Investigating the Protective Effects of Astragalus Membranaceus on Nephrotoxicity in Cyclosporine A-treated Rats

Effects of in ovo injection of Astragalus kahericus polysaccharide on early growth, carcass weights and blood metabolites in broiler chickens

This study aimed to determine the impact of in ovo Astragalus kahericus polysaccharide (AKP) injections on performance, carcass weights, and blood constituents in Cobb chicks. Un-sexed 1 day broiler chicks (250) were divided into five treatment groups with five replicates of 10 chicks per group. The groups were as follows: (1) negative control (without additive), (2) positive control (saline injection), (3) 1.5 mg AKP, (4) 3.0 mg AKP, and (5) 4.5 mg in ovo AKP injections. Apart from the control groups, no significant changes in body weight at 3 and 5 weeks of age, and daily weight gains during 0-3 weeks of age were detected among the treatment groups. Daily feed consumption was decreased in AKP groups, while feed conversion ratio was improved with AKP when compared to the PC. AKP injections significantly altered the lipid profile parameters, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, and very low-density lipoproteins in the plasma (p < 0.05); but there were no statistical differences in HDL (p > 0.001). AKP injections significantly impacted biochemical blood parameters, including total protein, albumin, and globulin, in broiler chicken plasma (p < 0.05). Liver and kidney functions were influenced by in ovo AKP injections in broilers. Antioxidant enzymes also changed significantly after in ovo injection with AKP. Moreover, in ovo injection of AKP significantly altered immunity (IgG and IgM) in broilers. In conclusion, in ovo injection of AKP significantly improved liver and kidney functions, antioxidant activity, and immune function in broilers.

Early nutrition programming with Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide: its effect on growth, carcasses, immunity, antioxidants, lipid profile and liver and kidney functions in broiler chickens

This study aimed to determine the influence of in ovo injection of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide on growth, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, carcasses, hematology, and blood metabolites in Cobb 500 chicks. At the 7th day of incubation, a total of 250 eggs were randomly divided into five groups with 5 replications of 10 eggs of each: negative control (normal eggs), positive control (0.5 mL saline), 1.5 mg Astragalus membranaceus, 3.0 mg Astragalus membranaceus, and 4.5 mg in ovo Astragalus membranaceus injection. Live body weight and gain were not significantly (linear and quadratic) affected by in ovo injection of Astragalus membranaceus. Kidney and liver functions were influenced by in ovo injection of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides in broiler chickens. Antioxidant enzymes were quadratically increased with Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides, and the highest values achieved with 4.5 mg. The MDA concentration was linearly and quadratically decreased with in ovo injection of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides when compared to negative control. The highest values of IgG and IgM were achieved with 1.5 mg Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides when compared to all other groups. In conclusion, our results indicate that in ovo injection of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides 1.5-4.5 mg in broiler eggs significantly improved serum ALT, AST, AP, creatinine enzymes, antioxidant activity, and immune function.

The footprints of mitochondrial impairment and cellular energy crisis in the pathogenesis of xenobiotics-induced nephrotoxicity, serum electrolytes imbalance, and Fanconi's syndrome: A comprehensive review

Fanconi's Syndrome (FS) is a disorder characterized by impaired renal proximal tubule function. FS is associated with a vast defect in the renal reabsorption of several chemicals. Inherited and/or acquired conditions seem to be connected with FS. Several xenobiotics including many pharmaceuticals are capable of inducing FS and nephrotoxicity. Although the pathological state of FS is well described, the exact underlying etiology and cellular mechanism(s) of xenobiotics-induced nephrotoxicity, serum electrolytes imbalance, and FS are not elucidated. Constant and high dependence of the renal reabsorption process to energy (ATP) makes mitochondrial dysfunction as a pivotal mechanism which could be involved in the pathogenesis of FS. The current review focuses on the footprints of mitochondrial impairment in the etiology of xenobiotics-induced FS. Moreover, the importance of mitochondria protecting agents and their preventive/therapeutic capability against FS is highlighted. The information collected in this review may provide significant clues to new therapeutic interventions aimed at minimizing xenobiotics-induced renal injury, serum electrolytes imbalance, and FS.

Astragalus membranaceus ameliorates reproductive toxicity induced by cyclophosphamide in male mice

The root of Astragalus membranaceus B(UNGE) (AM) is a medicinal herb that has been capable of reducing the adverse effects of conventional chemotherapy. To investigate the effects of AM on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced reproductive toxicity in mouse testes, 5-week-old male imprinting control region mice were divided into five groups; CP was treated on the first day of each week for 5 weeks (100 mg/kg, i.p.), and AM was treated for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, the testes were taken out, cleared of the adhering tissues, and weighed. Epididymis was taken out and used for sperm analysis. Testis samples were frozen for real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis. AM treatment increased diminished relative testes weight, and sperm count and motility in mice treated with CP. CP treatment has detrimental effects on the expression of cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM), a transcription factor that is highly expressed in male germ cells and is crucial to post-meiotic germ cell differentiation. AM restored CREM at both the mRNA and protein levels. AM has beneficial influences and appears able to ameliorate relative testes weight, sperm parameters, and CREM expression against CP-induced reproductive toxicity.

Ultraviolet irradiation induces accumulation of isoflavonoids and transcription of genes of enzymes involved in the calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside pathway in Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao

Isoflavonoids are a group of phenolic secondary metabolites found almost exclusively in leguminous plants. Formononetin, calycosin and calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside (CG) are isoflavonoid products in the CG pathway. Accumulation of the three isoflavonoids plus daidzein and expression of six genes of enzymes involved in the CG pathway were studied in Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Our results showed that (1) main isoflavonoids in roots, stems and leaves were CG, daidzein and calycosin, respectively; they accumulated significantly under the induction of UV irradiation during 8 days but their content declined later; (2) expression of six genes of enzymes involved in the CG pathway was inhibited slightly at early stage but the expression was increased greatly afterward; (3) chalcone synthase, chalcone reductase and chalcone isomerase were expressed to their individual maximum level within shorter hours than were cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, isoflavone synthase (IFS) and isoflavone 3'-hydroxylase and (4) more calycosin but less daidzein accumulated in leaves. IFS was highly expressed in leaves, which might lead to high accumulation of the common precursor of daidzein and 2,7-dihydroxy-4'-O-methoxy-isoflavanone, the latter of which would be converted to formononetin, calycosin and CG via a series of reactions. Little daidzein accumulated in leaves, which suggested that rather than be converted to daidzein, the 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone was probably more easily caught by 2-hydroxyisoflavanone 4'-O-methyltransferase and hence provided more precursors for formononetin. The findings were discussed in terms of the influence of UV irradiation in the accumulation of isoflavonoids.