Haematological and serum biochemical changes in the rat due to protein malnutrition and gossypol-ethanol interactions

Combating hematopoietic and hepatocellular abnormalities resulting from administration of cisplatin: Role of liver targeted glycyrrhetinic acid nanoliposomes loaded with amino acids

The effectiveness of cisplatin in cancer treatment renders its use vital to clinicians. However, the accompanying side effects as cachexia, emesis and liver damage necessitate the use of a dietary supplement which is capable of hindering such undesirable complications. The branched chain amino acids as well as glutamine and arginine have been proven to be effective nutritional co-adjuvant therapeutic agents. Furthermore, new pharmaceutical approaches encompass designing organ-targeted nanoformulations to increase the medicinal efficacy. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of liver-targeted amino acids-loaded nanoliposomes in counteracting the adverse hematopoietic and hepatic complications associated with cisplatin. Results revealed the use of the combination of two nanoliposomal formulations (one loading leucine + isolecuine + valine, and the other loading glutamine and arginine) given orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg for twelve days was effective against cisplatin-induced toxicities represented by improvement in the complete blood picture parameters, decrease in the serum hepatic enzymes levels, amelioration of the hepatic oxidative stress and cellular energy imbalance along with reduction in the histopathological abnormalities. It can be concluded that amino acids loaded nanoliposomes could be considered a new strategy in preventing cisplatin's adverse effects.

Effects of ethanol on brain and pancreas weights, serum sodium and potassium, and haematological parameters in quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Poultry farmers in Pakistan use ethanol for treatment of respiratory diseases and as a growth promotant, but the effects on health and production of broilers are unknown. The effects of ethanol were investigated in quail at different doses through drinking water. One hundred and twenty Japanese quail of 39 days of age were purchased from a local market. They were divided randomly into five groups of 24 (groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and offered ethanol at dose rates 2%, 4%, 8% and 16%, respectively, while group 5 served as control. Quail offered 8% and 16% ethanol showed dullness, depression and staggering gait, while those given 2% and 4% ethanol showed decreased responsiveness for 2 to 3 h. The live weight, brain volume along with serum sodium and potassium decreased significantly (P<0.05) in all treated groups, while there was significant (P<0.05) increase in relative weight of the pancreas. The decrease in live weight varied from 3% to 35% in a dose-related manner. The brain weight decreased by 4% to 10% and the decrease was dose dependent. Brain volume showed a 25% to 51% decrease. The haematological parameters erythrocyte count, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration increased significantly (P<0.05), while the leukocyte count increases were not significant. Both serum sodium and potassium decreased in ethanol-treated groups (36% to 44% and 44% to 49%, respectively), almost in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that ethanol at these dose levels has significant deleterious effects on haematology, brain volume and serum electrolytes.

Modulatory influence of tin-protoporphyrin on gossypol-induced alterations of heme oxygenase activity in male wistar rats

Gossypol--a male contraceptive is toxic and causes anorexia, reduction in body weight, hypokalemia etc. It prevents liberation of oxygen from oxyhemoglobin and has hemolytic effect on erythrocytes and leads to microcytic hypochromic anemia. SnPP has been shown to either competitively suppress or to significantly ameliorate a variety of naturally occuring or experimentally induced forms of jaundice in animals and man by inhibiting heme degradation. In this paper novel tissue-dependent response to differential dosing regimen of gossypol and gossypol in association with Sn-protoporphyrin (SnPP) is described. Gossypol was found to be a stimulator of heme oxygenase activity in the liver and kidney to varying degrees. This tissue response contrasted with that of the spleen, where gossypol decreased the activity of the enzyme. The increase in enzymatic activity was accompanied by a decline in the total microsomal protein content on gossypol administration. The gossypol mediated an increase of heme oxygenase activity, elevated bilirubin levels leading to hyperbilirubinemia. The stimulatory effect of gossypol was counteracted to a considerable extent when SnPP was simultaneously administered. Hence, we envision the importance of combined rather than single exposures in defining the realms of toxicology of these and other related drugs. We further envisage the existence of important gossypol-heme interactions in the regulation of heme metabolism.

Chronic ethanol intake may delay the onset of gossypol-induced infertility in the male rat

Parameters were obtained from the reproductive organs of ethanol-fed, gossypol-treated Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental animals were fed either on a normal (15.17%) or low protein (8.00%) diet. Measurements included reproductive organ weights, seminal characteristics, serum concentration of testosterone and histological, stereological and histomorphometric evaluation of the testis. The testis size, length and diameter of the seminiferous tubule had the least values in the protein-malnourished, gossypol-treated rats (3.01 +/- 0.26 g, 0.56 +/- 0.03 m, 281.34 +/- 11.30 microns), in comparison to corresponding animals which had received ethanol simultaneously with gossypol (3.40 +/- 0.25, 0.71 +/- 0.06 m, 314.42 +/- 11.61 microns). As gossypol and ethanol are both associated with reduced reproductive capacity, this unexpected but interesting finding lends support to the hypothesis that either a normal dietary protein or ethanol consumption may modify the action of gossypol on body tissues, including the testis. This effect, presumably mediated through changes caused to the bioavailability of gossypol, modifies its antifertility activity. The present observation further highlights the need to consider the concurrent administration of other drugs, such as alcohol, and the nutritional status in the evaluation of gossypol for various potential uses.