Hepatorenal Protective Effects of Sesame Seeds Oil, Flaxseed Oil and their Mixture against Methotrexate Toxicity in Rats

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is an anti-metabolite drug used in the treatment of many cancers and autoimmune diseases. Methods: This study investigated the protective effect of flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, and their mixture on the MTX-induced hepatorenal toxicity. Thirty rats divided into five groups of: normal control, MTX control, and flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil, and the mixture groups. The oils were administered to rats orally (2 ml/kg) for nine consecutive days followed by a methotrexate injection intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg) on the 9th day. Blood samples, liver and kidney tissues were collected from all rats for biochemical studies and histopathological assessments. The total phenolic content and fatty acid profiles of the oils were also determined. Results: Methotrexate induced hepatorenal toxicity as evident by the histopathological assessments of liver and kidneys, elevation of liver and kidney functions’ biomarkers, and increased plasma and liver oxidative stress associated with a rise in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha, as an inflammatory marker. Administration of flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil or the mixture prevented the MTX-toxicity at varying degrees as shown by reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response, and improved liver and kidney functions. The mixture was the most efficient treatment associated with the histopathological improvements in the liver and kidney tissue samples, and all biochemical parameters tested. Conclusion: Flaxseed oil, sesame seeds oil and the mixture may be used therapeutically to prevent hepatorenal toxicity induced by MTX. The effect is likely due to the presence of phenolic compounds and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the oils with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Fabrication of Tizanidine Loaded Patches Using Flaxseed Oil and Coriander Oil as a Penetration Enhancer for Transdermal Delivery

Transdermal drug delivery is important to maintain plasma drug concentrations for therapeutic efficacy. The current study reports the design, formulation, and evaluation of tizanidine transdermal patches formulated using chitosan and thiolated chitosan, ethyl cellulose (EC), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and Eudragit RL100 in different ratios. The tizanidine patches were formulated using flaxseed oil and coriander oil in the concentrations of 1% v/w, 2% v/w, 3% v/w, 4% v/w, 5% v/w, and 10% v/w. The patches were subjected to characterization of physicochemical property (thickness, weight uniformity, drug content, efficiency, percentage moisture uptake/loss), in vitro drug release and drug permeation, skin irritation, in vivo application, pharmacokinetics analysis, and stability studies. The results indicate that the interaction of thiolated chitosan with the negative charges of the skin opens the tight junctions of the skin, whereas flaxseed and coriander oils change the conformational domain of the skin. The novelty of this study is in the use of flaxseed and coriander oils as skin permeation enhancers for the formulation of tizanidine transdermal patches. The formulations follow non-Fickian drug release kinetics. The FTZNE23, FTZNE36 and FTZNE54, with 5% v/w flaxseed oil loaded formulations, exhibited higher flux through rabbit skin compared with FTZNE30, FTZNE35, FTZNE42, and FTZNE47, formulations loaded with 10% v/w coriander oil. The study concludes that flaxseed oil is a better choice for formulating tizanidine patches, offering optimal plasma concentration and therapeutic efficacy, and recommends the use of flaxseed and coriander oil based patches as a novel transdermal delivery system for tizanidine and related classes of drugs.

Flaxseed Oil as a Source of Omega n-3 Fatty Acids to Improve Semen Quality from Livestock Animals: A Review

The demand to conserve indigenous species through the cryo-gene bank is increasing. Spermatozoa remain sensitive to cryopreservation damages especially that of avian species thus limiting the use of reproductive biotechnologies such as artificial insemination in the conservation programs. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFAs), specifically omega n-3, expanded a research interest to improve animal reproductive efficiency through improving spermatozoa quality. This is driven by the fact that mammals cannot synthesize omega-3 de-novo because they lack delta-12 and delta-15 desaturase enzymes thus supplemented in the diet is mandatory. Delta-12 and delta-15 add a double bond at the 12th and 15th carbon-carbon bond from the methyl end of fatty acids, lengthening the chain to 22 carbon molecules. Fish oil is a pioneer source of omega n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. However, there is a report that numerous fisheries are over-exploited and could collapse. Furthermore, processing techniques used for processing by-products could complement alterations of the amino acid profile and reduce protein retrieval. Alternatively, flaxseed oil contains ±52–58% of total fatty acids and lignans in the form of α-linolenic and linoleic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA,18:3n-3) is enzymatically broken-down de-novo by delta-6 desaturase and lengthened into a long-chain carbon molecule such as eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3). Nevertheless, controversial findings following the enrichment of diet with flaxseed oil have been reported. Therefore, this paper is aimed to postulate the role of flaxseed oil as an alternative source of omega n-3 and n-6 fatty acids to improve semen quality and quantity from livestock animals. These include the interaction between docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and spermatogenesis, the interaction between docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and testicular cells, and the effect of flaxseed oil on semen quality. It additionally assesses the antioxidants to balance the level of PUFAs in the semen.