Pretreatment with melatonin protects against cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative stress and renal damage in mice

Nephroprotective Effect of Bergapten Against Cyclophosphamide-Mediated Renal Stress, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in Wistar Rats: Probable Role of NF-kB and TGF-β1 Signaling Molecules

Cyclophosphamide (CPM) is a well-established antineoplastic drug with marked clinical outcomes in various types of cancers. Despite being a promising drug, its use is associated with significant renal toxicity and often limits its use, leading to compromised clinical outcomes. Therefore, this study explored the renal protective effect of bergapten (BGP), a natural bioactive compound that showed marked antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. Till now, BGP has not been studied for its renal protective effect in an in vivo model. Animals were divided into control, toxic, BGP-3, BGP-10, and BGP Per se. The control group was treated with normal saline for 2 weeks. To the toxic group, CPM 200 mg/kg was given on day 7 as i.p. To BGP-3, 10, and Per se, BGP-3 and 10 mg/kg, ip was given 2 weeks with a single shot of CPM 200 day 7. To the Per se group, only BGP 10 mg/kg, ip was given from day 1 to day 14. After 14 days, animals were sacrificed, and kidneys were removed and studied for the markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, renal injury, renal fibrosis, and renal damage using biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical studies. We found that BGP-10 effectively reversed the damage toward normal, whereas BGP-3 failed to exhibit a significant renal protective effect. We conclude that bergapten could be a potential renal protective drug, and hence, more detailed cellular molecular-based studies are needed to bring this drug from the bench to the bedside.

Edible wild plants, chicory and purslane, alleviated diabetic testicular dysfunction, and insulin resistance via suppression 8OHdg and oxidative stress in rats

Testicular dysfunction is a prevalent health problem frequently reported in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Oxidative-inflammatory reactions, hormonal and spermatic abnormalities often accompany this illness. Herbal remedies "particularly wild plants" including chicory (Chicorium Intybus) and purslane (Portulaca Oleracea) are emerging as popular agents for people dealing with these issues due to their ability to act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and exhibit antidiabetic effects. According to the collected data, the daily administration of chicory (Ch) seed-extract (250 mg/kg) or purslane (Pu) seed-extract (200 mg/kg) to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats (50 mg/kg) for 30 days resulted in the normalization of fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum fructosamine, insulin levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as reducing lipid peroxidation end-product malondialdehyde (MDA) level, aldehyde oxidase (AO) and xanthene oxidase (XO) activities. While caused a considerable improvement in glutathione (GSH) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activity, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) when compared to diabetic rats. Ch and Pu extracts had a substantial impact on testicular parameters including sperm characterization, testosterone level, vimentin expression along with improvements in body and testis weight. They also mitigated hyperlipidemia by reducing total lipids (TL), total cholesterol (TC) levels, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Furthermore, oral administration of either Ch or Pu notably attuned the elevated proinflammatory cytokines as tumor necrotic factor (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) together with reducing apoptosis and DNA damage. This was achieved through the suppression of DNA-fragmentation marker 8OHdG, triggering of caspase-3 immuno-expression, and elevation of Bcl-2 protein. The histological studies provided evidence supporting the preventive effects of Ch and Pu against DM-induced testicular dysfunction. In conclusion, Ch and Pu seed-extracts mitigate testicular impairment during DM due to their antihyperglycemic, antilipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties.

Therapeutic benefit of melatonin in 5-fluorouracil-induced renal and hepatic injury

Nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity include increased oxidative stress and apoptosis; as a result, liver and kidney damage are related to its pathogenesis. These are significant side effects caused in cancer patients treated with 5-FU. In the research, 25 rats were divided into five groups, including control, 5-FU and 5-FU + 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg melatonin (MEL), and the protective impact of MEL against 5-FU-induced hepatorenal damage in rats was investigated. 5-FU caused significant harm, resulting in severe renal failure and histopathological changes. It also increased BUN, creatinine and hepatic function markers levels while decreasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Additionally, 5-FU led to a notable increase in malondialdehyde content. However, MEL co-administration to rats reversed most biochemical and histologic effects. In the control and MEL + 5-FU groups, the values were comparable. The doses of MEL treatment had a significant positive impact on 5-FU-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation and kidney damage. Our data concluded that MEL has an ameliorative effect on hepatorenal damage caused by 5-FU.

