Aspergillus awamori: potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic colonic inflammation with a significant health hazard. Aspergillus awamori (A. awamori) is a microorganism with various bioactive compounds with natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present work aimed to elucidate the protective and therapeutic effects of varying concentrations of A. awamori against acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats. Nine groups of albino male rats were established: a control negative group (G1), a control positive group (G2,AA), and preventive protocol groups (including G3A, G4A, and G5A) that received 100 mg, 50 mg, and 25 mg/kg b.w, respectively, of A. awamori orally and daily from the 1st day of the experiment and for 7 consecutive days. Then, they were subjected to one dose of AA intrarectally on day 8th. G3B, G4B, and G5B were termed as curative protocol groups that received one dose of AA on day 8th and then administered 100 mg, 50 mg, and 25 mg/kg b.w. of A. awamori, respectively, on day 9th and continued receiving these doses daily until day 16th. Rats in the AA group exhibited marked histopathological alterations of the distal colon, with an exaggeration of the DAI. In addition, a remarkable increase in oxidative stress was represented by the elevation of MDA and NO levels with a decline in SOD and GPx activities. In addition, upregulation of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β mRNA expressions and downregulation of Muc2 and Nrf2 levels were detected. Unambiguously, a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect was noticed either in A. awamori prevented or treated groups expounded by reducing and regulating TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β with improved pathological lesion scoring. The Muc2, Nrf2, and bcl-2 gene levels were upregulated and restored also. In summary, the findings in this work reveal that A. awamori supplementation successfully alleviated the UC induced by AA, which had a better effect when administered before colitis induction.

Caffeic acid mitigates aflatoxin B1-mediated toxicity in the male rat reproductive system by modulating inflammatory and apoptotic responses, testicular function, and the redox-regulatory systems

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁ ) is a toxic metabolite of public health concern. The present study investigates the protective effects of caffeic acid (CA) against AFB₁ -induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the hypothalamus, epididymis, and testis of male rats. Five experimental rat cohorts (n = 6) were treated per os for 28 consecutive days as follows: Control (Corn oil 2 ml/kg body weight), AFB1 alone (50μg/kg), CA alone (40 mg/kg) and the co-treated rat cohorts (AFB₁ : 50μg/kg + CA1: 20 or 40 mg/kg). Following sacrifice, the biomarkers of hypothalamic, epididymal, and testicular toxicities, antioxidant enzyme activities, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as well as levels of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen and nitrogen (RONS) species and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were analysed spectrophotometrically. Besides, the concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were assessed using ELISA. Results showed that the AFB₁ -induced decrease in biomarkers of testicular, epididymal and hypothalamic toxicity was significantly (p < .05) alleviated in rats coexposed to CA. Moreover, the reduction of antioxidant status and the increase in RONS and LPO were lessened (p < .05) in rats co-treated with CA. AFB₁ mediated increase in TNF-α, Bax, NO and MPO activity were reduced (p< .05) in the hypothalamus, epididymis, and testis of rats coexposed to CA. In addition, Bcl-2 levels were reduced in rats treated with CA dose-dependently. Light microscopic examination showed that histopathological lesions severity induced by AFB₁ were alleviated in rats coexposed to CA. Taken together, the amelioration of AFB₁ -induced neuronal and reproductive toxicities by CA involves anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic mechanisms in rats. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The beneficial antioxidant effects of caffeic acid (CA) are attributed to CA delocalized aromatic rings and free electrons, easily donated to stabilize reactive oxygen species. We report in vivo findings on CA and AfB1 mediated oxidative stress and reproductive dysfunction in rats. CA conjugated esters including chlorogenic acids are widely distributed in plants, and they act as a dietary source of natural defense against infections. CA can chelate heavy metals and reduce production of damaging free radicals to cellular macromolecules. Along these lines, CA can stabilize aflatoxin B1-epoxide as well and avert deleterious conjugates from forming with deoxyribonucleic acids. Hence CA, as a dietary phytochemical can protect against the damaging effects of toxins including aflatoxin B1 that contaminate food. CA dose-dependently abated oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic stimuli, improved functional characteristics of spermatozoa and reproductive hormone levels, and prevented histological alterations in experimental rats' hypothalamus and reproductive organs brought about by AFB1 toxicity.

