Short-term treatment with zingerone ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse experimental colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a relapsing and chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which seriously threatens human health. Zingerone (ZO) has been proven to be effective for many diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of ZO extracted from ginger on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse ulcerative colitis (UC). RESULTS: The results showed that ZO alleviated the weight loss of UC model mice, reduced the disease activity index scores, and inhibited the shortening of colon length. ZO also improved DSS-induced pathological changes in colon tissue and inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in colon and mesenteric lymph nodes. Further mechanism analysis found that ZO inhibited DSS-induced nuclear factor-κB pathway activation, and regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) expression. To further explore whether PPARγ was involved in the anti-UC effect of ZO, PPARγ inhibitor GW9662 was used. Although ZO also showed a protective effect on GW9662-treated colitis mice, the protective role was significantly weakened. Importantly, the administration of GW9662 significantly aggravated UC compared with the ZO + DSS group. In addition, we preliminarily found that ZO had the effects of inhibiting DSS-induced oxidative stress, maintaining intestinal barrier, and inhibiting the content of LPS and the population of Escherichia coli. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that supplementation with ZO might be a new dietary strategy for the treatment of UC. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zingerone Mitigates Carrageenan-Induced Inflammation Through Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities.

Inflammation is the body's response against various pathogens and has a critical role in numerous diseases. Zingerone (Zing), a bioactive substance derived from ginger root, has a variety of pharmacological properties, such as reducing inflammation, and antioxidant effects. We aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of Zing in a carrageenan-induced inflammation model. Paw edema induced by carrageenan (100 µl of 1%) was used to induce acute inflammation in rats. Different doses of Zing (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally. Paw tissue levels of MDA, NO, CAT, SOD, GPx, GSH, COX-2, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1ß were estimated. Our results showed that Zing, especially at the highest dose of 40 mg/kg, significantly reduced paw swelling in carrageenan-injected animals. Zing significantly increased paw enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants except CAT. It also decreased paw levels of MDA, NO, COX-2, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1ß. The results of this study show that Zing may provide an alternative for the clinical control of inflammation through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Zingerone attenuates vancomycin-induced hepatotoxicity in rats through regulation of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

AIM: Vancomycin (VCM) is a glycopeptide antibiotic widely used to treat serious infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and has been associated with some severe side effects such as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanism of VCM-induced hepatotoxicity is not yet fully understood. Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of zingerone (Zin) against VCM-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VCM was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) for 7 days alone and in combination with the orally administered Zin (25 and 50 mg/kg b.w). KEY FINDINGS: Zin treatment significantly improved VCM-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion, reduced antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities and liver function markers (aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase). Histopathological integrity and immunohistochemical expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the VCM-induced liver tissue were ameliorated after Zin administration. In addition, Zin reversed the changes in levels and/or activities of inflammatory and apoptotic parameters such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), p53, cysteine aspartate specific protease-3 (caspase-3), cysteine aspartate specific protease-8 (caspase-8), cytochrome c, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) in the VCM-induced hepatotoxicity. SIGNIFICANCE: Collectively, these results reveal probable ameliorative role of Zin against VCM-induced hepatotoxicity.

