Enzyme Inhibition and Antioxidant Activities of Asparagus officinalis L. and Analysis of Its Phytochemical Content by LC/MS/MS.

In the study, water, ethanol, methanol, dichloromethane, and acetone extracts of Asparagus officinalis L. were obtained by maceration. DPPH⋅, ABTS⋅+ , FRAP, and CUPRAC methods determined the antioxidant capacities of all extracts. Moreover, the in vitro effects of extracts on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), carbonic anhydrase (CA)-I, CA-II and α-Glycosidase were investigated. At a 10 µg/ml concentration, the extract with the highest Fe3+ reduction capacity was ethanol (AE), and the extract with the highest Cu2+ reduction capacity was acetone (AA). AE for AChE (IC50 =21.19 µg/ml) and α-Glycosidase (IC50 : 70.00 µg/ml), methanol (AM) for BChE (IC50 =17.33 µg/ml), CA-I and II (IC50 =79.65 and 36.09 µg/ml, respectively) showed the most potent inhibition effect. The content analysis of acetone extract was performed with LC/MS-MS, the first three phytochemicals found most were p-Coumaric acid, rutin, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (284.29±3.97, 135.39±8.19, and 102.06±5.51 µg analyte/g extract, respectively).

Investigation of the effects of safranal on the experimentally created rheumatoid arthritis model in rats.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic disease characterized by inflammation and synovitis. More effective treatment methods with less side effects need to be developed. In this context, current study investigated the therapeutic effects of safranal in a model of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced RA. The control group was given 1 ml of saline orally starting from the 8th day, and 0.2 ml of CFA was given to the RA, RA + Safranal and RA + Methotrexate (MTX) groups on the 0th day of the experiment. Starting from the 8th day of the experiment, 1 ml of saline was given to the RA group, safranal was given at 200 mg/kg of body weight to the RA + MTX group, and 3 mg/kg of MTX to the RA + MTX group twice a week. The results showed that weight gain decreased in the RA group compared to the control group while arthritis index score, thymus index, and planter temperature were found to be increased. Additionally, a deterioration in blood parameters, an increase in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, C-reactive protein, and malondialdehyde levels, and a decrease in reduced glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase and catalase (CAT) activities were seen while tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor kappa B levels were found to be increased. However, the safranal had a regulatory effect on all the values, except IL-6 and CAT, and blood parameters. Moreover, histopathological examination revealed that safranal reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and edema.

Protective effect of Smilax excelsa L. pretreatment via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, and activation of Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway in testicular torsion model.

The protective effects of the ethanol extract of Smilax excelsa L. (SE) leaves were investigated on testicular tissue of rats with a torsion model in this study. The chemical composition of the extract was detected by means of liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). SE extract was given for 21 days before torsion was created in the treatment group. The sperm parameters of the torsion group were impaired, and there was an increase in MDA level as well as a decrease in GSH level and GPx activity compared to the control group. TNF-α and NF-κB levels in the torsion group increased as compared to those in the control group. The expression levels of Nrf-2 and HO-1 were lower in the torsion group than those in the control group. The SE pretreatment group has improved sperm, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers when compared to the torsion group, and the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway was activated. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Smilax excelsa L. is a plant with economic value used in traditional medicine in the treatment of stomachache, bloating, and breast cancer in Northwest Anatolia. It has an antioxidant effect due to the flavonoids and anthocyanins it contains. The protective effect against ischemia-reperfusion-induced tissue and reproductive damage in testicular tissue were demonstrated with the study. When the histological examinations of the tissues were evaluated, it was found that morphological structure of the tissues was retained in the treatment group. The findings indicate that SE prevents tissue damage in the torsion model by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and activating Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway.

Evaluation of the effects of Cyclotrichium niveum on brain acetylcholinesterase activity and oxidative stress in male rats orally exposed to lead acetate.

Cyclotrichium niveum is an endemic plant for Turkey and it appears to have in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibition properties. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no study on the in vivo effects of this plant. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of C. niveum on lead (Pb)-acetate-induced potential alterations in brain acetylcholinesterase activity, as well as oxidative stress in male rats. The rats were randomly assigned to control, Pb-acetate, C. niveum and Pb-acetate+ C. niveum groups. Pb-acetate was provided in drinking water (500 ppm), and C. niveum was administered via orogastric gavage (4 ml/kg) for 30 days. The acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain significantly decreased only in the Pb-acetate group. The malondialdehyde level significantly increased, and the reduced glutathione activity decreased in the Pb-acetate group. The reduced glutathione and glutathione-S-transferase activities of the C. niveum group were higher than the control group. No Pb was detected on a ppb level in the brain tissue of the control and C. niveum groups, while it was detected in the brains of the rats in the Pb-acetate and Pb-acetate+ C. niveum groups (185+8.98 ppb and 206+56.65 ppb, respectively). The data collected in this study suggested that C. niveum may reduce inhibition of brain AChE activity and oxidative stress against Pb-acetate-induced alterations in the brain of male rats.

Role of geraniol against lead acetate-mediated hepatic damage and their interaction with liver carboxylesterase activity in rats.

In this study, the effect of geraniol (50 mg/kg for 30 d), a natural antioxidant and repellent/antifeedant monoterpene, in a rat model of lead acetate-induced (500 ppm for 30 d) liver damage was evaluated. Hepatic malondialdehyde increased in the lead acetate group. Reduced glutathione unchanged, but glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, as well as carboxylesterase activities decreased in geraniol, lead acetate and geraniol + lead acetate groups. 8-OhDG immunoreactivity, mononuclear cell infiltrations and hepatic lead concentration were lower in the geraniol + lead acetate group than the lead acetate group. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities increased in the Pb acetate group. In conclusion, lead acetate causes oxidative and toxic damage in the liver and this effect can reduce with geraniol treatment. However, we first observed that lead acetate, as well as geraniol, can affect liver carboxylesterase activity.