Kiwifruit ameliorates gentamicin induced histological and histochemical alterations in the kidney of albino mice.

Gentamicin is an antibiotic used worldwide for treating Gram-negative bacterial infections. Gentamicin causes nephrotoxicity in up to 25% of therapeutic cases owing to increased production of free radicals. Kiwifruit are nutrient-dense fruits that have proven effective for ameliorating many pathological conditions caused by oxidative stress. We investigated the possible prophylactic and therapeutic effects of kiwifruit on the changes in renal histology and histochemistry caused by gentamicin. Intramuscular injection of mice with gentamicin for 10 consecutive days was nephrotoxic as indicated by epithelial vacuolization, glomerular atrophy and tubular necrosis. Necrotic tubule cells lost most of their polysaccharides and structural proteins. Co-administration of kiwifruit with gentamicin prevented nephrotoxic changes to a modest degree. When administered subsequent to gentamicin intoxication, kiwifruit ameliorated significantly the histological and histochemical alterations caused by gentamicin. Our findings support the use of kiwifruit in cases of acute renal injury due to gentamicin.

Garlic attenuates histological and histochemical alterations in livers of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice.

Interest in screening for new anti-schistosomal agents is growing because of increased concerns about resistance to and safety of praziquantel. We investigated the anti-schistosomal action of prophylactic and therapeutic doses of garlic on the histological and histochemical alterations caused by Schistosoma mansoni infection. Livers of infected mice were characterized by granulomas, periportal inflammation and fibrosis, hepatocyte vacuolation, fatty degeneration and necrosis, and hypertrophy and pigmentation of Kupffer cells. Significant depletion of carbohydrates and increased lipid vacuoles also were observed. All garlic regimens caused suppression of granuloma formation and amelioration of histological and histochemical changes; the continuous treatment protocol produced the best results. Garlic appears to be a safe and economical anti-schistosomal adjuvant for attenuating the pathogenicity of schistosomiasis.

Ginger and alpha lipoic acid ameliorate age-related ultrastructural changes in rat liver.

Because of the important role that oxidative stress is thought to play in the aging process, antioxidants could be candidates for preventing its related pathologies. We investigated the ameliorative effects of two antioxidant supplements, ginger and alpha lipoic acid (ALA), on hepatic ultrastructural alterations in old rats. Livers of young (4 months) and old (24 months) Wistar rats were studied using transmission electron microscopy. Livers of old rats showed sinusoidal collapse and congestion, endothelial thickening and defenestration, and inconsistent perisinusoidal extracellular matrix deposition. Aged hepatocytes were characterized by hypertrophy, cytoplasmic vacuolization and a significant increase in the volume densities of the nuclei, mitochondria and dense bodies. Lipofuscin accumulation and decreased microvilli in bile canaliculi and space of Disse also were observed. The adverse alterations were ameliorated significantly by both ginger and ALA supplementation; ALA was more effective than ginger. Ginger and ALA appear to be promising anti-aging agents based on their amelioration of ultrastructural alterations in livers of old rats.