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Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors play a role in nitric oxide synthesis. In this study, the impact of simvastatin (SV) on the levels of nitric oxide synthases, and arginine (Arg) and its derivatives was evaluated in rat liver under ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) conditions. Rats received SV (25 mg/kg) (groups S and S-IR) or saline solution (groups C and C-IR) intragastrically for 21 days. The livers of groups C and S were homogenized after treatment while those of groups C-IR and S-IR underwent ischemia and reperfusion before homogenization. Endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS) nitric oxide synthase concentrations were determined in the homogenates. Alanine and asparagine aminotransferase (ALT, AST, respectively), arginine (Arg), and asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) methylarginine levels were determined in the blood before I/R and during reperfusion. I/R injury produced significant increases in aminotransferase, ADMA, eNOS, and iNOS, but decreases in Arg and Arg/ADMA levels. Arg concentration increased significantly after warm ischemia in the S-IR group, but decreased significantly during the first 30 minutes of reperfusion in both the S-IR and C-IR groups. eNOS concentration was significantly higher in group S than in group C. Both I/R and SV exerted no influence on SDMA concentration. SV exerted a protective action by increasing eNOS levels under normal conditions and Arg levels after ischemia and by preventing a significant increase in iNOS concentration after I/R. SV had no effect on ADMA concentration under normal and pathological conditions.

Background and Aims. Inflammatory bowel disease pharmacotherapy, despite substantial progress, is still not satisfactory for both patients and clinicians. In view of the chronic and relapsing disease course and not always effective treatment with adverse effects, attempts to search for new, more efficient, and safer substances are essential and reasonable. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of cornelian cherry iridoid-polyphenolic extract (CE) and loganic acid (LA) on adherent-invasive E. coli growth and adhesion in vitro and to assess the effect of pretreatment with CE or LA on the course of intestinal inflammation in rat experimental colitis compared with sulfasalazine. Methods. Antibacterial and antiadhesive activities of CE and LA were assessed using microdilution, Int407 cell adherence, and yeast agglutination assays. The colitis model was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Studied substances were administered intragastrically for 16 days prior to colitis induction. Body weight loss; colon index; histological injuries; IL-23, IL-17, TNF-α, and chemerin levels; and STAT3, Muc2, and TFF3 mRNA expression were evaluated. Results. Only CE exerted antimicrobial and antiadhesive activities in vitro and alleviated colonic symptoms. CE coadministrated with sulfasalazine was more effective than single compounds in reversing increased concentrations of TNF-α, IL-17, and chemerin and decreased Muc2 mRNA expression. Conclusions. CE exerted a protective effect against experimental colitis via impaired mucosal epithelial barrier restoration and intestinal inflammatory response attenuation and given concomitantly with sulfasalazine counteracted colitis in a more effective way than sulfasalazine alone, which indicates their synergistic interaction. The beneficial effect of CE may also be due to its bacteriostatic and antiadhesive activities.

BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)] constitutes an important clinical problem. The pathogenesis of IBD remains unclear. It is believed that immune dysfunction, inflammatory mediators and oxidative damage play crucial roles in development of IBD. The condition is clinically associated with symptoms ranging from mild to severe during relapses, depending on the affected segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Bloody diarrhea with mucus, abdominal pain, weight loss and anemia are initial symptoms of both CD and UC. Differences between diseases become more evident in time, along with the development of intestinal and extraintestinal complications. Mangiferin (1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone-C-2-β-d-glucoside), a natural polyphenol in plants, exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects making it an interesting option for the treatment of inflammatory pathologies associated with oxidative stress in humans, such as IBD.PurposeThe aim of the current study was to elucidate the impact of mangiferin on colon tissues in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats.MethodsMangiferin was obtained from Belamcanda chinensis rhizomes by a multistage process. Groups of rats were pre-treated with 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg of mangiferin, or with distilled water administered intragastrically for 16 days. An ethanol solution of TNBS or saline was given rectally on the day 15 of the experiment. The experiment was terminated on the day 17. The colon was removed, cleaned, weighed and examined macro- and microscopically. Determination of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 17 (IL-17), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were performed spectrophotometrically in homogenates of colon tissues.ResultsRats in the TNBS group developed symptoms of colitis, including: body weight loss, colon mass index increase and damage of intestinal tissues with concomitant increase in TNF-α, IL-17, MDA levels and decreased SOD activity. In non-TNBS-treated rats mangiferin did not cause any changes of studied parameters. Pre-treatment with mangiferin exerted a protective effect, reducing the intensity of damage caused by TNBS. Mangiferin at the doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg reduced the macro- and microscopic damage score and the MDA level in colon tissues. Only at the dose of 100 mg/kg, mangiferin decreased TNF-α and IL-17 concentrations, and SOD activity in colon tissues.ConclusionMangiferin attenuates inflammatory changes of colon tissues in experimental, TNBS-induced colitis in rats. Protective effect exerted by mangiferin depends primarily on its anti-inflammatory activity and secondarily on its antioxidant properties.

Kaempferol has a beneficial influence on estrogen-deficiency-induced disturbances of bone structure in rats.

IntroductionIschemia/reperfusion (I/R) is considered to be one of the main causes of liver damage after transplantation. The authors evaluated the effect of ezetimibe on selected oxidative stress parameters in ischemic/reperfused (I/R) rat liver.Material and methodsRats were administered ezetimibe (5 mg/kg) (groups E and E-I/R) or saline solution (groups C and C-I/R) intragastrically for 21 days. Livers of animals in groups C-I/R and E-I/R were subjected to 60 min of partial ischemia (left lateral and median lobes) followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Alanine and asparagine aminotransferase (ALT, AST) activity was determined in blood before I/R and during reperfusion (at 15 and 240 min). After the reperfusion period, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined in liver homogenates using colorimetric methods.ResultsEzetimibe caused a significant increase in GSH level in groups subjected to I/R (E-I/R (99.91 ±9.01) vs. C-I/R (90.51 ±8.87), p < 0.05). Additionally, under I/R the decrease of GPx activity in the drug-treated group was lower compared to the non-treated group (E-I/R (3.88 ±1.11) vs. E (5.31 ±1.83), p = 0.076). Neither ezetimibe nor I/R affected SOD or MDA levels. I/R produced a significant increase in aminotransferase levels (ALT240-0: C-I/R (42.23 ±43.56) vs. C (9.75 ±11.09), and E-I/R (39.85 ±26.53) vs. E (4.38 ±1.36), p < 0.05 in both cases; AST 240-0: E-I/R (53.87 ±17.23) vs. E (24.10 ±9.66), p < 0.05) but no effect of ezetimibe on those enzymes was found.ConclusionsEzetimibe demonstrates antioxidant properties in rat livers subjected to I/R. However, neither a hepatoprotective nor a hepatotoxic effect of ezetimibe was demonstrated, regardless of I/R.

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