Chemopreventive effect of α-hederin/carboplatin combination against experimental colon hyperplasia and impact on JNK signaling.

Colon cancer is the commonest cancer worldwide. α-Hederin is a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin possessing diverse pharmacological activities. The running experiment was designed to test the chemopreventive activity of α-hederin when used as an adjuvant to carboplatin in an experimental model of mouse colon hyperplasia induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Fifty male Swiss albino mice were classified into five groups: group (I): saline group, group (II): DMH-induced colon hyperplasia control group, group (III): DMH + carboplatin (5 mg/kg) group, group (IV): DMH + α-hederin (80 mg/kg) group, and group (V): DMH + carboplatin (5 mg/kg)+α-hederin (80 mg/kg) group. Analyzing of colonic tissue indicated that the disease control group showed higher colon levels of phospho-PI3K to total-PI3K, phospho-AKT to total-AKT and cyclin D1 concurrent with lower phospho-JNK/total JNK ratio and caspase 3. However, treatment with α-hederin, in combination with carboplatin, favorably ameliorated phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT/JNK proteins, increased colon caspase 3 and downregulated cyclin D1. Microscopically, α-hederin, in combination with carboplatin, produced the most reduction in the histologic hyperplasia score, enhanced the goblet cell survival in periodic acid Schiff staining and reduced proliferation (Ki-67 immunostaining) in the current colon hyperplasia model. Collectively, the current study highlighted for the first time that using α-hederin as an adjuvant to carboplatin enhanced its chemopreventive activity, improved JNK signaling and increased apoptosis. Hence, further studies are warranted to test α-hederin as a promising candidate with chemotherapeutic agents in treating colon cancer.

Quercetin attenuated ischemic stroke induced neurodegeneration by modulating glutamatergic and synaptic signaling pathways.

Ischemic strokes originate whenever the circulation to the brain is interrupted, either temporarily or permanently, resulting in a lack of oxygen and other nutrients. This deprivation primarily impacts the cerebral cortex and striatum, resulting in neurodegeneration. Several experimental stroke models have demonstrated that the potent antioxidant quercetin offers protection against stroke-related damage. Multiple pathways have been associated with quercetin's ability to safeguard the brain from ischemic injury. This study examines whether the administration of quercetin alters glutamate NMDA and GluR1 receptor signaling in the cortex and striatum 72 h after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. The administration of 10 mg/kg of quercetin shielded cortical and striatal neurons from cell death induced by ischemia in adult SD rats. Quercetin reversed the ischemia-induced reduction of NR2a/PSD95, consequently promoting the pro-survival AKT pathway and reducing CRMP2 phosphorylation. Additionally, quercetin decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory pathways while increasing the expression of the postsynaptic protein PSD95. Our results suggest that quercetin may be a promising neuroprotective drug for ischemic stroke therapy as it recovers neuronal damage via multiple pathways.

Protective effect of metformin on rat diabetic retinopathy involves suppression of toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-k B expression and glutamate excitotoxicity.

Microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus are progressively significant reasons for mortality. Metformin (MET) is considered as the first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes patients, and may be especially beneficial in cases of diabetic retinopathy although the precise mechanisms of MET action are not fully elucidated. The current study was designed to inspect the antioxidant and modulatory actions of MET on DRET in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The effect of MET on the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa B (TLR4/NFkB), inflammatory burden and glutamate excitotoxicity was assessed. Twenty-four male rats were assigned to four experimental groups: (1) Vehicle group, (2) Diabetic control: developed diabetes by injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, i.p.). (3&4) Diabetic + MET group: diabetic rats were left for 9 weeks without treatment and then received oral MET 100 and 200 mg/kg for 6 weeks. Retinal samples were utilized in biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies. MET administration significantly decreased retinal level of insulin growth factor and significantly suppressed the diabetic induced increase of malondialdehyde, glutamate, tumor necrosis factor-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Further, MET decreased the retinal mRNA expression of NFkB, tumor necrosis factor-α and TLR4 in diabetic rats. The current findings shed the light on MET's efficacy as an adjuvant therapy to hinder the development of diabetic retinopathy, at least partly, via inhibition of oxidative stress-induced NFkB/TLR4 pathway and suppression of glutamate excitotoxicity.