Possible prophylactic effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cadmium-induced neurotoxicity in rats' brains.

Cadmium (Cd) has long been noted to induce neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the toxicological impact of Cd on rat brains and evaluate the possible ameliorative impact of omega-3 fatty acids as a protective agent of nervous system. Rats were divided into four groups: group I supplemented orally with saline; group II intoxicated with CdCl2 (5 mg/kg b.w. orally), and groups III and VI supplemented with omega-3 (100 mg/kg b.w. orally) simultaneously or before CdCl2 administration, respectively. Cd intoxication induced biochemical and histopathological disturbances in treated rats. Omega-3 fatty acid considerably improved the Cd-associated biochemical changes, reduced the elevation of lipid peroxidation, and normalized the Cd impact on the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferases, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, heatshock protein70, nuclear factor-κB, and interferon-γ as well as of neuronal enzymes such as acetylecholinesterase and monoamine oxidase within the brains of treated rats. Additionally, histological findings supported the results that Cd treatment-induced neurodegenerative changes and that polyunsaturated fatty acids act as antioxidants and neuroprotective agents against Cd toxicity. Co-treatment with omega-3 fatty acid was more beneficial than pretreatment. Thus, omega-3 fatty acid should be included in diet to prevent or suppress neurodegenerative disorders caused by continuous exposure to Cd.

Original research paper. Pulmonary prophylactic impact of melatonin and/or quercetin: A novel therapy for inflammatory hypoxic stress in rats.

The study aims to compare, through histological and biochemical studies, the effects of quercetin, melatonin and their combination in regulation of immuno-inflammatory mediators and heat shock protein expressions in sodium nitrite induced hypoxia in rat lungs. The results revealed that NaNO2 injection caused a significant decrease in Hb in rats, while serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP, VEGF and HSP70 were elevated compared to the control group. Administration of melatonin, quercetin or their combination before NaNO2 injection markedly reduced these parameters. Histopathological examination of the lung tissue supported these biochemical findings. The study suggests that melatonin and/or quercetin are responsible for lung tissue protection in hypoxia by downregulation of immuno-inflammatory mediators and heat shock protein expressions. Pre-treatment of hypoxic animals with a combination of melatonin and quercetin was effective in modulating most of the studied parameters to near-normal levels.

Assessment of the Potential Role of Silymarin Alone or in Combination with Vitamin E and/ or Curcumin on the Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Liver Injury in Rat

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effective role of silymarin either alone or in a combination with vitamin E and/or curcumin against the toxic impact of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver injury The results revealed that administration of silymarin alone or in a combination with vitamin E and/or curcumin for 21 consecutive days, 24 h after CCl4 injection to rats, markedly ameliorated DNA damaged and apoptosis markers in rat livers, proinflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) and C-reactive protein (CRP ) in rat livers as well as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rat sera. These treatments also could ameliorated the alteration in cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity in livers of CCl4 intoxicated rats as well as the increase in the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared with CCl4 intoxicated untreated rats. The present biochemical results are supported by histo-pathological examination. In conclusion, silymarin in a combination with vitamin E and curcumin was the most effective treatment in alleviating CCl4 induced liver damage and this may support the use of this combination as an effective treatment against liver damage induced by toxic agents.

Antioxidant capacity in Fasciola hepatica patients before and after treatment with triclabendazole alone or in combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocofersolan (vitamin E).

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of triclabendazole (CAS 68786-66-3) therapy alone or in combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, CAS 50-81-7) and tocofersolan (vitamin E, CAS 30999-06-5), in Fasciola hepatica patients, on Lipo-peroxidation (LPO) and blood antioxidant capacity. 32 Fasciola hepatica patients were divided into two groups (16 acute and 16 chronic). Each group was divided into two subgroups of 8 patients each. One subgroup was given two consecutive oral doses each of 10 mg/kg body weight of triclabendazole suspension and the other received vitamin C (1000 mg/day) and vitamin E (600 mg/day) for two months, together with the same dose of triclabendazole given to the first subgroup. Ten healthy subjects served as controls. The results revealed a significant increase in serum and erythrocyte lipid peroxide levels and a significant decrease in glutathione levels as well as in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in all study groups compared to their corresponding control values. After triclabendazole treatment, pronounced improvements in all studied parameters were observed which could be attributed to the fasciolicidal effect of the drug. The significant improvement of SOD and GPX activities and in lipid peroxide levels after vitamins supplementation as compared to their corresponding values after treatment with triclabendazole alone could be explained on the basis of the potent action of these vitamins in protection against oxidative damage.

Synthetic organic hard capsule colouring agents: in vitro effect on human true and pseudo-cholinesterases.

Hard capsules are made of pure gelatin and small quantities of additives, including colouring agents permitted for use in food. In this study, the effects of three colouring agents (sunset yellow, quinoline yellow and erythrosine) on true and pseudo-cholinesterases (ChE) are assessed in erythrocytes and plasma, respectively. Results indicated that the synthetic compounds affected both true and pseudo ChE activity. The concentration of sunset yellow which caused 50% inhibition (IC50) of true ChE was about 64% that of pseudo-ChE; for erythrosine, IC50 was approximately the same for both true and pseudo-ChE; and for quinoline yellow, IC50 for true ChE was 25% of pseudo-ChE, although its effect on both true and pseudo-ChE was greater than seen with the other two dyes. Inhibitions of both true and pseudo-ChE were of mixed type (competitive and non-competitive). The enzyme-inhibitor dissociation constant (Ki) indicated that quinoline yellow was most potent and erythrosine was least potent out of the three compounds. Inhibition of both true and pseudo-ChE by each of the three dyes was abolished by dialysis, indicating that the effects were reversible.