AIM: The present study evaluated the effect of methanolic and aqueous extract of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius tuber on croton oil induced hemorrhoids in rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methanolic extract was standardized with the major phenolic compound, betulinic acid, by HPLC. The hemorrhoids were induced by applying 6% croton oil preparation in the ano-rectal region. Rats were orally administered methanolic and aqueous extract at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg, each for 7 days. Pilex (200mg/kg) was used as reference anti-hemorrhoidal drug. Hemorrhoids were assessed on eighth day by measuring hemorrhoidal and biochemical parameters along with histology of ano-rectal tissue.
RESULTS: Croton oil application caused induction of hemorrhoids as indicated by significant (p<0.001) increase in plasma exudation of Evans blue in ano-rectal tissue, macroscopic severity score and ano-rectal coefficient as compared to normal rats. It significantly (p<0.001) elevated lactate dehydrogenase and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) levels in serum and increased myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxidation in ano-rectal tissue along with marked histological damage as compared to normal rats. Treatment with tuber extracts and pilex significantly (p<0.05-p<0.001) ameliorated Evans blue exudation, hemorrhoidal parameters and other biochemical parameters with attenuation of tissue damage compared to hemorrhoid control rats. The results indicate that tuber extracts exhibited curative action on hemorrhoids. The aqueous extract showed more pronounced effect than methanolic extract. The effects may be attributed to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate that tuber of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius exhibited curative action on hemorrhoids through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The study validates the ethnomedicinal use of tuber in hemorrhoids and implicates its therapeutic potential as an anti-hemorrhoidal agent.
METHODS: The MTT assay was utilized to analyze the effects of the test compounds on NRK-52E rat kidney epithelial cells. The detection of apoptosis and ability to scavenge free radicals was assessed via acridine orange-ethidium bromide (AO-EB) dual fluorescence staining, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyfree assay (DPPH), respectively. The ability of anti-inflammatory effect of the test compounds and western blot analysis against TGF-β, TNF-α, and IL-6 further assessed to determine the combinatorial efficacy.
RESULTS: Atorvastatin and quercetin treatment significantly lowered the expression of TGF-β, TNF-α, and IL-6 indicating the protective role in Streptozotocin-induced nephrotoxicity. The kidney cells treated with a combination of atorvastatin and quercetin showed green fluorescing nuclei in the AO-EB staining assay, indicating that the combination treatment restored cell viability. Quercetin, both alone and in combination with atorvastatin, demonstrated strong DPPH free radical scavenging activity and further encountered an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on the combination of these drugs.
CONCLUSION: Nevertheless, there is currently no existing literature that reports on the role of QCT as a combination renoprotective drug with statins in the context of diabetic nephropathy. Hence, these findings suggest that atorvastatin and quercetin may have clinical potential in treating diabetic nephropathy.
HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: We hypothesized that LPva extracts can modulate the lipid profiles and serum antioxidant status of hypercholesterolemic rats. In the present study, we investigated the effects of aqueous and 80% ethanol extracts of LPva on atherogenic and serum antioxidant parameters as well as changes in abdominal aorta of high-cholesterol diet rats.
METHODS: The major components of the extracts, gallic acid, flavonoids and alkyl resorcinols were analyzed by using a validated reversed phase HPLC method. The rats were induced to hypercholesterolemic status with daily intake of 2% cholesterol for a duration of 8 weeks. Three different doses (100, 200 and 400mg/kg) of the extracts were administered daily on the 4th week onwards. The rats were then sacrificed and the blood was collected via abdominal aorta and serum was separated by centrifugation for biochemical analysis. Part of the aorta tissues were excised immediately for histopathological examination.
RESULTS: The serum of LPva treated rats showed significant reduction in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and the abdominal aorta showed a significant decrease of atheroma lesions in treated rats. Serum lipid profiles of treated rats showed a decrease in total cholesterol, total triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels as compared to control group. The atherogenic indices in treated rats were significantly improved along with an increasing level of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The extracts also exhibited significant increase of antioxidant enzymes and decrease of MDA as a product of lipid peroxidation.
CONCLUSION: LPva extracts can reduce the risk of dyslipidemia by improving the serum lipid profiles and modulating serum antioxidants.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds were determined. Then, three groups of rats (control, HCl/ Ethanol-induced ulcer, and orally administered honey) were used for the determination of gastro-protective effect of Sidr honey.
RESULTS: Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and DPPH activity of the honey sample were determined as 47.35±3.35 mg GAE/ 100 g, 2.13±0.17 mg QE/ 100 g, and 229.24±0.02 mg/mL, respectively. Oral pretreatment of rats with honey (1.2 g/Kg body weight orally at an interval of 2 days) protected gastric mucosa against HCl/Ethanol-induced damage by decreasing ulcer score, the volume and acidity of gastric juice and increasing pH.
