Ameliorative effect of Odontonema cuspidatum extract against testicular damage induced by sodium nitrite in rats.

Background: Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is a chemical substance used to enhance taste, add color, and keep food products fit for consumption for a longer time. NaNO2 gives rise to a negative adverse effect on male reproductive function. Odontonema cuspidatum (OC) is a natural plant that possesses antioxidant capacity. Aim: Our research evaluates the potential beneficial effect of OC extract on the harmful effects caused by NaNO2 on the testicular tissue and sperm characteristics of male rats. Methods: Four groups with a total of forty rats: the control, the NaNO2-received group, the OC-administered group, and the fourth group received both NaNO2 and OC. All groups were administered daily for two months. Sperm characteristics, testicular antioxidant status, qRT-PCR, and histopathological changes were evaluated. Results: Coadministration of NaNO2 and OC, in comparison with NaNO2 alone, contributed to a notable enhancement in acrosomal integrity, decreasing sperm abnormalities and restoring serum testosterone levels. Moreover, such coadministration reduced the oxidative stress marker, malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) in testicular tissue, lowering TNF-α gene expression, and increasing the expression of P450scc and StAR genes. In addition, the NaNO2 and OC combination decreased the testicular histopathological changes and the Caspase-3 and Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoexpression in seminiferous tubules compared with the NaNO2 group. Conclusion: The extract of OC exhibited the ability to decrease oxidative stress and ameliorate the detrimental effects caused by NaNO2.

Protective effect of Petroselinum crispum methanolic extract against acrylamide-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats through NF-ĸB, kinesin, steroidogenesis pathways.

This study examined the protective effects of a Petroselinum crispum (P. crispum) methanolic extract on reproductive dysfunction induced by acrylamide in male rats. A total of 40 rats were divided into four groups (n=10). The control group received distilled water, the acrylamide group received 10 mg/kg of acrylamide, the P. crispum group received 100 mg/kg of P. crispum extract, and the combined group was pretreated with P. crispum for two weeks before co-administration of P. crispum and acrylamide. All administrations were administered orally using a gastric tube for eight weeks. Acrylamide decreased testosterone levels but did not affect levels of FSH or LH. It also increased testicular levels of (MDA) malondialdehyde and reduced activity of (SOD) superoxide dismutase and impairment of sperm parameters. Furthermore, the administration of acrylamide resulted in an elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels and a reduction in the levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) and cytochrome P450scc (P450scc). Acrylamide negatively affected the histopathological outcomes, Johnsen's score, the diameter of seminiferous tubules, and the thickness of the germinal epithelium. It also upregulated the expression of NF-ĸB P65 and downregulated the expression of kinesin motor protein. In contrast, treatment with P. crispum extract restored the levels of antioxidant enzymes, improved sperm parameters, and normalized the gene expression of TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, iNOS, NF-ĸB, STAR, CYP17A1, 17ß-HSD and P450scc. It also recovered testicular histological parameters and immunoexpression of NF-ĸB P65 and kinesin altered by acrylamide. P. crispum showed protective effects against acrylamide-induced reproductive toxicity by suppressing oxidative damage and inflammatory pathways.

In vitro cytotoxicity of Withania somnifera (L.) roots and fruits on oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines: a study supported by flow cytometry, spectral, and computational investigations.

