Protective effects of Panax Ginseng against 131I-induced genotoxicity in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Radioiodine (131I) therapy (RAIT) is associated with oxidative stress (OS)-induced DNA damage in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The goal of this study was to evaluate the possible ameliorating effects of Panax Ginseng (PG) on RAIT-induced genotoxicity in patients with DTC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty DTC patients who had received 131I (100 to 175 mCi) were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly classified (n = 10) into control, placebo, PG1 groups (receiving 500 mg/day of PG for 2 days before RAIT), and PG2 group (receiving 500 mg/day of PG for 2 days before to 1 day after RAIT). Blood samples were collected before and 2 days after RAIT. Lymphocyte micronuclei (MN) frequency was measured using the MN assay. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) were measured using colorimetric assays. Serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured using commercial kits. RESULTS: The mean of baseline MN frequency was the same in the four groups. RAIT increased the MN frequencies to at least three times the baseline values in the control (39 ± 5) and placebo groups (38 ± 6) (P < 0.001). PG caused a significant decrease in the MN frequencies in the treated groups compared to the control and placebo groups (P < 0.001). RAIT and PG administration had no significant effects on the serum IMA, TAC, and markers of liver and kidney toxicity. CONCLUSION: PG could be considered a useful remedy for the protection against RAIT-induced chromosomal damage in DCT patients.

Inhibitory Effect of Bunium Persicum Hydroalcoholic Extract on Glucose-Induced Albumin Glycation, Oxidation, and Aggregation In Vitro.

BACKGROUND: Glucose-induced protein glycation has been implicated in the progression of diabetic complications and age-related diseases. The anti-glycation potential of polyphenol-rich plant extracts has been shown previously. Bunium Persicum has been demonstrated to possess a high level of polyphenols. The aim of current in vitro study was to determine the possible inhibitory effect of Bunium Persicum hydroalcoholic extract (BPE) on glucose-induced bovine serum albumin (BSA) glycation, oxidation, and aggregation. METHODS: Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to measure the content of total phenolic compounds of BPE. To test the in vitro effect of BPE on the formation of glycated BSA, thiol group oxidation, and protein aggregation of BSA, various concentrations of BPE were incubated with BSA and glucose at 37 °C for 72 hr. Glycation, thiol group oxidation, and aggregation of BSA were then measured using thiobarbituric acid, 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, and Congo red colorimetric methods, respectively. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 16.0). One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test was used to compare group means. P<0.05 was accepted as the statistically significant difference between groups. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that the content of total phenolics of BPE was 122.41 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram dried extract. BPE (10, 15, and 30 µg/ml) significantly inhibited the formation of GA in a concentration-dependent manner. BPE also significantly decreased the levels of thiol group oxidation and BSA aggregation. CONCLUSION: The results showed that BPE has anti-glycation and antioxidant properties and might have therapeutic potentials in the prevention of glycation-mediated diabetic complications.

Protective effect of vitamins e and C on endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats.

BACKGROUND: The role of oxidative stress in endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity has been implicated. This study was performed to evaluate the possible protective effect of vitamins E and C, against endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity in rats. METHODS: Fifty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=10 each). The groups included a control receiving vehicle, a group treated with endosulfan (10 mg/kg/day) alone, and three endosulfan-treated group receiving vitamin C (20 mg/kg/day), vitamin E (200 mg/kg/day), or vitamine C+vitamin E at the same doses. After 10 days of treatment, sperm parameters, plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), plasma testosterone and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the testis were determined. RESULTS: Oral administration of endosulfan caused a reduction in the sperm motility, viability, daily sperm production (DSP) and increased the number of sperm with abnormal chromatin condensation. Endosulfan administration increased testis MDA and plasma LDH. Supplementation of vitamin C and vitamin E to endosulfan-treated rats reduced the toxic effect of endosulfan on sperm parameters and lipid peroxidation in the testis. Vitamin E was more protective than vitamin C in reducing the adverse effects of the endosulfan. CONCLUSION: The findings data suggest that administration of vitamins C and E ameliorated the endosulfan-induced oxidative stress and sperm toxicity in rat. The effect of vitamin E in preventing endosulfan-induced sperm toxicity was superior to that of vitamin C.