The potential modulatory role of herbal additives against Cd toxicity in human, animal, and poultry: a review

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy and toxic metal and easily absorbed by animals and plants; subsequently, it is an environmental risk factor with several toxic effects in humans and animals. The main pathway of human or animal exposure to Cd is through its ingestion by water or food and by particles or fume inhalation during industrial processes. With continuous exposure to small levels of cadmium, it is being deposited in different tissues day after day, causing toxic effects on the liver, kidney, and testes. Long-term exposure to this toxic metal resulted in inflammatory infiltration, necrosis of hepatocytes, degenerative changes in testis tissues, reduction in spermatocytes, degeneration in renal tubules, and hypertrophy of renal epithelium. Therefore, we need an effective treatment to overcome cadmium poisoning. Thus, in the current review, we try to provide compiled reports and summarize information about the toxicological effects of Cd in human, animals, and poultry. This review also provides updated information about the protective actions of herbs and herbal extracts and their role as an effective strategy in reducing or preventing serious health problems and tissue damage in response to Cd toxicity.

Chromatographic fingerprint analysis, antioxidant properties, and inhibition of cholinergic enzymes (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) of phenolic extracts from Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill bark

BACKGROUND

Irvingia gabonensis stem bark is a medicinal plant used in most parts of Africa to manage a number of ailments including neurodegenerative diseases that occur without scientific basis. This work characterized the phenolic composition, evaluated the cholinergic enzymes (acetylcholinesterase, AChE and butyrylcholinesterase, BChE) inhibition, and assessed the antioxidant activity of phenolic extracts from I. gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill bark.

METHODS

Total phenol and flavonoids content was evaluated in addition to antioxidant activity as shown by Fe2+ chelation, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability, and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging ability. Inhibitory activities on AChE and BChE were evaluated.

RESULTS

The extract was found to be rich in phenolic acid (ellagic acid) and flavonoids (quercetrin, kaempferol, and apigenin). The phenolic extracts displayed DPPH radical scavenging ability (IC50=19.98 μg/mL), ABTS radical scavenging ability (IC50=18.25 μg/mL), iron chelation (IC50=113.10 μg/mL), and reducing power (Fe3+ to Fe2+) (5.94 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g). Extracts of I. gabonensis inhibited AChE (IC50=32.90 μg/mL) and BChE (IC50=41.50 μg/mL) activities in concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

Hence, possible mechanism through which the stem bark executes their anti-Alzheimer's disease activity might be by inhibiting cholinesterase activities in addition to suppressing oxidative-stress-induced neurodegeneration.