Efficacy of safranal to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of safranal on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups. The control group received physiological saline; animals in Group 2 received only safranal and in Group 3 received only cisplatin; 5 days of safranal treatment was performed following administration of cisplatin for the animals in Group 4; 5 days of safranal pretreatment was applied to the animals in Group 5 before administration of cisplatin. Cisplatin (7 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected as a single dose and safranal (200 mg/kg) was administered by gavage. Biochemical and histopathological methods were utilized for evaluation of the nephrotoxicity. The concentrations of creatinine and urea in plasma and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) as well as total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were determined in kidney tissue. Administration of cisplatin to rats induced a marked renal failure, characterized with a significant increase in plasma creatinine and urea concentrations. MDA and TOS levels of rats that received cisplatin alone were not significantly different compared with those of the control group, but GSH and TAS levels in the only cisplatin-administered group were significantly decreased. Safranal administration produced amelioration in biochemical indices of nephrotoxicity in both plasma and kidney tissues when compared with the only cisplatin-administered group, pretreatment with safranal being more effective. As a result, safranal treatment might have a protective effect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in rat.

The Effects of Babesiosis on Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Anatolian Black Goats Naturally Infected with Babesia ovis.

BACKGROUND: A reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediate produced during an inflammatory response is the important part of host-defense strategies of organisms to kill the parasite. However, it is not well known whether these intermediates cause DNA damage and oxidative stress in goats infected with Babesia ovis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of babesiosis on basal levels of DNA damage and oxidative status of goats naturally infected with B.ovis. METHODS: DNA damage and antioxidant parameters were determined in B. ovis infected goats. Ten infected Anatolian Black Goats with B. ovis diagnosed via clinical signs and microscopic findings and ten healthy were used in the study. RESULTS: The Babesia infection increased the levels of DNA damage, malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl content (PCO) and plasma concentration of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), and decreased total antioxidant activities (AOA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). A significant positive correlation between DNA damage, MDA, PCO, and NOx concentrations was found in the infected goats. DNA damage showed a negative association with AOA and GSH concentrations in the infected goats. CONCLUSION: The Babesia infection increases oxidative stress markers and DNA damage and decreases AOA in goats. These results suggest that the increases in the production of free radicals due to Babesia infection not only contribute to host-defense strategies of organisms to kill the parasite but also induce oxidative damage in other cells.

The effect of cysteine and glutathione on sperm and oxidative stress parameters of post-thawed bull semen.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of antioxidants such as reduced glutathione (GSH) and cysteine in Laiciphose® extender on semen parameters, fertilizing ability, lipid peroxidation (LPO) level and glutathione peroxidise (GPx) activity of post-thawed bull semen. Totally 54 ejaculates of three bulls were used in the study. Five groups, namely; GSH (0.5 and 2 mM), cysteine (5 and 10 mM) and control group, were conducted to test the antioxidants in Laiciphose®. Insemination doses were processed that each 0.25-mL straw contained 15 x 106 sperm. The addition of antioxidants did not present any significant effect on the percentages of post-thaw sperm morphology (acrosome and total abnormalities), subjective, CASA and progressive motilities, as well as sperm motility characteristics (VAP, VSL, VCL, LIN and ALH), compared to the control groups (P > 0.05). GSH 0.5mM (55.5±7.38%) and cysteine 10 mM (48±5.65%) led to lower rates of DNA damage, compared to control (P < 0.05). As regards to MDA level, cysteine at 10 mM dose gave the highest level (4.99±0.44 nmol/L) (P < 0.001). GPx activity was demonstrated to be higher level upon the addition of 5 mM cysteine when compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). With respect to fertility results based on 60-day non-returns, the supplementation of antioxidants did not present significant differences (P > 0.05). The results of this study may provide an useful information for the future studies in this area. So, further studies could be suggested to achieve better information in terms of the DNA damage and fertilizing capacity of bull sperm frozen with effective antioxidants.

Increased DNA damage and oxidative stress in chickens with natural Marek's disease.

Oxidative stress contributes to the accumulation of genomic abnormalities, prevents cellular apoptosis, and also mediates immunosuppression resulting in tumor formation. Marek's Disease provides excellent opportunities for the study of herpesvirus-induced tumors both in experimental- and natural conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Marek's Disease (MD) on basal levels of DNA strand breaks and on the oxidative-antioxidative status of chickens with MD. White-Lohmann hens-fifteen infected with Marek's Disease Virus (MDV) and fifteen healthy-of same age and sex were included in this study. MD infection was diagnosed via clinical signs, gross- and micro-pathological findings and also by detection of viral antigens in feather follicle epithelium by the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Compared with healthy controls, DNA damage was greater and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma protein carbonyl (PCO), and plasma concentration of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) higher in the MD group. Furthermore, total antioxidant activities (AOAs) were found lowered and glutathione (GSH) levels reduced in the MD group compared to the control group. Significantly positive correlation was found between DNA damage, MDA, PCO, and NOx in the MD group. DNA strand breaks were found negatively associated with AOA and GSH concentrations in the MD group. Our results demonstrated that oxidative stress markers and DNA damage substantially increased in chickens with MD, which indicated that increased DNA damage levels might be related to the increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant activity.