Investigation of protective effect of resveratrol and coenzyme Q10 against cyclophosphamide-induced lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and DNA damage in rats

It is seen that cyclophosphamide, which is used in treating many diseases, especially cancer, causes toxicity in studies, and its metabolites induce oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of resveratrol and Coenzyme Q10, known for their antioxidant properties, separately and together, against oxidative stress induced by cyclophosphamide. In this study, 35 Wistar albino male rats were divided into five groups. Groups; Control group, cyclophosphamide (CP) group (CP as 75 mg kg i.p. on day 14), coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) + CP group (20 mg/kg i.p. CoQ10 + 75 mg kg i.p. CP), resveratrol (Res) + CP group (20 mg/kg i.p. Res + 75 mg/kg i.p. CP), CoQ10 + Res + CP group (20 mg/kg i.p Res + 20 mg/kg i.p CoQ10 and 75 mg/kg i.p.CP). At the end of the experiment, the cholesterol, creatinine and urea levels of the group given CP increased, while a decrease was observed in the groups given Res and CoQ10. Malondialdehyde level was high, glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were decreased in the blood and all tissues (liver, kidney, brain, heart and testis) of the CP given group. DNA damage and histopathological changes were also observed. In contrast, Res and CoQ10, both separately and together, reversed the CP-induced altered level and enzyme activities and ameliorated DNA damage and histopathological changes. In this study, the effects of Res and CoQ10 against CP toxicity were examined both separately and together.

Melatonin prevents overproduction of reactive oxygen species and vascular dysfunction induced by cyclophosphamide

AIMS

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a pathologic hallmark of cyclophosphamide toxicity. For this reason, antioxidant compounds emerge as promising tools for preventing tissue damage induced by cyclophosphamide. We hypothesized that melatonin would display cytoprotective action in the vasculature by preventing cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative stress.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male C57BL/6 mice (22-25 g) were injected with a single dose of cyclophosphamide (300 mg/kg; i.p.). Mice were pretreated or not with melatonin (10 mg/kg/day, i.p.), given during 4 days before cyclophosphamide injection. Functional (vascular reactivity) and oxidative/inflammatory patterns were evaluated at 24 h in resistance arteries. The antioxidant action of melatonin was assessed in vitro in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of mesenteric arteries.

KEY FINDINGS

Cyclophosphamide induced ROS generation in both mesenteric arterial bed (MAB) and cultured VSMCs, and this was normalized by melatonin. Cyclophosphamide-induced ROS generation and lipoperoxidation in the bladder and kidney was also prevented by melatonin. Increased levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 were detected in the MAB of cyclophosphamide-treated mice, all of which were prevented by melatonin. Functional assays using second-order mesenteric arteries of cyclophosphamide-treated mice revealed a decrease in vascular contractility. Melatonin prevented vascular hypocontractility in the cyclophosphamide group. Melatonin partially prevented the decrease in myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities in the MAB of the cyclophosphamide group.

SIGNIFICANCE

Melatonin may constitute a novel and promising therapeutic approach for management of the toxic effects induced by cyclophosphamide in the vasculature.

Therapeutic targets and potential delivery systems of melatonin in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent age-related musculoskeletal disorder that typically results in chronic pain and disability. OA is a multifactorial disease, with increased oxidative stress, dysregulated inflammatory response, and impaired matrix metabolism contributing to its onset and progression. The neurohormone melatonin, primarily synthesized by the pineal gland, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent for OA due to its potential to alleviate inflammation, oxidative stress, and chondrocyte death with minimal adverse effects. The present review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding regarding melatonin as a promising pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of OA, along with an exploration of various delivery systems that can be utilized for melatonin administration. These findings may provide novel therapeutic strategies and targets for inhibiting the advancement of OA.

