Antiosteoporotic effect of Coelatura aegyptiaca shell powder on ovariectomized rats

Neuroprotective effect of Asparagus racemosus root extract via the enhancement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and estrogen receptor in ovariectomized rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Asparagus racemosus (AR) is well known as an Ayurvedic rasayana which used traditionally by Ayurvedic practitioners for nervous disorders and prevent aging. In our previous study it was found that ethanol AR root extract can improve learning and memory impairment, induced by an ovariectomy, but the extract's mechanisms as a neuroprotective property are still unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to examine the effects and mechanisms of ethanol AR root extract on the alteration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult female Wistar rats were divided into five groups, 4 groups underwent ovariectomy, and one group was designed to be the sham control group. Two groups were gavaged with propylene glycol for sham, and a second group similarly prepared for OVX. Two further groups of OVX rats were gavaged once daily, one group with 100 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract and the second group with 1000 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract. The fifth group was gavaged once daily with 0.1 mg/kg b.w. of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE). BDNF, ERα and ERβ expression were evaluated by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The western blot analysis revealed that the OVX rats showed a significant decrease in BDNF and a down-regulation of ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. It was also demonstrated that EE and AR root extract increased BDNF, ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of ovariectomized rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, the enhancement of BDNF and ERs up-regulation may be involved in the neuroprotective effects of ethanol AR root extract in ovariectomized rat.

Cicer arietinum extract ameliorate γ-irradiation disorders via modulation of oxidative/antioxidative pathway

Ionized radiations trigger thoughtful adverse hazards through multiple organ dysfunctions. Recently, antioxidant-based biodrugs are used to prevent and treat ionizing radiation hazards. The present study aimed to investigate the prospective ameliorative effect of Cicer arietinum extract (CAE) against γ-irradiation and the pathway of this amelioration in male albino rats. Twenty four rats were allocated into four groups; (i) control group, (ii) CAE group in which rats treated with a dosage of 500 mg CAE/kg b.wt, (iii) γ-irradiated group in which rats exposed to 6Gy γ-irradiation, (iv) γ-irradiated+CAE group; rats of this group treated with CAE 1 h post exposure. All rats treated for 21 days. Liver, kidney and femoral bone were rapidly excised and homogenized for the biochemical analysis. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICP) analyses exhibit that γ-irradiation elicits significant change in the essential trace elements content in liver, kidney, and bone. Further, significant increases in TBARS and H₂O₂ contents accompanied by significant decreases in GSH, SOD, CAT, and GPx activities in liver, kidney and bone tissues were recorded in the γ-irradiated rats compared to control group. Additionally, marked reduction in the thickness of cortical bone was recorded in rats exposed to γ-irradiation. Conversely, CAE (500 mg/kg b.wt, p.o) administration for 21 days to γ-irradiated rats effectively reverses most of the altered parameters of the γ-irradiated rats. In conclusion, the present findings suggested that CAE is a potential agent that can be used against radiation hazards. This effect may be owing to its antioxidant mechanism, as CAE has an inhibitory effect against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide radical (O₂^·-) beside its ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). This finding recommended that CAE can be utilized clinically to mitigate ionized radiation-induced hazard effects.