Thymol regulates the functions of immune cells in the rat peritoneal cavity after l-arginine-induced pancreatitis

Therapeutic potential of plant polyphenols in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening inflammatory disorder of the exocrine pancreas characterized by early activation of pancreatic enzymes followed by macrophage-driven inflammation, and pancreatic acinar cell death. The most common causes are gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption. Inflammation and oxidative stress play critical roles in its pathogenesis. Despite increasing incidence, currently, no specific drug therapy is available to treat or prevent acute pancreatitis, in particular severe acute pancreatitis. New therapeutic agents are very much needed. Plant polyphenols have attracted extensive attention in the field of acute pancreatitis due to their diverse pharmacological properties. In this review, we discuss the potential of plant polyphenols in inhibiting the occurrence and development of acute pancreatitis via modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, calcium overload, autophagy, and apoptosis, based on the currently available in vitro, in vivo animal and very few clinical human studies. We also outline the opportunities and challenges in the clinical translation of plant polyphenols for the treatment of the disease. We concluded that plant polyphenols have a potential therapeutic effect in the management and treatment of acute pancreatitis. Knowledge gained from this review will hopefully inspire new research ideas and directions for the development and application of plant polyphenols for treating this disease.

The role of melatonin in preventing amiodarone-induced rat liver damage

Long-term exposure to amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, can induce different organ damage, including liver. Cell damage included by amiodarone is a consequence of mitochondrial damage, reactive oxygen species production, and cell energy depletion leading to programmed cell death. In the present study, hepatoprotective potential of neurohormone melatonin (50 mg/kg/day) was evaluated in a chronic experimental model of liver damage induced by a 4-week application of amiodarone (70 mg/kg/day). The obtained results indicate that amiodarone induces an increase in xanthine oxidase activity, as well as the content of the lipid and protein oxidatively modified products and p53 levels. Microscopic analysis further corroborated the biochemical findings revealing hepatocyte degeneration, apoptosis, and occasional necrosis, with the activation of Kupffer cells. Coadministration of melatonin and amiodaron prevented an increase in certain damage associated parameters, due to its multiple targets. In conclusion, the application of melatonin together with amiodarone prevented an increase in tissue oxidative damage parameters and moderately prevented liver cell apoptosis, indicating that the damage of hepatocytes provoked by amiodarone supersedes the protective properties of melatonin in a given dose.

Marrubiin Inhibits Peritoneal Inflammatory Response Induced by Carrageenan Application in C57 Mice

Marrubiin is a diterpene with a long history of a wide range of biological activities. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of marrubiin were investigated using several in vitro and in vivo assays. Marrubiin inhibited carrageenan-induced peritoneal inflammation by preventing inflammatory cell infiltration and peritoneal mast cell degranulation. The anti-inflammatory activity was further demonstrated by monitoring a set of biochemical parameters, showing that the peritoneal fluid of animals treated with marrubiin had lower levels of proteins and lower myeloperoxidase activity compared with the fluid of animals that were not treated. Marrubiin exerted the most pronounced cytotoxic activity towards peripheral mononuclear cells, being the main contributors to peritoneal inflammation. Additionally, a moderate lipoxygenase inhibition activity of marrubiin was observed.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Essential Oil and Its Constituents Prevent Rat Kidney Tissue Injury and Inflammation Induced by a High Dose of L-Arginine

This study aimed to evaluate the protective action of oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil and its monoterpene constituents (thymol and carvacrol) in L-arginine-induced kidney damage by studying inflammatory and tissue damage parameters. The determination of biochemical markers that reflect kidney function, i.e., serum levels of urea and creatinine, tissue levels of neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), as well as a panel of oxidative-stress-related and inflammatory biomarkers, was performed. Furthermore, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of kidneys obtained from different experimental groups were conducted. Pre-treatment with the investigated compounds prevented an L-arginine-induced increase in serum and tissue kidney damage markers and, additionally, decreased the levels of inflammation-related parameters (TNF-α and nitric oxide concentrations and myeloperoxidase activity). Micromorphological kidney tissue changes correlate with the alterations observed in the biochemical parameters, as well as the expression of CD95 in tubule cells and CD68 in inflammatory infiltrate cells. The present results revealed that oregano essential oil, thymol, and carvacrol exert nephroprotective activity, which could be, to a great extent, associated with their anti-inflammatory, antiradical scavenging, and antiapoptotic action and, above all, due to their ability to lessen the disturbances arising from acute pancreatic damage. Further in-depth studies are needed in order to provide more detailed explanations of the observed activities.

