Immunomodulatory role of piperine in deltamethrin induced thymic apoptosis and altered immune functions

Anticancer, Immunomodulatory, and Phytochemical Screening of Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb Growing in the North of Iraq

Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb is a promising repository of active phytochemicals. These bioactive compounds work synergistically to promote the plant's antioxidant, anticancer, and immunomodulatory capabilities. The present study aimed to discover the potential immunomodulatory and cytotoxicity of different extracts of Carthamus oxycantha roots. Aqueous ethanol (70%), aqueous methanol (90%), ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts were tested against five cell lines (T47D, MDA-MB231, Caco-2, EMT6/P, and Vero). Among these extracts, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts showed significant activity in inhibiting the proliferation of cancerous cells because of the presence of several phytochemical compounds, including flavonoids, phenolics, and alkaloids. The n-hexane extract was the most potent extract against T47D and Caco-2 cell lines and had IC50 values of 0.067 mg/mL and 0.067 mg/mL, respectively. In comparison, ethyl acetate extract was active against T47D and MDAMB231, and IC50 values were 0.0179 mg/mL and 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. Both n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts reduced tumor size (by 49.981% and 51.028%, respectively). Remarkably, Carthamus oxyacantha extracts decreased the average weight of the tumor cells in the in vivo model. The plant induced significant apoptotic activity by the activation of caspase-3, immunomodulation of macrophages, and triggering of pinocytosis. The implications of these intriguing findings demand additional research to broaden the scope of the understanding of this field, opening the doors to the possibilities of using Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb as an effective cancer treatment adjuvant in the future.

Biomarkers of oral subacute toxicity of deltamethrin in exposed male Albino rats

Deltamethrin is one of the most effective pyrethroid compounds, widely employed in veterinary medicine, public health, and farming. Deltamethrin-triggered oxidative stress largely causes serious harm to an organism. Acute toxicity of this compound was extensively investigated, while less information is available on its oral sub-acute effects. This study assessed, in the male Albino rats, the effects of oral gavage of either 0.874 mg/kg (0.01 LD50) or 8.740 mg/kg (0.10 LD50) of deltamethrin for successive 14 days to investigate its effects on biomarkers and to detect the tissue injury in rats following subacute deltamethrin treatment. It was found that levels of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the brain, kidney, and liver, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and uric acid in serum, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cells (WBC)s, eosinophils, and basophils were significantly reduced compared with untreated rats. However, when rats were treated with deltamethrin for successive 14 days, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in serum and the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) in brain, kidney, and liver, red blood cell distribution width (RDW-CV), total protein, monocytes, and basophils and the ratios of neutrophils to lymphocytes, an aggregated marker of systemic inflammation and systemic immune inflammation indexes, significantly increased compared with the control group. Histologic lesions were observed in the liver, kidney, brain, testis, and epidemies in rats exposed to subacute deltamethrin for 14 days, and most tissues of rats treated with 0.10 LD50 of deltamethrin were more affected than those treated with 0.01 LD50. These findings strongly suggest that subacute exposure to deltamethrin caused significant systemic toxicity through oxidative stress resulting in biochemical and histological changes in the studied tissues. These findings highlight the potential harmful effects of deltamethrin and emphasize the importance of understanding the subacute effects of this compound, particularly in the context of veterinary medicine, public health, and farming.

Effects of dietary piperine supplementation on innate immunity, growth performance, feed utilization and intestinal morphology of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Piperine, the main bioactive component of black pepper (Piper nigrum) or long pepper (Piper longum), has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. This study was carried out to evaluate the supplemental effects of piperine in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) diets. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain different levels of piperine at 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 2.00 g/kg (Con, P25, P50, P75, P100, and P200, respectively). Diets were randomly allocated to triplicate groups of fish (initial weight 27.6 ± 0.4 g, 30 fish/tank) and fed three times daily for 8 weeks. Results showed that dietary piperine significantly improved fish growth and feed utilization efficiency. The highest growth, including the highest Igf-1 mRNA expression, was observed in the P50 group, while P50 and P75 groups showed the highest protein efficiency ratio. Compared to the Con group piperine supplemented groups had significantly higher lysozyme activity, immunoglobulin level, and phagocytosis activities. Plasma cholesterol was significantly lower in fish fed P200 diet. Dry matter and protein digestibility were higher in P25, P50, and P75 groups than in Con group. Dietary piperine increased the intestinal villi length and goblet cell counts. In the challenge test against Edwardsiella tarda, all the groups supplemented with piperine showed higher cumulative survival compared to Con group. Therefore, these findings indicate that dietary piperine supplementation can improve growth performance, innate immunity, disease resistance, diet digestibility, and intestinal morphology of olive flounder. The optimum dietary piperine level seems to be approximately 0.5 g/kg for the fish.