In vivo Screening of Natural Products Against Angiogenesis and Mechanisms of Anti-Angiogenic Activity of Deoxysappanone B 7,4'-Dimethyl Ether.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to screen the leading compounds of natural origin with anti-angiogenic potential and to investigate their anti-angiogenic mechanism preliminarily. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An initial screening of 240 compounds from the Natural Products Collection of MicroSource was performed using the transgenic zebrafish strain Tg [fli1a: enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)]y1 . The zebrafish embryos at 24 h post-fertilization were exposed to the natural compounds for an additional 24 h; then, morphological changes in the intersegmental vessels (ISVs) were observed and quantified under a fluorescence microscope. The expression profiles of angiogenesis-related genes in the zebrafish embryos were detected using quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: Five compounds were identified with potential anti-angiogenic activity on the zebrafish embryogenesis. Among them, deoxysappanone B 7.4'-dimethyl ether (Deox B 7,4) showed anti-angiogenic activity on the formation of ISVs in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of ISV formation reached up to 99.64% at 5 µM Deox B 7,4. The expression of delta-like ligand 4 (dll4), hes-related family basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor with YRPW motif 2, ephrin B2, fibroblast growth factor receptor (fgfr) 3, cyclooxygenase-2, protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type B (ptp-rb), phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 2, slit guidance ligand (slit) 2, slit3, roundabout guidance receptor (robo) 1, robo2, and robo4 were down-regulated, while vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, fgfr 1, and matrix metallopeptidase 9 were up-regulated in the zebrafish embryos treated with Deox B 7,4. CONCLUSION: Deox B 7,4 has a therapeutic potential for the treatment of angiogenesis-dependent diseases and may exert anti-angiogenic activities by suppressing the slit2/robo1/2, slit3/robo4, cox2/ptp-rb/pik3r2, and dll4/hey2/efnb2a signaling pathways as well as activation of vegfr-2/fgfr1/mmp9.

Dihydro-stilbene gigantol relieves CCl4-induced hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation in mice via inhibiting C5b-9 formation in the liver.

In general, anti-inflammatory treatment is considered for multiple liver diseases despite the etiology. But current drugs for alleviating liver inflammation have defects, making it necessary to develop more potent and safer drugs for liver injury. In this study, we screened a series of (dihydro-)stilbene or (dihydro-)phenanthrene derivatives extracted from Pholidota chinensis for their potential biological activities. Among 31 compounds, the dihydro-stilbene gigantol exerted most potent protective effects on human hepatocytes against lithocholic acid toxicity, and exhibited solid antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. In mice with CCl4-induced acute liver injury, pre-administration of gigantol (10, 20, 40 mg· kg-1· d-1, po, for 7 days) dose-dependently decreased serum transaminase levels and improved pathological changes in liver tissues. The elevated lipid peroxidation and inflammatory responses in the livers were also significantly alleviated by gigantol. The pharmacokinetic studies showed that gigantol was highly concentrated in the mouse livers, which consisted with its efficacy in preventing liver injury. Using a label-free quantitative proteomic analysis we revealed that gigantol mainly regulated the immune system process in liver tissues of CCl4-treated mice, and the complement and coagulation cascades was the predominant pathway; gigantol markedly inhibited the expression of complement component C9, which was a key component for the formation of terminal complement complex (TCC) C5b-9. These results were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or real time-PCR. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that gigantol significantly inhibited the vascular deposition of TCC in the liver. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that oral administration of gigantol potently relieves liver oxidative stress and inflammation, possibly via a novel mechanism of inhibiting the C5b-9 formation in the liver.

Otoprotective Effects of Zingerone on Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity.

Previous studies have described the effects of zingerone (ZO) on cisplatin (CXP)-induced injury to the kidneys, liver, and other organs but not to the cochlea. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ZO on CXP-induced ototoxicity. Eight-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used and divided into a control group, a CXP group, and a CXP + ZO group. Rats in the CXP group received 5 mg/kg/day CXP intraperitoneally for five days. Rats in the CXP + ZO group received 5 mg/kg/day CXP intraperitoneally for five days and 50 mg/kg/day ZO intraperitoneally for seven days. Auditory brainstem response thresholds (ABRTs) were measured before (day 0) and after (day 10) drug administration. Cochlear histology was examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and cochlear whole mounts. The expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, CYP1B1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and interleukin 6 (IL6) were estimated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) and caspase 3 were analyzed via Western blotting. The auditory thresholds at 4, 8, and 16 kHz were attenuated in the CXP + ZO group compared with the CXP group. The mRNA expression levels of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, iNOS, NFκB, TNFα, and IL6 were lower in the CXP + ZO group than in the CXP group. The protein expression levels of HO1 and caspase 3 were lower in the CXP + ZO group than in the CXP group. Cotreatment with ZO exerted otoprotective effects against CXP-induced cochlear injury via antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities involving CYPs, iNOS, NFκB, and TNFα.

