Genetic and histopathology studies on mice: Effect of fenugreek oil on the efficiency of ovarian and liver tissues

There is a growing interest in understanding the biological effect of medicinal plants. In the present investigation, the effects of fenugreek oil administration on the liver and ovarian activity genetically (i.e., meiotic progression in collected oocytes as well as changes in DNA and RNA content in the liver and ovarian tissues) and histopathologically (i.e., alterations in the liver and ovarian tissues) were examined in mice. Swiss albino female mice were orally administrated with different doses of fenugreek oil for 10 days. The mode and magnitude of effect were found to be depending on the dose of fenugreek oil and type of tissue. Administration with fenugreek oil at 0.1 and 0.15 ml/mouse increased the total number of cumulus-oocyte complexes as well as improved their quality. Cytogenetically, fenugreek oil was able to stimulate the oocytes collected from treated mice at all doses to progress in meiosis. Levels of nucleic acids content in all groups did not significantly change neither in the DNA nor RNA in ovarian- or liver-tissues. Histopathological examination of the ovaries collected from untreated mice as well as from mice treated with 0.05 ml/mouse of fenugreek oil showed no histopathological alterations. However, ovaries of mice treated with 0.1 or 0.15 ml/mouse of fenugreek oil showed improvement in several tissues. To our knowledge, this is the first study that suggests significant stimulating effects of fenugreek oil on the ovarian activity in mice.Keywords: Fenugreek, mice, ovaries, oocytes, meiosis, DNA, RNA, histopatholog

THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF THYMOQUINONE AGAINST LEAD ACETATE INDUCED DNA DAMAGE AND ALTERATIONS IN TUMOR INITIATION GENES

objective: Several pollutants represent a significant ecological and public health concern due to their toxicity and their ability to accumulate in livingorganisms in which lead is one of them. The present investigation was designated to assess the modulating effect of thymoquinone (TQ) against leadacetate (LA) toxicity.Methods: Several endpoints were considered to design this study such as: The gene expression of tumor initiation genes (cytochrome P450 3A[CYP3A], cyclooxygenase 2 [COX2], BAX and Bcl), DNA damage and alterations in the levels of glutathione (GSH), lipid oxidation (malondialdehyde[MDA]), and protein oxidation (protein carbonyl [PC]) in male rats. About 60 male rats were used in this study which allocated in six groups (10 animaleach) and treated with LA (200 mg/kg diet), TQ (5 and 10 mg/kg b.wt.), and LA + TQ.2Results: The results revealed that LA induced significant DNA damage and alteration in the expression of CYP3A, COX2, BAX, and Bcl as well asinduced changes in GSH content and MDA and PC levels in male rats. Meanwhile, TQ was decreased significantly the toxic effect of LA in male ratswhich decreased the alterations in the gene expression and DNA damage as well as GSH content and MDA and PC levels.Conclusion: The results suggested that TQ treatment confers protection against toxicity inflicted by LA and support the contention that TQ protectionis achieved by its ability as a scavenger for free radicals generated by LA.Keywords: Thymoquinone, Lead acetate, Gene expression, DNA damage, Rats

Modelling various solar cells materials using lorentzian-drude coefficients

In order to develop an optoelectronic model for simulating different light trapping structures sandwiching the photovoltaic active layer, determining the materials dispersion and absorption properties is a must. The targeted model should be able to simulate the desperation and absorption capabilities of different conductor and semiconductor materials over the entire sun spectrum (200 nm to 1700 nm). Therefore, the Lorentzian-Dude (LD) model is chosen due to its simplicity in implementation with the finite difference time domain algorithm chosen for optical modelling. In this paper, various materials are selected to be modelled with the LD model. The proposed algorithm is not only used for modelling material behaviour of various conducting materials published in literature, but is also used for other conducting and semiconducting materials that the original model was not capable of modelling over the entire range of spectrum. Besides that, the suggested algorithm showed a better time performance than those mentioned in literature. Experimental 1D grating structure prototype samples were made to validate the simulation results, showing perfect agreement

BERRY EXTRACTS IMPROVED INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES, ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME AND SUPPRESSED THE GENE EXPRESSION ALTERATIONS IN DIABETIC RATS

Objective: The present work was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative effect of red berry (Morus rubra) and white berry (Morus alba) extracts in diabetic rats.Methods: Inflammatory biomarkers; tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), paraoxanase1 (PON1), gene expression of apoptosis and inflammatory related genes were carried out.Results: Treatment of male rats with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β, the apoptosis rates and the alterations of the pro-apoptosis (eotaxin, caspase-1, and caspase-2) and inflammation; nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB1) and allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1) related genes. While marked reduction in PON1 level was detected in STZ-induced diabetic rats. However, treatment of STZ-exposed rats with red and white berry extracts exhibited noticeable ameliorations in TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β levels and PON1 activity as well as low apoptosis rates and decreased the alteration of the pro-apoptosis and inflammatory related genes.Conclusion: Red and white berry extracts exhibited attenuation in antioxidant status, suppressed inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis and the alterations in the apoptosis and inflammatory related genes induced by STZ in male rats