Asparagus racemosus improves immune-related parameters in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and mitigates deltamethrin-induced toxicity

Deltamethrin (DM) is one of the most toxic but widely used pyrethroid insecticides. Even though a non-target animal, fish are at high risk as they are deficient in the enzyme system that hydrolyses pyrethroids. Enhancing the immune system is a potential method in preventing fish diseases. The present investigation aims to study the modulations in the immune response-related parameters in Oreochromis niloticus that were exposed to DM, by dietary supplementation of aqueous root extract of Asparagus racemosus (ARE). The experiment compared fish in control, DM (1 μg/L) exposed (added to water), ARE (10 g, 20 g, and 30 g ARE/kg of feed) supplemented, and DM-ARE cotreated groups. After 21 days of experimental period, serological, histopathological, and immune response related-gene and protein analysis were carried out. The DM-ARE cotreated group showed significant increase in weight gain, specific growth rate, and decreased feed conversion ratio compared to the DM exposed group. The ARE cotreatment could significantly revert the alteration induced by DM in lysozyme, respiratory burst, myeloperoxidase, C-reactive protein, glucose, cortisol, total protein, albumin, and triglyceride levels. The liver histopathology showed membrane breakage, severe necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, melano-macrophages, and nuclear atrophy, and the kidney showed tubular necrosis, hematopoietic necrosis, Bowman's capsule edema, and glomerulus degeneration in DM exposed group. In ARE cotreated group, the liver showed regenerative cellular changes and only mild to moderate cellular damages, and the kidney tubules and glomerulus had intact structure. ARE discernibly regulated the expression of immune-related genes and proteins (IgM, TNFα, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-8) in fish. The DM-ARE cotreated groups showed reduced cumulative mortality and higher relative percent survival on experimental challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila compared to the DM group. Thus, ARE possess protective potential against DM-induced toxicity, and can be used as a cost-effective technique in aquafarming.

Mixtures modeling identifies heavy metals and pyrethroid insecticide metabolites associated with obesity

We aim to examine the association between chemical mixtures and obesity. Blood and urinary levels of tween-six chemicals were measured in adults who participated in the KoNEHS. We identified the associations of chemicals with obesity using linear regression models. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile g-computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were conducted as secondary analyses. Of the 3,692 participants included in the analysis, 18.0% had obesity. In the logistic regression model, mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and 3PBA levels were associated with obesity, and significant trends were observed for these chemical tertiles (p < 0.001). Hg, Pb, and 3PBA levels were also associated with BMI. The WQS index was significantly associated with both obesity (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 2.11-2.20) and BMI (β = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.37-0.51). The qgcomp index also found a significant association between chemicals and both obesity (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.56-1.85) and BMI (β = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.39-0.41). Hg, Pb, and 3PBA were the most heavily weighed chemicals in these models. In BKMR analysis, the overall effect of the mixture was significantly associated with obesity. Hg, Pb, and 3PBA showed positive trends and were observed as the most important factors associated with obesity. Given increasing exposure to chemicals, there is a need to investigate the associations between chemical exposures, either separately or together, and incident obesity risk factors in well-characterized cohorts of different populations, and to identify potential approaches to chemical exposure prevention.

Piperine: Chemical, biological and nanotechnological applications

Piperine (PIP) is an alkaloid present in several species of piper, mainly Piper nigrum Linn. and P. longum, among other species. The present article provides a comprehensive review of PIP research in the last years concerning its chemical properties, synthesis, absorption, metabolism, bioavailability and toxicity. The reviewed PIP literature has shown many pharmacological properties, such as antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic activity of PIP. However, its low solubility and absorption make its application challenging. This review also includes advances in the development of nanosystems containing PIP, including liposomes, micelles, metal nanoparticles, nanofibers, polymeric nanoparticles, and solid-lipid nanoparticles. Finally, we discuss different in vitro and in vivo studies to evaluate the biological activity of this drug, as well as some methods for the synthesis of nanosystems and their physical characteristics.