Curcumin analogs as the inhibitors of TLR4 pathway in inflammation and their drug like potentialities: a computer-based study.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway is one of the major pathways that mediate the inflammation in human body. There are different anti-inflammatory drugs available in the market which specifically act on different signaling proteins of TLR4 pathway but they do have few side effects and other limitations for intended use in human body. In this study, Curcumin and its different analogs have been analyzed as the inhibitors of signaling proteins, i.e. Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), inhibitor of kappaß kinase (IKK) and TANK binding kinase-1 (TBK-1) of TLR4 pathway using different computational tools. Initially, three compounds were selected for respective target based on free binding energy among which different compounds were reported to have better binding affinity than commercially available drug (control). Upon continuous computational exploration with induced fit docking (IFD), 6-Gingerol, Yakuchinone A and Yakuchinone B were identified as the best inhibitors of COX-2, IKK, and TBK-1 respectively. Then their drug-like potentialities were analyzed in different experiments where they were also predicted to perform well. Hopefully, this study will uphold the efforts of researchers to identify anti-inflammatory drugs from natural sources.

Radiation-Induced Heart Diseases: Protective Effects of Natural Products.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for the majority of deaths worldwide. Radiation-induced heart diseases (RIHD) is one of the side effects following exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). Exposure could be from various forms such as diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy for cancer treatment, as well as nuclear disasters and nuclear accidents. RIHD is mostly observed after radiotherapy for thoracic malignancies, especially left breast cancer. RIHD may affect the supply of blood to heart muscles, leading to an increase in the risk of heart attacks to irradiated persons. Due to its dose-limiting consequence, RIHD has a negative effect on the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy. Several methods have been proposed for protection against RIHD. In this paper, we review the use of natural products, which have shown promising results for protection against RIHD.

Gastroprotective Effect of Zingerone on Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Rats.

Background and objectives: Zingerone is an ingredient of ginger (Zingiber officinale) with different pharmacological activities. Several studies have investigated the effect of zingerone on various gastrointestinal diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of zingerone on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Materials and Methods: Gastric ulcers were induced by ethanol (96%, 5 mL/kg, po) in male wistar rats and zingerone (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) was administrated orally. Normal saline and ranitidine were used as negative and positive control, respectively. In this study, the number and length of ulcers, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in stomach tissues were determined. Results: The findings showed that the mean number and length of gastric ulcers were significantly lower in zingerone-received groups than ethanol group (P < 0.05). The level of malondialdehyde was decreased in the stomach of zingerone groups (P < 0.05) compared to the ethanol group. In addition, zingerone treatment prevented the decrease of nitric oxide level by ethanol in the stomach tissue. Conclusions: The present study showed that zingerone has a protective effect on the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, which may be due to its free radical scavenging activity.