Oral cancer is a severe health problem that accounts for an alarmingly high number of fatalities worldwide. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal has been extensively studied against various tumor cell lines from different body organs, rarely from the oral cavity. We thus investigated the cytotoxicity of W. somnifera fruits (W-F) and roots (W-R) hydromethanolic extracts and their chromatographic fractions against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines [Ca9-22 (derived from gingiva), HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4 (derived from tongue)] and three normal oral mesenchymal cells [human gingival fibroblast (HGF), human periodontal ligament fibroblast (HPLF), and human pulp cells (HPC)] in comparison to standard drugs. The root polar ethyl acetate (W-R EtOAc) and butanol (W-R BuOH) fractions exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against the Ca9-22 cell line (CC50 = 51.8 and 40.1 µg/mL, respectively), which is relatively the same effect as 5-FU at CC50 = 69.4 µM and melphalan at CC50 = 36.3 µM on the same cancer cell line. Flow cytometric analysis revealed changes in morphology as well as in the cell cycle profile of the W-R EtOAc and W-R BuOH-treated oral cancer Ca9-22 cells compared to the untreated control. The W-R EtOAc (125 µg/mL) exerted morphological changes and induced subG1 accumulation, suggesting apoptotic cell death. A UHPLC MS/MS analysis of the extract enabled the identification of 26 compounds, mainly alkaloids, withanolides, withanosides, and flavonoids. Pharmacophore-based inverse virtual screening proposed that BRD3 and CDK2 are the cancer-relevant targets for the annotated withanolides D (18) and O (12), and the flavonoid kaempferol (11). Molecular modeling studies highlighted the BRD3 and CDK2 as the most probable oncogenic targets of anticancer activity of these molecules. These findings highlight W. somnifera's potential as an affordable source of therapeutic agents for a range of oral malignancies.

Furofuranoid-Type Lignans and Related Phenolics from Anisacanthus virgularis (Salisb.) Nees with Promising Anticholinesterase and Anti-Ageing Properties: A Study Supported by Molecular Modelling.

Lignan phytomolecules demonstrate promising anti-Alzheimer activity by alleviating dementia and preserving nerve cells. The purpose of this work is to characterize the lignans of Anisacanthus virgularis and explore their potential anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-ageing effects. Phytochemical investigation of A. virgularis aerial parts afforded a new furofuranoid-type lignan (1), four known structural analogues, namely pinoresinol (2), epipinoresinol (3), phillyrin (4), and pinoresinol 4-O-ß-d-glucoside (5), in addition to p-methoxy-trans-methyl cinnamate (6) and 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde (7). The structures were established from thorough spectroscopic analyses and comparisons with the literature. Assessment of the anticholinesterase activity of the lignans 1-5 displayed noticeable enzyme inhibition of 1 (IC50 = 85.03 ± 4.26 nM) and 5 (64.47 ± 2.75 nM) but lower activity of compounds 2-4 as compared to the reference drug donepezil. These findings were further emphasized by molecular docking of 1 and 5 with acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Rapid overlay chemical similarity (ROCS) and structure-activity relationships (SAR) analysis highlighted and rationalized the anti-AD capability of these compounds. Telomerase activation testing of the same isolates revealed 1.64-, 1.66-, and 1.72-fold activations in cells treated with compounds 1, 5, and 4, respectively, compared to untreated cells. Our findings may pave the way for further investigations into the development of anti-Alzheimer and/or anti-ageing drugs from furofuranoid-type lignans.

The significance of caloric restriction mimetics as anti-aging drugs.

Aging is an intricate process characterized by the gradual deterioration of the physiological integrity of a living organism. This unfortunate phenomenon inevitably leads to a decline in functionality and a heightened susceptibility to the ultimate fate of mortality. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to implement interventions that possess the capability to reverse or preempt age-related pathology. Caloric restriction mimetics (CRMs) refer to a class of molecules that have been observed to elicit advantageous outcomes on both health and longevity in various model organisms and human subjects. Notably, these compounds offer a promising alternative to the arduous task of adhering to a caloric restriction diet and mitigate the progression of the aging process and extend the duration of life in laboratory animals and human population. A plethora of molecular signals have been linked to the practice of caloric restriction, encompassing Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1), Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), the Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) pathway, and Sirtuins, with particular emphasis on SIRT1. Therefore, this review will center its focus on several compounds that act as CRMs, highlighting their molecular targets, chemical structures, and mechanisms of action. Moreover, this review serves to underscore the significant relationship between post COVID-19 syndrome, antiaging, and importance of utilizing CRMs. This particular endeavor will serve as a comprehensive guide for medicinal chemists and other esteemed researchers, enabling them to meticulously conceive and cultivate novel molecular entities with the potential to function as efficacious antiaging pharmaceutical agents.

Chemical profiling and cytotoxic potential of the n-butanol fraction of Tamarix nilotica flowers.