CONCLUSION: These results were confirmed by the histological assessment, which demonstrated a significant gastro-protective activity of Saharian (Sidr) honey against HCl/Ethanol-induced stomach ulcer. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6 and PGE2 were also measured. Sahara honey significantly decreased the plasma TNF-α, PGE2, and IL-6 concentrations.
METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in January 2021 using Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science from the inception of these databases. Original studies reporting the effects of tanshinones on bone through cell cultures, animal models and human clinical trials were considered.
RESULTS: The literature search found 158 unique articles on this topic, but only 20 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The available evidence showed that tanshinones promoted osteoblastogenesis and bone formation while reducing osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption.
CONCLUSIONS: Tanshinones modulates bone remodelling by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and osteoblast apoptosis and stimulating osteoblastogenesis. Therefore, it might complement existing strategies to prevent bone loss.
OBJECTIVE: This review systematically summarised the therapeutic effects of PS on preventing osteoporosis and promoting fracture healing.
METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in November 2021 using 4 electronic databases and the search string "Piper sarmentosum" AND (bone OR osteoporosis OR osteoblasts OR osteoclasts OR osteocytes).
RESULTS: Nine unique articles were identified from the literature. The efficacy of PS has been studied in animal models of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy and glucocorticoids, as well as bone fracture models. PS prevented deterioration of bone histomorphometric indices, improved fracture healing and restored the biomechanical properties of healed bone in ovariectomised rats. PS also prevented osteoblast/osteocyte apoptosis, increased bone formation and mineralisation and subsequently improved trabecular bone microstructures and strength of rats with osteoporosis induced by glucocorticoids. Apart from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, PS also suppressed circulating and skeletal expression of corticosterone and skeletal expression of 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 but increased the enzyme activity in the glucocorticoid osteoporosis model. This review also identified several research gaps about the skeletal effects of PS and suggested future studies to bridge these gaps.
CONCLUSION: PS may be of therapeutic benefit to bone health. However, further research is required to validate this claim.
METHODS: In vitro antioxidant activity was investigated using 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods. The antidiabetic and dermatoprotective effects were studied using enzyme inhibitory activities.
RESULTS: Antioxidant tests showed that PLEO has the best activity (ranging from 29.64 ± 3.04 to 73.80 ± 3.96 µg/mL) compared to its main selected molecules (ranging from 74 ± 3.72 to 107.23 ± 5.03 µg/mL). The α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays demonstrated that the elements tested have a promising antidiabetic potential with IC50values ranging from 78.03 ± 2.31 to 116.03 ± 7.42 µg/mL and 74.39 ± 3.08 to 112.35 ± 4.92 µg/mL for the α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays, respectively, compared to the standard drug. For the tyrosinase test, we found that the EOs (IC50 = 57.72 ± 2.86 µg/mL) followed by limonene (IC50 = 74.24 ± 2.06 µg/mL) and α-pinene (IC50 = 97.45 ± 5.22 µg/mL) all exhibited greater inhibitory effects than quercetin (IC50 = 246.90 ± 2.54 µg/mL).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the biological activities of PLEO, as well as its main compounds, make them promising candidates for the development of new strategies aimed at improving dermatoprotection and treating diseases associated with diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of administration of VCO on lipid profile, markers of hepatic and renal dysfunction, and hepatic and renal antioxidant activities of alloxan induced diabetic rats.
METHODS: Twenty-four male albino rats were used, and they were divided into four groups of six rats each. Group 1 (Normal Control, NC) received distilled water (1 mL/kg); Group 2 (VCO Control) received VCO (5 mL/kg); Group 3 (Diabetic Control, DC) received distilled water (1 mL/kg); Group 4 (Test Group, TG) received 5 ml/kg of VCO.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences in blood glucose, body weights, relative liver weights, relative kidney weights, hepatic and renal Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activities, Malondialdehyde (MDA), albumin, aspartate Amino Transaminase (AST), alanine Amino Transaminase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), urea, creatinine, uric acid, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, Very Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) concentrations; significant increases in renal Glutathione (GSH), hepatic catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and GSH but significant reduction in renal GPx and catalase activities of VCO control group compared with NC group. There were significant increases in blood glucose, relative liver and kidney weights, hepatic GPx, hepatic and renal MDA concentration, ALP, AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, uric acid, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL concentrations; and significant decreases in body weight, hepatic SOD and GSH activities and albumin concentration but no significant difference in hepatic catalase activity of DC group compared with NC group. Administration of VCO to diabetic rats positively modulated these parameters compared with the diabetic control.
CONCLUSION: The study showed the potentials of VCO in the management of hyperlipidemia, renal and hepatic dysfunctions imposed by hyperglycemia and by oxidative stress in diabetic rats.