Chemopreventive efficacy zingerone (4-[4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl] butan-2-one) in experimental colon carcinogenesis in Wistar rats.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Development of naturally occurring inexpensive and safe alternatives can be effective in suppressing colon related proliferations. Zingerone (4-[4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl] butan-2-one), a polyphenolic alkanone of ginger, has massive pharmacological properties and thus can be used as promising candidate against various ailments. In the current study, we aimed at demonstrating the protective effect of zingerone against experimental colon carcinogenesis and elucidating its possible mechanism by studying inflammatory and Nrf-2 signaling cascade. Four groups of animals (I-IV) were made with six animals each. Group I (control) was given normal saline orally. Group II was given 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) at the dose rate of 20 mg/kg body weight. Group III and IV were treated with DMH at the dose rate of 20 mg/kg body weight and also received oral treatment of zingerone at a dose rate of 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight, respectively, for first 5 weeks and animals were euthanized after 16 weeks. Our results reveal that DMH treated rats exhibited elevated ROS and MDA levels, increased activity of cytochrome P450 2E1 and serum marker enzyme carcinoembreyonic antigen (CEA), increased no of aberrant crypts of foci (ACF), and elevated expression of inflammatory and proliferative proteins. Nrf-2 was downregulated by DMH treatment. Treatment with zingerone to DMH treated rats, resulted in alterations in the activity of the cytochrome P450 2E1 and CEA. In addition, immunostaining of NF-kB-p65, COX-2, iNOS, and PCNA, Ki-67 was suppressed by zingerone. Furthermore, zingerone administration also attenuated the level of IL-6 and TNF-α and it also helps in preserving mucous layer. Thus, zingerone could be considered as a good chemopreventive agent in experimental model of colon carcinogenesis. Further studies are required to study other pathways involved in colon carcinogenesis and their modulation buy zingerone.

Guaiacol/ß-cyclodextrin for rapid healing of dry socket: antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, and bone repair-an animal study.

PURPOSE: Dry socket (DS) is one the most common and symptomatic post-extraction complications; however, no consensus on its treatment has been reached. This study aimed to develop a novel dressing material for DS containing the phenolic agent guaiacol and evaluate its biological properties. METHODS: An inclusion complex of guaiacol and ß-cyclodextrin (Gu/ßcd) was prepared by freeze-drying. Its antibacterial activity over six oral bacteria was analyzed using the microdilution method, and its cytotoxicity in osteoblasts was assessed with the MTT assay. The alveolar healing process induced by Gu/ßcd was evaluated histologically after the treatment of DS in rats. RESULTS: ßcd complexation potentiated Gu's antibacterial effect and reduced its cytotoxicity in osteoblasts. Bone trabeculae were formed in the alveolar apices of rats treated with Gu/ßcd by day 7. On day 14, woven bone occupied the apical and middle thirds of the sockets; on day 21, the entire alveolus was filled by newly formed bone, which was in a more advanced stage of repair than the positive control (Alvogyl™). CONCLUSION: The improvement in Gu's biological properties in vitro and the rapid alveolar repair in comparison with Alvogyl™ in vivo demonstrated the benefits of the Gu/ßcd complex as a future alternative for the treatment of DS.

Dyslipidemia induced inflammatory status, platelet activation and endothelial dysfunction in rabbits: Protective role of 10-Dehydrogingerdione.

10-Dehydrogingerdione is a novel cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor of natural origin. Some synthetic CETP inhibitors have recently been reported to suppress proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). Therefore, the present study aimed mainly to clarify the effect of 10-Dehydrogingerdione on cellular adhesion inflammatory molecules, platelet activation and endothelial dysfunction markers in addition to PCSK9 as compared to atorvastatin in dyslipidemic rabbits. Dyslipidemia was induced in 30 male rabbits, distributed in 3 equal groups through feeding dietary cholesterol (0.5% w/w) for 3 months. Two dyslipidemic groups were concurrently treated with either atorvastatin or 10-Dehydrogingerdione (10 mg/kg/ day, p.o) and dietary cholesterol. One additional group including 10 normal rabbits fed normal diet served as normal control (NC) group. Both 10-Dehydrogingerdione and atorvastatin significantly reduced serum CETP level and activity as well as PCSK9 and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels but increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels as compared to dyslipidemic control (DC) rabbits (p < 0.001). Both treatments also induced a marked decrease in the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) levels, inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as atherogenic and coronary risk indexes in addition to aortic atheromatous changes and intima/media ratio, respectively as compared to the DC group (p < 0.001). The reduction in these markers showed a significant correlation with PCSK9 suppression and CETP inhibitory effect. Interestingly, 10-Dehydrogingerdione exerted a greater ameliorative potential regarding these biomarkers than atorvastatin. Our findings suggest that 10-Dehydrogingerdione is a promising PCSK9 inhibitor with a significant protective value against many atherosclerotic risk factors.

