Liver lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of oxidative damage in pancreatitis-induced hepatic injury. Thirty-five rats were divided into five groups (each of 7 rats): control, cerulein (100 microg/kg body weight), cerulein and pentoxifylline (12 mg/kg body weight), cerulein plus L-NAME (10 mg/kg body weight) and cerulein plus L-arginine (160 mg/kg body weight). The degree of hepatic cell degeneration differed significantly between groups. Mean malondialdehyde levels were 7.00 +/- 2.29, 20.89 +/- 10.13, 11.52 +/- 4.60, 18.69 +/- 8.56, and 8.58 +/- 3.68 nmol/mg protein for the control, cerulein, pentoxifylline, L-NAME, and L-arginine groups, respectively. Mean catalase activity was 3.20 +/- 0.83, 1.09 +/- 0.35, 2.05 +/- 0.91, 1.70 +/- 0.60, and 2.85 +/- 0.47 U/mg protein for the control, cerulein, pentoxifylline, L-NAME, and L-arginine groups, respectively, and mean glutathione peroxidase activity was 0.72 +/- 0.25, 0.33 +/- 0.09, 0.37 +/- 0.04, 0.34 +/- 0.07 and 0.42 +/- 0.1 U/mg protein for the control, cerulein, pentoxifylline, L-NAME, and L-arginine groups, respectively. Cerulein-induced liver damage was accompanied by a significant increase in tissue malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in catalase (P < 0.05) and GPx activities (P < 0.05). L-arginine and pentoxifylline, but not L-NAME, protected against this damage. Oxidative injury plays an important role not only in the pathogenesis of AP but also in pancreatitis-induced hepatic damage.

Phenethyl isothiocyanate protects against cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity via nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 pathway in rats

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a secondary metabolite in Cruciferous plants, exerts chemopreventive and antioxidant effects. However, its therapeutic potential in cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity is not clear. So, we focused to research on the effect of PEITC against renal toxicity caused by CP and its relationship to the Nrf2 signaling mechanism. Thirty female Wistar albino rats were allocated to three groups: control (n = 10), CP (n = 10), and PEITC-pretreated group (150 µmol/kg b.w. orally; n = 10). The antioxidant enzyme activities and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), serum urea, and creatinine (Cr) were measured. In the CP group, serum urea and Cr, MDA, and NF-κB levels have risen, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes and SIRT1, Nrf2, and GST levels have reduced significantly (P < 0.05). PEITC diminished levels of Cr, urea, MDA, and NF-κB while it enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and GST, Nrf2, and SIRT1 levels significantly (P < 0.05). Pretreatment with PEITC ameliorated kidney tissue injury. The renal protective effect of the PEITC was supported by the histological analysis of the kidney. PEITC prevented CP-induced nephrotoxicity by decreasing oxidative damage through Nrf2 and SIRT1 activation and NF-κB inhibition. Therefore, we have suggested that PEITC may be a useful agent for protection against CP-induced renal injury.

Effects of black mulberry, chokeberry, and elderberry extracts on the healing of burn wounds

BACKGROUND

In the burn affected area of the skin, the progression or deepening of wounds is related to oxidative stress. Especially in the highly susceptible stasis zone, tissues survive to the extent that they can cope with oxidative stress.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the potential of extracts (E) derived from the fruits (F) and leaves (L) of elderberry (E), chokeberry (C), and black mulberry (M), which are rich in antioxidant properties, to enhance the recovery of the stasis zone in burn wounds.

METHODS

The study employed a sample size of 56 healthy rats. The comb burn model was used. The rats were administered the extracts via gastric gavage for a period of 21 days. Histological examination and biochemical analyses were conducted on biopsies taken from the stasis zone on the 3rd, 7th, and 21st days of the study. Photography was performed for macroscopic evaluations. The histological assays included the evaluation of inflammatory cell infiltration, reepithelialization, and collagenization, as well as immunohistochemical analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bioassays pertaining to the enzymatic activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were performed.

RESULTS

In macroscopic evaluation, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of stasis area (F=3.58, p2< 0.001). Post-hoc analyses showed that there was a significant difference between CFE-ELE, EFE-Burn, ELE-Burn and MLE-Burn groups in terms of stasis zones (p < 0.05). However, the difference between the groups according to time was not significant (F=1.36, p = 0.16). At the end of the 21-day experiment, inflammatory cell infiltration was higher in the burn group compared to the other groups, but similar to the CFE group. Re-epithelialization was similar in the burn group compared to the fruit extract groups and significantly lower compared to the leaf extract groups. Furthermore, a significant increase in collagenization and VEGF immunoreactivity was observed in all treatment groups compared to the burn group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was detected between the treatment groups. The treatment groups presented a notable reduction in MDA levels in comparison to the burn group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the efficacy of fruit and leaf extracts in burn healing. Histological examination revealed that leaf extracts exhibited superior healing effects compared to fruit extracts. These results suggest that bioactive components in fruits and leaves may have different biological effects.

Investigation of in vivo radioprotective and in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of garlic (Allum sativum)

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to assess the in vivo antioxidant potential via evaluating radioprotective effects in kidney and liver tissues of rats and in vitro antimicrobial and radical scavenger activity of garlic extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two mature female Wistar rats were divided into four groups, each consisting of eight rats. Experimental groups were control group (1), GE group (2), irradiation group (3) and both GE and irradiation group (4). For the rats in two groups (group 3 and 4), irradiation was performed on a Cobalt-60 unit using a single fraction of 20 Gy. The GE was given to rats once a day during the month before irradiation and continued for five days after irradiation. The garlic cloves were peeled on crushed ice and 50 g of garlic was cut into small pieces and homogenized in 75 mL of 0.9% NaCI. The concentration of this garlic preparation was considered to be 500 mg/mL on the basis of weight of the starting material (0.5 g/mL). This extract was administered to rats by oral gavage.

RESULTS

Our findings suggest that the use of garlic extract could be useful for addressing the limited therapeutic gain due to the radiation sensitivity of normal tissues adjacent to the tumour which are exposed to radiation, by strengthening the antioxidant system. In vitro and in vivo experiments seem to yield similar conclusions.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be stated that garlic is may be recommended to be sufficiently included in the diets of radiotherapy patients considering its antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy.

The effects of different industrial sugars on royal jelly production

In this study, the larvae acceptance rate and the royal jelly yield in honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies supplemented with different industrial sugars at different locations were determined. For this purpose, feeding groups (1. Sucrose group, 2. Glucose group, 3. Bee feed syrup group, 4. Control group) and locations (1. Battalgazi, 2. Doğanşehir) were formed. In queenless colonies that produce royal jelly, in order to sustain 5-15 day-old young feeder worker bees, two sealed frames with brood from support colonies were added. The royal jelly yield was harvested seven times. Based on the location, the feeding groups, and the location x feeding groups interaction, 12600 larvae were grafted, 9054 larvae were accepted, and the larvae acceptance rate was determined as 71.86%. Based on the location, feeding groups and the location x feeding group interaction, the yield per cell was calculated as 213.15 ± 11.53 mg/cell, the yield per colony as 6.88 ± 0.38 g/col./app., and the total yield per colony as 34.40 ± 1.91 g/colony. In the study, no statistically significant difference was determined between feeding with sucrose, bee feed and the supplementary feeding with glucose. On the other hand, it was determined that the location where the royal jelly was produced affected both the larvae acceptance and the royal jelly yield.