Chemical Profile of Cyperus laevigatus and Its Protective Effects against Thioacetamide-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats.

Cyperus species represent a group of cosmopolitan plants used in folk medicine to treat several diseases. In the current study, the phytochemical profile of Cyperus laevigatus ethanolic extract (CLEE) was assessed using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. The protective effect of CLEE at 50 and 100 mg /kg body weight (b.w.) was evaluated on hepatorenal injuries induced by thioacetamide (100 mg/kg) via investigation of the extract's effects on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis of CLEE resulted in the identification of 94 compounds, including organic and phenolic acids, flavones, aurones, and fatty acids. CLEE improved the antioxidant status in the liver and kidney, as manifested by enhancement of reduced glutathione (GSH) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), in addition to the reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Moreover, CLEE positively affected oxidative stress parameters in plasma and thwarted the depletion of hepatorenal ATP content by thioacetamide (TAA). Furthermore, treatment of rats with CLEE alleviated the significant increase in plasma liver enzymes, kidney function parameters, and inflammatory markers. The protective effect of CLEE was confirmed by a histopathological study of the liver and kidney. Our results proposed that CLEE may reduce TAA-hepatorenal toxicity via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties suppressing oxidative stress.

Therapeutic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of laser acupuncture on patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The laser acupuncture has many potential therapeutic effects. Currently, they are not evaluated for their therapeutic effects on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of laser acupuncture on the oxidative and antioxidative markers, as well as the inflammatory markers and disease activity of RA patients. DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 30 RA patients and 20 healthy subjects. The patients were subjected to laser acupuncture (904 nm, 100 mW power output, 1 minute irradiation time, beam area of 1 cm(2) , total energy per point 6 J, energy density 6 J/ cm(2) , irradiance 0.1 W/cm(2) , frequency 10000 Hz, duty-cycle 100%) for 3 days/week for duration of 4 weeks. The acupuncture points of exposure were LI4, TE5, LI 11, DU 14, LIV3, SP6, GB34, and S36. The levels of oxidative and antioxidant markers were determined by spectrophotometric methods whereas the inflammatory markers were determined by ELISA methods. Lastly, using DAS28 scores the disease activity was assessed. RESULTS: After laser acupuncture, the study group revealed significantly increased plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase activities, blood glutathione (GSH), and plasma ATP concentrations, compared to those before treatment (P < 0.0005). Moreover, the results revealed significantly reduced plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), serum nitrate and nitrite, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and significantly reduced glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in laser exposed patients, compared to those before treatment (P < 0.0005). The RA patients subjected to laser acupuncture showed highly significant reduction in disease activity (P < 0.0005) based on DAS28 score. CONCLUSION: Our study results confirmed the effectiveness of laser acupuncture in alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation, improving antioxidant and energy metabolic status, while also suppressing the disease activity in RA patients. Laser acupuncture is a promising treatment modality to reduce the pain and suffering of RA patients because of its efficiency in inhibiting most of the main factors involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:490-497, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.