Examining hepatoprotective effects of astaxanthin against methotrexate-induced hepatotoxicity in rats through modulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway genes

Methotrexate (MTX), as a folic acid antagonist, is an effective drug in treating a wide range of malignancies and autoimmune diseases. However, the clinical use of MTX has been limited due to its side effects, the most common of which is hepatotoxicity. In this study, rats were randomly divided into six groups: three treatment groups received methotrexate and different doses of astaxanthin (AX) for 14 days. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected to determine serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH. Also, liver tissues were isolated to evaluate antioxidant enzymes and markers of oxidative stress, histopathological damage, and expression of NF-E2-related transcription factor (Nrf2) and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) genes. The results showed that administration of MTX significantly increased the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH in the blood, markers of oxidative stress, and histopathological damage in liver tissue and significantly reduced the levels of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 genes. On the other hand, treatment with AX decreased blood levels of ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH and oxidative stress markers and remarkably raises the activity of antioxidant enzymes and expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 genes in liver tissue. In addition, histopathological lesions were improved with AX administration. The findings of this study indicated that AX may be useful for the prevention of MTX-induced hepatotoxicity by improving oxidative and inflammatory changes.

Oral delivery of nerolidol alleviates cyclophosphamide-induced renal inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis via modulation of NF-κB/cleaved caspase-3/TGF-β signaling molecules

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is one of the most extensively used antineoplastic drug, but the nephrotoxicity caused by this drug is a major limiting factor for its use. Nerolidol (NERO) is a natural bioactive compound with diverse pharmacological actions. In Vitro and in vivo study was performed using HK-2 renal cells and Swiss Albino mice. Cell lines and animals were treated with NERO 25 and 50 µM + 30 µM CP (in vitro), 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o. NERO from day 1 to day 15 + 200 mg/kg, i.p. CP on day 17 as single intraperitoneal injection (in vivo). The makers of oxidative stress, renal-specific injury markers, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis, and histopathological changes were studied. The study's outcome showed a significant reduction in the level of malonaldehyde and interleukin-6 (p < 0.01), tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β (p < 0.001), and an increase in the superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione and interleukin-10 level (p < 0.01), in the in vivo study when treated with NERO 400 and compared with CP 200. In Vitro study showed reduced expression of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells, cleaved caspase-3, kidney injury molecule-1 and transforming growth factor-β-1 (p < 0.001), when treated with NERO 50 µM whereas NERO 25 µM only reduced the level of cleaved caspase-3 (p < 0.05) when compared with 30 µM. NERO 400 also reduced uric acid (p < 0.05), urea (p < 0.01), blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels (p < 0.001) and increased the level of blood-urea-nitrogen/creatinine ratio (p < 0.001). Additionally, the level of fibrosis-specific markers such as transforming growth factor-β1, hyaluronic acid (p < 0.01), 4-hydroxyproline, a collagen-rich area in Masson's' trichome stain, and Smad3 expression was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the outcome of multiple renal staining showed structural reversal aberrations, reduction of the thick basement membrane, and glycogen level toward normal when treated with NERO 400. Thus, the study showed a novel mechanistic modality of NERO against cyclophosphamide-induced renal toxicity. The outcome of this study can be considered a step closer to the development of an adjuvant to mitigate cyclophosphamide-induced renal toxicity among patients treated with cyclophosphamide.

Ornithine α-Ketoglutarate Alleviates Inflammation via Regulating Ileal Mucosa Microbiota and Metabolites in Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-Infected Pigs

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the main causes of diarrhea in weaned piglets, and ornithine α-ketoglutarate (OKG) as a food supplement has been shown to improve intestinal immune status in animals and humans. However, it remains unknown whether OKG alleviates inflammation through the regulation of gut microbiota and its metabolites on ETEC-infected piglets. This study was conducted to explore the impact of OKG on growth performance, immunity, and ileal mucosa microbiota and its metabolites in piglets infected with ETEC. On a total of 40 pigs, a 2 × 2 factor design was performed; the major factors were diet (basal diet or 1% OKG diet) and challenge (E. coli or LB Broth). The results showed that ETEC-infection inhibited growth performance, and OKG supplementation alleviated growth performance. Interestingly, ETEC-infection increased the serum TNF-α and IL-6, decreased the serum IL-10, downregulated the mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6, MyD88, and improved the mRNA expression of IL-8, IL-18, and TLR4. OKG inhibited serum IL-6, suppressed the phosphorylation of downstream signals of NF-κB/JNK in the ileum, and enhanced serum IL-10 and ileum SIgA in ETEC-challenged piglets. OKG supplementation enhanced the mRNA expression of IL-1β and IL-10 and reduced NF-κB and MyD88 in the ileum. Importantly, OKG reversed intestinal microbiota dysfunction, including the diversity of ileal microbiota, the relative abundances of Actinobacillus, Turicibacter, and [Acetivibrio]_ethanolgignens_group, which significantly affected arachidonic acid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Collectively, our results suggest that OKG improves growth performance, regulates immunity, and ileal mucosa microbiota and its metabolites in ETEC-infected piglets.