BACKGROUND: Cancer represents one of the biggest healthcare issues confronting humans and one of the big challenges for scientists in trials to dig into our nature for new remedies or to develop old ones with fewer side effects. Halophytes are widely distributed worldwide in areas of harsh conditions in dunes, and inland deserts, where, to cope with those conditions they synthesize important secondary metabolites highly valued in the medical field. Several Tamarix species are halophytic including T.nilotica which is native to Egypt, with a long history in its tradition, found in its papyri and in folk medicine to treat various ailments. METHODS: LC-LTQ-MS-MS analysis and 1H-NMR were used to identify the main phytoconstituents in the n- butanol fraction of T.nilotica flowers. The extract was tested  in vitro for its cytotoxic effect against breast (MCF-7) and liver cell carcinoma (Huh-7) using SRB assay. RESULTS: T.nilotica n-butanol fraction of the flowers was found to be rich in phenolic content, where, LC-LTQ-MS-MS allowed the tentative identification of thirty-nine metabolites, based on the exact mass, the observed spectra fragmentation patterns, and the literature data, varying between tannins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. 1H-NMR confirmed the classes tentatively identified. The in-vitro evaluation of the n-butanol fraction showed lower activity on MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 > 100 µg/mL, while the higher promising effect was against Huh-7 cell lines with an IC50= 37 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that T.nilotica flowers' n-butanol fraction is representing a promising cytotoxic candidate against liver cell carcinoma having potential phytoconstituents with variable targets and signaling pathways.

Bio-guided chemical characterization and nano-formulation studies of selected edible volatile oils with potentials antibacterial and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities.

The recent pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has opened the door to potential threats of the respiratory system. The discovery of drugs from natural sources is one of the most important strategies for treating the upper respiratory tract. In this study, we investigated the selected formulated EOs activities against Gram-negative (E. coli, K. pneumonia, and P. aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, E. fecalis) bacteria and against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with the mode of action investigated as anti-SARS-CoV-2. Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Syzygium aromaticum EOs were the most promising antibacterial oils. C. zeylanicum EO showed MIC values of 1, 1, 2, ≤0.5, and 8 µg/mL against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. fecalis, respectively, while S. aromaticum EO showed MIC values of 8, 4, 32, 8, 32 µg/mL against the same organisms. The cytotoxic activity of the oil samples was tested in VERO-E6 cells using (MTT) assay and showed that the safest oil was F. vulgare, then L. nobilis, C. carvi, S. aromaticum, and E. globulus. The most potent antiviral EOs were C. zeylanicum oil and S. aromaticum, with IC50 value of 15.16 and 96.5 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the safety index of S. aromaticum EO (26.3) was greater than the oil of C. zeylanicum (7.25). The mechanism by which C. zeylanicum oil exerts its antiviral activity may involve both the virucidal effect and its impact on viral reproduction. The nano-emulsion dosage form of the potent EOs was prepared and re-examined against the same bacterial and viral strains. Finally, the chemical characterization of these promising essential oils was analyzed and identified using the GC-MS approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the in vitro investigation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of these selected essential oils, along with a proposed mechanism for the potent oil's activity.

Fresh Azolla, Azolla pinnata as a Complementary Feed for Oreochromis niloticus: Growth, Digestive Enzymes, Intestinal Morphology, Physiological Responses, and Flesh Quality.

Azolla is a potential fish feed ingredient due to its high nutritional value, abundant production, and low price. This study is aimed at evaluating the use of fresh green azolla (FGA) as a replacement ratio of the daily feed intake on the growth, digestive enzymes, hematobiochemical indices, antioxidant response, intestinal histology, body composition, and flesh quality of monosex Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (with an average initial weight of 108.0 ± 5.0 g). Five experimental groups were used and differed in commercial feed replacement rates of 0% (T 0), 10% (T 1), 20% (T 2), 30% (T 3), and 40% (T 4) with FGA for 70 days. Results showed that 20% replacement with azolla gave the highest values of growth performance and hematological parameters and the best feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and fish whole body protein content. The highest levels of intestinal chymotrypsin, trypsin, lipase, and amylase were noted in 20% replacement with azolla. Fish fed diets with FGA levels of 10% and 40% showed the highest values for the thickness of the mucosa and submucosa layers among all treatments, respectively, while the length and width of the villi decreased significantly. No significant (P > 0.05) differences in the activities of serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and creatinine were detected among treatments. The hepatic total antioxidant capacity and the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase significantly (P < 0.05) increased while the activity of malonaldehyde decreased with increasing the replacement levels of FGA up to 20%. With increasing levels of dietary replacement with FGA, muscular pH, stored loss (%), and frozen leakage rate (%) were significantly decreased. Finally, it was concluded that the dietary replacement of 20% FGA or less may be considered a promising feeding protocol for monosex Nile tilapia, which may lead to high fish growth, quality, profitability, and sustainability for the tilapia production sector.

