Secondary metabolites from Lantana camara L. flowers extract exhibit in vivo anti-urolithiatic activity in adult Wistar albino rats.

The present study aims at evaluating potential of the ethanol extracts of L. camara leaves (LE), flowers (FlE) and roots (RE) in the treatment of renal calculi and characterising the secondary metabolites in the active extract. The results revealed that the FlE had significantly reduced the levels of kidney parameters (calcium, creatinine, urea, and uric acid) against ethylene glycol (EG) injuries, and restored the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase and lipid peroxide malondialdehyde to the normal level. In addition, FlE significantly attenuated iNOS tissue expression caused by EG. The results obtained in this study suggest the potential value of the L. camara L. flowers as an antiurolithiatic agent.

Trial for reduction of Ochratoxin A residues in fish feed by using nano particles of hydrated sodium aluminum silicates (NPsHSCAS) and copper oxide.

This paper was designed to analyze the effect of ochratoxin A (OTA) contaminated feed on the growth outcomes, certain serum biochemical, histopathology, and OTA residue in the dorsal muscle, liver, and kidney in Nile tilapia. Also, to improve the drastic effect of OTA through dietary supplementation of hydrated sodium aluminum silicates nanoparticles or nano copper. For performing the present study, 270 fish were randomly allotted into 6 equal groups according to ochratoxin and nanoparticles of hydrated sodium aluminum silicates or copper oxide. The results indicated that supplementation of two levels of both nanoparticles (aluminum silicate or copper) as a mycotoxin adsorbent could prevent ochratoxicosis in Nile tilapia fish. In addition, they maintained optimal growth performance, feed efficiency without bad effect on serum profiles and vital organs function of fish in a dose-dependent manner. Histopathologically, the most interesting finding was the precipitation of calcium salts known as nephrocalcinosis, within the tubules, upon the degenerative tubules and tunica intima and media of the blood vessels in the control positive group. These pathological lesions were mitigated by nanoparticle supplementation. Thus increase the safety of fish products.

Omega-3 offers better hypothalamus protection by decreasing POMC expression and elevating ghrelin hormone: a prospective trial to overcome methotrexate-induced anorexia.

PURPOSE: Methotrexate (MTX) therapy is widely used in treatment of different types of diseases including inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. However, most of patients respond well to MTX, they suffer from multiple side effects including severe anorexia. Omega-3 fatty acid possesses many beneficial biological activities. Therefore, the objective of our study is to explore the effect of the combined modality of omega-3 (400 mg/kg/day) in MTX-induced anorexia in rats. METHODS: The effect of MTX alone and in combination with omega-3 on the body weight, ghrelin hormone level, histopathological findings of taste buds and hypothalamus and POMC gene expression were investigated. RESULTS: Interestingly, the capability of omega-3 to overcome the anorexic effect of MTX could be manifested by controlling weight loss, increasing serum HDL, elevating the ghrelin level as well as reducing both lesions within taste buds and hypothalamus and hypothalamic POMC gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: our findings revealed that the omega-3 might be used as a complementary supplement during the MTX therapy to ameliorate its anorexic effect.

Effect of phytase enzyme on growth performance, serum biochemical alteration, immune response and gene expression in Nile tilapia.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of low phosphorus diet with or without different levels of phytase enzyme supplementation on growth performance, body composition, nutrient retention efficiency, gene expression, and health status of A. hydrophila challenged fish. A total of 240 monosex males of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with an average body weight of 23.19 ±â€¯0.15 g/fish were used. Fish were randomly chosen and divided into 4 equal groups (60 fish per group), with 3 subgroups containing 20 fish as a replicate. Group 1, was fed on a diet containing 100% P, group 2, was fed on a diet containing 50% P, group 3 and 4, were fed on low P with 500 or 1000 units of phytase/Kg respectively. It was observed that the 50% phosphorus diet significantly reduced body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) compared to Nile tilapia fish fed on the diet containing 100% phosphorus. In contrast, fish fed on the diet containing 50% phosphorus supplemented by 500 or 1000 phytase units/kg significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased final body weight (FBW), total body gain (TBG), average daily gain (ADG), and weight gain compared to Nile tilapia fed on the same diet or fed on the diet containing normal phosphorus without phytase supplementation. Different phosphorus and phytase supplementation levels had no significant effect on serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations, meanwhile, phytase supplementation increased serum calcium and phosphorus levels. Nile tilapia fed on phytase supplementation had an increase in body protein, lipid content, and nutrient utilization efficiency compared to Nile tilapia fed on the diet containing 100% phosphorus. Nile tilapia fed on low dietary phosphorus showed an increase in mortality after infection and a decrease in phagocytosis and neutrophil compared to fish fed on normal phosphorus. Phytase supplementation, made immune response parameters return to its normal values and the pathological lesions of liver, spleen, stomach, and intestine were reduced. Moreover, normal phosphorus significantly up-regulated lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA expression and down-regulated fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA in Nile tilapia's liver while low phosphorus with or without phytase supplementation reduced LPL expression and relatively up-regulated FAS.

Muscle proteolytic system modulation through the effect of taurine on mice bearing muscular atrophy.

Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs in different catabolic conditions and mostly accompanied with upregulation of Muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1) gene which is one of the master regulatory genes in muscle atrophy. Taurine amino acid is widely distributed in different tissues and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aimed to investigate the potential influence of taurine on muscle atrophy induced by reduced mechanical loading. Twenty-eight Albino mice were used, and divided equally into four groups: group I (control); group II (immobilization); group III (immobilization + taurine); and group IV (taurine). Quadriceps muscle sections were taken for histopathology, immunohistochemical analysis of caspase 3 expression, and qRT-PCR of MuRF1 gene. Our data revealed Zenker necrosis associated with axonal injury of the nerve trunk of the immobilized muscle together with increase of caspase 3 expression and upregulation of MuRF1 gene. While, taurine supplementation alleviated the muscular and neural tissues damage associated with disuse skeletal muscle atrophy through downregulation of MuRF1 gene and decrease of tissue caspase 3 expression. In conclusion, taurine may be helpful to counteract apoptosis and up-regulated MuRF1 gene expression related to muscle atrophy, which might be hopeful for a large number of patients.

High doses of S-methylcysteine cause hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis accompanied by engulfment of mitochondaria by nucleus.

Despite its important role as a medicinal plant, some studies reported a toxic effect for garlic (Allium sativum) when given in higher doses. Herein, we investigated the possible cardiotoxic effects of high doses of S-methylcysteine (SMC), a water soluble organosulfur compound present in garlic. Rats were orally administered SMC at a low dose (50mg), high dose (150mg) and very high dose (300mg)/kg body weight, or saline (control) for 10days. High and very high doses of SMC resulted in a significant increase in serum cardiac injury biomarkers [aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT)], as well as oxidative stress marker nitric oxide (NO) concentration in heart and a significant decrease in cardiac superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Moreover, ultrastructure findings in myocardium of rats treated by high and very high doses showed inter-bundle vacuolation, loss of myofibrils, and centripetal movement of mitochondria towards nucleus. The mitochondria were partially surrounded by nuclear membrane at high dose SMC, and completely engulfed by nucleus at very high dose. This centripetal movement of mitochondria accompanied by cardiomyocytes hypoxia-induced apoptosis as evident by increasing TUNEL positive cells as well as upregulation of apoptotic genes (caspase3 and Bax), hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α), dynein light chain 1 (DYNLL1) and downregulation of the anti-apoptotic marker, Bcl2. We conclude that high and very high doses of SMC cause hypoxia induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis accompanied by engulfment of mitochondria by nucleus.