The protective potential of Yucca schidigera (Sarsaponin 30) against nitrite-induced oxidative stress in rats.

The present study was designed to determine the protective effects of Yucca schidigera (Ys) against oxidative damage induced by acute nitrite intoxication as well as the histopathological evaluation of Ys in rats. The rats were divided into three groups each containing 12 rats: control (C); nitrite intoxication (N); Ys + nitrite intoxication (NY). C and N groups were fed standard rat feed (SRF). The NY group was fed SRF + 100 ppm Ys powder for 4 weeks. Acute nitrite intoxication was induced by subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of sodium nitrite (60 mg/kg) 1 day after the feeding period. Fifty minutes after sodium nitrite administration, blood samples and tissues including lung, liver, and kidney were collected for clinical biochemistry and histopathological investigations. Ys treatment was found to decrease methemoglobin, blood and tissue malondialdehyde, and tissue nitric oxide concentrations, and to increase the glutathione in blood and various tissues. However, plasma nitric oxide, total antioxidant activity, beta-carotene, and vitamin A did not differ between N and NY groups. While the N group rats showed distinct pathology in various tissues (compared with controls), the NY group had similar lung and liver pathology to the control. Only moderate or mild hemorrhage and hyperemia were seen in kidneys of NY group rats. Consequently, the natural compounds found in Ys, such as polyphenols, steroidal saponins, and other phytonutrients, could be used to substantially protect the organism from nitrite-induced oxidative damage and its complications.

Determination of genotoxic effects of copper sulphate and cobalt chloride in Allium cepa root cells by chromosome aberration and comet assays.

We used the anaphase-telophase chromosome aberration and comet (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis, SCGE) assays to evaluate the genotoxic effects of copper sulphate (CS) and cobalt chloride (CC) chemicals prepared in two concentrations (EC(50), 2xEC(50)), using methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) as a positive control and untreated cells as a negative control. In Allium root growth inhibition test, EC(50) values for CS and CC are 1.5 and 5.5 ppm, respectively. Mitotic index (MI) decreased in all concentrations tested of CS and CC compared to the control at each exposure time. The bridge, stickiness, vagrant chromosomes, fragments, c-anaphase and multipolarity chromosome aberrations were observed in anaphase-telophase cells. The total chromosome aberrations were more frequent with an increasing in the exposure time and the concentrations of both chemicals. The genotoxicity of CS and CC in Allium cepa root cells was analyzed using a mild alkaline comet assay at pH 12.3, which allows the detection of single strand breaks. In all the concentrations, CS and CC induced a significant increase (P<0.05) in DNA damage. No significant difference was found between positive control (300+/-5.81) and 3 ppm CS (280+/-4.61). The methods used are applicable for biological monitoring of environmental pollutants.

The effects of Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria on DNA damage, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and some biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Yucca schidigera, Quillaja saponaria, and a mixture of both plants on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Animals were allocated into five groups with 10 rats each. The control (C) and diabetic control group (D) were fed with standard rat feed (SRF). The other diabetic groups, the Y. schidigera group (DY), the Q. saponaria group (DQ), and the mix group (DQY), were fed ad libitum using SRF+100 ppm Y. schidigera powder (Sarsaponin 30), SRF+100 ppm Q. saponaria powder (Nutrafito), and SRF+100 ppm Y. schidigera-Q. saponaria powder (Nutrafito Plus), respectively, for 3 weeks. The blood glucose level was found to be significantly lower in the DY and DQ groups than in the D and DQY groups (P<.001). The insulin levels increased in the DY and DQY groups (P<.05). Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the DY, DQ, and DQY groups significantly decreased compared to those of the D group (P<.01, P<.001, respectively). HDL in the diabetic groups significantly increased in the DQ and DQY groups (P<.05), while LDL did not show any significant change. Mononuclear leukocyte DNA damage, plasma malondialdehyde, and plasma protein carbonyl levels were found to be significantly lower (P<.001, P<.001, P<.05, respectively) in the DY, DQ, and DQY groups according to the D group. The low level of nitric oxide in diabetic rats increased in the DQ group (P<.01). Total antioxidant capacity between groups did not differ. Our results thus suggested that Q. saponaria and Y. schidigera powders could help in the treatment of the disease owing to their hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, and antioxidant effects.

Determination of some heavy metal levels and oxidative status in Carassius carassius L., 1758 from Eber Lake.

In this study, the levels of some heavy metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in muscle, gill, and liver of Carassius carassius and in the water samples from Eber Lake (Afyonkarahisar, Turkey) have been investigated. Additionally, one of the lipid peroxidation markers, malondialdehide (MDA) and glutathion (GSH) levels were investigated. All the metal analysis was performed by using ICP-AES. According to results obtained, it was observed that heavy metals were accummulated in liver in the highest degree and lowest one in the muscle tissues. MDA and GSH levels varied in the seasons but their winter levels were found to be statistically meaningful when compared with other seasons. The obtained data of metals from the study were compared with the acceptable levels of Turkish governmental regulation and they were found not to be harmful for human health. On the other hand, it was suggested that oxidative stress markers should be checked regularly in order to get important data for continuous life of aquatic organisms.