Molecular and Biological Investigation of Isolated Marine Fungal Metabolites as Anticancer Agents: A Multi-Target Approach.

Cancer is the leading cause of death globally, with an increasing number of cases being annually reported. Nature-derived metabolites have been widely studied for their potential programmed necrosis, cytotoxicity, and anti-proliferation leading to enrichment for the modern medicine, particularly within the last couple of decades. At a more rapid pace, the concept of multi-target agents has evolved from being an innovative approach into a regular drug development procedure for hampering the multi-fashioned pathophysiology and high-resistance nature of cancer cells. With the advent of the Red Sea Penicillium chrysogenum strain S003-isolated indole-based alkaloids, we thoroughly investigated the molecular aspects for three major metabolites: meleagrin (MEL), roquefortine C (ROC), and isoroquefortine C (ISO) against three cancer-associated biological targets Cdc-25A, PTP-1B, and c-Met kinase. The study presented, for the first time, the detailed molecular insights and near-physiological affinity for these marine indole alkaloids against the assign targets through molecular docking-coupled all-atom dynamic simulation analysis. Findings highlighted the superiority of MEL's binding affinity/stability being quite in concordance with the in vitro anticancer activity profile conducted via sulforhodamine B bioassay on different cancerous cell lines reaching down to low micromolar or even nanomolar potencies. The advent of lengthy structural topologies via the metabolites' extended tetracyclic cores and aromatic imidazole arm permitted multi-pocket accommodation addressing the selectivity concerns. Additionally, the presence decorating polar functionalities on the core hydrophobic tetracyclic ring contributed compound's pharmacodynamic preferentiality. Introducing ionizable functionality with more lipophilic characters was highlighted to improve binding affinities which was also in concordance with the conducted drug-likeness/pharmacokinetic profiling for obtaining a balanced pharmacokinetic/dynamic profile. Our study adds to the knowledge regarding drug development and optimization of marine-isolated indole-based alkaloids for future iterative synthesis and pre-clinical investigations as multi-target anticancer agents.

Heliotropium ramosissimum metabolic profiling, in silico and in vitro evaluation with potent selective cytotoxicity against colorectal carcinoma.

Heliotropium is a genus of the Boraginaceae family. Its members are used in many traditional and folklore medicines to treat several ailments. Despite this widespread usage, only a few evidence-based scientific studies investigated and identified its phytoconstituents. Herein, we documented the chemical profile of the Heliotropium ramosissimum methanolic extract using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and assessed its antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. The methanolic extract exhibited high phenolic content (179.74 ± 0.58 µg/mL) and high flavonoid content (53.18 ± 0.60 µg/mL). The GC-MS analysis of the lipoidal matter allowed us to identify 41 compounds with high percentages of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methoxyethyl) ester (23.91%), and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one (18.74%). Thirty-two phytomolecules were tentatively identified from the methanolic extract of H. ramosissimum using LC-MS/MS. These compounds belonged to several phytochemical classes such as phenolic acids, alkaloids, coumarins, and flavonoids. Furthermore, we assessed the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract by DPPH assay and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, which yielded IC50 values of 414.30 µg/mL and 170.03 ± 44.40 µM TE/equivalent, respectively. We also assessed the cytotoxicity of the methanolic extract on seven different cell lines; Colo-205, A-375, HeLa, HepG-2, H-460, and OEC showed that it selectively killed cancer cells with particularly potent cytotoxicity against Colo-205 without affecting normal cells. Further studies revealed that the extract induced apoptosis and/or necrosis on Colo-205 cell line at an IC50 of 18.60 µg/mL. Finally, we conducted molecular docking on the LC-ESI-MS/MS-identified compounds against colon cancer antigen 10 to find potentially cytotoxic compounds. Binding score energy analysis showed that isochlorogenic acid and orientin had the highest affinity for the colon cancer antigen 10 protein, with binding scores of (- 13.2001) and (- 13.5655) kcal/mol, respectively. These findings suggest that Heliotropium ramosissimum contains potent therapeutic candidates for colorectal cancer treatment.

