RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of hypercholesterolemia-induced complications. This study evaluated the effects of aspirin and Salix alba hydroethanolic extract on oxidative stress in the heart and kidney of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antioxidant activity, as well as total phenolic and salicin content of S. alba (Sa) extract were assessed by DPPH radical scavenging activity, Folin-Ciocalteu and HPLC methods, respectively. Animals were divided into two groups of control (fed with normal chow), and HD (fed with high cholesterol diet for 6 weeks). Then, hypercholesterolemic animals allocated to the following treatment groups: CHO (received HD), Sa extract (HD plus extract 60 and 120 mg/kg), and aspirin (HD plus aspirin 120 mg/kg) and received the treatments on a daily basis for 6 weeks. MDA, GSH, and nitrite concentrations as well as the activities of SOD and CAT were evaluated in cardiac and kidney tissues. RESULTS: The scavenging activity, total phenolic content and salicin were 19.1 µg/ml (IC50), 153.75 ± 3.6 mg of gallic acid/g, and 18.03 µg/mg, respectively. In comparison to CHO group, MDA levels were diminished in Sa and ASA groups but GSH levels were improved. NO metabolites increased in the heart of Sa 120 mg/kg group and in the kidney of all Sa and ASA treated groups. SOD activity increased only in the heart of Sa groups and in the kidney of Sa and ASA groups. CAT activity increased in the heart and kidney tissues of all Sa and ASA treated groups. CONCLUSION: The results showed S. alba extract improved redox homeostasis in heart and kidney tissues of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. The extract antioxidant property may be related to its phenolic content.
RESUMO
AIMS: The HTLV-1 infection is associated with a neuro-inflammatory disease. In the present study, the behavioral consequences and brain oxidative damages were evaluated in HTLV-1-infected BALB/c mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 20 female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups comprising control and HTLV-1-infected. The HTLV-1-infected group was inoculated with a 106 MT-2 HTLV-1-infected cell line. Two months later, the behavioral tests were conducted. Finally, oxidative stress was assessed in the cortex and hippocampus tissues. KEY FINDINGS: In the HTLV-1-infected group, running time and latency to fall, travel distance and time spent in the peripheral zone, total crossing number and total traveled distance in open field test, the latency of entrance into the dark compartment in the passive avoidance test, the new object exploration percentage, and discrimination ratio were significantly lower than in the control group. The immobility time, time spent in the dark compartment in passive avoidance test, and total exploration time significantly increased in the HTLV-1-infected group compared to the control group. In the cortical tissue of the HTLV-1 group, the malondialdehyde levels were elevated while the total thiol levels decreased in comparison to the control group. The activity of superoxide dismutase in the cortical and hippocampal tissues, and catalase activity in cortical tissue significantly decreased in the HTLV-1 group in comparison to the control group. SIGNIFICANCE: The HTLV-1 infection seems to induce depression-like behavior, motor dysfunction, disruption in working and fear memory and also oxidative stress in the cortex and hippocampus.