Sesamol protects the function and structure of rat ovaries against side effects of cyclophosphamide by decreasing oxidative stress and apoptosis

AIM

Chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide can damage ovaries and cause infertility in girls and women. Sesamol is a phenolic antioxidant that can protect various organs from damage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sesamol on protecting the function and structure of rat ovaries against the side effects of a chemotherapy model with cyclophosphamide.

METHODS

Twenty-four adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: (1) normal group, without any treatment, (2) control group, immediately after receiving cyclophosphamide, 0.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent of sesamol was intraperitoneally injected for 14 consecutive days, (3) sesamol group, immediately after receiving cyclophosphamide, 50 mg/kg sesamol was intraperitoneally injected for 14 consecutive days. Four weeks after the last injection, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the ovary, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in the serum, number of ovarian follicles in different stages, and expression of proteins growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), Bcl-2, and Bax in the ovary were evaluated.

RESULTS

The results of SOD activity and MDA levels in the ovary, AMH levels in the serum, number of ovarian follicles in different stages, and expression of proteins GDF9, Bcl-2, and Bax in the ovary were significantly more favorable in the sesamol group than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that sesamol may protect function and structure in the rat ovaries against side effects of the chemotherapy model with cyclophosphamide by decreasing oxidative stress and apoptosis in the ovary.

Effects of Different Sources of Calcium in the Diet on Growth Performance, Blood Metabolic Parameters, and Intestinal Bacterial Community and Function of Weaned Piglets

Despite a well-documented effect of calcium on the piglet's intestinal microbiota composition, it is less known about changes in microbial function or the effect of different sources of calcium. The experiment was designed to study the effects of dietary calcium from different sources on production, immune indexes, antioxidant capacity, serum biochemical indexes, and intestinal microflora of weaning piglets. A total of 1,000 piglets were randomly assigned to five groups (10 replicate pens per treatment with 20 pigs per pen) and fed diets supplemented with calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, multiple calcium, organic trace minerals, and different concentrations of acidifier. The results showed that the replacement of calcium carbonate with calcium citrate and multiple calcium had almost no significant difference in the growth performance of pigs compared with the control group, and only the diet of multiple calcium dramatically decreased the average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared to the calcium citrate diet on days 15-28 (p < 0.05). The five groups did not change the content of MDA, SOD, and GSH-Px (p > 0.10). A similar situation occurs in the immune function of the blood. There was no significant effect in immune indexes (IgA, IgG, and IgM) among different treatments after weaning at 6 weeks for piglets (p > 0.10). The 16S rRNA sequencing of ileal and cecal microbiota revealed that only the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota at the phyla level was significantly greater in the ileum of the A group compared to the other treatments (p < 0.05). There was a clear effect on seven bacteria in the top 30 genera of ileum and cecum for five groups (p < 0.05). The result of PICRUSt predicted that the intestinal microbe was mainly involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, membrane transport, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins. Besides, adding calcium citrate to a weaned piglet diet is better than other choices from the third week to the fourth week. In conclusion, diets with different calcium sources changed ADFI and some intestinal microbial composition of weaned piglets but had little effect on intestinal microbial function.

Protective effects of berberine as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent against nephrotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide in mice

PURPOSE

Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent with nephrotoxicity that constrains its clinical application. Berberine is an isoquinoline derivative alkaloid with biological functions like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. The current research intended to examine the nephroprotective impacts of berberine against cyclophosphamide-stimulated nephrotoxicity.

