Oleum azadirachti consists of the oil obtained from dried seeds of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (family: Meliaceae). Local names of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. are Abodua, aforo-oyinbo, anwe egyane, arista, azad dirakht, azadarakht, azedarach and bead tree. Indigenous to India, and widely distributed in South and South-East Asia and cultivated in Africa, the South Pacific Islands, South and Central America and Australia, and in southern Florida and California, United States of America, it is a straight-boled deciduous tree, which is 6-25 m high. Bark is dark-brown, externally fissured with a buff inner surface and fibrous fracture. Leaves alternately arranged, pinnately compound and up to 40 cm long, and composed of 8-18 short-petiolate narrow-ovate, pointed and curved toothed leaflets, 3-10 cm long and 1-4 cm wide arranged in alternate pairs. The major constituents are oxidized tetranortriterpenes including azadirachtin (azadirachtin A), azadiriadione, epoxyazadiradione, azadirone, nimbidin, nimbin, deacetylnimbin, salannin, gedunin, mahmoodin, 17-hydroxydiradione and related derivatives. It is of various medicinal uses, such as a contraceptive for intravaginal use, a mosquito repellent, and treatment of vaginal infections, treatment of gastric ulcers, cardiovascular disease, malaria, rheumatism and skin disorders, external applications for treatment of septic wounds, ulcers and boils, treatment of allergic skin reactions, asthma, bruises, colic, conjunctivitis, dysmenorrhoea, fever, gout, headache, itching due to varicella, kidney stones, leukorrhoea, psoriasis, scabies, sprains and muscular pain, and wounds. It is also used as an emmenagogue, tonic, stomatic and vermicide. In conclusion, the plant oil had antifertility, antihyperglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiulcer, estrogenic, immune, contraceptive, antibacterial, insect repellent, and skin treatment effects.
Methamphetamine intoxication can cause acute hepatic failure. Chlorogenic and caftaric acids are the major dietary polyphenols present in various foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective role of chlorogenic and caftaric acids in liver toxicity and oxidative stress induced by methamphetamine in rats. Thirty-two male albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups. Group 1, which was control group, was injected (i.p) with saline (1 mL/kg) twice a day over seven-day period. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were injected (i.p) with methamphetamine (10 mg/kg) twice a day over seven-day period, where groups 3 and 4 were injected (i.p) with 60 mg/kg chlorogenic acid and 40 mg/kg caftaric acid, respectively, one day before methamphetamine injections. Methamphetamine increased serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. Also, malondialdehyde in serum, liver, and brain and plasma and liver nitric oxide levels were increased while methamphetamine induced a significant decrease in serum total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, brain serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, blood and liver superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase levels. Chlorogenic and caftaric acids prior to methamphetamine injections restored all the above parameters to normal values. In conclusion, chlorogenic and caftaric acids before methamphetamine injections prevented liver toxicity and oxidative stress where chlorogenic acid was more effective.
Octylphenol (OP) is one of ubiquitous pollutants in the environment. It belongs to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). It is used in many industrial and agricultural products. Pectin is a family of complex polysaccharides that function as a hydrating agent and cementing material for the cellulose network. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of pectin in kidney dysfunction, oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by OP exposure. Thirty-two male albino rats were divided into four equal groups; group 1 control was injected intraperitoneally (i.p) with saline [1 ml/kg body weight (bwt)], groups 2, 3 & 4 were injected i.p with OP (50 mg/kg bwt) three days/week over two weeks period where groups 3 & 4 were injected i.p with pectin (25 or 50 mg/kg bwt) three days/week over three weeks period. The results of the present study revealed that OP significantly decreased glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels while increased significantly lipid peroxidation (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and protein carbonyls (PC) levels in the kidney tissues. On the other hand, OP increased serum urea and creatinine. Furthermore, OP increased significantly serum uric acid but decreased significantly the kidney weight. Moreover, OP decreased p53 expression while increased bcl-2 expression in the kidney tissue. The treatment with either dose of pectin to OP-exposed rats restores all the above parameters to approach the normal values where pectin at higher dose was more effective than lower one. These results were supported by histopathological investigations. In conclusion, pectin has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities in kidney toxicity induced by OP and the effect was dose-dependent.
Caffeic acid (CA) (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is among the major hydroxycinnamic acids. Hydroxycinnamic acid is the major subgroup of phenolic compounds. Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent addictive psychostimulant. Chronic use and acute METH intoxication can cause substantial medical consequences, including spleen, kidney, liver and heart. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of CA to protect against oxidative stress and DNA damage to various organs in METH toxicity. Thirty-two male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four equal groups: group 1 was injected (i.p) with saline (1 mL/kg) while groups 2,3 and 4 were injected (i.p) with METH (10 mg/kg) twice a day over five days period. Where 100 & 200 mg/kg of CA were injected (i.p) into groups 3 and 4, respectively one day before exposure to METH injections. Tissue antioxidants and DNA content were evaluated in different tissues. METH decreased glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels while increased malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and protein carbonyl levels in brain (hypothalamus), liver, and kidney tissues of rats. METH increased hyperdiploidy in these tissues and DNA damage results. Prior treatment of CA to animals exposed to METH restores the above parameters to the normal levels and preserves the DNA content of these tissues. These results were supported by histopathological investigations. In conclusion, METH induced oxidative stress and DNA damage and pretreatment of CA before METH injections prevented tissue oxidative stress and DNA damage in METH-treated animals.