Genetic and Environmental Factors in Parkinson's Disease Converge on Immune Function and Inflammation

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) is a movement disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and aggregation of the protein α-synuclein. Patients with iPD vary in age of symptom onset, rate of progression, severity of motor and non-motor symptoms, and extent of central and peripheral inflammation. Genetic and environmental factors are believed to act synergistically in iPD pathogenesis. We propose that environmental factors (pesticides and infections) increase the risk for iPD via the immune system and that the role of PD risk genes in immune cells is worthy of investigation. This review highlights the major PD-relevant genes expressed in immune cells and key environmental factors that activate immune cells and, alone or in combination with other factors, may contribute to iPD pathogenesis. By reviewing these interactions, we seek to enable the future development of immunomodulatory approaches to prevent or delay onset of iPD. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Piperine: A review of its biological effects

Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medicine, as a remedy to numerous diseases. Piper nigrum, belonging to the family Piperaceae is one of the most widely used spices all over the world. It has a distinct sharp flavor attributed to the presence of the phytochemical, piperine. Apart from its use as a spice, P. nigrum is frequently used for medicinal, preservation, and perfumery purposes. Black pepper contains 2-7.4% of piperine, varying in content is associated with the pepper plant. Piperine displays numerous pharmacological effects such as antiproliferative, antitumor, antiangiogenesis, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, cardioprotective, antimicrobial, antiaging, and immunomodulatory effects in various in vitro and in vivo experimental trials. Furthermore, piperine has also been documented for its hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review highlights and discusses the medicinal and health-promoting effects of piperine, along with possible mechanisms of its action in health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, the present review summarizes the recent literature related to piperine as a therapeutic agent against several diseases.

Exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of deltamethrin renders the Chinese rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) vulnerable to Pseudomonas fluorescens infection

In this study, to assess the immunotoxicity of deltamethrin on fish, adult Chinese rare minnows (Gobiocypris rarus) were exposed to 0.1, 0.3, and 1 μg/L deltamethrin for 28 d. Many immunological parameters and histopathological alterations were determined. The results showed that lymphocyte number was markedly decreased at 0.3 and 1 μg/L treatments, whereas the neutrophil number was strongly increased at 1 μg/L treatments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, lysozyme (LYS), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and complement component 3 (C3) levels at 0.3 and 1 μg/L treatments were markedly reduced, whereas alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were marked increased at 1 μg/L treatments (p < 0.05). The transcripts of almost all TLR (Toll-like receptor) signaling pathway-related genes were up-regulated. Histological lesions in the livers, intestines, and gills were observed at all treatments. Then, all remaining fish from controls and deltamethrin-exposed groups were injected with Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens) for 48 h. At 24 and 48 h post-injection with P. fluorescens (hpi), the lymphocyte numbers were strongly reduced at 0.3 and 1 μg/L deltamethrin-exposed groups, whereas LYS and C3 levels were strongly reduced at 0.3 and 1 μg/L deltamethrin-exposed groups (p < 0.05). Obvious reduces in IgM levels were also detected at 0.3 and 1 μg/L deltamethrin-exposed groups at 48 hpi (p < 0.05). The transcripts of almost all TLR signaling pathway-related genes were significantly down-regulated, whereas the levels of related microRNAs (miRNAs) were markedly increased at all deltamethrin-exposed groups at 24 and 48 hpi. Moreover, the bacterial load in the liver and the mortality of fish were significantly increased at 1 μg/L deltamethrin-exposed groups at 24 and 48 hpi (p < 0.05). Furthermore, obvious histological damage in the livers, intestines, and gills were observed at all deltamethrin-exposed fish at 48 hpi. Overall, our results demonstrated that environmentally relevant concentration deltamethrin suppressed immunity and rendered the fish vulnerable to P. fluorescens infection, subsequently inducing mortality.

Piperine: Old Spice and New Nutraceutical?