METHODS

Forty animal subjects were randomly separated into five categories of control (Group I), cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg, i.p., on 7th day) (Group II), and groups III and IV that received berberine 50 and 100 mg/kg orally for seven days and a single injection of cyclophosphamide on 7th day. Group V as berberine (100 mg/kg, alone). On day 8, blood samples were drawn from the retro-orbital sinus to determine serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) as biomarkers for kidney injury. Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities as oxidative stress factors, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) levels as inflammatory mediators were assessed in kidney tissue.

RESULTS

The results of this study demonstrated that berberine was able to protect remarkably the kidney from CP-induced injury through decreasing the level of BUN, Cr, NGAL, KIM-1, NO, MDA TNF-α, IL-1β and increasing the level of GSH, CAT, SOD, and GPx activities.

CONCLUSION

Berberine may be employed as a natural agent to prevent cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity through anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Protective effect of Apelin-13 in a cyclophosphamide-induced cardiorenal toxicity model in rats

Cyclophosphamide is a chemotherapeutic drug that is widely used in the clinic and can cause multi-organ toxicity. Apelin-13 is an endogenous adipocytokine with antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possibility of apelin-13 being a potential therapeutic agent on cardiac toxicity and nephrotoxicity caused by cyclophosphamide. In this study, a total of 4 groups were formed, including 8 rats in each group. Group 1: The control group was administered only saline (ip). Group 2: Cyclophosphamide, a single dose of 200 mg/kg (ip) on day 7. Group 3: Apelin-13 (15 μg/kg), for 7 days (ip). Group 4: Administering apelin-13 (15 μg/kg) (ip) for 7 days and a single dose of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) (ip) on day 7, the rats were sacrificed on day 8. LDH, cTn1, cK-Mb, AST, ALT, ALP, MDA, creatinine, and BUN were found to be high in the cyclophosphamide group, however, these values were reduced with apelin-13 administration. Antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, GPx, CAT, and GSH decreased in the cyclophosphamide group, apelin-13 increased these enzyme activities. In addition, histopathological examinations also supported the results obtained. The findings of this study showed that apelin-13 has a protective effect against cardiorenal toxicity caused by cyclophosphamide.

Melatonin Attenuates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Primordial Follicle Loss by Interaction with MT1 Receptor and Modulation of PTEN/Akt/FOXO3a Proteins in the Mouse Ovary

This study evaluated the protective effect of melatonin before cyclophosphamide administration on ovarian function and its potential mechanism in a mouse model. Two studies were performed. In the first, mice were pretreated with melatonin (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) once daily for 3 days, followed by injection with a single dose of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) 30 min after the last melatonin injection. The second study analyzed whether melatonin type 1 and/or 2 receptors mediate the effects of melatonin on the ovary through administration of non-selective MT₁/MT₂ antagonist (luzindole) or selective MT₂ antagonist (4-PPDOT) before the treatment with melatonin plus cyclophosphamide. After treatment groups, the ovaries were harvested and destined to histology, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence analyses. Lastly, we examined the p-PTEN, p-Akt, and p-FOXO3a participation in the protective effect of melatonin in cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian damage. Results demonstrated that pretreatment with 20 mg/kg melatonin before cyclophosphamide administration showed more morphologically normal follicles, attenuated primordial follicle loss, decreased growing follicle atresia and mitochondrial damage, and increased GSH concentrations. Furthermore, treatment with luzindole blocked the protective effects of melatonin against the damage caused by cyclophosphamide. Additionally, pretreatment with 20 mg/kg melatonin regulated the PTEN/Akt/FOXO3a signaling pathway components after cyclophosphamide treatment. In conclusion, pretreatment with 20 mg/kg melatonin prevented primordial follicle loss and reduced apoptosis and oxidative damage in the mouse ovary during experimental chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide. Furthermore, the MT₁ receptor and PTEN/Akt/FOXO3a proteins mediated these cytoprotective effects.

