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Background:Royal jelly is a nutritive secretion produced by the worker bees, rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.Aim:The present study was designed to determine the possible protective effects of royal jelly against radiation induced oxidative stress, hematological, biochemical and histological alterations in male Wister albino rats.Materials and Methods:Male Wister albino rats were exposed to a fractionated dose of gamma radiation (2 Gy every 3 days up to 8 Gy total doses). Royal jelly was administrated (g/Kg/day) by gavages 14 days before exposure to the 1st radiation fraction and the treatment was continued for 15 days after the 1st irradiation fraction till the end of the experiment. The rats were sacrificed 3rd, equivalent to 3rd post 2nd irradiation fraction, and equivalent to 3rd day post last irradiation fraction.Results:In the present study, gamma- irradiation induced hematological, biochemical and histological effects in male Wister albino rats. In royal jelly treated irradiated group, there was a noticeable decrease recorded in thiobarbituric reactive substances concentration when compared to γ-irradiated group. Also, the serum nitric oxide concentration was significantly improved. The administration of royal jelly to irradiated rats according to the current experimental design significantly ameliorates the changes induced in serum lipid profile. Moreover, in royal jelly treated irradiated group, there was a noticeable amelioration recorded in all hematological parameters along the three experimental intervals. The microscopic examination of cardiac muscle of royal jelly treated irradiated rats demonstrated structural amelioration, improved nuclei and normal features of capillaries and veins in endomysium when compared to gamma-irradiated rats.Conclusion:It was suggested that the biochemical, hematological and histological amelioration observed in royal jelly (g/Kg/day) treated irradiated rats might be due to the antioxidant capacity of royal jelly active constituents.

A series of novel 5-aryl-3-cyclopropyl-4,5-dihydropyrazole derivatives 2a-p were synthesized via cyclization of chalcones 1a-h with thiosemicarbazide or semicarbazide HCl and evaluated as anti-inflammatory/antioxidant agents. The structures were confirmed by elemental analyses and spectral data. The free radical scavenging activity toward superoxide was determined. Their effect on hepatocytes viability and nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated macrophages was also determined. The results showed that compounds 2e and 2n demonstrated the highest free-radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities, thus can be useful in the prevention of oxidative stress and inflammation-related disorders.

Olmesartan medoxomil (OM) is an angiotensin receptor blocker. This study aimed to investigate the effects of OM self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (OMS) in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis in rats. Besides two control groups, five TNBS-colitic-treated groups ( n = 8) were given orally sulfasalazine (100 mg/kg/day), low and high doses of OM (3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg/day) (OML and OMH) and of OMS (OMSL and OMSH) for seven days. A colitis activity score was calculated. The colon was examined macroscopically. Colonic levels of myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione were measured. Plasma and colonic olmesartan levels were measured. Colonic sections were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin, caspase-3, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Protein expression of E-cadherin, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and cleaved caspase-3 by Western blot was done. TNBS-colitic rats showed increased colonic myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, IL-6, and malondialdehyde, decreased colonic glutathione, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and protein expression alterations. OMS, compared with OM, dose-dependently achieved higher colonic free olmesartan concentration, showed better anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects, improved intestinal barrier, and decreased mucolytic activity. OMS more effectively up-regulated the reduced Bcl-2, Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and E-cadherin expression, and down-regulated the overexpressed Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and MMP-9. OMSL exerted effects comparable to OMH. Sulfasalazine exerted maximal colonic protective effects and almost completely reversed colonic damage, and OMSH showed nearly similar effects with non-significant differences in-between or compared with the normal control group. In conclusion, OMS could be a potential additive treatment for Crohn's disease colitis.

The defatted aqueous methanolic extract of the air‐dried aerial parts of Plantago major, collected from Nile delta, Egypt, was evaluated for its antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. The major phenolic constituent; acteoside was isolated. Meanwhile, P. major exhibited potent hepatoprotective effect as it inhibited the serum activity elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) enzymes and total and direct bilirubin. It increased the serum total protein and albumin and attenuated CCl4‐induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) and increased GSH in the liver homogenates. Liver histopathology supported the biochemical findings. Acteoside inhibited lipopolysaccharide induced production of nitric oxide in RAW264.7 macrophages (IC50, 75.0 μM) and scavenged both superoxide radical (IC50, 1.51 μM) and DPPH radical (IC50 of 11.27 µM). P. major showed significant DPPH scavenging activity in vitro (IC50, 7.32 μg/mL). It could be concluded that, P. major has potent antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. Practical applications Plantago major L. is an edible plant that is used as food, particularly at the end of spring, just before the harvest of common vegetables. The plant grows wildly at canal banks of the Nile delta in Egypt and represents a very cheap food for farmers when frequent vegetables are not available. The research showed that the defatted aqueous methanolic extract has potential antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects in rats. The effect was very similar to the commercially used drug silymarin; indicating that it could be used as very cheap healthy food, food supplement or neutraceutical preparation to provide liver support for patients suffering from hepatic dysfunction. The main constituent acteoside was isolated and exhibited potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities in vitro, besides being safe on primary rat hepatocytes. Therefore this project provides a very cheap hepatoprotective drug for liver support, and a source of safe antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory compound.

This article aims at determining how the introduction of agricultural revenue insurance contracts in Spain will affect the cost of purchasing insurance, relative to yield insurance schemes. We focus our empirical analysis on the apple and orange sectors in Spain. Statistical copulas are used to jointly model price and yield perils. Premium rates under revenue and yield insurance are simulated through Monte Carlo methods. Results indicate that revenue insurance is likely to reduce the price of agricultural insurance in Spain, which may result in higher acceptance and demand for agricultural insurance programs.JEL classifications: C14, C15, G22, Q18

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