Mitigation of cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity by casticin in male albino rats

Cisplatin (CP) is a commonly used, powerful antineoplastic drug, having numerous side effects. Casticin (CAS) is considered as a free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant. The present research was planned to assess the curative potential of CAS on CP persuaded renal injury in male albino rats. Twenty four male albino rats were distributed into four equal groups. Group-1 was considered as a control group. Animals of Group-2 were injected with 5mg/kg of CP intraperitoneally. Group-3 was co-treated with CAS (50mg/kg) orally and injection of CP (5mg/kg). Group-4 was treated with CAS (50mg/kg) orally throughout the experiment. CP administration substantially reduced the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione (GSH) content while increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels. Urea, urinary creatinine, urobilinogen, urinary proteins, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels were substantially increased. In contrast, albumin and creatinine clearance was significantly reduced in CP treated group. The results demonstrated that CP significantly increased the inflammation indicators including nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity and histopathological damages. However, the administration of CAS displayed a palliative effect against CP-generated renal toxicity and recovered all parameters by bringing them to a normal level. These results revealed that the CAS is an effective compound having the curative potential to counter the CP-induced renal damage.

Application of melatonin-mediated modulation of drought tolerance by regulating photosynthetic efficiency, chloroplast ultrastructure, and endogenous hormones in maize

Background Melatonin played an essential role in numerous vital life processes of animals and captured the interests of plant biologists because of its potent role in plants as well. As far as its possible contribution to photoperiodic processes, melatonin is believed to act as a growth regulator and a direct free radical scavenger/indirect antioxidant. The objective of this study to identify a precise melatonin concentration for a particular application method to improve plant growth requires identification and clarification. Methods This work establishes unique findings by optimizing melatonin concentration in alleviating the detrimental effects of drought stress in maize. Maize plants were subjected to drought stress (40–45% FC) after treatments of melatonin soil drenching at different concentrations (50, 100, and 150 µM) to consider the changes of growth attribute, chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate, relative water content (RWC), chloroplast ultrastructure, endogenous hormonal mechanism, and grain yield. Results Our results showed that the application of melatonin treatments remarkably improved the plant growth attributes, chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate, RWC, hormonal mechanism, and grain yield plant−1 under drought conditions at a variable rate. Conclusion Our current findings hereby confirmed the mitigating potential of melatonin application 100 µM for drought stress by maintaining plant growth, hormone content, and grain yield of maize. We conclude that the application of melatonin to maize is effective in reducing drought stress tolerance. Graphical Abstract

Single-Atom Fe-Anchored Nano-Diamond With Enhanced Dual-Enzyme Mimicking Performance for H2O2 and Glutathione Detection

Glutathione (GSH) is an important antioxidant and free radical scavenger that converts harmful toxins into harmless substances and excretes them out of the body. In the present study, we successfully prepared single-atom iron oxide-nanoparticle (Fe-NP)-modified nanodiamonds (NDs) named Fe-NDs via a one-pot in situ reduction method. This nanozyme functionally mimics two major enzymes, namely, peroxidase and oxidase. Accordingly, a colorimetric sensing platform was designed to detect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and GSH. Owing to their peroxidase-like activity, Fe-NDs can oxidize colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue with sufficient linearity at H2O2 concentrations of 1–60 μM and with a detection limit of 0.3 μM. Furthermore, using different concentrations of GSH, oxidized TMB can be reduced to TMB, and the color change from blue to nearly colorless can be observed by the naked eye (linear range, 1–25 μM; detection limit, 0.072 μM). The established colorimetric method based on oxidase-like activity can be successfully used to detect reduced GSH in tablets and injections with good selectivity and high sensitivity. The results of this study exhibited reliable consistency with the detection results obtained using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Therefore, the Fe-NDs colorimetric sensor designed in this study offers adequate accuracy and sensitivity.

Enhancing the durability of hydrocarbon-membrane-based polymer electrolyte water electrolysis using a radical scavenger-embedded interlocking interfacial layer

Cerium oxide-containing interlocking interfacial layer improved mechanical adhesion and chemical stability of the interface. For the first time as a hydrocarbon-based membrane, it operated stably for more than 500 hours.

