Freshwater snails are used as sensitive biomarkers of aquatic ecosystem pollution. The potential impacts of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on aquatic ecosystems have attracted special attention due to their unique properties. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the possible mechanisms of ecotoxicological effects of ZnONPs on freshwater snail Biomphalaria alexandrina. ZnONPs showed molluscicidal activity against B. alexandrina snails, and the LC50 was 145 μg/ml. Two tested concentrations of ZnONPs were selected: The first concentration was equivalent to LC10 (7 μg/ml), and the second was equivalent to LC25 (35 μg/ml). Exposure to ZnONPs (7 and 35 μg/ml) for three consecutive weeks significantly induced malondialdehyde and nitric oxide with concomitant decreases in glutathione and glutathione-S-transferase levels in hemolymph and soft tissues of treated snails. Moreover, ZnONPs elicited a significant decrease in total protein and albumin contents coinciding with enhancement of total lipids and cholesterol levels as well as activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase in hemolymph and soft tissues of treated snails. This study highlights the potential ecological implications of ZnONP release in aquatic environments and may serve to encourage regulatory agencies in Egypt to more carefully monitor and regulate the industrial use and disposal of ZnONPs.

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Objective: The ethanolic extract of Vitis vinifera leaves (VVE) (500 mg/kg body weight), ranitidine (50 mg/kg body weight) and both of them were tested for their gastroprotective and curative effects against the incidence of peptic ulcer. Methods:The antiulcer effects of VVE were investigated using a combination of indomethacin and cold-stress for 2h. To ascertain the mechanism of action of VVE, its protective and curative effects were studied on gastric volume, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index and malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO) activities of both stomach and duodenum of rats. Moreover, histopathological effects on stomach and duodenum were determined. Results:The antioxidant activity of VVE was demonstrated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. VVE was found to reduce the ulcer index, gastric volume and the level of gastric juice acidity. Also, VVE showed gastroprotective and curative activities mainly through improvement of antioxidant status and decreasing lipid peroxidation accompanied with amelioration of both stomach and duodenum architectures. Conclusion:The prophylactic and curative effects of VVE proved to be effective in preventing gastric and duodenal ulceration which may be probably due to its antioxidant and anti-acid secretory effects.

Abstract The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of echinochrome (Ech) on intrahepatic cholestasis in rats induced by a single (i.p.) injection of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) (75 mg/kg body weight). The rats were pre-treated orally for 48hr (one dose / 24hr) with Ech (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight) or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 80 mg/kg body weight drug then, injected with ANIT. ANIT markedly increased serum activities of alanine amino transaminase (ALT), aspartate amino transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which was accompanied by a massive inflammation of epithelial cells on bile duct at 24h after ANIT injection. ANIT also increased the levels of total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), indirect bilirubin (IB), however decrease albumin content (ALB). In addition ANIT increased hepatic MDA and NO level and decreased GSH level and GST activity. The Ech exerted hepatoprotective and anticholestatic effects as assessed by a significant decrease in the activities of serum AST, ALT and ALP, and the levels of TP, TB, DB and IB as well as liver MDA level and NO level. In conclusion, Ech was found to possess hepatoprotective effect against intrahepatic cholestasis induced by hepatotoxin such as ANIT.