SUBJECTS: Female Dark Agouti (DA) rats.
METHODS: Three different dosages of (2 mg/kg of body weight, 3 mg/kg of body weight and 4 mg/kg of body weight) collagen and complete Freund's adjuvant suspension were tested. After 45 days, serum C-reactive protein, TNF-α, superoxide dismutase and total glutathione assays were done. Radiographic and histopathological changes in the joints were compared.
RESULTS: All three groups showed signs of arthritic changes, confirmed by histopathological and radiographic changes. Severe arthritic changes were seen in the rats injected with 4 mg/kg of body weight of collagen. There was a significant increase in C-reactive protein, TNF-α, super oxide dismutase and total glutathione levels in the plasma in arthritis rats and the changes were more significant with 4 mg/kg of collagen.
CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that the optimal dose to inject to experimental animals in order to get server arthritic changes was 4 mg/kg of collagen with complete Freund's adjuvant suspension. Severe arthritis changes induced significant elevation in plasma C-reactive protein and TNF-α levels.
METHODS: The phenolic compounds of PKC were obtained by solvent extraction and the product rich in phenolic compounds was labeled as phenolic-enriched fraction (PEF). This fraction was evaluated for its phenolic compounds composition. The antioxidant activity of PEF was determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, inhibition of ß-carotene bleaching, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays. The cytotoxicity assay and molecular biomarkers analyses were performed to evaluate the cytoprotective effects of PEF towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cell damage.
RESULTS: The results showed that PEF contained gallic acid, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, catechin and ferulic acid. The PEF exhibited free radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, ß-carotene bleaching inhibition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances inhibition. The PEF demonstrated cytoprotective effects in AFB1-treated chicken hepatocytes by reducing the cellular lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant enzymes production. The viability of AFB1-treated hepatocytes was improved by PEF through up-regulation of oxidative stress tolerance genes and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and apoptosis associated genes.
CONCLUSIONS: The present findings supported the proposition that the phenolic compounds present in PKC could be a potential cytoprotective agent towards AFB1 cytotoxicity.