Inhibitory effect of diosgenin on experimentally induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

Nephroprotective role of diosgenin in gentamicin-induced renal toxicity: biochemical, antioxidant, immunological and histopathological approach

Background

Aminoglycoside antibiotics, gentamicin (GM) owns the utmost nephrotoxic potential than other antibiotics from the same category. To the other side, diosgenin (DG) showed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory property.

Results

The present study was aimed to explore the nephroprotective effect of diosgenin on gentamicin-induced renal toxicity in Wistar rats. Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups (n = 6): Normal control (NC), Nephrotoxicity control (GM), DG (20 mg/kg), DG (40 mg/kg), DG (80 mg/kg), accordingly. After the treatment, the nephroprotective effects of DG were assessed by measuring serum levels of creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total proteins (TP), albumin and urea levels. Urine volume, proteins, electrolyte levels, creatinine clearance were also evaluated in urine samples. Oxidative stress was evaluated through the measurement of antioxidant stress markers in the kidney tissue. Changes in body weight and kidney weight were also recorded along with a histopathological examination of kidney sections. For evaluation of inflammation, TNF-α and IL-1β levels were measured in the blood serum using ELISA kits. GM intoxication induced elevated serum creatinine, BUN, urea, albumin and TP levels, urine electrolytes levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant parameters which were found to be decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner in rat groups received DG which was also evidenced by the histological observations.

Conclusion

DG showed a significant nephroprotective effect in a dose-dependent manner by ameliorating the GM induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats.

Exploring the impact of a naturally occurring sapogenin diosgenin on underlying mechanisms of Ca2+ movement and cytotoxicity in human prostate cancer cells

Literature has shown that diosgenin, a naturally occurring sapogenin, inducedcytotoxic effects in many cancer models. This study investigated the effect of diosgenin on intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺ ]i) and cytotoxicity in PC3 human prostate cancer cells. Diosgenin (250-1000 μM) caused [Ca²⁺ ]i rises which was reduced by Ca²⁺ removal. Treatment with thapsigargin eliminated diosgenin-induced [Ca²⁺ ]i increases. In contrast, incubation with diosgeninabolished thapsigargin-caused [Ca²⁺ ]i increases. Suppression of phospholipase C with U73122 eliminated diosgenin-caused [Ca²⁺ ]i increases. Diosgenin evoked Mn²⁺ influx suggesting that diosgenin induced Ca²⁺ entry. Diosgenin-induced Ca²⁺ influx was suppressed by PMA, GF109203X, and nifedipine, econazole, or SKF96365. Diosgenin (250-600 μM) concentration-dependently decreased cell viability. However, diosgenin-induced cytotoxicity was not reversed by chelation of cytosolic Ca²⁺ with BAPTA/AM. Together, diosgenin evoked [Ca²⁺ ]i increases via Ca²⁺ release and Ca²⁺ influx, and caused Ca²⁺ -non-associated deathin PC3 cells. These findings reveal a newtherapeutic potential of diosgenin for human prostate cancer.

Protective role of diosmin against testosterone propionate-induced prostatic hyperplasia in Wistar rats: Plausible role of oxidative stress and inflammation

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an important key health concern for aging men. Polyphenolic compounds have been found to possess important roles in the inhibition of numerous ailments that involve reactive oxygen species and inflammation. Diosmin is a citrus flavone that possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anticancer activities, so based on these properties of diosmin, we decided to evaluate its effect on testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH. A total of 30 Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups having six animals in each. This study was of 28 days in which TP (5 mg kg−1) was administered to induce BPH in the last 10 days of the study. It was found that diosmin at the doses of 20 and 40 mg kg−1significantly reduced malondialdehyde and xanthine oxidase formation in a dose-dependent manner; however, it replenished catalase, glutathione (GSH), and GSH-dependent enzymes, that is, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione- S-transferase significantly against TP-induced BPH. Further, immunohistochemical study showed that diosmin alleviated inflammatory markers (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin-6). It was also found that diosmin downregulated the expression of androgen receptor and decreased the prostate-specific antigen concentration dose-dependently, significantly against TP-induced BPH. Diosmin also restored histoarchitecture of the prostate in a dose-dependent manner. Findings from the present study revealed the protective role of diosmin against TP-induced BPH in Wistar rats.