Ethanol and cyclophosphamide induce similar nephrotoxic effects: possible role for Nox4 and superoxide

We tested the hypothesis that ethanol consumption would aggravate the renal damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP). Male C57BL/6 J mice from control (n = 8) and CYP (n = 12) groups had free access to filtered water and standard rodent chow for 12 weeks. Then, 24 h before euthanasia mice received an intraperitoneal injection of saline or CYP (300 mg/kg). Mice from ethanol (n = 8) and CYP + ethanol (n = 12) groups had free access to increasing doses of ethanol for 12 weeks. Twenty-four hours before euthanasia, mice from ethanol and CYP + ethanol groups received an intraperitoneal injection of saline or CYP, respectively. Ethanol, CYP, or the association of both drugs augmented serum levels of creatinine and increased the levels of superoxide ([Formula: see text]) generation and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the renal cortex. Upregulation of Nox4 and increased activity of superoxide dismutase were detected in the renal cortex of mice treated with ethanol, CYP, or the combination of these drugs; however, these molecular alterations induced by CYP were not potentiated by ethanol consumption. Our findings revealed that chronic ethanol consumption had no potentiating effect on the nephrotoxic effects displayed by CYP. It is possible that the combination of these drugs showed no synergistic effect because they share the same molecular mechanisms of renal toxicity.

Melatonin protects the heart and pancreas by improving glucose homeostasis, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in T2DM-induced rats

Cardiomyopathy and pancreatic injury are health issues associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and are characterized by elevated oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Melatonin (MLT) is a hormone with multifunctional antioxidant activity. The protective effects of MLT on the heart and pancreas during the early development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and pancreatic injury were investigated in male Wistar rats with T2DM. MLT (10 mg/kg) was administered daily by gavage for 15 days after diabetic induction. Treatment of diabetic rats with MLT significantly normalized the levels of serum glucose, HbA1-c, and the lipid profile and improved the insulin levels and insulin resistance compared with diabetic rats, affirming its antidiabetic effect. MLT significantly prevented the development of oxidative stress and sustained the levels of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase activity in the heart and pancreas of diabetic animals, indicating its antioxidant capacity. Additionally, MLT prevented the increase in proinflammatory cytokines and expression of Bax, caspase-3 and P53. Furthermore, MLT enhanced the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. MLT controlled the levels of troponin T and creatine kinase-MB and lactate dehydrogenase activity, indicating its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. Histological examinations confirmed the protective effects of MLT on T2DM-induced injury in the myocardium, pancreas and islets of Langerhans. In conclusion, the protective effects of melatonin on the heart and pancreas during the early development of T2DM are attributed to its antihyperglycemic, antilipidemic and antioxidant influences as well as its remarkable anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties.

Beneficial Effects of Melatonin and Atorvastatin on Retinopathy in Streptozocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Objective:

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of Atorvastatin (ATO) plus Melatonin (MEL) on streptozocin-induced Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) in rats.

Methods:

Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (50 mg/kg). Animals were randomly assigned to one of the following groups (8 rats/group): Control group, Diabetic group, Diabetic + MEL group (20 mg/kg/day), Diabetic + ATO group (10 mg/kg/day), Diabetic + MEL + ATO group (as above). Treatments were started one week after induction of diabetes and continued for 7 weeks. At the end of the experiment, angiography was performed and the rats were killed and retinas were harvested for pathological and molecular examinations.

Results:

Administration of MEL reduced the fluorescein leakage, MDA and ROS levels compared to diabetic group. Treatment with ATO only reduced ROS levels compared to diabetic group. In addition, administration of ATO plus MEL decreased these indices compared to the diabetic and ATO groups. Histologically, retinal vascular congestion was not observed in the combined ATO and MEL group as compared to the diabetic, ATO, and MEL groups.

Conclusion:

These data provide evidence for the therapeutic value of MEL in combination with ATO in clinical practice for prevention of DR.