Zingerone Suppresses Tumor Development through Decreasing Cyclin D1 Expression and Inducing Mitotic Arrest.

Cancer cells undergo uncontrolled proliferation resulting from aberrant activity of various cell-cycle proteins. Therefore, despite recent advances in intensive chemotherapy, it is difficult to cure cancer completely. Recently, cell-cycle regulators became attractive targets in cancer therapy. Zingerone, a phenolic compound isolated from ginger, is a nontoxic and inexpensive compound with varied pharmacological activities. In this study, the therapeutic effect of zingerone as an anti-mitotic agent in human neuroblastoma cells was investigated. Following treatment of BE(2)-M17 cells with zingerone, we performed a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony-formation assay to evaluate cellular proliferation, in addition to immunofluorescence cytochemistry and flow cytometry to examine the mitotic cells. The association of gene expression with tumor stage and survival was analyzed. Furthermore, to examine the anti-cancer effect of zingerone, we applied a BALB/c mouse-tumor model using a BALB/c-derived adenocarcinoma cell line. In human neuroblastoma cells, zingerone inhibited cellular viability and survival. Moreover, the number of mitotic cells, particularly those in prometaphase, increased in zingerone-treated neuroblastoma cells. Regarding specific molecular mechanisms, zingerone decreased cyclin D1 expression and induced the cleavage of caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). The decrease in cyclin D1 and increase in histone H3 phosphorylated (p)-Ser10 were confirmed by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissues administered with zingerone. These results suggest that zingerone induces mitotic arrest followed by inhibition of growth of neuroblastoma cells. Collectively, zingerone may be a potential therapeutic drug for human cancers, including neuroblastoma.

Therapeutic efficacy of zingerone against vancomycin-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and aquaporin 1 permeability in rat kidney.

Vancomycin (VCM) is a glycopeptidic broad-spectrum antibiotic against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, though it has some adverse effects, including nephrotoxicity, that limit its usefulness. Zingerone (ZO), a component of dry ginger root, has several pharmacological activities due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties. The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of ZO against VCM-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and kidney aquaporin 1 (AQP1) levels in rats. Intraperitoneal administration of VCM (200 mg/kg body weight) for seven days increased kidney lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities, including kidney superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). VCM increased serum creatinine and urea levels and induced histopathological changes while causing a decrease in AQP1 protein level. VCM also increased the levels of the inflammatory markers nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), B-cell lymphoma-3(Bcl-3), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-33 (IL-33), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Moreover, it activated the apoptotic pathway by increasing the expression levels of p53, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), cysteine aspartate specific protease-3 (caspase-3) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), which is a marker of oxidative DNA damage. Treatment with ZO (25 and 50 mg/kg body weight) at both doses prevented nephrotoxicity by ameliorating the histopathological alterations, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative DNA damage and renal AQP1 levels. The findings of the present study suggested that ZO attenuates VCM-induced nephrotoxicity.

Therapeutic potential of Vanillylacetone against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity by suppressing the serum marker, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis in Swiss albino mice.

