Acute toxicity and safety profile evolution of aqueous extracts of Sanren decoction using in vivo models

2021 ◽  
pp. 114940
Author(s):  
Qing Wang ◽  
Liutao Zhao ◽  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Shuo Zhang ◽  
Pu Yang ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-52
Author(s):  
Chioma E. Irozuru Irozuru ◽  
Janet O. Olugbodi ◽  
Uche Okuu Arunsi ◽  
Olusola Ladeji

Background: Allium cepa, Allium sativum, and Monodora myristica are commonly sourced food condiments in every household in Nigeria. In the present study, we investigated the phytochemical compositions, in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of these plants. Methods: The aqueous extracts from the A. cepa, A. sativum, and M. myristica were evaluated for phytochemical composition using standard protocols while the antioxidant activities were evaluated using the reducing power assay. Forty-five (45) Male Wistar rats (weighing 185±10 g) were divided into five groups (n=9) and were orally administered with 100 mg/kg BW each of A. sativum, M. myristica, A. cepa, and ascorbic acid while the control group received 0.5 mL/kg BW distilled water alone. Animals (n=3) from each group were sacrificed after the 20th, 25th, and 30th days of oral administration. The blood and tissue samples were collected for the analysis of biochemical parameters. Result: Our results revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and terpenes in the plant extracts. A. sativum had the highest reducing power capacity followed by M. myristica and then A. cepa. The in vitro antioxidants activities demonstrated by the plant extracts were higher than that of ascorbic acid but less than butylated hydroxytoluene. In vivo antioxidant studies showed a marked increase (p<0.05) in the level of catalase with a concurrent decrease (p<0.05) in the levels of MDA and H2O2 in the liver and kidney of rats administered with aqueous extracts of the condiments compared to the normal control and ascorbic acid in the following order control < ascorbic acid < A. cepa < M. myristica < A. sativum. Conclusion: Based on these findings, we infer that the aqueous extracts of A. cepa, A. sativum, and M. myristica are rich in antioxidants and as a result could serve as promising novel functional foods and nutraceuticals


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Blessing O. Anonye ◽  
Valentine Nweke ◽  
Jessica Furner-Pardoe ◽  
Rebecca Gabrilska ◽  
Afshan Rafiq ◽  
...  

Abstract The rise in antimicrobial resistance has prompted the development of alternatives to combat bacterial infections. Bald’s eyesalve, a remedy used in the Early Medieval period, has previously been shown to have efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus in in vitro and in vivo models of chronic wounds. However, the safety profile of Bald’s eyesalve has not yet been demonstrated, and this is vital before testing in humans. Here, we determined the safety potential of Bald’s eyesalve using in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models representative of skin or eye infections. We also confirmed that Bald’s eyesalve is active against an important eye pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Low levels of cytotoxicity were observed in eyesalve-treated cell lines representative of skin and immune cells. Results from a bovine corneal opacity and permeability test demonstrated slight irritation to the cornea that resolved within 10 min. The slug mucosal irritation assay revealed that a low level of mucus was secreted by slugs indicating moderate mucosal irritation. We obtained promising results from mouse wound closure experiments; no visible signs of irritation or inflammation were observed. Our results suggest that Bald’s eyesalve could be tested further on human volunteers to assess safety for topical application against bacterial infections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10631
Author(s):  
Rafael Caetano Lisbôa Castro de Andrade ◽  
Nathália Kelly de Araújo ◽  
Manoela Torres-Rêgo ◽  
Allanny Alves Furtado ◽  
Alessandra Daniele-Silva ◽  
...  

The search for promising biomolecules such as chitooligosaccharides (COS) has increased due to the need for healing products that act efficiently, avoiding complications resulting from exacerbated inflammation. Therefore, this study aimed to produce COS in two stages of hydrolysis using chitosanases derived from Bacillus toyonensis. Additionally, this study aimed to structurally characterize the COS via mass spectrometry, to analyze their biocompatibility in acute toxicity models in vivo, to evaluate their healing action in a cell migration model in vitro, to analyze the anti-inflammatory activity in in vivo models of xylol-induced ear edema and zymosan-induced air pouch, and to assess the wound repair action in vivo. The structural characterization process pointed out the presence of hexamers. The in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of COS was reaffirmed. The COS stimulated the fibroblast migration. In the in vivo inflammatory assays, COS showed an antiedematogenic response and significant reductions in leukocyte migration, cytokine release, and protein exudate. The COS healing effect in vivo was confirmed by the significant wound reduction after seven days of the experiment. These results indicated that the presence of hexamers influences the COS biological properties, which have potential uses in the pharmaceutical field due to their healing and anti-inflammatory action.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
André De Lima Mota ◽  
Bruna Vitorasso Jardim-Perassi ◽  
Tialfi Bergamin De Castro ◽  
Jucimara Colombo ◽  
Nathália Martins Sonehara ◽  
...  

