Syzygium Aromaticum Alleviates Cerium Chloride-Induced Neurotoxic Effect In The Adult Mice.

Previous studies have brought to light the toxic effect of cerium chloride (CeCl3) but very little is known about the oxidative brain injury caused by this metal. Medical plants have a well-recognized role in the management of damage caused by pollutants such as CeCl3. Syzygium aromaticum, a potent natural source of bioactive compounds and rich in secondary metabolites, has a broad range of biological functions. The aim of this study is to investigate the capacity of Syzygium aromaticum ethanol extract (ESA) to improve the adverse effects of CeCl3 in the brain tissue. Adult mice were exposed to CeCl3 (20 mg/kg body weight [BW]), with or without ESA, for 60 days. We investigate mice's behavior, damages of cholinergic system and oxidative stress parameters in mice brain. In the present study, in vitro test confirmed that ESA has antioxidant capacity attributed to the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins contents. In vivo study showed that CeCl3 caused brain injuries manifested in memory impairment, increase in acetylcholinesterase activity, oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid, proteins, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems), and histopathological alteration in brain tissue. Addition of ESA repaired memory impairment, decreased acetylcholinesterase activity, restored oxidative state, and prevented histopathological alteration. In conclusion, the experimental results showed the protective effects of ethanol extract of Syzygium aromaticum against cerium-induced brain damage.

Date Palm Trees Root-Derived Endophytes as Fungal Cell Factories for Diverse Bioactive Metabolites.

Endophytic fungi of healthy and brittle leaf diseased (BLD) date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) represent a promising source of bioactive compounds with biomedical, industrial, and pharmaceutical applications. The fungal endophytes Penicillium citrinum isolate TDPEF34, and Geotrichum candidum isolate TDPEF20 from healthy and BLD date palm trees, respectively, proved very effective in confrontation assays against three pathogenic bacteria, including two Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Enterococcus faecalis (Ef), and one Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica (St). They also inhibited the growth of three fungi Trichoderma sp. (Ti), Fusarium sporotrichioides (Fs), Trichoderma sp. (Ts). Additionally, their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were shown to be in part responsible for the inhibition of Ti and Ts and could account for the full inhibition of Fs. Therefore, we have explored their potential as fungal cell factories for bioactive metabolites production. Four extracts of each endophyte were prepared using different solvent polarities, ethanol (EtOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), hexane (Hex), and methanol (MetOH). Both endophyte species showed varying degrees of inhibition of the bacterial and fungal pathogens according to the solvent used. These results suggest a good relationship between fungal bioactivities and their produced secondary metabolites. Targeting the discovery of potential anti-diabetic, anti-hemolysis, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and cytotoxic activities, endophytic extracts showed promising results. The EtOAc extract of G. candidum displayed IC50 value comparable to the positive control diclofenac sodium in the anti-inflammatory assays. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using α,α-diphenyl-ß-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ß-carotene bleaching, reducing power (RP), and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonique) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The findings revealed strong anti-oxidant power with an IC50 of 177.55 µg/mL for G. candidum EtOAc extract using DPPH assay, probably due to high polyphenol and flavonoid content in both fungal extracts. Finally, LC-HRMS (Liquid Chromatography­High Resolution Mass Spectrometry) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography­Mass Spectrometry) analysis of G. candidum and P. citrinum extracts revealed an impressive arsenal of compounds with previously reported biological activities, partly explaining the obtained results. Finally, LC-HRMS analysis indicated the presence of new fungal metabolites that have never been reported, which represent good candidates to follow for the discovery of new bioactive molecules.

Protective effect of Chaetomorpha gracilis aqueous extract against erythrocytes oxidative damage induced by high fat diet in treated mice.

High fat diet (HFD) exposure is associated with various pathological dysfunctions, including haematological disorders and oxidative stress. The in vitro analysis of AECG revealed the presence of important levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, and denoted antioxidant capacities confirmed by nitric oxide radical (NO•), reducing the power and HPLC chemical components' determinations. The animals exposed to HFD revealed a severe damage in the blood cells structure and haematological parameters accompanied with a significant decrease in serum Mg2+ and Ca2+ ATPase activities. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the advanced oxidation of protein products (AOPP) levels were significantly increased, while vitamin C level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were markedly reduced in the erythrocytes and platelets of HFD-treated mice. However, the co-administration of AECG with HFD-treated animals restored the parameters cited above to near-normal values. Therefore, our investigation revealed that Chaetomorpha gracilis extract was a useful element preventing HFD-induced blood cells damage.

Protective effects of Curcuma longa against neurobehavioral and neurochemical damage caused by cerium chloride in mice.

Cerium chloride (CeCl3) is considered an environmental pollutant and a potent neurotoxic agent. Medicinal plants have many bioactive compounds that provide protection against damage caused by such pollutants. Curcuma longa is a bioactive compound-rich plant with very important antioxidant properties. To study the preventive and healing effects of Curcuma longa on cerium-damaged mouse brains, we intraperitoneally injected cerium chloride (CeCl3, 20 mg/kg BW) along with Curcuma longa extract, administrated by gavage (100 mg/kg BW), into mice for 60 days. We then examined mouse behavior, brain tissue damage, and brain oxidative stress parameters. Our results revealed a significant modification in the behavior of the CeCl3-treated mice. In addition, CeCl3 induced a significant increment in lipid peroxidation, carbonyl protein (PCO), and advanced oxidation protein product levels, as well as a significant reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity remarkably increased in the brain of CeCl3-treated mice. Histopathological observations confirmed these results. Curcuma longa attenuated CeCl3-induced oxidative stress and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes. It also decreased AChE activity in the CeCl3-damaged mouse brain that was confirmed by histopathology. In conclusion, this study suggests that Curcuma longa has a neuroprotective effect against CeCl3-induced damage in the brain.