Karakteristik Fitokimia dan Aktivitas Antioksidan Ekstrak Pupa Black Soldier Fly (BSF)

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) merupakan spesies lalat daerah tropis yang dapat menguraikan senyawa organik, sehingga banyak dimanfaatkan untuk mengatasi limbah organic di perkotaan. Larva BSF memiliki kemampuan mengkonsumsi limbah organik dalam jumlah besar dan cepat karena bagian mulut dan enzim pencernaan yang aktif. Larva BSF juga dimanfaatkan sebagai pakan ternak karena memiliki kadar protein dan lemak yang tinggi. Pupa BSF kaya akan senyawa kitin dan digunakan untuk bahan baku kitosan. Pupa BSF diduga mengandung senyawa metabolit sekunder yang memiliki sifat antioksidan. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui kandungan senyawa metabolit sekunder serta sifat aktivitas antioksidannya. Pengujian senyawa metabolit sekunder menggunakan skrining fitokimia sedangkan aktivitas antioksidan menggunakan metode radical scavenger. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak heksana mengandung alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, terpenoid dan triterpenoid. Ekstrak etil asetat mengandung alkaloid, saponin dan terpenoid, sedangkan ekstrak metanol mengandung alkaloid, saponin dan terpenoid. Nilai IC50 pada larutan ekstrak n-heksan, etil asetat dan metanol berturut-turut adalah 41,18; 36,92 dan 17,45 mg/L. Nilai IC50 ini menunjukkan bahwa pupa BSF memiliki sifat antioksidan sangat kuat. Kata Kunci : BSF; fitokimia; antioksidan

Pterostilbene Alleviates Chlorpyrifos-Induced Damage During Porcine Oocyte Maturation

Chlorpyrifos (CPF), a widely used organophosphate pesticide, is reported to severely impair mammalian reproductive system. Pterostilbene (PTS), an effective free radical scavenger, is considered as beneficial for mammalian reproduction. However, the toxicity of CPF on oocyte maturation and whether PTS can eliminate the detrimental effect of CPF on oocytes remain unclear. Here, porcine oocytes were applied to investigate the potential effect and possible mechanism of CPF and PTS during oocyte maturation. This work demonstrated that CPF significantly delayed the meiotic progression and decreased the polar body extrusion by disturbing spindle assembly and chromosome alignment and causing DNA damage in oocytes (p < 0.05). And, CPF significantly impaired oocyte cytoplasmic maturation by inducing the high level of reactive oxygen species and decreasing glutathione content (p < 0.05). Moreover, CPF significantly triggered embryo apoptosis and reduced the blastocyst rate and cell number following parthenogenetic activation (p < 0.05). Whereas CPF-exposed oocytes were treated with PTS, these defects caused by CPF were obviously rescued, and oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development were also significantly ameliorated (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results revealed that CPF exerted the toxic effect on porcine oocytes, while PTS effectively alleviated CPF-induced damage on oocytes. This work provides a potential strategy to protect oocyte maturation in mammalian species.

A new analytical method, using the dark Fenton reaction as an OH radical source to study oxidations of unsaturated (di)aldehydes in the aqueous phase

<p>Anthropogenic and biogenic sources produce numerous primary emitted gases, organic compounds, and aerosols in the atmosphere. An important group of such compounds are α, β-unsaturated carbonyl molecules, which can be formed in the atmosphere due to their secondary origin, including oxidation of their precursors such as hydrocarbons with common atmospheric oxidants such as hydroxyl radicals (‧OH). Since those compounds contain at least one double bond and one carbonyl group, they are characterized as water-soluble molecules, which can diffuse on the cloud droplets’ surface and undergo a phase transfer from the gas phase to the atmospheric aqueous phase. In the latter, the oxidized organic compounds can contribute to aerosol mass production through in-cloud processes, yielding aqueous phase secondary organic aerosols (aqSOA). Due to their strong photochemical behavior, the development of a new analytical approach for evaluating the OH radical kinetics in the aqueous phase under dark conditions was essential. One of the most studied non-photolytic reactions is Fenton chemistry (Fe(II)/H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>), which serves as an OH radical source in the dark in the atmospheric aqueous phase after catalytic decomposition of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in the presence of Fe(II) at acidic pH values. In a typical experiment, temperature-dependent second-order rate constants of OH radicals with unsaturated dialdehydes, such as (1) crotonaldehyde, and (2) 1,4-butenedial, were determined in a bulk reactor by using the competition kinetics method. In the newly developed method, the role of radical scavenger was performed by isotopically labeled 2-propanol (d8), while the OH-initiated oxidation produces deuterated acetone (d6), being analyzed with GC-MS after derivatization. The findings from our research will be incorporated in the CAPRAM model to explain discrepancies between experimentally observed and predicted aqSOA properties.</p>