BACKGROUND

Many of the activities associated with pepper fruits have been attributed to piperine, the most active compound present in these spices.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to provide an overview of the known properties of piperine, i.e. piperine's chemistry, its physiological activity, documented interactions as a bioenhancer and reported data concerning its toxicity, antioxidant properties and anticancer activity.

DISCUSSION

It is known that piperine possesses several properties. In its interaction with other drugs, it can act as a bioavailability enhancer; this effect is also manifested in combination with other nutraceuticals, e.g. with curcumin, i.e. piperine can modify curcumin's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Piperine displays significant immunomodulating, antioxidant, chemopreventive and anticancer activity; these effects have been shown to be dose-dependent and tissue-specific. However, the main limitation associated with piperine seems to be its low bioavailability, a disadvantage that innovative formulations are overcoming.

CONCLUSION

It is predicted that an increasing number of studies will focus on piperine, especially those directed towards unraveling its properties at molecular level. The current knowledge about the action of piperine will form a foundation for ways to improve piperine's bioavailability e.g. exploitation of different carrier systems. The therapeutical applications of this compound will be clarified, and piperine will be recognized as an important nutraceutical.

Exposure to deltamethrin in adolescent mice induced thyroid dysfunction and behavioral disorders

Deltamethrin (DM) has become one of the most widely used insecticides in the world due to its low toxicity, high efficiency and low persistence in soil. However, it is still unknown whether DM exposure has any effects on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis in adolescent mice. In this study, the open field test and circadian activity test showed that DM exposure increased activity. There was no significant difference between the groups in the light/dark box test and nest building test. Forced swimming test showed that after 6 and 12 mg kg^-1 DM exposure 28 days, the immobility time was increased and the swimming time was reduced. After 6 mg kg^-1 DM treatment, the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) content increased, and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) decreased. After exposure to 6 and 12 mg kg^-1 DM, mRNA levels of HPT axis-related genes were destroyed. The histological examination showed that, the DM groups mice thyroid tissues appeared expanded thyroid follicles, scanty colloid and hyperplastic thyroid cells. Western blot results showed that the expression level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein decreased and the content of dopamine transporter (DAT) protein increased in DM treated mice striatum. Collectively, our results indicated that DM exposure could induce thyroid dysfunction and behavioral disorders in adolescent mice.

Phytomolecules against bacterial biofilm and efflux pump: an in silico and in vitro study

Antibiotic resistance is a global threat whose incidences are increasing day by day worldwide. Thus, there is a need for new chemical entities (NCEs) or exploration of existing molecules against these types of infections. In the current investigation, we have tested the inhibitory potential of four different phytomolecules (berberine, gallic acid, piperine, and rutin) against bacterial biofilm and efflux pumps by using in-silico and in-vitro techniques. The phytomolecules (berberine, piperine, and rutin) except gallic acid have shown good interaction towards biofilm and efflux pump proteins. Further, In-vitro studies have also shown the good inhibitory effect of tested phytomolecules (berberine, rutin, and piperine) against bacterial biofilm formation and efflux pumps. In conclusion, berberine, piperine, and rutin could be the promising antibacterial candidates, particularly against resistant bacterial strains.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Piperine-A Major Principle of Black Pepper: A Review of Its Bioactivity and Studies

Piperine is the main compound present in black pepper, and is the carrier of its specific pungent taste, which is responsible for centuries of human dietary utilization and worldwide popularity as a food ingredient. Along with the application as a food ingredient and food preservative, it is used in traditional medicine for many purposes, which has in most cases been justified by modern scientific studies on its biological effects. It has been confirmed that piperine has many bioactive effects, such as antimicrobial action, as well as many physiological effects that can contribute to general human health, including immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antimetastatic, antitumor, and many other activities. Clinical studies demonstrated remarkable antioxidant, antitumor, and drug availability-enhancing characteristics of this compound, together with immunomodulatory potential. All these facts point to the therapeutic potential of piperine and the need to incorporate this compound into general health-enhancing medical formulations, as well as into those that would be used as adjunctive therapy in order to enhance the bioavailability of various (chemo)therapeutic drugs.

Deltamethrin-Induced Immunotoxicity and its Protection by Quercetin: An Experimental Study

BACKGROUND

Deltamethrin (DLM) is a type 2 pyrethroid insecticide used in agriculture and home to control pests. However, emerging reports have indicated the immunotoxicity of DLM.

