Determination of Protein Oxidation in Aquaculture Feed

The aim of this research was to develop reliable, easy-to-perform and cheap method for measuring protein oxidation in complex samples such as aquaculture feed within various protein sources. For that purpose modified 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazyne (DNPH)-based method for quantification of protein carbonyls was employed, while the method modification was consisted of using different solutions for the extraction, time of protein extraction and concentration of trichloracetic acid (TCA) for protein precipitation. It was found that extraction during night, higher TCA concentration and the use of 0.5 M KCl extraction solution resulted in the highest protein amount measured by Lowry method and 280 nm protein estimation. On the other hand, the lowest protein yield was obtained by using distillated water for the extraction. Furthermore, the lowest amount of protein carbonyls was in the case when extraction was performed with distilled water (DW), while the highest content of protein carbonyls were reached with 0.15 M KCl and 0.5 M KCl extraction solutions. It was observed that the amount of carbonyls compounds were increasing during storage under accelerated conditions, and in comparison to the original (unmodified) method, the modified method for measuring protein oxidation resulted in the higher amount of carbonyls during the all points of storage.

An immunohistochemistry and histopathological study of ankaferd blood stopper in a rat model of cervical inflammation

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) is a medicinal plant extract used topically as a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant agent. Its cytoprotective effect mainly depends on its pleiotropic properties by modulating inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. This study aims to test the possible therapeutic effect of ABS in the treatment of erosive and inflammatory conditions occurring in the uterine cervix. METHODS: Twenty-four female Wistar Albino rats were used in the present study. Trichloracetic acid was applied intravaginally to establish an experimental rat model of cervicitis. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: group I (injury), group II (injury+isotoinc saline), and group III (injury+ABS). After 3 estrous cycles of ABS and isotonic saline treatment, the amount of inflammation, vascular congestion and erosion were evaluated in the cervical tissues by using a modified semi-quantitative scale of 0-3. Immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies against IL-1β was also performed. RESULTS: Compared with group I and II, the ABS group showed the least inflammatory cell infiltration, vascular congestion and cervical erosion, compared with the ABS group prominent IL-1β staining observed in group I and group II. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that ABS is a highly effective alternative to induce normal cervical epithelium and can be used safely in the treatment of cervical inflammation with or without cervical erosion.