Calcium dobesilate prevents cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by modulating oxidative and histopathological changes in mice

Cisplatin is one of the synthetic cancer medicines with nephrotoxicity being one of its major side effects. Past research shows that calcium dobesilate (CaD), as a vascular protective agent in diabetic retinopathy, has antioxidant properties. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the protective effects of CaD in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. A many as 28 mice, in the present experimental research, were randomly distributed into four groups, including control, cisplatin (the intraperitoneal administration of 20 mg/kg cisplatin only on the first day of the experiment), cisplatin + CaD 50 (cisplatin with the oral administration of 50 mg/kg CaD), and cisplatin + CaD 100 (cisplatin with the oral administration of 100 mg/kg CaD). The treated groups received CaD by oral gavage for 4 constitutive days. On the fifth day, the mice were sacrificed, and some biochemical (serum levels of Cr and BUN, renal tissue levels of MDA, and renal activities of SOD and GPx) and pathological parameters were evaluated. Based on the results, there was a significant decrease in the renal SOD and GPx activities; in contrast, there was a significant increase in the BUN, Cr, and renal MDA levels following administering cisplatin. However, the CaD treatment (100 mg/kg) significantly attenuated these alterations. In addition, the kidney's histological examination of kidneys confirmed the nephroprotective effects of CaD. The findings proved the protective impact of CaD on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by an improvement in the oxidative stress factors.

Molecular Aspects of Melatonin Treatment in Tinnitus: A Review

Tinnitus is a hearing disorder characterized by the perception of sound without external acoustic stimuli, which is caused by damage to the auditory system in response to excessive levels of noise, ototoxic agents and aging. Neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress and apoptosis play important roles in the pathogenesis of tinnitus. The expression of neural plasticity related to excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission leads to generation of abnormal sound in one's ears or head. Furthermore, hyperactivation and over-expression of NMDA receptors in response to excessive release of glutamate contribute to the calcium overload in the primary auditory neurons and subsequent cytotoxicity. Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are endogenously produced by different type of cochlear cells under pathological conditions, which cause direct damage to the intracellular components and apoptotic cell death. Cochlear hair-cell death contributes to the progressive deafferentation of auditory neurons, which consequently leads to the aberrant activity in several parts of the auditory pathway. Therefore, targeting neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress, apoptosis and autophagy may ameliorate tinnitus. Melatonin is an endogenously produced indoleamine synchronizing circadian and circannual rhythms. Based on laboratory studies indicating the protective effect of melatonin against cochlear damage induced by acoustic trauma and ototoxic agents, and also clinical studies reporting the ability of melatonin to minimize the severity of tinnitus, melatonin is suggested to be a treatment option for the patient with tinnitus. Herein, we describe the ameliorative effect of melatonin on tinnitus, focusing on neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress, apoptotsis and autophagy.

Protective Effect of Low Molecular Weight Peptides from Solenocera crassicornis Head against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Mice via the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway

The major component of the Solenocera crassicornis head protein hydrolysates-fraction 1 (SCHPs-F1) are low molecular weight peptides (MW < 1 kDa). In this study, we investigated the potential renoprotective effects of SCHPs-F1 in a cyclophosphamide (CTX) toxicity mouse model. In brief, 40 male mice were randomly divided into 5 groups and received either saline or 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) CTX by intraperitoneal injection for 5 days, followed by either saline or SCHPs-F1 (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) by intragastric administration for 15 days. SCHPs-F1 treatment significantly reversed the CTX-induced decreases in the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), and cytochrome P450 (CYP450), as well as the renal histological lesions. Furthermore, the results indicated that SCHPs-F1 potentially alleviated CTX-induced nephrotoxicity through mitigating inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and apoptosis status of the kidneys, as evidenced by decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ and increased levels of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Moreover, overexpression of pro-apoptotic proteins pair B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X (Bax)/Bcl-2, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase)-3 and caspase-9 in renal tissues were suppressed by treatment with SCHPs-F1. In addition, the protein levels of the antioxidant factor nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the expression levels of its downstream target genes heme-oxygenase (HO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone) 1 (NQO-1) were stimulated by treatment with SCHPs-F1 in the CTX-induced renal injury model. Taken together, our data suggested that SCHPs-F1 could provide a novel potential strategy in mitigating the nephrotoxicity caused by CTX.

