Aluminium is known to accelerate oxidative stress, amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition, and plaque formation in the brain of rats. Objective. The present study is aimed at studying the neuroprotective effects of eugenol following aluminium-induced neurotoxicity on caspase-3, apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax), and oxidative stress markers in Wistar rats such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), nitric oxide (NO), and assay oxidative stress to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by measuring the levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Materials and methods. Twenty (20) adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four (4) groups with five animals in each group. Route of administration was oral throughout the duration of this study and this study lasted for 21 days. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours after administration of the last dose (i.e., day 22) with 0.8 mg/kg ketamine as an anaesthetic agent. Results. Exposure to AlCl3 resulted in a significant (p<0.01) elevation in the levels of nitric oxide and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), enhanced the activity of caspase-3, increased the level of proapoptotic protein Bax and reduced the levels of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, and significantly (p<0.01) reduced the levels of SOD and GPx. However, treatment with eugenol resulted in a significant reduction (p<0.01) in the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels, inhibited the activity of caspase-3, increased levels of Bcl-2 and significantly (p<0.05) reduced levels of Bax protein, respectively, and also significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels of SOD and GPx. Our results would hereby suggest that eugenol would provide a therapeutic value against aluminium-induced oxidative stress as related to antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities.
BACKGROUND:Lead, an example of heavy metals, has, for decades, being known for its adverse effects on various body organs and systems such that their functions are compromised.AIM:In the present study, the ability of lead to adversely affect the male reproductive system was investigated and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum: Source of antioxidants) paste (TP) was administered orally to prevent the adverse effects of Pb.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Fifteen Sprague Dawley rats, randomised into three groups (n = 5), were used for this study. Animals in Group A served as the control and were drinking distilled water. Animals in Groups B and C were drinking 1% Pb (II) acetate (LA). Group C animals were, in addition to drinking LA, treated with 1.5 ml of TP/day. All treatments were for 8 weeks.STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED:A Mann–Whitney U-test was used to analyse the results obtained.RESULTS:The obtained results showed that Pb caused a significant reduction in the testicular weight, sperm count, life–death ratio, sperm motility, normal sperm morphology, and plasma and tissue superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, but a significant increase in plasma and tissue malondialdehyde concentration. But, Pb did not cause any significant change in the serum testosterone level. TP, however, significantly reduced these adverse effects of Pb.CONCLUSION:These findings lead to the conclusion that TP significantly lowered the adverse effects of Pb exposure on the kidney as well as Pb-induced oxidative stress.
Accumulation of aluminium chloride results in damage to different brain regions, and has been used to model damage to the hippocampus which can be associated with various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effects of eugenol on aluminium induced neurotoxicity in the hippocampus of adult Wistar rats. 30 adult Wistar rats were procured and divided into six groups with five animals in each group, namely: EGH (300 mg/kg eugenol), EGL (150 mg/kg eugenol), EGH+AL (300 mg/kg eugenol and 100 mg/kg AlCl3), EGL+AL (150 mg/kg eugenol and 100 mg/kg AlCl3), AL (100 mg/kg AlCl3) and CTRL (2 mL/kg distilled water). All Groups were treated orally for 21 days after which they were humanely sacrificed under 0.8 mL/kg ketamine as an anaesthetizing agent. Thereafter, brain tissues were removed and processed for histological demonstration, while the frontal lobe was homogenized and the resultant homogenate obtained was used to assay the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Rat body weights were measured before and after treatment. Aluminium resulted in a significant (p<0.05) reduction in SOD activities. There was alteration in the histology of hippocampal neurons (CA1) and a significant (p<0.01) reduction in body weight of animals. However, the administration of Eugenol was able to restore the activity of SOD. The use of Eugenol offers a promising prospect in the management of neurodegenerative diseases associated with aluminium toxicity.
Herbs have been used as medicinal for several years to cure or rather manage different ailments such as diabetes mellitus. This is very common in rural settings of sub-saharan Africa and is now being adopted in urban areas. Opunta species have widely been seen to contain antihyperglycaemic effects. To evaluate the antihyperglycaemic and histopancreatic effect of aqueous extract of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia species) cladodes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats in vivo. This was a laboratory based research conducted at Mulungushi University involving 30 wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) that weighed between 160-200 g which were randomly selected into five groups (6 per cage); normal control, diabetic control, diabetic +metformin, diabetic +cactus and cactus only group. Initial blood glucose levels were obtained from the tail and record then Diabetes mellitus was induced using a single intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin (70mg/kg BW) and established a persistent state of hyperglycemia after 72hours. The aqueous cactus extract of 100 mg/kg BW and metformin of 100 mg/kg BW was administered orally using intragastric cannula daily for a period of 4 weeks. At the end of the fourth week, Diabetes + cactus and diabetes + metformin groups body weights were statistically significant when compared to the diabetic group (P<0.05). While diabetic group was statistically significant when compared to normal control (P<0.05). The relative weight of the pancreas in diabetic group was statistically significant to other groups (P<0.05). The blood glucose in diabetic + cactus was normoglycaemic at 3rd week, Diabetic + metformin group when compared to diabetic group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The normal control and cactus only groups maintained normoglycaemic till the end of the 4th week. The histological findings of the normal control and cactus only group showed normal pancreatic cytoarchitecture. Diabetes group showed high degree of disorganization in the cytoarchitecture in the islet with reduction in β cell mass and deposition of elastic fibres. The Diabetic+Metformin group showed slight decrease in the cell mass (β cells) and elastic fibres were extensively deposited. Diabetic+Cactus treated group exhibited normal histology of the pancreas with increased number of β cells. Opuntia species are able to lower elevated blood glucose levels and ameliorate the effects of STZ on the pancreatic morphology
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The prevalence of DM globally in 2019 was estimated to be 9.3% of the world’s population. Complications of DM include nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, stroke and coronary heart disease. Traditional plants have been used in the management of diabetes mellitus, an example is the cactus plant. This study aimed to shade more light on the effect of an aqueous extract of cactus on the kidney histo-architecture of the diabetic Wistar rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats weighing between 160-200g and were randomly grouped into five consisting of six rats each: group A. normal control, group B. diabetic only, group C. diabetic treated with Cactus and group D. diabetes treated with Metformin only and group E Cactus extract only. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin of 70mg/kg/body weight. After 72 hours of uninterrupted diabetes (blood glucose≥ 7mmol). The cactus extract and Metformin was administered orally at 100 mg/kg body weight daily for four weeks and blood glucose level were recorded weekly. After the fourth week of administration, animals were sacrificed by euthanasia. The kidneys from all the groups were weighed and their weight recorded and were fixed in 10% formal saline. Data was analyzed using one way ANOVA p<0.05 was considered significant and the graphs were plot using excel. The findings of this study showed that the blood glucose level of Diabetic +Cactus group and diabetes + Metformin were significant when compared to the diabetic group (p<0.05). The body weight and relative organ weight of Diabetic +Cactus group and diabetes+ Metformin when compared to the diabetic group was significant P<0.05. Histologically, the diabetic group that showed disruption of macula densa and a large urine space compared to the Wistar rats in the Diabetes+cactus group and Diabetes+metformin group that showed little disruption in macula densa were observed. From the results obtained, the aqueous cactus extract has the ability to lower blood glucose level in diabetic Wistar rat and is histologically renoprotect to the damage caused by Diabetes mellitus.
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