In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cotula&nbsp;anthemoides Essential Oil and In Silico Molecular Docking of Its Bioactives.

The genus Cotula (Asteraceae) comprises about 80 species, amongst them Cotula anthemoides L. It is a wild plant growing in Egypt that possesses many traditional uses as a headache, colic, and chest cold remedy. In our study, the chemical composition of C. anthemoides essential oils was analyzed using GC-MS spectroscopy. Sixteen components of leave and stem oils and thirteen components of flower oils were characterized. The main components in both essential oil parts were camphor (88.79% and 86.45%) and trans-thujone (5.14% and 10.40%) in the leaves and stems and the flowers, respectively. The anti-inflammatory activity of the oils in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells was evaluated. The flower oil showed its predominant effect in the amelioration of proinflammatory cytokines and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as cyclooxygenase-2. The bornyl acetate showed the highest affinity for the cyclooxygenase-2 receptor, while compound cis-p-menth-2-ene-1-ol had the best affinity for the tumor necrosis factor receptor, according to the results of molecular docking. In addition, the molecule cis-ß-farnesene showed promising dual affinity for both studied receptors. Our findings show that essential oils from C. anthemoides have anti-inflammatory properties through their control over the generation of inflammatory mediators. These findings suggest that C. anthemoides essential oils could lead to the discovery of novel sources of anti-inflammatory treatments.

Ginseng® as a reproductive enhancer agent for African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822).

Ginseng (Ge) is one of the most famous and precious consumed herbal medicines around the world. Ge plant roots have many advantages regarded as important in increasing fish production. Thus, the present study was conducted to investigate the possibility of using different levels (0.0, 100, and 200 mg/kg diet) of Ge as a reproductive enhancer agent for African catfish, Clarias gariepinus males. Results revealed that fish fed 200 mg Ge/kg diet significantly (P ˂ 0.05) increased growth performance, feed efficiency, gonado-somatic index, hematological parameters, serum follicle-stimulating hormone, total antioxidant capacity, sperm quality parameters, and ultrastructure of spermatozoa, as well as led to positively improved of the histological structure of the testes tissue compared to other treatments. Based on the obtained findings, it could be concluded that the effective use of dietary Ge at a level of 200 mg/kg as a promising reproductive agent for adult African catfish males consequently led to the sustainability of aquaculture for African catfish.

The Assessment of Gastric Antral Wall Thickness in Helicobacter pylori Gastritis by Abdominal Ultrasonography, Case-Control Study (2016-2018)

Abdominal ultrasonography is effective in the visualization of gastric wall layers and measuring its thickness. The study aimed to assess gastric antral wall thickness in patients with H. pylori gastritis by abdominal ultrasonography and to study its predictive value in detecting H. pylori gastritis.

The promising therapeutic potentials of ginsenosides mediated through p38 MAPK signaling inhibition.

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK) is a 38kD polypeptide recognized as the target for many potential anti-inflammatory agents. Accumulating evidence indicates that p38 MAPK could perform many roles in human disease pathophysiology. Therefore, great therapeutic benefits can be attained from p38 MAPK inhibitors. Ginseng is an exceptionally valued medicinal plant of the family Araliaceae (Panax genus). Recently, several studies targeted the therapeutic effects of purified individual ginsenoside, the most significant active ingredient of ginseng, and studied its particular molecular mechanism(s) of action rather than whole-plant extracts. Interestingly, several ginsenosides: ginsenosides compound K, F1, Rb1, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1, Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, Rh1, Rh2, Ro, notoginsenoside R1, and protopanaxadiol have shown to possess great therapeutic potentials mediated by their ability to downregulate p38 MAPK signaling in different cell lines and experimental animal models. Our review compiles the research findings of various ginsenosides as potent anti-inflammatory agents, highlighting the crucial role of p38 MAPK suppression in their pharmacological actions. In addition, in silico studies were conducted to explore the probable binding of these ginsenosides to p38 MAPK. The results obtained proposed p38 MAPK involvement in the beneficial pharmacological activities of ginsenosides in different ailments.

