Pycnogenol a promising remedy for diabetic keratopathy in experimentally induced corneal alkali burns in diabetic rats.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of topically applied pycnogenol (PYC) in healing the standardized alkaline corneal ulcer in diabetic and normal rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The corneal alkali-burn injury (CA-I) model was unilaterally developed in Wistar rats by filter paper saturated with 0.01 M of NaOH and touching the eyes for 45 s. Rats were divided into four groups: Normal control (NC), normal PYC (NPYC), diabetic control (DC), and diabetic PYC (DPYC). Both NPYC and DPYC groups were daily treated with PY eye drops three times, whereas NC and DC ones were treated with ordinary saline for six successive days. RESULTS: The wound healing of corneal epithelial was improved in the NPYC group compared to the NC group. Meanwhile, it was significantly improved (P < 0.05) in the DPYC group than in the DC group. Histological examination revealed that corneal re-epithelialization was more accomplished in the DPYC group than in the DC group. In addition, the inflammatory cells were augmented in the DC group more than those in the DPYC one. CONCLUSION: The findings obtained revealed the efficiency of PYC for enhancing the corneal re-epithelialization and reducing the inflammatory reaction post alkali burn in rats, and thus it could be beneficially valuable as a treatment for the diabetic keratopathy.

Effect of L-Carnitine and/or Calf Thymus Gland Extract Supplementation on Immunity, Antioxidant, Duodenal Histomorphometric, Growth, and Economic Performance of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

This study aimed to evaluate the supplementation (of drinking water) effects of L-Carnitine (LC) and/or calf thymus extract (TE) on immunity, antioxidant, duodenal histomorphometric, growth, and economic performance of Japanese quail. Six hundred, one day old unsexed quail were divided into four groups, the control group (G1) received plain drinking water, while G2, G3, and G4 were supplemented with LC and/or TE, respectively. The treated groups recorded a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the final body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, phagocytic activity %, phagocytic index, lymphocytes %, and plasma glutathione level compared to the G1. On the other hand, these supplementations significantly lower the mortality rate %, heterophil %, H/L ratio and plasma malondialdehyde level of the supplemented groups relative to G1. The supplemented groups recorded a non-significant increase in duodenal histomorphometric parameters (villous height, villous width, surface area, and crypt depth) relative to G1. Generally, LC and/or TE improve the values of economic profile (total returns, net profit, total return/total costs %, etc.) in treated groups compared to the control one. In conclusion, L-carnitine supplementation was more effective than TE or their combination with TE in the immunological, anti-oxidative, growth, and economic performance.