Polystyrene microplastic particles induced hepatotoxic injury via pyroptosis, oxidative stress, and fibrotic changes in adult male albino rats; the therapeutic role of silymarin.

Microplastics (MPs) have become a worldwide issue because of their persistence in marine organisms, their accumulation in the food chains, and their inevitable human exposure. Silymarin is a therapeutic agent used in the treatment of multiple liver diseases. The study aimed to explore the potential therapeutic effect of 2 weeks of silymarin treatment against the effects of two sizes of 1 and 5 µm of polystyrene microplastic particles (PS-MPs) on the liver after 6 weeks of the study period. Animals were divided into negative and positive control, silymarin group (200 mg/kg), PS-MP groups of 1 and 5 µm size (0.02 mg/kg), 1 µm size PS-MPs + silymarin group, and 5 µm size PS-MPs + silymarin group, animals were treated once daily by oral gavage. The study revealed that hepatotoxicity induced by two diameters of PS-MPs with marked destructive effects of 1 µm size greater than that of 5 µm size and the effective therapeutic role of silymarin in improving PS-MPs caused hepatotoxic injury, particularly with 5 µm PS-MPs size; through regression of liver pathology (hepatic cell lysis, inflammation, fibrotic changes, and collagen deposition), restoring ultrastructure morphology (mitochondrial destruction and accumulation of lipid droplets accumulation). It improved liver function by reducing serum AST, ALT, LDH, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. It also reduced oxidative stress by reducing serum MDA, increasing TAC, down-regulation of iNOS, and up-regulation of Nrf2 and HO-1 hepatic gene expression. Furthermore, it relieved pyroptosis by negatively regulating the expression of the NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1ß hepatic gene expression. The results suggested silymarin's therapeutic effects in treating PS-MPs-induced hepatotoxic injury and recommended its use as a postexposure treatment for a longer duration.

Ameliorative effect of sesame oil on experimentally induced polycystic ovary syndrome: A cross-link between XBP-1/PPAR-1, regulatory proteins for lipogenesis/steroids.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a mixed endocrine/metabolic/reproductive disorder in women of reproductive age. Sesame oil (SO) contains sesame lignans & vitamin E with broad-spectrum antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigates the ameliorative effect of SO on experimentally induced PCOS and elucidates the possible molecular mechanisms with a deeper focus on the different signaling pathways involved. The study was carried out on 28 nonpregnant female Wister albino rats that were divided into four equal groups; Group I (control group) received oral 0.5% wt/vol carboxymethyl cellulose daily. Group II (SO group): orally administered SO (2 mL/kg body wt./day) for 21 days. Group III (PCOS group) received letrozole daily, 1 mg/kg, for 21 days. Group IV (PCOS + SO group): concomitantly administered letrozole and SO for 21 days. The serum hormonal and metabolic panel and the homogenate ATF-1, StAR, MAPK, PKA, and PI3K levels of the ovarian tissue were calorimetrically evaluated. However, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was evaluated by ovarian XBP1 and PPAR-γ messenger RNA expression level using the qRT-PCR technique. Ovarian COX-2 was detected immunohistochemically. The results suggest that SO-treated PCOS rats showed a significantly improved hormonal, metabolic panel, inflammatory, and ER stress status with concomitant decreases in ATF-1, StAR, MAPK, PKA, and PI3K in ovarian rats compared to the correspondent values in PCOS without treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The protective effects of SO against PCOS are triggered by ameliorating regulatory proteins of ER stress, lipogenesis, and steroidogenesis through the PI3K/PKA and MAPK/ERK2 signaling cascades. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common mixed endocrine-metabolic dysfunction among women within the reproductive period, with an estimated prevalence of 5%-26% worldwide. Doctors traditionally recommend metformin for PCOS patients. However, metformin is known to be associated with significant adverse effects and contraindications. This work aimed at shedding light on the ameliorative effect of sesame oil (SO), natural polyunsaturated fatty acids-rich oil, on the induced PCOS model. SO proved to have a marvelous effect on the metabolic and endocrine derangements in the PCOS rat model. We hoped to provide a valuable alternative treatment for PCOS patients to avoid the side effects of metformin and to help PCOS patients for whom metformin is contraindicated.

The neuroprotective effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on the cerebral cortex changes induced by aluminium chloride in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: A histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical study.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common types of dementia among neurodegenerative disorders characterized by attention deficits and memory loss. Panax ginseng is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy that has been employed for millennia to manage dementia linked with aging and memory impairment. Ginsenoside Rb1 is one of Panax ginseng's most abundant components. The present work evaluated the neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on the cerebral cortex of AlCl3-induced AD in adult male albino mice. Forty male mice were alienated arbitrarily into; control group, ginsenoside Rb1 group (70 mg/kg/day), AlCl3 group (50 mg/kg/day), and ginsenoside Rb1-AlCl3 group that received ginsenoside Rb1 one hour before AlCl3. Oxidative stress parameters, Amyloid ß (Aß) and phosphorylated tau protein, and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity were measured. Cerebral cortex sections were evaluated histologically by light microscopic examination and immunohistochemistry. AlCl3-induced memory impairment, Aß and phosphorylated tau protein accumulation, and AChE elevation. Moreover, histopathological alterations in the cerebral cortex were reported in the form of irregular shrunken neurons and the surrounding neuropil showed vacuolation. Some neurons appeared with darkly stained nuclei, others had faintly stained ones. The synaptophysin expression was significantly decreased, while the expression of cleaved caspase-3, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) were significantly elevated. It's interesting to note that these changes were attenuated in mice pretreated with ginsenoside Rb1. Collected data indicated that ginsenoside Rb1 showed a potential neuroprotective effect against cerebral cortex changes caused by AlCl3 via suppression of Amyloid ß and phosphorylated tau protein formation, oxidative stress correction, anti-apoptotic effect, and by minimizing gliosis.