scholarly journals Beneficial effects of the active principle component of Korean cabbage kimchi via increasing nitric oxide production and suppressing inflammation in the aorta of apoE knockout mice

2012 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong Sook Noh ◽  
Yung Hyun Choi ◽  
Yeong Ok Song

The present study investigated the effects of 3′-(4′-hydroxyl-3′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HDMPPA), the active principle compound of kimchi, on vascular damage in the experimental atherosclerotic animal. HDMPPA was administrated by an intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg per d for 8 weeks to apoE knockout (KO) mice with an atherogenic diet containing 1 % cholesterol, and its effects were compared with vehicle-treated control mice. HDMPPA increased NO content in the aorta, accompanied by a decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration. Furthermore, in the HDMPPA-treated group, aortic endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression was up-regulated compared with the control group. These results suggested that HDMPPA could maintain NO bioavailability through an increasing eNOS expression and preventing NO degradation by ROS. Furthermore, HDMPPA treatment in apoE KO mice inhibited eNOS uncoupling through an increase in vascular tetrahydrobiopterin content and a decrease in serum asymmetric dimethylarginine levels. Moreover, HDMPPA ameliorates inflammatory-related protein expression in the aorta of apoE KO mice. Therefore, the present study suggests that HDMPPA, the active compound of kimchi, a Korean functional food, may exert its vascular protective effect through the preservation of NO bioavailability and suppression of the inflammatory response.

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Resende ◽  
Serge G. Rosolen ◽  
Telmo Nunes ◽  
Berta São Braz ◽  
Esmeralda Delgado

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess functional and structural benefits of erythropoietin (EPO) when administered subconjunctivally in the retina of glaucomatous rats using electroretinography (ERG) and retinal thickness (RT) measurements. Methods: Glaucoma was experimentally induced in 26 Wistar Hannover albino rats. Animals were divided into 2 groups of 13 animals each: a treated group receiving a unique subconjunctival injection of 1,000 IU of EPO and a control group receiving a saline solution. In each group, 7 animals were used for retinal function evaluation (ERG) and 6 animals were used for retinal structural evaluation (histology). RT was measured, dorsally and ventrally, at 500 μm (RT1) and at 1,500 μm (RT2) from the optic nerve. Results: Retinal function evaluation: for both scotopic and photopic conditions, ERG wave amplitudes increased in the treated group. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in photopic conditions. Structural evaluation: for both locations RT1 and RT2, the retinas were significantly (p < 0.05) thicker in the treated group. Conclusion: Subconjunctival EPO administration showed beneficial effects both on retinal structure and on retinal function in induced glaucoma in albino rats. This neuroprotective effect should be applied in other animal species.


2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1487-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.S. Lucas ◽  
E.T.F. Siqueira ◽  
M.M.H. Haguiwara ◽  
S.S. Azevedo ◽  
S.E. Yotsuyanagi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A non-surgical sterilant (NSS) was used with the objective of assessing the zootechnical performance, carcass and meat quality, and hormone levels. 90 male piglets were selected with birthweights varying between 1.5kg to 2.0kg. The control group was constituted of 45 males castrated by the conventional surgical method, at the seventh day of age, and the treated group was constituted of 45 males castrated with NSS (active principle of zinc gluconate in the concentration of 26.2mg/mL associated to the dimethyl sulfoxide at 0.5%), with the application of the first dose on the seventh day of age and the second dose on the fourteenth day of age. The zootechnical assessments were carried out on the farm and consisted: weight gain in the periods per animal and feed conversion. The slaughter of the animals and the assessment of the carcass and meat quality and hormone levels were carried out in a slaughterhouse and the municipality of Campinas (SP). The study demonstrated that the use of NSS was a viable alternative in relation to the zootechnical performance and the carcass quality. In relation to the meat quality there was no significant difference in the majority of the assessed parameters.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kisoo Pahk ◽  
Chanmin Joung ◽  
Hwa Young Song ◽  
Sungeun Kim ◽  
Won-Ki Kim

Interactions between CD147 and cyclophilin A (CypA) promote plaque rupture that causes atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Here, we investigated whether SP-8356 ((1S,5R)-4-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxystyryl)-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-en-2-one), a novel drug, can exert therapeutic effects against plaque progression and instability through disruption of CD147-CypA interactions in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE KO) mice. Immunocytochemistry and immunoprecipitation analyses were performed to assess the effects of SP-8356 on CD147-CypA interactions. Advanced plaques were induced in ApoE KO mice via partial ligation of the right carotid artery coupled with an atherogenic diet, and SP-8356 (50 mg/kg) orally administrated daily one day after carotid artery ligation for three weeks. The anti-atherosclerotic effect of SP-8356 was assessed using histological and molecular approaches. SP-8356 interfered with CD147-CypA interactions and attenuated matrix metalloproteinase-9 activation. Moreover, SP-8356 induced a decreased in atherosclerotic plaque size in ApoE KO mice and stabilized plaque vulnerability by reducing the necrotic lipid core, suppressing macrophage infiltration, and enhancing fibrous cap thickness through increasing the content of vascular smooth muscle cells. SP-8356 exerts remarkable anti-atherosclerotic effects by suppressing plaque development and improving plaque stability through inhibiting CD147-CypA interactions. Our novel findings support the potential utility of SP-8356 as a therapeutic agent for atherosclerotic plaque.