OBJECTIVE

Thus, in the current investigation, we have checked the immune-protective role of quercetin in DLM-induced immunotoxicity by using in silico and in vitro techniques.

RESULTS

In silico results have shown good interaction of quercetin towards immune cell receptors (T & B cell receptors). The findings of in vitro studies indicated the decrease in oxidative stress which is elevated by DLM in concentration & time-dependent manner. The increased caspases-3 activity was decreased by treatment of quercetin. The apoptosis induced by DLM in thymus and spleen was suppressed only at higher concentration (50μg/ml) of quercetin. Finally, the phenotypic changes due to DLM were restored by quercetin.

CONCLUSION

Quercetin has strong binding affinity towards CD4, CD8 and CD28, CD45 receptors and protects the thymocytes and splenocytes against DLM-induced apoptotic signaling pathways.

Deltamethrin toxicity: A review of oxidative stress and metabolism

Deltamethrin is widely used worldwide due to its valuable insecticidal activity against pests and parasites. Increasing evidence has shown that deltamethrin causes varying degrees of toxicity. Moreover, oxidative stress and metabolism are highly correlated with toxicity. For the first time, this review systematically summarizes the deltamethrin toxicity mechanism from the perspective of oxidative stress, including deltamethrin-mediated oxidative damage, antioxidant status, oxidative signaling pathways and modulatory effects of antagonists, synergists and placebos on oxidative stress. Further, deltamethrin metabolism, including metabolites, metabolic enzymes and pathways and deltamethrin metabolite toxicity are discussed. This review will shed new light on deltamethrin toxicity mechanisms and provide effective strategies to ensure pest control and prevention of human and animal poisoning.

Protective Effect of Alpha-Tocopherol in Deltamethrin Induced Immunotoxicity

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that α-tocopherol shows immunoprotective effects in Deltamethrin induced splenic and thymic apoptosis by inhibiting oxidative stress and caspasedependent apoptogenic pathways.

Evaluation of the mechanism of anticancer activity of deltamethrin in Jurkat-J6 cell line

Deltamethrin (DLM) is an α-cyano type-II synthetic pyrethroid compound which is extensively used in different agricultural and home pest control. The advantages of pyrethroids over other insecticides are that they are relatively non-toxic to birds and mammals and show high efficacy at relatively lower concentrations. DLM may have dual characteristics i.e. at low molar-concentration, it is nontoxic to normal healthy cells but can induce apoptotic cell death in cancerous cells. There is no reported work based on such hypothesis. Thus, this study has been designed to explore the anticancer property of DLM and the mechanism behind the apoptotic cell death by DLM in cancer cell line (Jurkat J6). Molecular docking study indicates that DLM has the greater binding affinity towards MCL-1 receptor. MTT assay has revealed some significant loss in the viability of cancerous cells by DLM. Further estimation of ROS and GSH have shown the significant oxidative stress induced by DLM in concentration-time dependent manner. DLM has also increased the caspase-3 activity and the apoptotic cells significantly while a decrease in interleukin-2 level has also been observed. The pre-treatment with thiol antioxidant and caspase inhibitor has confirmed the role of oxidative stress and the possibility of other pathways. These observations reveal that DLM may act as anticancer agent at lower concentrations (0.1-1 μM), though the further detailed investigation is warranted.

Transcriptome analysis of zebrafish embryos exposed to deltamethrin

Deltamethrin (DTM), a type II pyrethroid, is one of the most commonly used insecticides. The increased use of pyrethroid leads to potential adverse effects, particularly in sensitive populations such as children and pregnant women. None of the related studies was focused on the transcriptome responses in zebrafish embryos after treatment with DTM; therefore, RNA-seq, a high-throughput method, was performed to analyze the global expression of differential expressed genes (DEGs) in zebrafish embryos treated with DTM (40 and 80 μg/L) from fertilization to 48 h postfertilization (hpf) as compared with that in the control group (without DTM treatment). Two cDNA libraries were generated from treated embryos and one cDNA library from nontreated embryos, respectively. Over 92% of reads mapped to the reference in these three libraries. It was observed that many differential genes were expressed in comparison with embryos before and after DTM. The 20 most differentially expressed upregulated or downregulated genes were majorly involved in the signaling transduction. Validation of selected nine genes expression using qRT-PCR confirmed RNA-seq results. The transcriptome sequences were further subjected to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, showing G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, respectively, were most enriched. The data from this study contributed to a better understanding of the potential consequences of fish exposed to DTM, to an evaluation of the potential threat of DTM to fish populations in aquatic environments. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1548-1557, 2017.

