The effect of hypericum perforatum on kidney ischemia/reperfusion damage.

It has been revealed in recent studies that Hypericum Perforatum (HP) is influential on cancer, inflammatory diseases, bacterial and viral diseases, and has neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of HP, which is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, on kidney I/R damage. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, and each of the groups had eight rats: The Control Group; the Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) Group; and the IR + HP Group which was treated with 50 mg/kg of HP. The right kidneys of the rats were removed, and the left kidney developed ischemia during the 45th min, and reperfusion occurred in the following 3rd h. The histopathological findings and also the level of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) enzyme activations in the renal tissues were measured. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinin (Cre) from serum samples were determined. The levels of BUN, Cre, and kidney tissue MDA increased at a significant level, and the SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX enzyme activity decreased at a significant level in the I/R group, compared with the Control Group (p < 0.05). In the I/R + HP group, the levels of MDA decreased at a significant level compared to the I/R group, while the SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX activity increased (p < 0.05). In histopathological examinations, it was observed that the tubular dilatation and epithelial desquamation regressed in the IR + HP Group when compared with the I/R Group. It has been shown with the histological and biochemical results in this study that HP is protective against acute renal I/R.

Optimal conditions for high solid co-digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid wastes in a leach-bed reactor.

Anaerobic co-digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste with solid content greater than 20% and chicken manure was investigated using leach-bed reactors in the framework of Middle East and North African countries. The objectives of the experiments were to determine the optimal ratio of organic fraction, chicken manure and solid inoculum, to compare temperature conditions and usage of liquid inoculum or water in percolation process. The highest specific methane yield (SMY) (236 LN ∙ kg-1 VS) was received in the reactors with 20/80 organic fraction/solid inoculum ratio under thermophilic conditions with liquid inoculum percolation. Under the same conditions but mesophilic temperature, SMY dropped by 12%. Replacing liquid inoculum by water led to 172 LN ∙ kg-1 VS. Addition of chicken manure to the substrate mixture positively influences a start-up phase and keeps pH in optimal range 6.5-8, despite the high ammonia concentration.