scholarly journals Toxic effect of cathinone (an active principle of Catha edulis) on brain lipids in Swiss albino mice

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1&2) ◽  
pp. 5-11
Author(s):  
Mohammed M. Safhi ◽  
M. F. Alam ◽  
Ibrahim Abdu Jubran Khardali ◽  
Sohail Hussain ◽  
Mohammed Abdul Hakeem Siddiqui ◽  
...  

The leaves of khat plant (Catha edulis) are widely consumed by people of East African countries and Arabian Peninsula for their pleasurable and stimulating effects. The consumption of khat is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but it is being used by the people of Kingdom, especially in the region of Jazan, where it is easily available due to its cultivation in the neighbouring country Yemen. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of very low doses of cathinone on the brain lipids. Male Swiss albino mice were divided in 4 groups, one control and 3 experimental and each group having 6 animals. (-) Cathinone, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg body weight was given intraperitoneal to animals for 10 days, once daily.  Cathinone has elevated the level of triglyceride significantly and dose dependently as compared to control group. On the other hand, the content of ganglioside was depleted significantly and dose dependently in experimental groups as compared to control group. A significantly elevated level of cholesterol was observed with the doses of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg and phospholipids with the dose of 0.5 mg/kg of cathinone as compared to control group. No significant change on total lipids was observed in cathinone treated group as compared to control group. The study concludes that very low doses of cathinone were sufficient for the change on the brain lipid contents to provide excitement in khat chewers. 

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed M. Safhi ◽  
Mohammad Firoz Alam ◽  
Gulrana Khuwaja ◽  
Sohail Hussain ◽  
Mohammed Hakeem Siddiqui ◽  
...  

Abstract Cathinone, the active principle of khat (Catha edulis), stimulates, excites and produces euphoric feelings in khat users. Locomotor and rearing activities, either individual or in groups, of male Swiss albino mice were decreased significantly compared to the control. Motor coordination tests (rotarod, rope climb and grip tests) have shown decreased motor performance in the mice treated with cathinone compared to the control. The elevated plus maze test has shown significant anxiety in the mice compared to the control. Contents of dopamine and its metabolite, homovanillic acid, were increased in the limbic areas compared to the control group. In contrast, contents of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid were depleted significantly and dose dependently compared to the control group in the limbic areas of mice. In conclusion, natural cathinone has depleted motor coordination, accelerated anxiety in mice and altered the contents of dopamine and its metabolites.


2014 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 102-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed M. Safhi ◽  
Mohammad Firoz Alam ◽  
Sohail Hussain ◽  
Mohammed Abdul Hakeem Siddiqui ◽  
Gulrana Khuwaja ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alperen Gündüz ◽  
Emine Yalçın ◽  
Kültiğin Çavuşoğlu

AbstractIn this study, the toxic effects of aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) on Swiss albino mice and the protective effects of resveratrol were investigated. Physiological (body weight, liver and kidney weight), biochemical (aspartate aminotransferase-AST, alanine transaminase-ALT, blood urea nitrogen-BUN, creatinine, malondialdehyde-MDA and glutathione-GSH) and cytogenetic parameters (micronucleus-MN in buccal epithelium, erythrocyte and leukocyte cells and chromosomal aberrations-CAs) were used to determine the toxic effects. Additionally, scavenging effects of resveratrol against superoxide, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals were also investigated. In experimental period, mice were divided into six groups and the groups were treated with tap water, 10 mg/kg b.w resveratrol, 20 mg/kg b.w resveratrol, 20 µg/kg b.w. AFB2, 10 mg/kg b.w resveratrol + 20 µg/kg b.w AFB2, 20 mg/kg b.w resveratrol + 20 µg/kg b.w AFB2, respectively. As a result, the scavenging effects of resveratrol increased with increasing dose and the superoxide, H2O2 and DPPH radical scavenging activity of resveratrol were 74.9%, 79.1% and 49.2%, respectively. AFB2 administration caused a significant decrease in physiological parameters, and these decreases regressed in AFB2 + resveratrol treated groups. Serum ALT and AST activities, BUN and creatinine levels were higher in the AFB2 treated group compared to the control group and serious abnormalities were found in MDA and GSH levels in the kidney and liver. In the group treated with AFB2 + 20 mg/kg resveratrol, ALT, AST, BUN and creatinine levels decreased significantly and GSH levels increased compared to only-AFB2 treated group. AFB2 triggered MN formation in buccal epithelium, erythrocyte and leukocyte cells and CAs in bone marrow cells. The application of 20 mg/kg resveratrol together with AFB2 was decreased the MN and CAs frequency. Resveratrol exhibited a recovery effect in the range of 40.9–80.5% against AFB2 toxicity in all tested parameters. In this study, it was determined that AFB2 caused serious changes in selected physiological, biochemical and cytogenetic parameters while resveratrol displayed a protective role against these toxic effects.


