not significantly different within or between groups. Finally, statistically significant changes were seen in both MDA (malondialdehyde) and TAC (total antioxidant capacity) among the groups (p = .04 and <.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Spirulina may improve fatty liver grade by modifying liver enzymes, oxidative stress, and some lipid profiles; however, there was effect of Spirulina on anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure

<span style="font-size: 20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Effect of lead with vitamin E, C, or <i>Spirulina </i>on malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes and hydroperoxides in rats </span>

70-74<span style="font-size: 14.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">Lead (100 ppm) was given in doubly deionised water for 30 days to one group of rats. The other groups received lead 3long with exogenous antioxidants like vitamin E (50 IU/kg), vitamin C (800 mg/kg) or <span style="font-size:14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">Spirulina (1500 mg/kg) in food for a similar period. Levels of lipid peroxidation products such as malondialdehyde, conjugated diene and hydroperoxide were measured in liver, lung and kidney of treated rats. In lead treated <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:6.0pt;font-family:HiddenHorzOCR;mso-hansi-font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:hiddenhorzocr"="">animals there was a significant increase in the levels of these lipid peroxidative products. Administration of exogenous antioxidants in the lead treated animals reduced the levels of <span style="font-size: 14.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif""="">malondialdehyde, conjugated diene and hydroperoxide. <span style="font-size:14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size:8.5pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">It indicated that vitamin E. vitamin C and <span style="font-size:14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:" arial","sans-serif""="">Spirulina had significant (P<0.001) antioxidant activity thereby protecting the animals from lead induced toxicity. </span

<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"> Effect of <i style="">Hibiscus rosa sinensis </i>on reserpine-induced neurobehavioral and biochemical alterations in rats </smarttagtype>

559-563 Effect of methanolic extract of Hibiscus rosa sinensis (100-300 mg/kg) was studied on reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia and neurochemical alterations. The rats were treated with intraperitoneal reserpine (1 mg/kg, ip) for 3 days every other day. On day 5, vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions were counted for 5 min. Reserpine treated rats significantly developed vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions however, coadministration of Hibiscus rosa sinensis roots extract (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, per orally) attenuated the effects. Biochemical analysis of brain revealed that the reserpine treatment significantly increased lipid peroxidation and decreased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GSH), an index of oxidative stress process. Coadministration of extract significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation and reversed the decrease in brain SOD, CAT and GSH levels. The results of the present study suggested that Hibiscus rosa sinensis had a protective role against reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia and oxidative stress. </smarttagtype

Antinociceptive activity of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sesbania sesban </i>(Linn)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> </i>wood extracts, a preliminary study

61-64The wood of the plant Sesbania sesban, is reported to have antinociceptive activity. To validate its folk use in the treatment of pain, wood was extracted successively with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water to produce respective extracts. The extracts (50 and 100 mg/kg, ip) were screened for antinociceptive activity using hot plate test and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. Petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant and dose-dependent activity in both the tests. In order to find out the involvement of opioid receptors, effect of naloxone (1 mg/kg, sc) on the action of extracts was checked in hot plate test. Petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant and dose dependant antinociceptive activity. The antinociceptive action of the extracts was blocked by naloxone, suggesting involvement of opioid receptors in the action