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and has a high mortality rate. Adverse conditions in the tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia and acidosis, may exert selective pressure on the tumor, selecting subpopulations of tumor cells with advantages for survival in this environment. In this context, therapeutic agents that can modify these conditions, and consequently the intratumoral heterogeneity need to be explored. Melatonin, in addition to its physiological effects, exhibits important anti-tumor actions which may associate with modification of hypoxia and Warburg effect. In this study, we have evaluated the action of melatonin on tumor growth and tumor metabolism by different markers of hypoxia and glucose metabolism (HIF-1α, glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT3 and carbonic anhydrases CA-IX and CA-XII) in triple negative breast cancer model. In an in vitro study, gene and protein expressions of these markers were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry, respectively. The effects of melatonin were also tested in a MDA-MB-231 xenograft animal model. Results showed that melatonin treatment reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells and tumor growth in Balb/c nude mice (p <0.05). The treatment significantly decreased HIF-1α gene and protein expression concomitantly with the expression of GLUT1, GLUT3, CA-IX and CA-XII (p <0.05). These results strongly suggest that melatonin down-regulates HIF-1α expression and regulates glucose metabolism in breast tumor cells, therefore, controlling hypoxia and tumor progression. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leydianne Leite de Siqueira Patriota ◽  
Dayane Kelly Dias do Nascimento Santos ◽  
Bárbara Rafaela da Silva Barros ◽  
Lethícia Maria de Souza Aguiar ◽  
Yasmym Araújo Silva ◽  
...  

Background: Protease inhibitors have been isolated from plants and present several biological activities, including immunomod-ulatory action. Objective: This work aimed to evaluate a Moringa oleifera flower trypsin inhibitor (MoFTI) for acute toxicity in mice, hemolytic activity on mice erythrocytes and immunomodulatory effects on mice splenocytes. Methods: The acute toxicity was evaluated using Swiss female mice that received a single dose of the vehicle control or MoFTI (300 mg/kg, i.p.). Behavioral alterations were observed 15–240 min after administration, and survival, weight gain, and water and food consumption were analyzed daily. Organ weights and hematological parameters were analyzed after 14 days. Hemolytic activity of MoFTI was tested using Swiss female mice erythrocytes. Splenocytes obtained from BALB/c mice were cultured in the absence or presence of MoFTI for the evaluation of cell viability and proliferation. Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were also determined. Furthermore, the culture supernatants were analyzed for the presence of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO). Results: MoFTI did not cause death or any adverse effects on the mice except for abdominal contortions at 15–30 min after administration. MoFTI did not exhibit a significant hemolytic effect. In addition, MoFTI did not induce apoptosis or necrosis in splenocytes and had no effect on cell proliferation. Increases in cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS release, as well as ΔΨm reduction, were observed in MoFTI-treated cells. MoFTI was observed to induce TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10, and NO release. Conclusion: These results contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the antitumor potential of MoFTI and its effects on other immunological targets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 2974-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwang-sun Kim

Vectors are living organisms that transmit infectious diseases from an infected animal to humans or another animal. Biological vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies carry pathogens that multiply within their bodies prior to delivery to a new host. The increased prevalence of Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDs) such as Aedes-borne dengue, Chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika (ZIKV), malaria, Tick-Borne Disease (TBD), and scrub typhus has a huge impact on the health of both humans and livestock worldwide. In particular, zoonotic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks place a considerable burden on public health. Vaccines, drugs, and vector control methods have been developed to prevent and treat VBDs and have prevented millions of deaths. However, development of such strategies is falling behind the rapid emergence of VBDs. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to fighting VBDs must be considered immediately. In this review, I focus on the challenges posed by emerging outbreaks of VBDs and discuss available drugs and vaccines designed to overcome this burden. Research into promising drugs needs to be upgraded and fast-tracked, and novel drugs or vaccines being tested in in vitro and in vivo models need to be moved into human clinical trials. Active preventive tactics, as well as new and upgraded diagnostics, surveillance, treatments, and vaccination strategies, need to be monitored constantly if we are to manage VBDs of medical importance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (35) ◽  
pp. 4362-4372
Author(s):  
John H. Miller ◽  
Viswanath Das

No effective therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases exist, despite significant attempts to find drugs that can reduce or rescue the debilitating symptoms of tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Pick’s disease. A number of in vitro and in vivo models exist for studying neurodegenerative diseases, including cell models employing induced-pluripotent stem cells, cerebral organoids, and animal models of disease. Recent research has focused on microtubulestabilizing agents, either natural products or synthetic compounds that can prevent the axonal destruction caused by tau protein pathologies. Although promising results have come from animal model studies using brainpenetrant natural product microtubule-stabilizing agents, such as paclitaxel analogs that can access the brain, epothilones B and D, and other synthetic compounds such as davunetide or the triazolopyrimidines, early clinical trials in humans have been disappointing. This review aims to summarize the research that has been carried out in this area and discuss the potential for the future development of an effective microtubule stabilizing drug to treat neurodegenerative disease.


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