Structure-activity relationship of piperine and its synthetic amide analogs for therapeutic potential to prevent experimentally induced ER stress in vitro

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the key organelle involved in protein folding and maturation. Emerging studies implicate the role of ER stress in the development of chronic kidney disease. Thus, there is an urgent need for compounds that could ameliorate ER stress and prevent CKD. Piperine and its analogs have been reported to exhibit multiple pharmacological activities; however, their efficacy against ER stress in kidney cells has not been studied yet. Hence, the goal of this study was to synthesize amide-substituted piperine analogs and screen them for pharmacological activity to relieve ER stress using an in vitro model of tunicamycin-induced ER stress using normal rat kidney (NRK-52E) cells. Five amide-substituted piperine analogs were synthesized and their chemical structures were elucidated by pertinent spectroscopic techniques. An in vitro model of ER stress was developed using tunicamycin, and the compounds of interest were screened for their effect on cell viability, and the expression of ER chaperone GRP78, the pro-apoptotic ER stress marker CHOP, and apoptotic caspases 3 and 12 (via western blotting). Our findings indicate that exposure to tunicamycin (0.5 μg/mL) for 2 h induces the expression of GRP78 and CHOP, and apoptotic markers (caspase-3 and caspase-12) and causes a significant reduction in renal cell viability. Pre-treatment of cells with piperine and its cyclohexylamino analog decreased the tunicamycin-induced upregulation of GRP78 and CHOP and cell death. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that piperine and its analogs differentially regulate ER stress, and thus represent potential therapeutic agents to treat ER stress-related renal disorders. Graphical Abstract Piperine (PIP) reduces the expression of ER stress markers (GRP78 and CHOP) induced by pathologic stimuli and consequently decreases the activation of apoptotic caspase-12 and caspase-3; all of which contributes to its chemical chaperone and cytoprotective properties to protect renal cells against ER stress and ER stress-induced cell death, and would ultimately prevent the development of chronic kidney disease.

Mechanism of deltamethrin induced thymic and splenic toxicity in mice and its protection by piperine and curcumin: in vivo study

Deltamethrin (DLM) is a well-known pyrethroid insecticide which is widely used in the agriculture and home pest control due to restriction on the sale of organophosphate. DLM induced apoptosis is well known but its mechanism is still unclear. This study has been designed to find out its mechanism of apoptosis with the help of computational methods along with in vivo methods. The QikProp and ProTox results have shown that DLM has good oral absorption. The docking results reveal that DLM has a strong binding affinity toward the CD4, CD8, CD28 and CD45 receptors. Further, to understand the toxicity of DLM on lymphoid cells, a single dose of DLM (5 mg/kg, oral for seven days) has been administered to male Balb/c mice and cytotoxicity (MTT assay), oxidative stress indicators (glutathione, reactive oxygen species) and apoptotic markers (caspase-3 activity, DNA fragmentation) have been assessed in thymic and splenic single cell suspensions. Lowering of body weight, cellularity and loss in cell viability have been observed in DLM treated mice. The significant increase in ROS and GSH depletion in spleen and thymus, indicate the possible involvement of oxidative stress. The spleen cells appear more susceptible to the adverse effects of DLM than thymus cells. Further, for the amelioration of its effect, two structurally different bioactive herbal extracts, piperine and curcumin have been evaluated and have shown the cytoprotective effect by inhibiting the apoptogenic signaling pathways induced by DLM.

Cis-bifenthrin causes immunotoxicity in murine macrophages

Synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) are commonly used insecticides that have been detected in mammals, including humans, indicating a potential threat to human health. Bifenthrin (BF), as well as other pyrethroids, has been shown to possess neurotoxic, reproductive, hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic potential in mammals. However, studies regarding the immunotoxicity of BF and its mechanism are limited. In this study, we aim to exam the immunotoxicity of cis-BF on the murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. MTT assay results demonstrated that cis-BF exposure induced apoptosis in RAW 264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. We found that the expression of p53 and caspase-3 was up-regulated, while the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated during cis-BF-induced apoptosis. In addition, we also found that cis-BF exposure caused oxidative stress in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, cis-BF exposure was found to inhibit the increase in transcription levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α responding to LPS stimulation. We also found that the induced increase in IFN-β mRNA levels upon Sendai virus infection was blocked with cis-BF exposure. Finally, we found that cis-BF exposure increased ROS levels and dysregulated mRNA levels of oxidative stress-related genes in RAW 264.7 cells. The present study elucidates the immunotoxicity effect of cis-BF on macrophages and its possible underlying mechanism. The results from this study support the necessity to evaluate immune dysfunction in the risk assessment of cis-BF exposure.

Anticonvulsant effect of piperine ameliorates memory impairment, inflammation and oxidative stress in a rat model of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy

The primary active component of black pepper is piperine, which is purified and used to treat epilepsy, achieving higher efficiency when purified. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether the anticonvulsant effect of piperine ameliorates pilocarpine-induced epilepsy, and to investigate the mechanism underlying these effects. Epilepsy was induced in Sprague Dawley rats using pilocarpine. Pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in the rats was treated with 40 mg/kg piperine for 45 consecutive days. Status epilepticus and a Morris water maze test were used to analyze the anticonvulsant effects of piperine in the epileptic rats. Inflammation and oxidative stress were then measured using commercially-available kits following piperine treatment. Lastly, the activity of caspase-3 and the protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were evaluated using commercially-available kits and western blot analysis, respectively. The results demonstrated that treatment with piperine was able to reduce the status epilepticus and prevented memory impairment following pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in rats. The anticonvulsant effects of piperine decreased inflammation and oxidative stress following pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in rats. The upregulated activity of caspase-3 and expression levels of Bax/Bcl-2 were suppressed following treatment with piperine in the rats with pilocarpine-induced epilepsy. These results suggest that the anticonvulsant effects of piperine ameliorate memory impairment, inflammation and oxidative stress in a rat model of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy.

Mechanism of immunoprotective effects of curcumin in DLM-induced thymic apoptosis and altered immune function: an in silico and in vitro study

Curcumin, a main component of Curcuma Longa Linn, is a plant polyphenol used as an immune-enhancer in the Indian system of traditional medicine. However, its underlying mechanism of immune-protection remains unknown. The present study is designed to delineate the role of curcumin in deltamethrin (DLM)-induced thymocyte apoptosis and altered immune functions. In silico studies revealed that curcumin has a strong binding affinity toward CD4 and CD8 receptors. DLM (25 µM) induces thymocytes apoptosis through oxidative stress and caspase-dependent pathways. Various concentrations of curcumin (1, 10 and 50 µg/ml), when added along with DLM, caused a concentration- and time-related amelioration in apoptogenic signaling pathways induced by DLM. Inhibition of DLM-induced reactive oxygen species production, replenishment of glutathione and suppression of caspase activities by curcumin may thus be responsible for the suppression of downstream cascade of events, i.e. apoptosis, phenotypic changes and altered cytokine release. Thus, this study clearly demonstrates that the mechanism of immunoprotection of curcumin in DLM-induced thymic apoptosis includes inhibition of oxidative stress and caspase-dependent pathways underlying apoptosis.

Comparative efficacy of piperine and curcumin in deltamethrin induced splenic apoptosis and altered immune functions

Deltamethrin (DLM) being a potent immunotoxicant affects both humoral and cell mediated immunity. Thus, for the amelioration of its effects, two different bioactive herbal extracts piperine and curcumin are evaluated and their efficacy has been compared. The docking results demonstrated that curcumin has good binding affinity towards CD28 and CD45 receptors as compared to piperine but in vitro studies revealed that piperine is more effective. DLM induced apoptotic markers such as oxidative stress and caspase 3 have been attenuated more significantly by piperine as compared to curcumin. Phenotypic and cytokine changes have also been mitigated best with piperine. Thus, these findings strongly demonstrate that piperine displays the more anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic and chemo-protective properties in the DLM induced splenic apoptosis as compared to curcumin. So, piperine can be considered the drug of choice under immunocompromised conditions.