Bioactive constituents from Thunbergia erecta as potential anticholinesterase and anti-ageing agents: Experimental and in silico studies.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) potentiator phytochemicals are highly targeted as anti-Alzheimerꞌs disease and as an anti-ageing process. A phytochemical study of Thunbergia erecta aerial parts resulted in the isolation of ten compounds (1-10). Their structures were identified based on spectral data and comparison with literature values. The activity of our pure isolates on AChE and TERT enzymes by documented in vitro assay methods were evaluated. The results indicated that apigenin (2), vanillic acid (4), and acacetin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside (7) exhibited potent inhibition of AChE (IC50 37.33, 30.80 and 49.57 ng/mL, respectively), compared to the standard drug donepezil (IC50 31.25 ng/mL). In the TERT enzyme assay, compound 7 triggered a 1.66­fold increase in telomerase activity at the concentration of 2.85 ng/ml. This is the first study that demonstrates that compound 7 isolated from T. erecta can lead to such telomerase activity relative to control cells. Virtual screening studies including docking, rapid overlay chemical structure (ROCS), and calculated structure-property relationships (SPR) were implemented in this work. Molecular docking studies supported the binding of compounds 2, 4, and 7 through hydrogen bonds (HBs) formation to essential amino acid residues namely ARG:24 A, SER:347 A, LYS:51 A, PHE:346 A, and GLY:345 A of acetylcholinesterase. ROCS and SPR analyses realized compound 2 as a possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease and as a lead compound for drug development process through applying semisynthetic modifications.

Transport Stress Changes Blood Biochemistry, Antioxidant Defense System, and Hepatic HSPs mRNA Expressions of Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus.

Transport procedures usually cause fish stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of transport stress on blood biochemical profiles, oxidative stress biomarkers, and hepatic heat shock proteins (HSPs) of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Fish (body weight 55.57 ± 5.13 g) were randomly distributed to two groups, the control, and the treatment. The control group was kept under the normal culture conditions. The treatment group was exposed to the process of transport (3.5 h). Fish samples were collected before transport, after packing and at 0, 1, 6, 24, 72, and 168 h after transport, respectively. Transport caused a significant increase in the serum concentrations of cortisol, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride, as well as, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase at 0 and 1 h after transport compared with non-transported fish and the basal level. Blood total protein content significantly declined in the transported fish. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malonaldehyde content, and the activities of both glutathione peroxidase and catalase significantly increased in fish within 6 h after transport. The transported fish exhibited a significant higher level in either the concentration of nitric oxide or the mRNA expressions of both hepatic HSP70 and HSP90. It is concluded that transport triggers stress response of I. punctatus, leading to the obvious change in antioxidant capacity. I. punctatus need to be more care after transport to recover from transport stress.

Helicobacter pylori and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A new enigma?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a matter of debate. We achieved this prospective work to study whether H. pylori infection is a risk factor for NAFLD. METHODS: A cohort multicenter pilot study of 369 adults without NAFLD at baseline was followed up for 2 years. Serum leptin, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin, and interleukin-6 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR) were calculated. Fecal H. pylori antigen was measured by ELISA. A total of 127 participants with H. pylori positive were treated and then followed up for 3 months. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori-positive patients (46.3%) were associated with an increase in IR, proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), LAR, NAFLD-liver fat score (NAFLD-LFS), and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) (all P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis of NAFLD according to HSI and NAFLD-LFS reported that presence of H. pylori, LAR, CRP, IL-6, smoking, and age (all P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for the presence of NAFLD. Multiple models adjusted for potential mediators or confounders such as metabolic, inflammatory, and biochemical factors were constructed. After therapy of H. pylori infection, there was a significant reduction in lipogenic profile, IR, leptin, LAR, CRP, proinflammatory cytokines, HSI, and NAFLD-LFS, as well as, increasing HDL. CONCLUSION: Helicobacter pylori infection was related to an increased risk of NAFLD development, through increased markers of IR, inflammatory mediators, and lipid metabolism. Moreover, its eradication can recover these NAFLD risk factors.

