Many studies have been performed to assess the potential utility of natural products as immunomodulatory agents to enhance host responses and to reduce damage to the human body. To determine whether phenolic compounds (caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids) have immunomodulatory effects and clarify which types of immune effector cells are stimulated in vitro, we evaluated their effect on splenocyte proliferation and lysosomal enzyme activity. We also investigated the activity of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). In addition, induction of the cellular antioxidant activity in splenocytes, macrophages, and red blood cells was determined by measuring the fluorescence of the DCF product. The study first results indicated that caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids significantly promote LPS-stimulated splenocyte proliferation, suggesting a potential activation of B cells, and enhanced humoral immune response in hosts treated by the tested natural products. Phenolic acids significantly enhanced the killing activity of isolated NK and CTL cells but had negligible effects on mitogen-induced proliferation of splenic T cells. We showed that caffeic acid enhances lysosomal enzyme activity in murine peritoneal macrophages, suggesting a potential role in activating such cells. Immunomodulatory activity was concomitant with the cellular antioxidant effect in macrophages and splenocytes of caffeic and ferulic acids. We conclude from this study that caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids exhibited an immunomodulatory effect which could be ascribed, in part, to their cytoprotective effect via their antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, these results suggest that these natural products could be potentially used to modulate immune cell functions in physiological and pathological conditions.

This study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of lead (Pb)-induced testicular toxicity. We examined the impact of Pb toxicity on 17β-oestradiol (E2), oestrogen receptors (ERs) and aromatase P450 which are key factors in spermatogenesis. Treatment of rats with Pb acetate (PbAc, 50 mg/L in drinking water) significantly reduced sperm count, motility, viability and increased sperm abnormalities along with degenerative changes in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells. Additionally, administration of PbAc resulted in a significant reduction in serum testosterone, serum and testicular E2 as well as increased level of testicular testosterone. Pb also induced testicular oxidative stress as evidenced by a significant decrease in the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase antioxidant enzymes, and increased malondialdehyde level in the testis. At the molecular level, Pb treatment downregulated the mRNA expression of P450 arom (Cyp19) and ERα. In conclusion, Pb induces testicular oxidative damage and disrupts spermatogenesis, at least in part, via downregulation of Cyp19 and ERα expression, which further decrease E2 level. These data, therefore, provide insight into the mechanism of lead-induced testicular toxicity.

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BackgroundHere, phytochemical profile of Nitraria retusa (N. Retusa) leaf extracts was identified and their ability to induce apoptosis and inhibiting growth of melanoma cells and enhancing melanogenesis of B16F10 melanoma was evaluated.MethodsThe Apoptosis was evidenced by investigating DNA fragmentation, and Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Amounts of melanin and tyrosinase were measured spectrophotometrically at 475 nm.ResultsExtracts from Nitraria retusa exhibited significant anti-proliferative activity after 48 h of incubation. Our result was confirmed by ladder DNA fragmentation profile. All extracts showed also the ability to enhance melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells.ConclusionThe tested extracts have a significant biological effect which may be due to their bioactive compounds.

2‐Methyl‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methoxychinolin (Ia) wird mit HNO3 zu dem 3,5‐Dinitrochinolin (Ib) nitriert, dieses mit POCl3 zu (Ic) chloriert, das mit Phenol zu dem Phenoxychinolin (Id) umgesetzt wird.

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