Author(s):  
Tahira Assad

Background: Thyroxine has shown beneficial effects on intelligence, learning, and memory process in patients of congenital hypothyroidism. Minocycline has been used in clinical practice for various indications and reported to have anti-thyroid effects. This study was specifically designed to observe the role of thyroxine on minocycline induced damage to thyroid gland. Methods: This experimental study was undertaken at Anatomy department of BMSI, JPMC, Karachi, for eight weeks, from October to November 2019. Thirty adult (10-12 months) male guinea pigs, weighing from 450-650 gm were obtained and divided into 3 groups. Group A served as control, group B was given Minocycline 0.02mg/gram/day once daily and group C was administered Minocycline in similar amount as group B along with thyroxine 0.5µg/gram/day for the same duration. Dosing was continued for 8 weeks, at the completion of which all the animals were sacrificed. Thyroid gland was processed and tissue sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin for morphology. Results: The absolute weight of thyroid gland was significantly increased (p<0.001) in minocycline treated group B animals compared to the control animals, whereas substantial decrease (p<0.01) in absolute weight of thyroid gland was witnessed in group C in comparison to group B animals. The follicular cells showed hypertrophy and shrinkage of colloid in the thyroid follicles. These changes were prevented when animals were co-administered with thyroxine and minocycline in Group C. Conclusion: Concomitant administration of thyroxine with the antimicrobial drug minocycline showed protective effects of thyroxine on Minocycline induced damage to thyroid gland of animals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-282
Author(s):  
Eman I. Ahmed ◽  
Amany M. Shaaban ◽  
Abdel Karim M. Abdel Latif

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease that is considered the most common liver disease all over the world. It causes metabolic and hepatic damage that can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Objective: Our research pointed to study the preventive effects of canagliflozin (CANA) or atorvastatin (ATO) on dexamethasone-induced hepatic steatosis and dyslipidemia. Methods: Animals were grouped as; control group; DEX group; ATO/DEX-treated group; CANA/DE-treated group and ATO+CANA/DEX-treated group. Results: Significant elevations in GSH, SOD and CAT activities, while high significant decreases in serum GOT, GPT, ALP, urea, blood glucose, CK-MB, LDH, T.G, T.C, MDA and P.C levels were demonstrated in treated groups as compared to DEX group in the experimental periods. Also, significant reductions in SGPT, SGPT, ALP, CK-MB, LDH, T.C and T.G levels were detected in CANA/DEX group as compared to ATO/DEX group. All these results were confirmed with histopathological findings where the severe damages and fatty degeneration in both kidney and liver tissues developed by dexamethasone administration resolved by administration of atorvastatin alone or better with Canagliflozin. Conclusion: These results indicate that canagliflozin was as effective as atorvastatin or combination of both in reducing dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis. The antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects of canagliflozin may be responsible for the beneficial effects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Ghorbani ◽  
Reza Shafiee-Nick ◽  
Hassan Rakhshandeh ◽  
Abasalt Borji

The effects of a polyherbal mixture containingAllium sativum,Cinnamomum zeylanicum,Citrullus colocynthis,Juglans regia,Nigella sativa,Olea europaea,Punica granatum,Salvia officinalis,Teucrium polium,Trigonella foenum,Urtica dioica, andVaccinium arctostaphyloswere tested on biochemical parameters in diabetic rats. The animals were randomized into three groups: (1) normal control, (2) diabetic control, and (3) diabetic rats which received diet containing 15% (w/w) of this mixture for 4 weeks. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). At the end of experiment, the mixture had no significant effect on serum hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities. However, the level of fasting blood glucose, water intake, and urine output in treated group was lower than that in diabetic control rats (P<0.01). Also, the levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol in polyherbal mixture treated rats were significantly lower than those in diabetic control group (P<0.05). Our results demonstrated that this polyherbal mixture has beneficial effects on blood glucose and lipid profile and it has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement for the management of diabetes.