Rifaximin in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: hit multiple targets with a single shot.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may include increased insulin resistance, upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, lipopolysaccharide, and BMI. Rifaximin is a minimally absorbable antibiotic that might act against a broad spectrum of gut bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rifaximin on NAFLD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty participants with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were registered in this multicentric, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. BMI, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, lipid profile, serum endotoxin, homeostatic model assessment, toll-like receptor-4, interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cytokeratin-18 (CK-18) levels were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months of rifaximin therapy (1100 mg/day). RESULTS: Patients were randomized into two groups (rifaximin group; n=25 and placebo group; n=25). After 6 months of rifaximin therapy, patients with NASH showed a significant reduction in homeostatic model assessment, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, endotoxin, toll-like receptor-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, CK-18, and NAFLD-liver fat score (all P<0.05), but no changes in the lipid profile; moreover, there was a mild nonstatistically significant reduction of BMI. However, in the placebo group, there was no significant difference in these variables at baseline and after therapy. CONCLUSION: Rifaximin therapy appears to be effective and safe in modifying NASH through reduction of serum endotoxin and improvement of insulin resistance, proinflammatory cytokines, CK-18, and NAFLD-liver fat score.

Thermally processed diet greatly affects profiles of amino acids rather than fatty acids in the muscle of carnivorous Silurus meridionalis.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of thermally processed diet (TD) on the muscle nutritional values of southern catfish in two experiments (named E1 and E2). Compared to non-thermally processed diet (ND), TD did not significantly affect proximate composition of southern catfish, but increased moisture content and decreased protein content in E1. Meanwhile, it had no effect on overall fatty acid profiles of the catfish rich in PUFA. Southern catfish had high proportions of indispensable amino acids (IAA, 44.6-46.4% of total fatty acids), with the highest contents of lysine (1551-1808 mg/100 g wet weight muscle). However, TD altered profiles of the IAA, particularly decreased 68.5% and 68.4% of methionine, and 9.5% and 10.7% of lysine in E1 and E2, respectively. Conversely, it increased 45.4% and 83.4% of dispensable fatty acid proline. These results suggest TD could affect the nutritional quality of protein rather than fat in farmed fish.

Host Age Affects the Development of Southern Catfish Gut Bacterial Community Divergent From That in the Food and Rearing Water.

Host development influences gut microbial assemblies that may be confounded partly by dietary shifts and the changing environmental microbiota during ontogenesis. However, little is known about microbial colonization by excluding dietary effects and compositional differences in microbiota between the gut and environment at different ontogenetic stages. Herein, a developmental gut microbial experiment under controlled laboratory conditions was conducted with carnivorous southern catfish Silurus meridionalis fed on an identical prey with commensal and abundant microbiota. In this study, we provided a long-term analysis of gut microbiota associated with host age at 8, 18, 35, 65, and 125 day post-fertilization (dpf) and explored microbial relationships among host, food and water environment at 8, 35, and 125 dpf. The results showed that gut microbial diversity in southern catfish tended to increase linearly as host aged. Gut microbiota underwent significant temporal shifts despite similar microbial communities in food and rearing water during the host development and dramatically differed from the environmental microbiota. At the compositional abundance, Tenericutes and Fusobacteria were enriched in the gut and markedly varied with host age, whereas Spirochaetes and Bacteroidetes detected were persistently the most abundant phyla in food and water, respectively. In addition to alterations in individual microbial taxa, the individual differences in gut microbiota were at a lower level at the early stages than at the late stages and in which gut microbiota reached a stable status, suggesting the course of microbial successions. These results indicate that host development fundamentally shapes a key transition in microbial community structure, which is independent of dietary effects. In addition, the dominant taxa residing in the gut do not share their niche habitats with the abundant microbiota in the surrounding environment. It's inferred that complex gut microbiota could not be simple reflections of environmental microbiota. The knowledge enhances the understanding of gut microbial establishment in the developing fish and provides a useful resource for such studies of fish- or egg-associated microbiota in aquaculture.