Protective Effects of Quercetin on Intestinal Damage Caused by Ionizing Radiation

The Influence of Plants from the Alliaceae Family on Morphological Parameters of the Intestine in Atherogenic Rats

Bulbs from the Alliaceae family have been well-known and valued spices for thousands of years, not only for their unique flavor and aroma features, but also for their high nutritional and health-promoting values. Long-term or excessive consumption of these vegetables, especially raw garlic, can have side effects in the body (including in the digestive tract), causing a number of pathological changes in the intestinal wall; these changes lead, in turn, to its damage, dysfunction, and disorder development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the addition of freeze-dried vegetables from the Alliaceae family, i.e., garlic (Allium sativum L.), white onion, and red onion (Allium cepa L.) on the morphometric parameters (intestinal villi length, crypt depth, thickness of tunica mucosa, and the thickness of tunica muscle) of the jejunum of rats fed a semi-synthetic atherogenic diet (1% dietary cholesterol). In freeze-dried vegetables administered to rats, the contents of selected bioactive ingredients and their antioxidant potentials were determined. The effect of the onion vegetable supplements on growth parameters, serum lipid profile, plasma antioxidant potential, and the intestinal morphological parameters of rats loaded with cholesterol was determined. In an animal experiment, 30 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 diet groups, diet consumption and FER were studied. Supplementation of the atherogenic diet with vegetables improved the blood plasma lipid profiles and atherogenic indices, in a manner that was dependent on the type of supplementation used, with the best hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects found in garlic use. The atherogenic diet, as well as the supplementation of this diet with the tested vegetables from the Alliaceae family, influenced the histological changes in the epithelium of the jejunum of rats. The damage to the intestinal mucosa was the greatest in animals fed an atherogenic diet supplemented with garlic. Bearing in mind that the desired beneficial therapeutic or prophylactic effects of onion vegetables (in particular garlic) in the course of various metabolic ailments (including atherosclerosis) are achieved during long-term supplementation, it is important to remember their possible cytotoxic effects (e.g., on the digestive tract) in order to achieve real benefits related to the supplementation with vegetables from the Alliaceae family.

Quercetin attenuates neurotoxicity induced by iron oxide nanoparticles

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been proposed as targeted carriers to deliver therapeutic molecules in the central nervous system (CNS). However, IONPs may damage neural tissue via free iron accumulation, protein aggregation, and oxidative stress. Neuroprotective effects of quercetin (QC) have been proven due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, poor solubility and low bioavailability of QC have also led researchers to make various QC-involved nanoparticles to overcome these limitations. We wondered how high doses or prolonged treatment with quercetin conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (QCSPIONs) could improve cognitive dysfunction and promote neurogenesis without any toxicity. It can be explained that the QC inhibits protein aggregation and acts against iron overload via iron-chelating activity, iron homeostasis genes regulation, radical scavenging, and attenuation of Fenton/Haber-Weiss reaction. In this review, first, we present brain iron homeostasis, molecular mechanisms of iron overload that induced neurotoxicity, and the role of iron in dementia-associated diseases. Then by providing evidence of IONPs neurotoxicity, we discuss how QC neutralizes IONPs neurotoxicity, and finally, we make a brief comparison between QC and conventional iron chelators. In this review, we highlight that QC as supplementation and especially in conjugated form reduces iron oxide nanoparticles neurotoxicity in clinical application.

Protection from Radiation-induced Damage in Rat's Ileum and Colon by Combined Regimens of Melatonin and Metformin: A Histopathological Study

Background: Radiation-induced enteritis and proctitis are common side effects of abdominopelvic cancers among patients that undergo radiotherapy for prostate, colorectal or urinary cancers. Exposure of these tissues to high doses of radiation leads to damage to villous, inflammation, pain, ulcer and bleeding, which may cause malabsorption and gastrointestinal disorders. To date, several procedures such as pharmaceutical treatment have been proposed for protection and mitigation of gastrointestinal toxicity following radiotherapy.

Aims: In the current study, we aimed to investigate the possible radioprotection of ileum and colon in rats using a combination of melatonin and metformin.

Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to six groups: control, melatonin (100 mg/kg) treatment, melatonin (100 mg/kg) plus metformin (100 mg/kg) treatment, radiation (10 Gy to whole body) group, radiation + melatonin (100 mg/kg) treatment, and radiation + melatonin (100 mg/kg) plus metformin (100 mg/kg) treatment. After 3.5 days, rats were sacrificed and their ileum and colon tissues carefully removed. Histopathological evaluations were conducted on these tissue samples.

Results: Histological evaluations reported moderate to severe damages to ileum and colon following whole body irradiation. Melatonin administration was able to protect the ileum remarkably, while the combination of melatonin and metformin was less effective. Interestingly, for the colon, melatonin was less effective while its combination with metformin was able to protect against radiation toxicity completely.

Conclusion: For the ileum, melatonin was a more effective radioprotector compared to its combination with metformin. However, the combination of melatonin and metformin can be proposed as an ideal radioprotector for the colon.

Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Fructus Anisi Stellati as a Remedy for Infantile Colic by Network Pharmacology

Fructus anisi stellati (FAS) is an anise-scented star-shaped fruit from Illicium verum tree. It is commonly consumed in many cultures as food and medicine, particularly as a remedy for infantile colic (IC). The elucidation of molecular mechanisms of action would contribute to the understanding of the traditional therapy of FAS and help to guide the preclinical and clinical study of this herb. The aim is to investigate the key therapeutic compounds of FAS and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of FAS therapy. The chemical compounds of FAS were obtained through data mining on TCMSP and ADME screening, and the common targets of the FAS compounds and the IC-correlated diseases were obtained from PharmMapper, GeneCards, and OMIM databases. GO and KEGG databases were used for molecular function and pathway enrichment. Cytoscape was used for network construction and analysis. SystemsDock was used for molecular docking. Three key compounds (i.e., quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol), 19 targets, 7 molecular pathways, and 12 IC-correlated diseases were identified to be involved in the molecular mechanisms of FAS for the treatment of IC. This work showed that three therapeutic modules were primarily engaged in the molecular mechanisms of FAS for IC therapy, including the inhibition of inflammatory reactions, stimulating immunoglobulin A (IgA) production in the gastrointestinal tract, and enhancing the secretion of digestive enzymes.