2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 3531-3537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Siaperas ◽  
Angelos Pefanis ◽  
Dimitrios Iliopoulos ◽  
Ioannis Katsarolis ◽  
Aspassia Kyroudi-Voulgari ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The beneficial effects of therapy combining an antibiotic and dexamethasone have been reported in human studies on meningitis and in experimental studies on septic arthritis, nephritis, and endophthalmitis. Since most patients with staphylococcal endocarditis need a combination of medical and surgical treatment, the purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of dexamethasone to vancomycin has any beneficial effect regarding the degree of valve tissue damage or the course of experimental aortic valve endocarditis caused by a methicillin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Rabbits with catheter-induced aortic valve vegetations were randomly assigned to a control group and to groups receiving dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg of body weight, intravenously [i.v.], twice a day [b.i.d]), vancomycin (30 mg/kg, i.v., b.i.d), or dexamethasone plus vancomycin, for a total of 10 doses (two doses per day for 5 days). The severity of valve tissue damage was significantly less in groups receiving vancomycin plus dexamethasone compared with that of the group receiving vancomycin alone (P < 0.001). The severity of tissue damage was inversely correlated with the mean polymorphonuclear leukocyte number in valve tissue. No statistically significant differences were observed between the vancomycin-treated group and the vancomycin-plus-dexamethasone-treated group in survival, blood culture sterilization rate, or reduction of the microbial burden (in CFU per gram) in valvular tissue. In conclusion, treatment with a combination of vancomycin and dexamethasone for 5 days reduces the severity of valve tissue damage in experimental staphylococcal aortic valve endocarditis. These findings could have significant implications in the treatment of staphylococcal endocarditis and deserve further confirmation in clinical trials.


2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-149
Author(s):  
M. Schulz ◽  
A. Łoś ◽  
M. Grzybek ◽  
R. Ścibior ◽  
A. Strachecka

AbstractMany factors, including pathogens, environmental change and breeding techniques, affect honeybee immunity/resistance, so substances and natural supplements that enhance it are desired. To eliminate the impact of unknown external factors, in 2016 a cage experiment was conducted under constant laboratory conditions (35 °C, 65% relative humidity). Bees in the control group were fed with sugar dissolved in water at ratio 1:1 ad libitum with no additives, while the other group was fed with sugar syrup (1:1) supplemented with piperine (3 µg/ml) ad libitum. The piperine-treated workers lived 9 days longer compared to the control group. In the piperine-consuming group, protein concentration and the activities of antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), were higher than in the control group. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were also higher in the piperine-treated group. Neutral and acidic proteases inhibitors, as well as neutral protease activities, were higher in the haemolymph of the piperine-treated workers than in untreated bees. Acidic protease activities in the haemolymph were higher in untreated workers only on days 18 and 32. Alkaline protease activities in the control bees were higher from day 10. From 10 days old, the total antioxidant capacity level was significantly higher in the haemolymph of piperine-treated workers. Piperine decreased DNA methylation levels significantly in the older bees. The compound could have the potential to be a natural diet supplement increasing apian resistance to stress factors.


2008 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 299-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Bersani ◽  
Daniela Marconi ◽  
Lucilla Limpido ◽  
Emanuele Tarolla ◽  
Eleonora Caroti

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether light therapy improves healthy subjects' neurocognitive performance of attention, memory, and language. Ten subjects were treated with white bright light for 5 days and a control group of 10 with no treatment were assessed with a battery of neurocognitive tests which included the Stroop Colour Word Interference Test, the Verbal Fluency Test, the Story Recall Test, and the Word Pairs Recall Test. Analysis showed improvements in cognitive scores in both groups, although on all the cognitive tests the mean difference scores between baseline and endpoint were significantly larger in the light-treated group. These preliminary results suggest that short-term bright light may exert beneficial effects on cognitive functions.


PRILOZI ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-140
Author(s):  
Irena Petrova ◽  
Elida Mitevska ◽  
Zorica Gerasimovska ◽  
Liljana Milenkova ◽  
Nevena Kostovska

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the histological characteristics of the thyroid gland in ApoE KO-/- mice following the application of levothyroxine (l-thyroxine).A total of 12 female ApoE KO-/- mice were divided into two groups. A control group of mice received distilled water and the experimental group received l-thyroxine dissolved in drinking water at a daily dose of 2 µg/ml, over 12 weeks. The paraffin sections were processed with the usual haematoxilin-eosin technique of staining.Qualitative histological analysis demonstrated: the presence of large distended follicles in the peripheral areas of the gland; fulfillment of the lumen of follicles with an ample amount of colloid; complete absence of resorptive vacuoles in the colloid; a flattened follicullar epithelium. Morphometric assessment showed a significant increase in the diameters of follicles in the peripheral areas of the gland and a significant decrease in the height of the follicullar epithelium (p <0,001).Our results demonstrated that l-thyroxine causes characteristic morphological changes in the structure of the thyroid gland in the direction of the occurrence of hyperthyroidism.


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