Author(s):  
ANITA NAREDA ◽  
MADHU KUMAR

Objective: Arsenic is a metalloid element that is one of the most important global environmental toxicants and is found in both organic and inorganic forms. The present study was designed to find out the preventive role of Triticum aestivum against arsenic-induced oxidative stress in the liver of Swiss albino mice Methods: The protective role of T. aestivum (Wheatgrass) against arsenic-induced hepatic damages was investigated in adult Swiss albino mice. The animals were divided in to four groups: (i) Control group – only vehicle (double distilled water), (ii) T. aestivum treated group-20 ml/kg body weight (b.wt.), orally (iii) NaAsO2 treated group- 4.0 mg/kg b.wt., and orally (iv) combination group – T. aestivum leaves extract (20 ml/kg b.wt.) and NaAsO2 (4.0 mg/kg/b.wt.). Bodyweight and liver weight were measured in the process. Activities of marker enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase were measured in serum. Activities of lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione (GSH), and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in the liver. Results: The results indicated that arsenic intoxication caused a decrease in b.wt. and liver weight. Arsenic intoxication significantly increased hepatic LPO, Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), and Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT) activities whereas significantly decreased hepatic GSH, hepatic LDH, and serum ALP activities. Combined treatment of T. aestivum and NaAsO2 showed: (i) An increase in body and liver weight, (ii) a significant decrease in LPO, SGOT, and SGPT activities, (iii) an elevation in GSH content, LDH, and serum ALP activities, as compared to NaAsO2 treated group. Conclusion: Thus, T. aestivum was found to be protective against arsenic-induced hepatic damages.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-300
Author(s):  
S Bhakta ◽  
SK Das

Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for the thousands of years and a large number of drugs have been isolated from natural sources. Over 50% of all modern drugs are originated from natural sources. Hibiscus rosasinensis is also a very renowned flower having a vast use as a medicinal plant. Several studies have shown that the flower, leaf of this plant has a wide range of medicinal uses such as contraception, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-tumor, anti-diarrheic and anti-convulsent. But whether this plant affects the liver or not is still not investigated with proper care. For the sake of this purpose a research was conducted on the Swiss albino mice in the Bioresearch Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Histology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202. Twenty (20) mice (Avg. weight of 27-28 gm and avg. age of 6-7 weeks) were purchased from ICDDRB, Mahakhali, Dhaka and divided into two groups (control, C and Treated, T) each having 10 mice. During the experimental period, the control group was supplied with the normal mice pellet and plane water whereas, the powder of the Hibiscus rosasinensis @ 500 mg/ml with drinking water and the normal mice pellet was provided to the treated group. After the end of the experimental tenure of one month the mice were sacrificed ethically and sample (liver) was collected for the gross and histological analysis. Both in the gross and histology the histomorphology of the liver was similar without having any alteration from the normal. No remarkable changes of the gross and histological architecture were found. So it can be said that the extract of Hibiscus rosasinensis has no baleful effects on the histomorphology of the liver in Swiss Albino mice.Progressive Agriculture 27 (3): 296-300, 2016


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.


2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 3153-3157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Østergaard ◽  
Runa Vavia Yieng-Kow ◽  
Thomas Benfield ◽  
Niels Frimodt-Møller ◽  
Frank Espersen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The polysaccharide fucoidin is a selectin blocker that inhibits leukocyte recruitment into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during experimental pneumococcal meningitis. In the present study, the effect of fucoidin treatment on the release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and IL-8 into the CSF was investigated. Rabbits (n = 7) were treated intravenously with 10 mg of fucoidin/kg of body weight every second hour starting 4 h after intracisternal inoculation of ∼106 CFU of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 (untreated control group, n = 7). CSF samples were obtained every second hour during a 16-h study period. Treatment with fucoidin caused a consistent and significant decrease in CSF IL-1 levels (in picograms per milliliter) between 12 and 16 h (0 versus 170, 0 versus 526, and 60 versus 1,467, respectively;P < 0.02). A less consistent decrease in CSF TNF-α levels was observed in the fucoidin-treated group, but with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). In contrast, there was no attenuation in CSF IL-8 levels. Indeed, there was a significant increase in CSF IL-8 levels (in picograms per milliliter) in the fucoidin-treated group at 10 and 12 h (921 versus 574 and 1,397 versus 569, respectively;P < 0.09). In conclusion, our results suggest that blood-derived leukocytes mainly are responsible for the release of IL-1 and to some degree TNF-α into the CSF during pneumococcal meningitis, whereas IL-8 may be produced by local cells within the brain.


Author(s):  
Surekha D. Shetty ◽  
Laxminarayana Bairy K. ◽  
AM Prasad ◽  
Satheesha Nayak B. ◽  
Ashwini Aithal P.

Background: Hormones play a vital role in initiating and maintenance of male reproductive or testicular function which includes the production of androgens and spermatozoa. Testosterone is essential for the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis. FSH is responsible for the stimulation of spermatogenesis. Semen analysis and hormone evaluation are essential parameters in the diagnosis of infertility in males. Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of sorafenib on FSH and intratesticular testosterone levels in male Swiss albino mice. Materials and Methods: The animals were segregated into control, positive control, and treatment groups (n=6). Treatment group received 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of sorafenib orally for seven consecutive days at intervals of 24 hours between two administrations. Positive control group received 100 mg/kg body weight of imatinib. The animals were sacrificed at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 10th week after the last exposure to sorafenib. Results: The intratesticular testosterone level was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in treated groups and severe effect was observed on week 4th and 5th weeks. FSH level was increased significantly (P<0.05) in sorafenib treated groups of mice. Conclusion: The administration of sorafenib does affect testosterone and FSH level significantly, but this effect is reversible once the drug is withdrawn. This finding may help the clinicians to plan and address the fertility-related issues in young patients of reproductive age who are being treated with sorafenib for advanced renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and differentiated thyroid carcinoma.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 383-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecília Maria de Carvalho Xavier Holanda ◽  
Monique Batista da Costa ◽  
Natália Chilinque Zambão da Silva ◽  
Maurício Ferreira da Silva Júnior ◽  
Vanessa Santos de Arruda Barbosa ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: Aloe vera is a tropical plant popularly known in Brazil as babosa. We have investigated the effect of aqueous extract of Aloe vera on the biodistribution of Na99mTcO4 and laboratorial parameters in Wistar rats. METHODS: Twelve animals were divided into treated and control groups. In the treated group, Aloe vera was given by gavage (5mg/mL/day) during 10 days. The control group received sorbitol by the same way and period. One hour after the last dose, we injected 0.1mL of Na99mTcO4 by orbital plexus. After 60 min, all the animals were killed. Samples were harvested from the brain, liver, heart, muscle, pancreas, stomach, femur, kidneys, blood, testis and thyroid and the percentage of radioactivity (%ATI/g) was determined. Biochemical dosages were performed. RESULTS: There was a significant increase of %ATI/g in blood, femur, kidneys, liver, stomach, testis and thyroid and also in blood levels of AST and ALT. A significant decrease in levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and urea occurred. The statistical analyses were performed by Mann-Whitney test and T-Student test (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of Aloe vera facilitated the uptake of Na99mTcO4 in organs of rats and it was responsible to a high increase of levels of AST and ALT.


Author(s):  
Sowmya ◽  
Manohar VR ◽  
Mohandas Rai ◽  
H N Gopalakrishna ◽  
Chandrashekar R

To evaluate the effect of Aqueous extract of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp (AETB) on learning by Hebb William maze model in mice with acute alcohol consumption.Swiss albino mice (n=48) of either sex weighing 20-30g will be divided into eight groups of six mice each. Drugs were given orally after 12 hours of fasting. Group I mice received 10ml/kg of Normal Saline, Group II mice received Piracetam 200mg/kg, Group III received AETB 36mg/kg, Group IV received ethanol 1.5g/kg orally, Group V received ethanol(1.5g/kg )+ piracetam (200mg/kg), Group VI mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB(9mg/kg), Group VII mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB (18mg/kg), Group VIII mice received ethanol(1.5g/kg) +AETB(36mg/kg). Time taken by the animal to reach the reward chamber from the start chamber (TRC) in Hebb-William maze was used as a parameterto evaluate the learning.Acute alcohol administration showed increase in TRC. Whereas, acute administration of Aqueous extracts of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp showed a decrease in TRC when compared to the control group. The TRC values for the groups that were administered AETB along with acute alcohol administration showed decrease in TRC values compared to the negative control.Current study showed acute alcohol administration caused impairment of thelearning ability in mice. Whereas, acute administration of Aqueous extracts of Terminalia belliricafruit pulp (AETB)caused enhancement of learning. Pre-treatment with AETB before acute alcohol administration indicated protective action of AETB on alcohol affected learning in mice.


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