MYRTUS SPECIES PREVENTS REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY INDUCED BY DOXORUBICIN IN MALE MICE

Background: Myrtus sp is one of the natural products being used in Unani System of Medicine. Its leaves are frequently used for various ailments like diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting and osmetic purposes. Objective: the main goal of the present work was to investigate protective effect of Myrtus sp extract against doxorubicin induced sperm abnormalities, genetic toxicity and gene expression alterations. Method: Plant samples were used to obtain plant extraction. Eighty male albino mice were allocated in several groups and treated with doxorubicin alone, doxorubicin plus Myrtus sp extracts for 30 days starting from 24 or 48h after doxorubicin treatment, or supplemented with Myrtus sp extracts for 30 days then treated with doxorubicin treatment. Results: The results revealed that treatment of male mice with doxorubicin then Myrtus sp for one month was the best treatment strategy for protection against doxorubicin induced toxicity. Whereas, Myrtus sp extract significantly preserved male mice from sperm abnormalities induced by doxorubicin treatment, genetic toxicity and gene expression alterations. Conclusion: The results suggested that phenolic compounds exist in the Myrtus sp extract might be contributed to prevention of the reproductive disorders and genotoxicity.Keywords: Myrtus sp, Doxorubicin, Sperm abnormalities, Genetic toxicity, Reproductive gene

ANTINEURODEGENERATIVE ACTIVITY OF MICROALGAE DUNALIELLA SALINA IN RATS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Objective: The present study is aimed to investigate the promising action of Dunaliella salina extract as a natural protector against Alzheimer's disease (AD) and reported to possess a variety of activities, including antioxidant effects due to its ability to create large amount of carotenoids.Methods: D. salina is a type of halophile green microalgae was used in the present study. 50 male rats were used in this study, where aluminum chloride was orally administered to induce AD in a dose of 100 mg/kg, daily for 6 weeks. Al-intoxicated rats treated orally daily with D. salina ethanolic extract for 6 weeks in a dose of 150 mg/kg b.wt., whereas standard anti-Alzheimer drug donepezil tartrate was administered at the dose of 10 mg/kg b.wt./day for 6 consecutive weeks. The anti-Alzheimer properties of D. salina extract were achieved through measuring the calmodulin (CaM) level, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, the antiapoptotic marker (Bcl2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the generation of the DNA adducts (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]/2-deoxy guanosine [2-dG]), and alteration in the expression of amyloid precursor protein, β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 2 (BACE2) in AD rats.Results: The current results demonstrated that supplementation of AD rats with D. salina extract-enhanced CaM level, and increased PON1 activity, upregulated Bcl2 and BDNF, decreased the levels of DNA adducts (8-OHdG/2-dG), and suppressed the alterations of the expression levels of APP, BACE1, and BACE2-m RNAs as compared with those in AD rats.Conclusion: It could be concluded that the biological activity of D. salina extract might be regulated by 9-cis b-carotene protecting the brain cells from the oxidative stress in AD rats.Keywords: Dunaliella salina, Calmodulin, Paraoxonase 1, Bcl2, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Alzheimer's disease, DNA adduct, Amyloid precursor protein

HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS EXTRACT PROMOTING THE RECOVERY OF MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN ALZHEIMER'S RATS: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIAPOPTOTIC EFFECTS

ABSTRACTObjective: The present study was conducted to investigate the role of Haematococcus pluvialis extract against oxidative damage, the inflammatory,and apoptotic impacts characterizing the neurodegenerative disorders.Methods: Oxidative stress, B-cell lymphoma 2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the inflammation, apoptotic and antiapoptotic impacts in Alzheimer'sdisease (AD) rats were determined through assessment of glutathione reduced (GSH), GSH peroxidase (GPx), lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde), thecytokines level such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-1β), and macrophage inflammation protein (MIP1α) in AD rats.Moreover, the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and serine-threonine protein kinase (Akt) genes regulating the apoptosis in AD ratswas measured.Results: The results revealed that levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MIP1α were significantly increased in AD rats. Moreover, the expression of PI3Kand Akt genes was downregulated which it was coincided with the increase of apoptosis in AD rats. On the other hand, treatment of AD rats withH. pluvialis extract decreased the oxidative stress of AD in the form of prevention the inflammatory and apoptotic impacts.Conclusion: H. pluvialis could be used for ameliorating AD due to its role in decreases the oxidative stress of AD in the form of prevention theinflammatory and apoptotic impacts. H. pluvialis is a very attractive candidate for uses against neurodegenerative disorders that are caused byincreases oxidative stress inducing neuroinflammation and apoptosis.Keywords: Haematococcus pluvialis, Oxidative stress, Inflammation biomarkers, Apoptotic and antiapoptotic impacts

EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCES FOR THE PROMISING HERAPEUTIC ROLE OF VITIS VINIFERA SEED EXTRACT AGAINST NONALCOHOLIC STEATOHEPATITIS

Objective: The present study was planned to investigate the possible therapeutic effect of methanolic extract of Vitis vinifera seeds on high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in forty adult female Wistar rats.Methods: The animals were divided into four groups, (G1)was served as healthy control group and the other three groups received high fat diet for 32 weeks for induction of NASH were assigned as follow: (G2) in which the animals bearing NASH were left untreated, (G3) in which the animals bearing NASH were treated with Vitis vinifera seed extract in a dose of 0.28g/kg b. wt (GSH) and (G4) in which the animals bearing NASH were treated with Vitis vinifera seed extract in a dose of 0.14g/kg b. wt (GSL).Results: The results revealed significant increase in serum ALT activity, plasma glucose, insulin levels, serum resist in, NF-κB, TNF-α, HGF levels, hepatic TNF-α and HGF gene expression levels. While, serum albumin, adiponectin levels and hepatic adiponectin gene expression level were decreased significantly in NASH group. Conversely, treatment of NASH groups with GSH or GSL resulted in significant decrease in serum ALT activity, plasma glucose, insulin levels, serum resist in, NF-κB, TNF-α, HGF levels, hepatic TNF-α and HGF gene expression levels. However, serum albumin, adiponectin levels and hepatic adiponectin gene expression level were increased significantly as a consequence of treatment with GSH or GSL.Conclusions: The efficacy of Vitis vinifera extract against NASH might be attributed to its strong hepatoprotective potential and powerful anti-inflammatory activity in addition to its potent role in ameliorating insulin resistance indices.Â

POTENTIAL ROLE OF HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS AGAINST DIABETES INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND INFLAMMATION IN RATS

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of Haematococcus pluvialis extract against oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines induced by hyperglycemia in diabetic rats.Methods: Oxidative stress; lipid peroxide (as presented by Malondialdehyde; MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), beside total antioxidant capacity, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants including reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were evaluated. The inflammatory cytokines; tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta were also investigated in rats' serum. Several analyses including expression of antioxidant enzyme related genes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and DNA adducts were performed.Results: The results showed that diabetes mellitus induced-rats exhibited increase in oxidative stress biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines, lower expression levels of the antioxidant enzyme genes; superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase than those in control rats. In addition, diabetic rats exhibited significantly higher levels of ROS generation and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation. In contrary, supplementation of diabetic rats with H. pluvialis extract improved the negative effect of the hyperglycemia on antioxidant enzymes, the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, and ROS generation as well as 8-OHdG formation.Conclusion: H. pluvialis extract decreased the oxidative stress, enhanced antioxidant status and inflammatory cytokines induced by hyperglycemia in diabetic rats. The effect of H. pluvialis extract involved in the increase of expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes; decreased the levels of ROS generation and 8-OHdG formation which may be attributed to the presence of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis extract.Keywords: Haematococcus pluvialis, Hyperglycemia, Diabetes mellitus, Oxidative stress, Inflammatory cytokines, DNA adducts

Impact of Silver Nanoparticles on Gene Expression in Aspergillus Flavus Producer Aflatoxin B1

AIM: In this study, we evaluated the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the production of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) through assessment the transcription activity of aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway genes in Aspergillus flavus ATCC28542.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mRNAs were quantitative by Real Time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of A. flavus grown in yeast extract sucrose (YES) medium containing AgNPs. Specific primers that are involved in the AFB1 biosynthesis which highly specific to A. flavus, O-methyltransferase gene (omt-A), were designed and used to detect the fungus activity by quantitative PCR assay. The AFB1 production (from A. flavus growth) which effected by AgNPs were measured in YES medium by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).RESULTS: The AFB1 produced by A. flavus have the highest reduction with 1.5 mg -100 ml of AgNPs were added in media those records 88.2%, 67.7% and 83.5% reduction by using AgNP HA1N, AgNP HA2N and AgNP EH, respectively. While on mycelial growth give significantly inhibitory effect. These results have been confirmed by qRT-PCR which showed that culture of A. flavus with the presence of AgNPs reduced the expression levels of omt-A gene.CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the present study, AgNPs inhibit growth and AFB1 produced by Aspergillus flavus ATCC28542. This was confirmed through RT-PCR approach showing the effect of AgNPs on omt-A gene involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis