The possible protective role of pimpinella anisum oil versus selenium on aspartame induced changes in rat cerebellar cortex: histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study

Aspartame (ASP) is an artificial sweeter. Chronic use of ASP has a harmful effect on cerebellar cortex. Anisum oil and selenium (SE) are antioxidant substances. Therefore, the present study was performed to study the possible protective role of anisum oil versus selenium on aspartame-induced changes in rat cerebellar cortex. Rats were divided into four main groups. Group I (Control group). Group II received 250 mg/kg/day aspartame once daily for 2 months. Group III received 0.5 ml/kg/day anisum 2 h before aspartame administration. Group IV received 0.5 mg/kg/day selenium 2 h before aspartame administration. The administration of Asp for 2 months (group II) resulted in cerebellar histopathological changes in the form of deformed Purkinje and granule cells. Ultrastructurally, Purkinje cells had irregular nuclei, dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, dilated saccules of Golgi apparatus, mitochondria with destroyed cristae. In addition, granule cells appeared shrunken with irregular nuclei. Aspartame and anisum oil treated group (group III) showed partial improvement. Examination of ASP and SE treated group (group IV) showed that cerebellar cortex was nearly similar to control. In conclusion, Anisum oil and selenium could protect against ASP-induced cerebellar damage. The protective effect of selenium is better than anisum oil.

Comparison of antithyroid effects and hepatic complications of methimazole with catechin and its nanoencapsulation form in adult male rats

OBJECTIVES

Methimazole is an antithyroid drug and is used clinically in hyperthyroidism. Liver dysfunction is one of the side effects of methimazole. Catechins are natural flavonoids and have antioxidant, antithyroid, and liver protection effects. Despite the wide range of biological properties of catechins, their effective use is limited due to poor water solubility, low stability, and low bioavailability. Catechin niosomal nanoencapsulation improves the properties of catechin and increases its antioxidant activities.

METHODS

Niosomal vesicles were synthesized by the Thin Film Hydration method and their physicochemical characteristics, morphology, and percentage of trapped catechin in them were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and spectrophotometry, respectively. In this study, 32 adult male rats were divided into 4 groups: control, 50 mg/kg methimazole, 100 mg/kg catechin, and 100 mg/kg nanocapsule niosomal form of catechin. The drugs were administered orally and the duration of treatment was 8 weeks. Then, the serum concentration of thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, and serum liver function tests were performed using an autoanalyzer. The activities of hepatic oxidative enzymes were measured spectrophotometrically.

RESULTS

Our study showed that the percentage of catechin encapsulation in the niosome was calculated to be 51%. A significant difference was observed in the catechin and encapsulated catechin treatment groups compared to the methimazole group (p <0.0001). In all three treatment groups of methimazole, catechin, and niosomal nanocapsule catechin, serum levels of TT3, TT4, FT3, FT4, body weight and daily consumption of water and food were significantly reduced compared to the control group (p <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The antithyroid effects of catechin and its encapsulated form were comparable to methimazole. Also, the encapsulation improved the hepatoprotective effects of catechin.

Hepatoprotective effect of Physalis divaricata in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity: In vitro, in silico and in vivo analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Physalis divaricata D. Don. is an erect weed of family Solanaceae. The root extract of this plant is used by the indigenous communities of Sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India for the treatment of liver disorders.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate hepatoprotective potential of P. divaricata in paracetamol (PCM) induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The dried roots of P. divaricata were subjected to extraction using different solvents. The chloroform extract, methanol extract and bioactive aqueous fraction of methanol extract were evaluated for hepatoprotective effect. After initial in vitro screening, all extracts were screened for hepatoprotective potential in PCM (3 g/kg p.o) induced hepatotoxicity. Following PCM administration, extracts were administered orally for 7 days in increasing dose concentrations. All the animals were euthanized on eighth day, serum and liver tissues were collected and subjected to various biochemical and histopathological analysis. Aqueous fraction of methanol extract was further analyzed using LC- MS analysis.

RESULTS

Methanol extract and its bioactive aqueous fraction exhibited significant and better in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity as compared to chloroform extract. PCM treatment caused hepatotoxicity as assessed by altered levels of various hepatic biomarkers (increase in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, TBARS, and AOPPs as well as decrease in GSH and TrxR levels) along with histopathological changes (portal to portal bridging, necrosis, and inflammation). Methanolic extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) and its aqueous fraction treatment (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly restored elevated hepatic biomarkers, oxidative stress, and protected normal hepato-architecture. LC-MS analysis of aqueous fraction showed presence of rutin and kaempferol. In silico analysis further showed the capability of rutin to make complex with TNF-α and block its interaction with the target site.

CONCLUSION

Aqueous fraction showed maximum hepatoprotective potential as conceived through in vitro and in vivo studies. Presence of rutin may explain hepatoprotective potential of P. divaricata.

Selenium-Alleviated Hepatocyte Necrosis and DNA Damage in Cyclophosphamide-Treated Geese by Mitigating Oxidative Stress

Selenium (Se) has been well recognized as an immune-enhancing agent with antioxidant and anti-tumor properties. The commonly used chemotherapy drug, cyclophosphamide (CTX), induces liver injury by increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. However, little is known about how Se alleviates CTX-induced liver injury in geese. In this study, 90 male Magang geese (3 days old) were randomly allocated into three groups (control, CTX, and Se + CTX group) with three replicates per group and ten geese per replicate. The control and CTX groups were fed a basal diet (Se content was 0.03 mg/kg). The Se + CTX group was fed a basal diet containing 0.44 mg/kg sodium selenite (Se content was 0.2 + 0.03 mg/kg). The control group was injected with 0.5 mL saline, while the CTX and Se + CTX groups were injected with CTX at 40 mg/kg body weight per day on days 21-23. The liver index, liver histology, and ultra-micromorphology detected antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver and serum. In addition, we detected the liver marker enzymes and protein levels in serum, and hepatocyte DNA damage. Se could alleviate liver development dysregulation, hepatocyte structural damage, the disturbances in antioxidant enzyme (GPx, CAT, and SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the serum and liver. Besides, Se could alleviate the dysregulation of liver marker enzyme (ALT and AST) activity and protein (ALB and TP) levels in the serum, and DNA migration induced by CTX. In conclusion, Se may inhibit hepatocyte necrosis and DNA damage by inhibiting CTX-induced oxidative stress.

Protective Effect of Selenium-Enriched Red Radish Sprouts on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Se (Selenium) treatment on nutritional quality in radish sprouts. The results showed that 15 µM sodium selenite significantly increased phenolics compounds, flavonoids compounds, anthocyanins, and some essential amino acid content, while improving the total antioxidant capacity of radish sprouts. Besides, the Se-enriched radish sprouts significantly alleviated the liver damage caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ ) in mice and improved the antioxidant capacity of the liver in mice, whereas the Se-enriched radish sprouts alleviated the inflammatory reaction and apoptosis caused by CCl₄ . These results imply that Se-enriched radish sprouts have a positive impact on mice with CCl₄ -induced liver injury, and that in future Se-enriched radish sprouts could be developed into an effective food and health care product for the liver injury prevention. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Because selenium is an essential trace element in the human body, selenium-enriched sprouts can help eliminate free radicals in the body, relieve aging, and selenium-deficient diseases. They are easy to grow and have low costs. Hence, selenium-enriched sprouts have a great potential of being widely consumed.

Protective Effects of Combined Selenium and Punica granatum Treatment on Some Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers in Arsenic-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Oxidative stress is one of the major mechanisms implicated in inorganic arsenic poisoning. Punica granatum is known by its free radical scavenging properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective role of combined selenium and P. granatum against arsenic-induced liver injury. Seventy-five female albino rats were divided into five groups (of 15 rats each). Toxicity was induced by oral sodium arsenite (5.5 mg/kg body weight (bw) daily) (group ІІ). Treatment of arsenic-intoxicated rats was induced by daily oral administration of sodium selenite (3 mg/kg bw) (group ІІІ), 100 mg of P. granatum ethanol extract per kilogram body weight dissolved in 300 mL distilled water in three divided doses (100 mL of this suspension every 8 h) (group IV), and combined daily oral treatment with both selenite and P. granatum ethanol extract (group V). After 3 weeks, serum and liver tissues were obtained from the decapitated rats for different estimations. Hepatotoxicity was demonstrated by significant elevation in liver weights and activities of liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and decrease in serum total proteins and albumin (p < 0.05) which were confirmed by histopathological examination. Additionally, arsenic hepatotoxicity led to an increased values of malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, nitric oxide, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p < 0.05) and decreased activity of thioredoxin reductase, values of total anti-oxidant capacity, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) gene expression. Significant improvement in all assessed parameters was observed in rat group treated with both P. granatum and selenium. It was concluded that combined P. granatum and selenium treatment had a synergistic hepatoprotective effect against arsenic toxicity through activation of Nrf2 anti-oxidant pathway.

Effects of nutritional and excessive levels of selenium on red blood cells of rats fed a high cholesterol diet

In this study, we investigated the effects of selenium (Se) on the properties of erythrocytes and atherogenic index in the presence and absence of high cholesterol diet (HCD). The effect of selected two different doses (1 μg and 50 μg Se/kg/body weight) on HCD-induced oxidative stress was investigated. The hemolysis of the erythrocytes of the HCD rats as well as by high levels of selenium or their combination was markedly increased. Likewise, atherogenic index and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were significantly increased in the same groups of rats compared to control ones. In contrast, paraoxonase activity, glutathione levels and protein thiol levels, catalase, GPx, and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly decreased in rats that received the HCD, high selenium dose, or their combination. Malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels in the plasma and red blood cells were significantly increased by HCD and high selenium dose administration. Co-administration of selenium at low dose with or without an HCD restored all of the investigated parameters to near-normal values. The results of this study suggest that excess selenium administration with HCD worsens the atherogenic index and enhances formation of oxidized red blood cells. At dosage levels in the nutritional range such as 1 μg Se/kg body weight, selenium ameliorates the atherogenic index and preserves the antioxidant capacity of the erythrocytes.