Crocus sativus, a medicinally important herbaceous plant, has been traditionally used to cure coughs, colds, insomnia, cramps, asthma, and pain. Moreover, the therapeutic applications of saffron include its immunomodulatory and anticancer properties. The current experimental analysis was performed to explore the potential nutraceutical efficacy of corm, leaf, petal, and stigma of saffron ethanolic extracts as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and antidepressant using hot plate, carrageenan-induced paw edema, capillary tube and forced swim test, respectively in mice. The results indicated that among all the extracts, stigma ethanolic extract (SEE) represented maximum latency activity (72.85%) and edema inhibition (77.33%) followed by petal ethanolic extract (PEE) with latency activity and edema inhibition of 64.06 and 70.50%, respectively. Corm ethanolic extract (CEE) and leaf ethanolic extract (LEE) displayed mild analgesic activity of 22.40% and 29.07%, respectively. Additionally, LEE (53.29%) and CEE (47.47%) exhibited mild to moderate response against inflammation. The coagulation time of SEE (101.66 s) was almost equivalent to the standard drug, aspirin (101.66 s), suggesting a strong anticoagulant effect followed by PEE (86.5 s). LEE (66.83 s) represented moderate inhibitory effect on coagulation activity while CEE (42.83 s) showed neutral effect. Additionally, PEE and SEE also expressed itself as potential antidepressants with immobility time ≤76.66 s, while CEE (96.50 s) and LEE (106.83 s) indicated moderate to mild antidepressant efficacy. Based on the in vivo activities, saffron extract, particularly SEE and PEE, can be used as a potential nutraceutical and therapeutic agent due to its significant pharmacological activities.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In Sudan, several hematological studies were conducted to study the ABO blood group distribution among the population, in which the "O" blood group was dominating followed by the "A" blood group. However, there is no systematic study that has been done to correlate between COVID-19 infection and the population’s blood group types, therefore we have intended to study the possible effect of blood group on the acquisition of COVID-19 infection. A questionnaire-based case-control study was carried out on 557 COVID-19 patients in Sudan, factors such as age, blood group, previous malaria infection, back history ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, and symptoms suffered were also considered and analyzed. The number of infected females was more than males, whereas the age between 25 to 35 years was the most affected age group. O Rh-positive (O+) blood group was the least affected by the disease while “A” Rh-negative (A-) individuals were the most venerable. Symptoms like fatigue, fever, and loss of smelling sensation were the major ones among the patients. Whereas 13% of SARS-COV-2 positive individuals remained asymptomatic. Since the Sudan population is largely constituted of “O” Rh-positive inhabitants (approx. 50%) these results might explain the relatively lower COVID-19 incidence in the country.

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The current study was instigated by investigating the ameliorative potential of Ornipural® solution against the hepato-renal toxicity of malathion. A total number of 35 male Wistar albino rats were divided equally into five groups. Group 1 served as control and received normal saline intraperitoneally. Group 2, the sham group, were administered only corn oil (vehicle of malathion) orally. Group 3 was orally intoxicated by malathion in corn oil at a dose of 135 mg/kg BW via intra-gastric gavage. Group 4 received malathion orally concomitantly with Ornipural® intraperitoneally. Group 5 was given Ornipural® solution in saline via intraperitoneal injection at a dose of (1 mL/kg BW). Animals received the treatment regime for 30 days. Histopathological examination revealed the harmful effect of malathion on hepatic and renal tissue. The results showed that malathion induced a significant decrease in body weight and marked elevation in the activity of liver enzymes, LDH, and ACP. In contrast, the activity of AchE and Paraoxonase was markedly decreased. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the serum content of bilirubin, cholesterol, and kidney injury markers. A significant elevation in malondialdehyde, nitric oxide (nitrite), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine was observed, along with a substantial reduction in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, malathion increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha, the upregulation of IL-1B, BAX, and IFN-β genes, and the downregulation of Nrf2, Bcl2, and HO-1 genes. Concurrent administration of Ornipural® with malathion attenuated the detrimental impact of malathion through ameliorating metabolic biomarkers, restoring antioxidant activity, reducing the inflammatory response, and improving pathologic microscopic alterations. It could be concluded that Ornipural® solution demonstrates hepatorenal defensive impacts against malathion toxicity at biochemical, antioxidants, molecular, and cellular levels.

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Purpose: To investigate the antidiabetic effect of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit kernel, flesh and their mixture on streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in male rats. Methods: Six-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into nine groups: (1) control; (2) kernel; (3) flesh; (4) kernel + flesh; (5) STZ; (6) STZ + kernel; (7) STZ + flesh; (8) STZ + (kernel + flesh) and (9) STZ + metformin. Body weight changes, fasting blood glucose and serum insulin were assessed. Haematoxylin and Eosin (H & E) stained pancreas sections were examined microscopically for the number and status of β cells. Results: Administration of Balanites aegyptiaca kernel, flesh and their mixture significantly increased rat body weight compared to STZ-treated rats. In addition, the hypoglycemic effect of kernel, flesh and their mixture was noticed. In STZ-treated rats, administration of Balanites aegyptiaca kernel and kernel + flesh mixture significantly increased serum insulin (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination revealed a marked increase in the islets cell population with cellular activation, with superior effect in STZ + kernel group and STZ + (kernel + flesh) group. Conclusion: Balanites aegyptiaca showed a hypoglycemic effect which is comparable to metformin action. Further studies are required to determine its suitability as an anti-diabetic agent in humans

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