Melatonin and morphine: potential beneficial effects of co-use

Morphine is a potent analgesic agent used to control acute or chronic pain. Chronic administration of morphine results in analgesic tolerance, hyperalgesia, and other side effects including dependence, addiction, respiratory depression, and constipation, which limit its clinical usage. Therefore, identifying the new analgesics with fewer side effects which could increase the effect of morphine and reduce its side effects is crucial. Melatonin, a multifunctional molecule produced in the body, is known to play an important role in pain regulation. The strong anti-inflammatory effect of melatonin is suggested to be involved in the attenuation of the pain associated with inflammation. Melatonin also increases the anti-nociceptive actions of opioids, such as morphine, and reverses their tolerance through regulating several cellular signaling pathways. In this review, published articles evaluating the effect of the co-consumption of melatonin and morphine in different conditions were investigated. Our results show that melatonin has pain-killing properties when administered alone or in combination with other anti-nociceptive drugs. Melatonin decreases morphine consumption in different pathologies. Furthermore, attenuation of morphine intake can be accompanied by reduction of morphine-associated side-effects, including physical dependence, morphine tolerance, and morphine-related hyperalgesia. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that the combination of melatonin with morphine could reduce morphine-induced tolerance and hyperalgesia, which may result from anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of melatonin. Overall, we underscore that, to further ameliorate patients' life quality and control their pain in various pathological conditions, melatonin deserves to be used with morphine by anesthesiologists in clinical practice.

Protective effect of Nasturtium officinale R. Br and quercetin against cyclophosphamide-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is used in the management of autoimmune conditions and malignant illnesses. However, its therapeutic use is limited because of its severe side effects, especially hepatotoxicity attributed to oxidative stress. Nasturtium officinale R. Br (watercress or WC) has pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammation, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, the present study was design to assess effects of WC or its active ingredient, quercetin (QE), against CPA-induced hepatotoxicity. For this study, 49 male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were randomly selected and categorized into seven equal groups. The animals were pre- and post-treated with both hydroalcoholic extract of WC (500 mg/kg) and quercetin (75 mg/kg) for 10 consecutive days, and intraperitoneal administration of CPA (200 mg/kg) was performed on only day 10, one hour before the last dose of WC or quercetin. On day 11, all the animals were sacrificed, and their blood and liver were gathered for evaluation of the liver enzyme, hepatic oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes activity, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. CPA significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and liver biomarkers. Otherwise, hepatic catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiol content (tSH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were considerably lower than the control group. Results showed that WC has the ability to reduce the changes (MDA, PCO, FRAP, CAT, ALT and AST) and QE (MDA, PCO, AST) induced by CPA (p < 0.05). Histopathological finding confirmed the indicated results. These findings propose that WC and QE have protective effect against the CPA-induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing oxidative stress.

The potential use of melatonin to treat protozoan parasitic infections: A review

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a circadian hormone produced in vertebrates by the pineal gland and other organs. Melatonin is believed to influence immune cells leading to modulation of the proliferative response of stimulated lymphocytes as well as cytokine production. Due to the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of melatonin, it is suggested that this molecule could be a therapeutic alternative agent to fight bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections by a variety of mechanisms. Herein, we review the effects of melatonin on the cell biology of protozoan parasites and host's immune response. In toxoplasmosis, African trypanosomiasis and Chagas' disease, melatonin enhances host's immune response against the parasite via regulating the secretion of inflammatory mediators. In amoebiasis, melatonin reduces the amoebic lesions as well as increasing the leukophagocytosis and the number of dead amoebae. In giardiasis, serum melatonin levels are elevated in these patients; this suggests a positive correlation between the level of melatonin and phagocytic activity in the G. duodenalis infected patients, possibly related to melatonin's immunomodulatory effect. In leishmaniasis, melatonin arrests parasite replication accompanied by releasing mitochondrial Ca²⁺ into the cytosol, increasing the level of mitochondrial nitrites as well as reducing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. In malaria, melatonin synchronizes the Plasmodium cell cycle via modulating cAMP-PKA and IP3-Ca²⁺ pathways. Thus, simultaneous administration of melatonin agonists or giving pharmacological doses of melatonin may be considered a novel approach for treatment of malarial infection.