RESUMEN
Malathion is one of the most used organophosphorus pesticides that is used for many reasons such as agriculture and industry. Human exposure to malathion may occur through various means, such as eating food that has been treated with it. Malathion not only increases oxidative stress but also decreases the antioxidant capacity. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with many pharmacological actions. Curcumin can act as a free radical scavenger and inhibit the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Curcumin could combat the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant depletion that trigger the apoptotic pathways. This study aims to examine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects of curcumin. Twenty-four Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (six rats each): control, curcumin, malathion, and malathion + curcumin groups. At the assigned time, blood samples were used for the assessment of serum creatinine, and the kidneys were excised and washed; parts of them were used for the assessment of total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and glutathione (GSH) activity, other parts were fixed in formalin for further staining. Histopathological evaluation was performed for the fixed specimens after staining with H&E, sirus red, and the immunohistochemical staining for NF-κß, TNF-α, Caspase-3, Nrf2, and HO-1. Curcumin significantly decreases the serum creatinine after malathion exposure and significantly restores the oxidant/antioxidant balance by increasing TAC and GSH and decreasing TOS, OSI, and MDA. Curcumin exerts its reno-protective effect and restores the histological architecture of the kidney by downregulating the immune expression of NF-κß, TNF-α, and Caspase-3 and upregulating the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. This study concluded that curcumin protects against nephrotoxicity caused by malathion by exerting its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic capabilities.
RESUMEN
Concerns regarding the possible hazards to human health have been raised by the growing usage of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in a variety of applications, including industrial, agricultural, and medical applications. This in vivo subchronic study was conducted to assess the following: (1) the toxicity of orally administered SiNPs on the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands; (2) the relationship between SiNPs exposure and oxidative stress; and (3) the role of magnesium in mitigating these toxic effects. A total of 24 Sprague Dawley male adult rats were divided equally into four groups, as follows: control group, magnesium (Mg) group (50 mg/kg/d), SiNPs group (100 mg/kg/d), and SiNPs+ Mg group. Rats were treated with SiNPs by oral gavage for 90 days. The liver transaminases, serum creatinine, and cortisol levels were evaluated. The tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were measured. Additionally, the weight of the organs and the histopathological changes were examined. Our results demonstrated that SiNPs exposure caused increased weight in the kidneys and adrenal glands. Exposure to SiNPs was also associated with significant alterations in liver transaminases, serum creatinine, cortisol, MDA, and GSH. Additionally, histopathological changes were significantly reported in the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands of SiNPs-treated rats. Notably, when we compared the control group with the treated groups with SiNPs and Mg, the results revealed that magnesium could mitigate SiNPs-induced biochemical and histopathologic changes, confirming its effective role as an antioxidant that reduced the accumulation of SiNPs in tissues, and that it returns the levels of liver transaminases, serum creatinine, cortisol, MDA, and GSH to almost normal values.
RESUMEN
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental toxin utilized for the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Due to BPA's extensive production and environmental contamination, human exposure is unavoidable. The effects of low-dose of BPA on various body tissues and organs remain controversial. Our study investigated the potential of BPA to induce biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical changes in the coronary artery and myocardium and the potential protective role of L-carnitine (LC). 24 adult Wistar albino male rats were divided equally into a control group, a BPA-treated group (40 mg/kg/d, by gavage for 4 weeks), and a BPA plus LC-treated group (received 40 mg/kg/d of BPA and 300 mg/kg/d of LC, by gavage for 4 weeks). BPA-exposed rats demonstrated structural anomalies in the coronary artery tissue including vacuolation of cells in the media and detachment of the endothelium of the intima. Congestion of blood vessels and infiltration by polynuclear cells were observed in the myocardium. There was an enhanced collagen deposition in both tissues indicating fibrosis. Immunohistochemical changes included enhanced eNOS and caspase-3 expression in the coronary artery and myocardium indicating vascular disease and apoptosis, respectively. Oxidative damage was evident in the coronary artery and the myocardium of BPA-treated rats, which was indicated by the reduced level of glutathione (GSH) and elevated malondydehyde (MDA) levels. The coadministration of LC significantly improved BPA-induced structural alterations and oxidative stress. In conclusion, BPA could potentially cause pathologic changes and oxidative damage in the coronary artery and myocardium, which could be improved by LC coadministration.