Betaine prevents loss of sialic acid residues and peroxidative injury of erythrocyte membrane in ethanol-given rats

Protective effect of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis prickly pear juice upon ethanol-induced damages in rat erythrocytes

Juice from the fruit of the cactus Opuntia ficus indica is claimed to possess several health-beneficial properties. The present study was carried out to determine whether O. ficus indica f. inermis fruit extract might have a protective effect upon physiological and morphological damages inflicted to erythrocytes membrane by chronic ethanol poisoning, per os, in rat. Chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and betalains. Ethanol administration (3 g/kg b.w, per day for 90 days) induced an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonylated proteins levels and a decrease of glutathione (GSH) level in erythrocyte. Ethanol administration also reduced the scavenging activity in plasma and enhanced erythrocytes hemolysis, as compared to control rats. In addition, ethanol intake increased the erythrocyte shape index by +895.5% and decreased the erythrocyte diameter by -61.53% as compared to controls. In animals also given prickly pear juice during the same experimental period, the studied parameters were much less shifted. This protective effect was found to be dose-dependent. It is likely that the beneficial effect of the extract is due to the high content of antioxidant compounds.

Ameliorative effect of Opuntia ficus indica juice on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in rat erythrocytes

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis fruit juice (OFIj) on reversing oxidative damages induced by chronic ethanol intake in rat erythrocytes. OFIj was firstly analyzed with HPLC for phenolic and flavonoids content. Secondly, 40 adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into five groups and treated for 90 days as follows: control (C), ethanol-only 3 g/kg body weight (b.w) (E), low dose of OFIj 2 ml/100 g b.w+ethanol (Ldj+E), high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100 g b.w+ethanol (Hdj+E), and only a high dose of OFIj 4 ml/100g b.w (Hdj). HPLC analysis indicated high concentrations of phenolic acids and flavonoids in OFIj. Ethanol treatment markedly decreased the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH). Changes in the erythrocyte's antioxidant ability were accompanied by enhanced oxidative modification of lipids (increase of malondialdeyde level) and proteins (increase in carbonyl groups). Interestingly, pre-administration of either 2 ml/100 g b.w or 4 ml/100 g b.w of OFIj to ethanol-intoxicated rats significantly reversed decreases in enzymatic as well as non enzymatic antioxidants parameters in erythrocytes. Also, the administration of OFIj significantly protected lipids and proteins against ethanol-induced oxidative modifications in rat erythrocytes. The beneficial effect of OFIj can result from the inhibition of ethanol-induced free radicals chain reactions in rat erythrocytes or from the enhancement of the endogenous antioxidants activities.

Protective effect of betaine on changes in the levels of membrane-bound ATPase activity and mineral status in experimentally induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats

Cardiovascular diseases are emerging as a major public health problem in most parts of the world even in developing countries still afflicted by infectious diseases, undernutrition, and other illnesses related to poverty. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of betaine, a potent lipotropic molecule, on changes in the levels of membrane-bound ATPase activities, lipid peroxidation, sulfhydryl activities, and mineral status in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats, an animal model of myocardial infarction in man. Oral administration of betaine (250 mg/kg body weight/day for a period of 30 days) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the isoprenaline-induced abnormalities noted in the levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium in plasma and heart tissue. Pretreatment with betaine significantly attenuated isoprenaline-induced membrane-bound ATPase depletion in the heart tissue and preserved the myocardial membrane-bound ATPase activities at levels comparable to that of control rats. Oral administration of betaine significantly attenuated the isoprenaline-altered sulfhydryl groups in the heart tissue and preserved the myocardial sulfhydryl activities at levels comparable to that of control rats. It also significantly counteracted the isoprenaline-mediated lipid peroxidation and maintained the level at near normal. In the results of the present study, betaine administration significantly prevented the isoprenaline-induced alterations in the activities of membrane-bound ATPases, lipid peroxides, myocardial sulfhydryl levels, and maintained the mineral status at near normal.

Chronic alcohol consumption augments loss of sialic acid residues and alters erythrocyte membrane charge in type II diabetic patients

In this study, the effects of alcohol consumption on erythrocyte membrane properties in type 2 diabetic patients were investigated. Therefore, we measured total and lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA) levels, sialidase activities, and erythrocyte membrane negative charge. Three groups, including control group (n = 20), alcohol-consuming diabetic patients group (n = 14), and diabetic patients without alcohol consumption group (n = 42), were created. Plasma total sialic acid (TSA) levels of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group were elevated as compared to the healthy control and diabetic group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). TSA levels of the diabetic group were significantly elevated as compared to the healthy control group (p > 0.001). Plasma LSA levels of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group were higher than that in the healthy control and diabetic group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). LSA levels of the diabetic group were found to be high as compared to the healthy control group (p < 0.05). Plasma sialidase activities of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group and diabetic group were significantly elevated as compared to the healthy control group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). Sialidase activities of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group were elevated as compared to the diabetic group, but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Erythrocyte membrane negativity levels of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group and diabetic group were significantly decreased (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) as compared to the healthy control group. Erythrocyte membrane negativity levels of the alcohol-consuming diabetic group were decreased as compared to the diabetic group, but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that chronic alcohol consumption may augment membrane alterations in type 2 diabetic patients.

Effects of Chronic Ethanol Consumption on Brain Synaptosomes and Protective Role of Betaine

To evaluate the cytotoxic effects of chronic ethanol consumption on brain cerebral synaptosomes and preventive role of betaine as a methyl donor and S-adenosylmethionine precursor, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, ethanol (8 g/kg/day) and ethanol plus betaine(0.5% w/v) group. Animals were fed 60 ml/diet per day for two months, then sacrificed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl contents and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities were determined in synaptosomal/mitochondrial enriched fraction isolated from rat cerebral cortexes. When compared to controls, ethanol containing diet significantly increased MDA levels (P < 0.05), also increased protein carbonyl levels and adenosine deaminase activities. But these were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, adding betaine to ethanol containing diet caused a significant decrease in MDA, protein carbonyl levels and adenosine deaminase activities (P < 0.05). These results indicate that betaine may appear as a protective nutritional agent against cytotoxic brain damage induced by chronic ethanol consumption.