The aim of this research was to investigate the therapeutic potential of Vanillylacetone against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity in mice through understanding the serum marker, oxidative stress mechanism and cytokine networks. Carbon tetrachloride is highly hepatotoxic used as research based on animal model. The mice were classified into five groups and each had eight mice. Group-I was controlled and the vehicle was given orally. Group-II was toxic and carbon tetrachloride (1.5 ml/kg) twice a week for 15 days was administered by intra-peritoneal injections. Group- III and IV were pre-treated with Vanillylacetone 50 & 100 mg kg-1 body weight given every day p.o. while, Group-V received only Vanillylacetone (100 mg kg-1 body weight) for 15 days orally. The finding indicates that the administration of CCl4 causes significant elevation of enzyme markers, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokine and apoptotic markers in Group-II as compared to Group-I. The administration of Vanillylacetone (50 and100 mg kg-1) significantly suppresses the elevated serum enzymes, oxidative stress (TBARS), an inflammatory cytokine (IL2 and TNFα) and apoptotic markers (Caspase-3 and 9) in Group-III and IV as compared to Group-II. It was also noticed that the higher dose of Vanillylacetone (100 mg) is more effective than lower dose of Vanillylacetone (50 mg). There were no significant changes observed with higher dose of Vanillylacetone (100 mg kg-1) in Group-V as compared to Group-I. Histopathological analysis also supported the above findings. Overall, this results shows that Vanillylacetone has a good antioxidant and therapeutic properties which can help in preventing the chemically (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity.

Protective effects of zingerone on oxidative stress and inflammation in cisplatin-induced rat nephrotoxicity.

Cisplatin is one of the most commonly used and highly effective cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Use of cisplatin is limited due to persistence of severe side effects such as nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and hearing loss. Nephrotoxicity is the most common limiting side effect of cisplatin use. Zingerone is one of the active ingredients present in ginger plant that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this study, Wistar rats were assigned randomly to 6 groups with 5 animals in each group. The control group; cisplatin group which received 7.5 mg/kg of cisplatin intraperitoneally (i.p.) at the 4th day; zingerone group received 50 mg/kg of zingerone orally for 7 days. Three other groups were pretreated with 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg of zingerone orally for 7 days and cisplatin administered 7.5 mg/kg i.p. at the 4th day, respectively. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after cisplatin injection and blood samples were taken to evaluate the serum factors. Right kidneys were collected for histopathological studies and left kidneys were considered to measure the oxidative stress parameters and TNF-α cytokine. Co-administration of zingerone along with cisplatin resulted a statistically significant reduction in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, creatinine and BUN levels of serum in comparison with cisplatin alone group (P < 0.01). Zingerone significantly decreased the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05) and significantly retained the enzyme activity of catalase (CAT) (P < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (P < 0.05) in kidney tissue compared to cisplatin. Zingerone did not permit the reduction of glutathione (GSH) levels (P < 0.001) in kidney tissue and by reducing the level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (P < 0.05) suppressed the inflammation produced by cisplatin. Furthermore, zingerone improved histopathological changes such as vacuolation (fat deposit), brush border loss, infiltration of leukocytes, glomerular diameters and congestion of RBCs. However, our findings suggest that zingerone has nephroprotective effects in cisplatin rat model of nephrotoxicity mostly through suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Nephroprotective Effect of Zingerone against CCl4-Induced Renal Toxicity in Swiss Albino Mice: Molecular Mechanism.

The protective effects of Zingerone against CCl4 induced nephrotoxicity in Swiss albino mice via modulation of metabolizing enzyme, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and apoptosis. The biochemical estimation indicated that the BUN and creatinine were significantly increased in group 2 (CCl4) compared to group 1 (normal) which was significantly reduced after treatment with Zingerone in group 3 when compared with group 2. The CCl4 treatment has significantly increased TBARS levels and reduced the antioxidant enzyme such as GSH, GPx, GR, GST, CAT, and SOD in group 2 compared to group 1, while the Zingerone treatment showed significant reduction in TBARS levels and increased the antioxidant enzymes in group 3 (CCl4 + Zingerone) as compared to group 2. Similarly, it was observed that CCl4 significantly increased the cytokines such as IL-1ß, IL-2, and TNFα levels in group 2 as compared to group 1. The treatment with Zingerone significantly attenuated the levels of IL-1ß, IL-2, and TNFα in group 3 compared to group 2. Caspase 3 and caspase 9 were also significantly increased in CCl4-treated group 2, whereas Zingerone treatment significantly reduced the elevated levels of caspases 3 and 9 in group 3 compared to group 2.