The kidney is one of the critical target organs for chronic cadmium toxicity. Cadmium is a cumulative nephrotoxicant, and preferentially accumulates and persists in the kidneys. The natriuretic and antidiuretic effects of methyl alcohol extracts of Chelidonium majus L. (C. majus) leaves were evaluated in kidney of cadmium-intoxicated rats. Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley Albino rats were divided into two major groups (toxicity and biochemical, 60 and 36 rats, respectively). There was a decrease in kidney weight and serum electrolytes, but an increase in urinary volume, excretion of electrolytes, serum urea and creatinine, after 9 weeks of cadmium chloride intoxication. Treatment of C. majus methyl alcohol extract for 10 weeks starting 1 week before cadmium administration shifted the above parameters towards the normal values. These results were supported by molecular and histological investigations. Treatment with C. majus methyl alcohol extract has natriuretic and antidiuretic effects against cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
The protective role of Tropaelum majus (T.majus) methyl alcohol extract and vitamin E in the case of toxic effect induced by diethyl maleate was evaluated. Forty-two male albino rats were divided into seven groups of six rats each for 15 days. Group 1: normal control group. Group 2: taken daily oral dose of paraffin oil (0.25ml/100g b.wt rat). Group 3: received daily oral dose of vitamin E (100mg/kg b.wt rat). Group 4: taken daily oral dose of 10% of the LD50 of T.majus methyl alcohol extract. Groups 5–7: injected intra-peritoneally with diethyl maleate (5 μl/100g b.wt rat) but groups 6 and 7 received a daily oral dose of either vitamin E or 10% of the LD50 of T.majus methyl alcohol extract 1h prior to diethyl maleate injection. The present results revealed that diethyl maleate induced serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferases enzymes activities decreased in serum, but their activities in the hepatic tissue showed an increase. Glutathione and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase levels showed a decrease, but thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level showed an increase in both serum and liver tissue. Serum and liver proteins decreased in serum and liver tissue. A significant decrease in blood parameters (hemoglobin, hematocrit, as well as red and white blood cells) and serum glucose occurred. Histopathological results showed that diethyl maleate induced a hoop of edema in the hepatic periportal area; while T.majus methyl alcohol extract or vitamin E prior to diethyl maleate injection shift blood and liver toxicity induced by diethyl maleate towards normal values and preserved hepatic lobular architecture. In conclusion, pre-treatment with either T.majus methyl alcohol extract or vitamin E provide protection against blood and liver toxicity induced by diethyl maleate in rats, these results were confirmed by histological examinations.
Cadmium has been classified as an environmental pollutant and human carcinogen. Pectin is a family of complex polysaccharides that function as hydrating agents and cementing materials for the cellulosic network. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective role of pectin against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups. Groups 1 and 2 were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) saline (1 mg/kg) and pectin (50 mg/kg), respectively, two days/weeks over three weeks period. Groups 3-5 were injected i.p. with 1 mg/kg cadmium two days/week while groups 4 and 5 co-administrated i.p. with 25 and 50 mg/kg pectin, respectively, three days/week over three weeks period. The results of the present work revealed that cadmium-exposed rats showed decrease in serum testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and lactate dehydrogenase. Testicular cholesterol, total protein, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and reduced glutathione levels were also decreased while testicular malondialdehyde level was increased after cadmium injection. On the other hand, serum luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, sex hormone binding globulin and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were increased after cadmium exposure. Cadmium also induced sperms loss. Co-administration of pectin with cadmium restores all the above parameters and sperms to the normal levels where pectin at higher dose was more effective than lower one. These results were supported by histochemical investigations. In conclusion, pectin can counteract the testicular toxicity and oxidative stress induced by cadmium and the effect was dose-dependent.
Pharmacological and biochemical studies on the Ammi majus seeds L. (family Umbelliferae) grown in Egypt are limited. Furocoumarins are the major constituents in the plant seeds. In the present study, the evaluation of the antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities on albino rats and mice was done. After 2 months of administration, both the doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight [bwt], respectively) of the alcoholic extract of the A. majus seed result in a significant decrease in the concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein and increase in the concentration of high-density lipoprotein. The extract was found to inhibit the rat paw edema at both the doses, which means that it exerts a significant anti-inflammatory activity compared with control-untreated groups at the intervals of 30 and 60 minutes posttreatment. The antipyretic effect of the extract was quite obvious; it showed that 100 mg/kg bwt was more potent in lowering body temperature starting after 1 hour of treatment than the lower dose (50 mg/kg bwt). It is worth to mention that the A. majus extract with its coumarin contents as well as the tested biological activities of the plant was investigated for the first time in the current study. In conclusion, ethanolic extract of the A. majus seeds had antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities that are dose dependant.