Abstract:The study aimed to evaluate the hepatic antioxidant capacity of embelin (from Embelia ribes) using different antioxidant tests, free radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation in albino rats. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) treatment to rats has been more susceptible to peroxidative damage through production of reactive metabolites, namely trichloromethyl-free radicals (CCl as measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive species. After the induction of liver damage by CCl 4 intoxication to rats, the concentration of lipid peroxidation was significantly (P £ 0.001) higher in liver and serum, along with concomitant decrease in the levels of antioxidants and cytochrome P450 enzyme in liver as compared to vehicle controls. The activities of marker enzymes -transaminases (AST, ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), c-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) -along with the total bilirubin and total protein levels were altered significantly (P £ 0.001) in the serum of CCl 4 -treated rats. When these rats received embelin orally (25 mg/kg) from day 1 to day 15, peroxidative damage was minimal in both liver and serum along with effectively inducing the antioxidant potential in CCl 4 -treated rats. The biochemical results were compared with the standard drug silymarin -a combination of flavonolignans of Silybum marianum and histology of liver sections. In conclusion, this study suggests that embelin acts as a natural antioxidant against hepatotoxicity induced in rats.

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is one of the most emerging approaches for early damage detection, which leads to improved safety and efficient maintenance of large-scale civil structures. Data-driven vibration-based SHM techniques rely on sophisticated signal processing methods to analyze and interpret the complex measured data collected from the instrumented structures. Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is one of the robust time-frequency decomposition techniques that has been widely used in SHM. Numerous studies have used EMD and its variants in different applications specific to structural modal identification and damage detection, which have been presented in various academic journals, conference papers, and technical reports. This paper presents a comprehensive and systematic review and summary of applications of EMD and its variants that have been extensively implemented in SHM. A brief background and illustration of EMD and its variants are presented first to show their performance under various cases, followed by a detailed literature review of their recent applications specific to SHM.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

BackgroundRenal failure is an increasingly common condition with limited treatment options that is causing a major financial and emotional burden on the community. Andrographis paniculata is the plant used in Ayurveda for several remedies. Scientific evidence suggests its versatile biological functions that support its traditional use in the Orient. The plant is claimed to possess immunological, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and hepatoprotective properties. But, to date, there is no study demonstrating the protective effect of A. paniculata on gentamicin-induced renal failure. The present study aims to highlight the first ever reported, antirenal failure activity of A. paniculata.MethodsMale Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: normal control, gentamicin control, and aqueous extract of A. paniculata (200 mg/kg, per oral (p.o.))-treated. The nephrotoxic model was induced by gentamicin (80 mg/kg, intraperitoeal (i.p.)). Blood samples were examined for serum creatinine, serum urea, and blood urea nitrogen after the 10 days of treatment.ResultsA gentamicin-induced nephrotoxic animal model was successfully prepared. Aqueous extract of A. paniculata attenuated the gentamicin-induced increase in serum creatinine, serum urea, and blood urea nitrogen levels by 176.92%, 106.27%, and 202.90%, respectively.ConclusionThe present study reports that the aqueous extract (whole plant) of A. paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees exhibits a significant renoprotective effect in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in male Wistar albino rats.

No abstract