Zingerone attenuates diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4.

Diabetes affects a large proportion of population wide across the world and kidney is a main target organ of diabetic complications. Zingerone is a stable active component derived from dry ginger rhizome. We investigated the effect of zingerone on diabetic nephropathy and explored the possible mechanisms. We showed that zingerone decreased the levels of serum insulin, C-peptide and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, urinary albumin content and albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) were reduced by zingerone. Moreover, zingerone attenuated the pathological injuries of kidneys, reduced the surface area of Bowman's capsule, Bowman's space, glomerular tuft, and decreased the expression of collagen IV and fibronectin in kidneys in db/db mice. The high levels of triglyceride and cholesterol, and high expression of TNFɑ and IL-6 were decreased by zingerone. Furthermore, zingerone decreased the level of MDA and increased the content of glutathione (GSH). NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression was significantly increased in kidneys of db/db mice and in HK-2 cells after exposure to high glucose. Zingerone significantly decreased the expression of NOX4 in vivo and in vitro. Upregualtion of NOX4 significantly inhibited zingerone-induced protective effects against the cytotoxicity of high glucose. Downregulation of NOX4 was responsible for zingerone-exhibited pharmacological activities and reduction of diabetic nephropathy. Overall, zingerone is a promising therapeutic treatment to attenuate diabetic nephropathy.

Suppressive effects of zingerone on TGFBIp-mediated septic responses.

Zingerone (ZGR), a phenolic alkanone isolated from ginger, has been reported to possess various pharmacological activities. Transforming growth factor ß-induced protein (TGFBIp) is an extracellular matrix protein whose expression in several cell types is greatly increased by TGF-ß. TGFBIp is released by human umbilical vein endothelial cells and functions as a mediator of experimental sepsis. We hypothesized that ZGR could reduce TGFBIp-mediated severe inflammatory responses in human endothelial cells and mice. Here, we investigated the anti-septic effects and underlying mechanisms of ZGR against TGFBIp-mediated septic responses. ZGR effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced release of TGFBIp and suppressed TGFBIp-mediated septic responses. In addition, ZGR suppressed TGFBIp-induced sepsis lethality and pulmonary injury. In conclusion, ZGR suppressed TGFBIp-mediated and CLP-induced septic responses. Therefore, ZGR could be a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of various severe vascular inflammatory diseases via inhibition of the TGFBIp signaling pathway.

4-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butanone modulates redox signal in gamma-irradiation-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Cellular exposure to ionising radiation leads to oxidative stress events, which refer to elevated intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The elevated levels of ROS significantly contributed to γ-radiation (IR) induced cytotoxicity. In an attempt to minimise these cytotoxic effects, antioxidant compounds have been identified to counteract radiation- associated toxicities. We mainly aimed to study the protective effect of 4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butanone (HMB) on IR-induced nephrotoxicity, whereas it was previously shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in different inflammation models. Animals were treated orally with HMB (25 mg/kg b.wt daily) then performed by whole-body gamma-irradiation of animals with 6 Gy; a single dose applied on the 15th day and animals were sacrificed at the end of the 23rd day. It was found that IR exposure significantly induced renal oxidative injury that accompanied by inflammatory disturbance. Also, NADPH oxidase and iNOS gene expressions were significantly up-regulated, while the mitochondrial enzymes (complex I & II) were significantly down-regulated in IR exposed animals. Additionally, Western immunoblotting analysis of signalling growth factor protein; p38 MAPK was significantly overexpressed. Interestingly, HMB treatment showed statistically significant amelioration in parameters with an improved histological structure upon the IR-induced nephrotoxicity. It can be concluded that modulation of NADPH-oxidase, iNOS and mitochondrial enzymes by HMB might be responsible for the amendment of the antioxidant status and impairment of p38 MAPK signal, thus attenuate the nephrotoxicity induced post IR exposure.