Melatonin treatment prevents carbon-tetrachloride induced rat brain injury

Introduction

Herein the neuroprotective properties of melatonin, a highly effective antioxidant, administered in a single dose 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally, were investigated in the brain tissue of Wistar rats acutely exposed to the toxin carbon-tetrachloride (1 mL/kg, intraperitoneally).

Methods

To assess the degree of whole encephalic mass damage, biochemical parameters related to lipid and protein oxidation, antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase), glutathione and inducible nitric oxide/arginase pathways were determined.

Results

The results showed that carbon-tetrachloride impaired the function of antioxidant enzymes (reduced catalase and superoxide dismutase activities) and reduced glutathione-metabolizing enzymes (reduced glutathione, glutathione S-transferase and peroxidase activity). Furthermore, carbon-tetrachloride increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidative damage in the brain tissue, as well as myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase content/activities.

Conclusions

The application of a single dose of melatonin post intoxication has been able to reverse the disturbance in the function of antioxidant enzymes and alleviate the tissue damage caused by oxidative stress, indicating that melatonin could be a potential therapeutic agent in oxidative-damage related neurodegenerative disorders.

Protective Effects of Natural Antioxidants on Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Thymol and Its Pharmacological Properties

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a gastrointestinal disease that involves chronic mucosal or submucosal lesions that affect tissue integrity. Although IBD is not life-threatening, it sometimes causes severe complications, such as colon cancer. The exact etiology of IBD remains unclear, but several risk factors, such as pathogen infection, stress, diet, age, and genetics, have been involved in the occurrence and aggravation of IBD. Immune system malfunction with the over-production of inflammatory cytokines and associated oxidative stress are the hallmarks of IBD. Dietary intervention and medical treatment suppressing abnormal inflammation and oxidative stress are recommended as potential therapies. Thymol, a natural monoterpene phenol that is mostly found in thyme, exhibits multiple biological functions as a potential adjuvant for IBD. The purpose of this review is to summarize current findings on the protective effect of thymol on intestinal health in the context of specific animal models of IBD, describe the role of thymol in the modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota against gastrointestinal disease, and discuss the potential mechanism for its pharmacological activity.

Effects of Dietary Astragalus Polysaccharide Supplementation on the Th17/Treg Balance and the Gut Microbiota of Broiler Chickens Challenged With Necrotic Enteritis

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary astragalus polysaccharide (APS) supplementation on the immune function, gut microbiota and metabolism of broiler chickens challenged with necrotic enteritis (NE). Two hundred forty Arbor Acres broiler chicks (one day old) were randomly assigned using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement into two groups fed different levels of dietary APS (0 or 200 ppm of diet) and two disease challenge groups (control or NE challenged). The results showed that NE infection significantly increased FCR, mortality rate, Th17/Treg (Th17 cells% in blood and ileum, Th17/Treg, IL-17 and IL-17/IL-10 in blood), NO, lysozyme activity and IL-1β in blood, intestinal immune cell proportion and activity (Tc%, Treg% and monocyte phagocytic activity in ileum), intestinal inflammatory cytokines (TLR2, NF-κB, TNF-α and IL- 6) gene expression levels, and the number of Clostridium perfringens in cecum. NE infection significantly reduced body weight gain, thymus index, lymphocyte proliferation activity in blood and ileum, villus height and V/C in jejunum, Th cells% and Mucin2 gene expression in ileum. Dietary APS supplementation significantly increased body weight, feed intake, proportion of immune cells (T cells in blood and Tc, Treg in ileum), lymphocyte proliferation activity, V/C in jejunum, and ZO-1 gene expression in ileum. Dietary APS supplementation significantly reduced FCR and mortality rate, Th17/Treg, Th17%, intestinal pathology scores, intestinal inflammatory cytokine gene expression levels, and the number of Clostridium perfringens in cecum. In addition, broilers challenged with NE significantly increased Staphylococcus and Turicibacter and reduced α diversity of microbiota in ileum. Dietary APS supplementation significantly increased α diversity, Romboutsia, Halomonas, propionic acid, butyric acid, formononetin, taurine, cholic acid and equol and downregulated uric acid, L-arginine and serotonin in ileum. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that Romboutsia, Turicibacter, Staphylocpccus, Halomonas, Streptococcus, Escherichia-Shigella, Prevotella, uric acid, L-arginine, jerivne, sodium cholate and cholic acid were related to inflammation and Th17/Treg balance. In conclusion, APS alleviated intestinal inflammation in broilers challenged with NE probably by regulating intestinal immune, Th17/Treg balance, as well as intestinal microbiota and metabolites.