N-acetyl cysteine co-treatment abates perfluorooctanoic acid-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats

Perfluorooctanoic acid is a synthetic perfluoroalkyl-persistent in the environment and toxic to humans. N-acetylcysteine is a pro-drug of both amino acid l-cysteine and glutathione-a non-enzymatic antioxidant. N-acetylcysteine serves as an antidote for paracetamol poisoning and alleviates cellular oxidative and inflammatory stressors. We investigated N-acetylcysteine role against reproductive toxicity in male Wistar rats (weight: 140-220 g; 10 weeks old) posed by perfluorooctanoic acid exposure. Randomised rat cohorts were dosed both with perfluorooctanoic acid (5 mg/kg; p.o) or co-dosed with N-acetylcysteine (25 and 50 mg/kg p.o) for 28 days. Sperm physiognomies, biomarkers of testicular function and reproductive hormones, oxidative stress and inflammation were evaluated. Co-treatment with N-acetylcysteine significantly (p < .05) reversed perfluorooctanoic acid-mediated decreases in reproductive enzyme activities, and adverse effect on testosterone, luteinising and follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations. N-acetylcysteine treatment alone, improved sperm motility, count and viability, and reduced total sperm abnormalities. Co-treatment with N-acetylcysteine mitigated perfluorooctanoic acid-induced alterations in sperm function parameters. N-acetylcysteine abated (p < .05) perfluorooctanoic acid-induced oxidative stress in experimental rats testes and epididymis, and generally improved antioxidant enzyme activities and cellular thiol levels. Furthermore, N-acetylcysteine suppressed inflammatory responses and remedied perfluorooctanoic acid-mediated histological injuries in rat. Cooperatively, N-acetylcysteine enhanced reproductive function in perfluorooctanoic acid dosed rats, by lessening oxidative and nitrative stressors and mitigated inflammatory responses in the examined organ.

Co-administration of Luteolin mitigated toxicity in rats' lungs associated with doxorubicin treatment

Doxorubicin (DOX), is a drug against lung malignancies with undesirable side effect including oxidative, inflammatory and apoptotic effects. Luteolin (LUT), present in fruits and vegetables is pharmacologically active against oxido-inflammatory and apoptotic responses. The present study examined the effect of LUT on DOX-induced lungs and blood dysfunction in Wistars rat (sex: male; 10 weeks old, 160 ± 5 g). Randomly grouped (n = 10) rats were treated as follows: control, LUT alone (100 mg/kg; per os), DOX (2 mg/kg; i. p), and co-treated rats with LUT (50 or 100 mg/kg) and DOX for two consecutive weeks. DOX alone adversely altered the final body and relative organ weights, red and white blood cell and platelet counts. DOX significantly (p > 0.05) reduced lungs antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory cytokines; increased biomarkers of oxidative stress, caspase-3 activity, and pro-inflammatory cytokine. Morphological damages accompanied these biochemical alterations in the lung of experimental rats. Co-treatment with LUT, dose-dependently reversed DOX-mediated changes in rats' survival, toxic responses, and diminished oxidative stress in rat's lungs. Furthermore, co-treatment with LUT resulted in the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic biomarkers, increased red and white blood cell, platelet counts and abated pathological injuries in rat lungs treated with DOX alone. In essence, our findings indicate that LUT dose-dependently mitigated DOX-induced toxicities in the lungs and haematopoietic systems. Supplementation of patients on DOX-chemotherapy with phytochemicals exhibiting antioxidant activities, specifically LUT, could circumvent the onset of unintended toxic responses in the lungs and haematopoietic system exposed to DOX.