Morus alba Prevented the Cyclophosphamide Induced Somatic and Germinal Cell Damage in Male Rats by Ameliorating the Antioxidant Enzyme Levels

Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 and curcumin on antioxidant enzyme activity and hippocampal alteration following exposure to cyclophosphamide in male rat

Coenzyme Q10 (KQ10) and curcumin (KUR) supplements are extensively used for their potential antioxidant, anticancer, and antiapoptotic properties. The present study investigated the neuroprotective potential of KQ10 and KUR against the side effect of cyclophosphamide (SF) (150 mg/kg) on the hippocampus of male Wistar albino rats. Forty-nine 10-12 weeks old rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control, olive oil (OL), SF, KQ10, KUR, SF+KQ10, and SF+KUR. Our biochemical finding showed a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) level in the SF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There was also a significant reduction in the total number of the hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the CA1, CA2, and CA1-3 regions in the SF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In the SF+KQ10 group, we found a significant increase in serum SOD level and the total number of the hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the CA1, CA2, and CA1-3 regions compared to the SF group (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical and histopathological examination exhibited noteworthy findings in the hippocampus tissues. Our findings showed that KQ10 administration significantly mitigated the hippocampal alteration caused by SF through enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing apoptosis. However, we found no protective activity of KUR on the hippocampus tissue, which may be due to its weak antioxidative activity.

Network Pharmacology Combined with an Experimental Validation Study to Reveal the Effect and Mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides Leaf Polysaccharide against Immunomodulation

In the present study, the immuno-enhancing effect of Eucommia ulmoides leaf polysaccharide (ELP) was investigated in immunosuppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). To evaluate the immune enhancement mechanism of ELP, the immunoregulation effect of ELP was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. ELP is primarily composed of arabinose (26.61%), galacturonic acid (25.1%), galactose (19.35%), rhamnose (16.13%), and a small amount of glucose (12.9%). At 1000~5000 μg·mL^-1, ELP could significantly enhance the proliferation and the phagocytosis of macrophages in vitro. Additionally, ELP could protect immune organs, reduce pathological damage, and reverse the decrease in the hematological indices. Moreover, ELP significantly increased the phagocytic index, enhanced the ear swelling response, augmented the production of inflammatory cytokines, and markedly up-regulated the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA levels. Furthermore, ELP improved phosphorylated p38, ERK1/2, and JNK levels, suggesting that MAPKs might be involved in immunomodulatory effects. The results provide a theoretical foundation for exploring the immune modulation function of ELP as a functional food.

Frankincense extract protects against testicular damage through augmentation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and modulation of apoptotic genes expression

Frankincense (Boswellia sacra Fluck.,) is traditionally used in the treatment of altered male fertile potential in several countries. This study evaluated the cytoprotective action of B. sacra oleo gum resin extract against cyclophosphamide (CP) induced testicular toxicity in rats (in-vivo) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cytotoxicity in human Leydig cells (in-vitro). The methanolic extract of B. sacra was standardized for the presence of different boswellic acids using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and volatile constituents in the extract were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two doses of B. sacra extract were used in the in-vivo study. The HPLC analysis showed that extract contains about 36% w/w of total boswellic acids and GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of another 71 different constituents. Administration of B. sacra extract to rats increased serum testosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and sperm count with improved sperm quality in a dose-dependent manner, when compared to CP treated animals. Boswellia sacra extract also protected the human Leydig cells against LPS-induced damage and increased the expression of the Bcl-2 gene along with a decrease in caspase-3 gene expression. The results of this study show that B. sacra extract has a protective effect on the male reproductive system.

The Protective Effects of Three Polysaccharides From Abrus cantoniensis Against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression and Oxidative Damage

This study was designed to systematically elucidate the immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects of three polysaccharide fractions (ACP₆₀, ACP₈₀, and ACP_t2) from Abrus cantoniensis on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressive mice. The experimental mice were divided into 12 groups, then modeled and administrated with different doses of three polysaccharides (50, 150, 300 mg/kg/day) by gavage. The results showed that ACP could markedly recover the CTX-induced decline in immune organ and hemocytes indexes and promote proliferation of splenocytes, earlap swelling rate, secretion of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6), and immunoglobulin (Ig-M and Ig-G). Additionally, ACP improved the enzymatic activities of T-SOD and GSH-PX greatly, while the level of MDA was significantly decreased in the liver. In particular, ACP_t2 had higher immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities than ACP₆₀ and ACP₈₀. Based on the present findings, ACP could be utilized as an efficacious candidate for immunomodulators and antioxidants, which provide a new application prospect in the food and pharmaceutical industries.