This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) prepared from leaf extract of Petroselinum crispum compared to those prepared using a chemical method in lead-acetate-induced anemic rats. Twenty rats were divided into four groups (five rats each). Throughout the experimental period (8 weeks), the rats in group 1 were not given any therapy. The rats in groups 2, 3 and 4 were given 400 ppm lead acetate orally for 2 weeks to make them anemic. Following that, these rats were either left untreated, given 27 ppm of chemical IONPs orally or given 27 ppm of natural IONPs orally for the remaining 6 weeks of the experiment. TEM analysis indicated that the chemically and naturally prepared IONPs had sizes of 6.22–9.7  and 64–68 nm, respectively. Serum ferritin and iron concentrations were reduced, whereas the total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ALT, AST, urea and creatinine were significantly increased in the non-treated lead-acetate-induced anemic rats compared to those of the control. In addition, congestion, hemorrhage, necrosis, vacuolation and leukocytic infiltration in the kidneys, liver and spleen were observed in non-treated lead-acetate-induced anemic rats compared to the control. The effects of lead acetate were mitigated by IONPs, particularly the natural one. In conclusion, IONPs produced from Petroselinum crispum leaf extract can be used as an efficient and safe therapy in lead-acetate-induced anemic rats.

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Lornoxicam is a potent oxicam-class nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects. Its impacts on many biological functions are not fully understood. We measured various biomarkers in male albino rats provided an oral aqueous ginger extract before IM administration of therapeutic and 2× the therapeutic doses of lornoxicam. The aqueous ginger plant extract was characterized by mass spectroscopy, and its effects were determined by examining free radical scavenging activity, blood parameters, renal and hepatic function, semen quality, proinflammatory cytokines, antioxidant markers, and histopathology. Rats administered lornoxicam had significantly higher liver and kidney function biomarker values, TNF-α, interleukin-6, and sperm abnormalities than the control rats. The overall erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, prostaglandin, and sperm counts were all considerably lower in the experimental animals. Histological changes were found in the liver, spleen, and testes of rats administered lornoxicam alone. In rats, pretreatment with ginger extract reduced the majority of the negative effects of conventional and high dosages of lornoxicam.

Melamine is considered as one of urea derivatives. Recently it is added to feed stuffs for industrial purposes (falsely elevate its protein contents), however addition of melamine resulted in marked oxidative stress and toxic effect on different body organs, especially the nephrotoxicity and urolithiasis. Therefore, this work is designed to explore the beneficial effect of bee's honey to alleviate the harmful effect induced by melamine toxicity and to show the histological changes on male albino rats. In this work seven animal groups (five rats for each), group 1; negative control, while groups 2, 4, 6 received melamine-formaldehyde orally at dose 0.9, 90, 9000 ppm, respectively while groups 3, 5, 7 received the same melamine dose beside bee's honey (dose of 2.5 gm/kg body weight (B. w) for 45 days. Results declared that melamine treated rats showed marked oxidative, biochemical, hematological changes as well as pathological alterations in vital assets especially liver and urinary system. As distension of the urinary bladder, crystals deposition and stone formation were detected with variable degrees in all groups treated only with melamine. Microscopically, various pathological changes in kidneys, liver, lung, heart and intestine were also demonstrated. The severity of these changes varied from mild to severe changes depending upon the dose of melamine. Interestingly, rats treated with melamine plus the bee's honey showed mild changes in comparison to the only melamine treated rats. These findings assured that, marked antioxidant and ameliorative effect of bee's honey successfully reduced the noxious effect of melamine on different body organs.

The Alternaria species is considered to contain a plethora of several mycotoxins constituting a risk factor for both human and animal health. This work aimed mainly to explore the cytotoxicity of a combined mixture of altenuene (ALT), alternariol (AOH), tenuazonic acid (TeA), and altenuisol (AS) toxins produced by pathogenic A. alternata toward human oral epithelial cells (PCS-200-014), lung fibroblast cells (WI-38), and male albino rats. The sequencing of the multi-locus, RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), and Alternaria major allergen gene (Alt a 1) was performed to infer relationships among isolated Alternaria species. The phylogenetic analysis of gapdh, rpb2, and Alt-a 1 sequence data indicated that all isolates resided in A. alternata. The pathogenic potentiality of A. alternata was investigated on tomato plants cv. super strain B under greenhouse conditions, and all isolates were pathogenic to tomato plants, with significant (p < 0.05) variations. The ability of A. alternata isolates to produce mycotoxins was also explored using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All tested isolates were able to produce at least one of the assessed mycotoxins—ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS—and ALT was reported as the dominant mycotoxin, produced by 80% of A. alternata isolates. The cytotoxic properties of the combined mixture of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS at concentrations of 31.25, 62.50, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL were assessed via the MTT assay method after exposure for 24 h versus the control. The treatment of both cell lines with combined mixtures of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS showed a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. The highest concentrations tested at 62.50, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL significantly decreased cell viability and caused cell damage compared to the lowest concentration of 31.25 µg/mL and the control. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the combined mixtures of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS on male albino rats were also investigated via the gene expression of (TNF-α) and using hematological (CBC), chemical (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea and creatinine), and histopathological analyses. A marked increase was observed in the levels of ALT, AST, urea and creatinine, TNF-α gene expression, red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), and packed cell volume % (PCV) after 28 days of exposure relative to the untreated control. Pathological alterations were also observed in the liver and kidney tissues of rats. Conclusively, this work provides a new understanding on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of mycotoxins of pathogenic A. alternata from tomatoes.