Role of PPAR-α agonist fenofibrate in the treatment of induced benign prostatic hyperplasia with dysplastic changes in rats

Nearly all men who reach average life expectancy have prostate disease. The most common is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) had protective effect in different models, but still, there are no studies explain its role in BPH. So that we investigated the effect of fenofibrate (FEN) on induced BPH by testosterone propionate (TP) (3 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks) subcutaneous injection followed by FEN (300 mg/kg/day) was given orally for 4 weeks. We measured prostate weights changes, prostatic tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum were determined. The mRNA gene expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), PPARα, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in prostatic tissue were also measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the histopathological changes and activated caspase3 immunoexpression were evaluated. Our results showed that TP succeeded in induction of BPH, which was detected by significant increase in prostate weights, prostatic tissue MDA, serum levels of DHT, PSA, and mRNA gene expression of PCNA but significant decrease in PPARα and GPx gene expression. Moreover, TAC in serum and SOD level in prostate tissue decreased. The histopathological examination showed typical changes of BPH with dysplastic changes with marked decrease in activated caspase3 immunoexpression indicating marked suppression of the apoptotic process. FEN significantly improved all disturbed parameters of BPH model. Moreover, there are no dysplastic changes with co-administration of FEN to BPH induced group.

Specific expression pattern of tissue cytokines analyzed through the Surface Acoustic Wave technique is associated with age-related spontaneous benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

The aim of the study reported herein was to evaluate the suitability of the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technique as a possible diagnostic tool in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Moreover, for the first time, the BPH model was a totally physiological using naturally aged rats with spontaneous, age-related BPH instead of the pharmacologically induced models usually used. Eighteen male Wistar rats were distributed according to their age: 6 weeks (young), 12 weeks (adult) and 12 months (old) old. Prostate gland was removed and analyzed by mini-arrays, Western blotting (WB) and SAW techniques. Mini-arrays indicated that there were significant differences in the expression of 29/34 inflammation-related cytokines. WB was carried out to confirm the results after selection of 4 cytokines from which one showed no changes, namely PDGF-AA, and the other three, which significantly increase in older animals, were CD86, β-NGF and VEGF. Notwithstanding, WB of old rats yielded confusing results due to an anomalous migration of proteins, dismissing this technique as an useful tool in these animals. Accurate results in old rats were uniquely obtained by using the SAW technique. Thus, SAW analysis showed that there were not differences among groups in the amount of PDGF-AA. On the contrary, SAW analysis showed that amounts of CD86, β-NGF and VEGF in old rats were 2.0, 1.9 and 5.7-fold higher than that from young ones, respectively. These results indicate that SAW is a highly accurate technique for determining changes in the cytokines expression in BPH.

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Diagnosis of prostate alterations can be improved by using the SAW technique.

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Study of prostate alterations can be optimized by using an age-related animal model.

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VEGF is a sensitive marker of bening prostatic hyperplasia.

Possible protective effect of royal jelly against cyclophosphamide induced prostatic damage in male albino rats; a biochemical, histological and immuno-histo-chemical study

Almost all the chemotherapy treat many cancer types effectively, but it leads to severe side effects. Chemotherapy like cyclophosphamide (CP) not works only on the active cells, such as cancer cells, but also acts on the healthy cells. Royal jelly (RJ) was reported to have a lot of therapeutic effects besides being an anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agent. The purpose of this study was to assess the possible protective role of RJ in ameliorating the toxic effects of CP overdose in the rat prostatic tissue. The rats were separated into 4 groups; control group, RJ group, CP group and RJ with CP group. Prostatic specimens were processed for biochemical, histological and immune-histo-chemical studies. The mean area fractions of eNOS and Bax expression were measured in all groups, and statistical analysis was carried out. The results showed that in CP treated group, there were marked biological changes in the form of significant increase in prostatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and C - reactive protein (CRP). Additionally there was a significant decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in prostatic tissue if compared with the control group. Furthermore, the histological changes showed marked acinar and stromal prostatic degeneration. Most prostatic acini showed less PAS reaction and more (eNOS and Bax) expression if compared with the control group. Concomitant administration of RJ with CP revealed a noticeable amelioration of these biochemical and histological changes. In conclusion, RJ provided biochemical and histo-pathological improvement in CP induced prostatic tissue toxicity. These findings revealed that this improvement was associated with a decrease in the tissue oxidative damage and apoptosis.