Safranal Effect against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Liver Injury

The liver is the primary organ for drug metabolism, elimination, Cyclophosphamid is the classical alkylating agent nitrogen mustard, its metabolism into two cytotoxic metabolites, and increase reactive oxygen species that is make liver toxicity. Safranal as the most abundant chemical in saffron essential oil, it have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptic and free radical scavenger activity. The aim of study is to assess the protective effects of safranal on the cyclophosphamide-induce liver toxicity in rat model. This occur by using five different groups of rats; control group, treatment group, cyclophosamide group (intraperitoneal i.p), cyclophosamide and (50mg and 100mg) oral safranal treatment groups. This study showed this protective by decreasing liver parameter enzyme (aminotransferase enzyme) and MDA level, increases glutathione and NRF2

Redox Properties of Human Erythrocytes Are Adapted for Vitamin C Recycling

Ascorbic acid (AA; or vitamin C) is an important physiological antioxidant and radical scavenger. Some mammalian species, including homo sapiens, have lost the ability to synthetize AA and depend on its nutritional uptake. Erythrocytes from AA-auxotroph mammals express high amounts of the glucose transporter GLUT1. This isoform enables rapid uptake of glucose as well as dehydroascorbate (DHA), the fully oxidized form of AA. Here, we explored the effects of DHA uptake on the redox metabolism of human erythrocytes. DHA uptake enhanced plasma membrane electron transport (PMET) activity. This process is mediated by DCytb, a membrane bound cytochrome catalyzing extracellular reduction of Fe3+ and ascorbate free radical (AFR), the first oxidized form of AA. DHA uptake also decreased cellular radical oxygen species (ROS) levels. Both effects were massively enhanced in the presence of physiological glucose concentrations. Reduction of DHA to AA largely depleted intracellular glutathione (GSH) and induced the efflux of its oxidized form, GSSG. GSSG efflux could be inhibited by MK-571 (IC50 = 5 μM), indicating involvement of multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP1/4). DHA-dependent GSH depletion and GSSG efflux were completely rescued in the presence of 5 mM glucose and, partially, by 2-deoxy-glucose (2-DG), respectively. These findings indicate that human erythrocytes are physiologically adapted to recycle AA both intracellularly via GLUT1-mediated DHA uptake and reduction and extracellularly via DCytb-mediated AFR reduction. We discuss the possibility that this improved erythrocyte-mediated AA recycling was a prerequisite for the emergence of AA auxotrophy which independently occurred at least twice during mammalian evolution.

Naringenin Release to Biomembrane Models by Incorporation into Nanoparticles. Experimental Evidence Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Naringenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone-7-rhamnoglucosideor naringenin-7-rhamnoglucoside), a flavonoid present in large quantities in citrus, has different beneficial effects on human health as an antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, carbohydrate metabolism promoter, and immune system modulator. Different studies have shown that this substance also has a hypoglycemic and antihypertensive effect, reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, and plays an important protective role in the heart tissue; moreover, it provides neuroprotection against various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and unpredictable chronic stress-induced depression. Despite these advantages, Naringenin is poorly absorbed, and the small percentage absorbed is rapidly degraded by the liver, as a result losing its activity. Several approaches have been attempted to overcome these obstacles, among them, nanotechnology, with the use of Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) as Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC). DDS can, in fact, improve the drug bioavailability. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize SLN and NLC containing Naringenin and to evaluate the ability of these nanoparticles to release Naringenin at the cell level using biomembrane models represented by Multilamellar Vesicles (MLV). These studies were performed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry, a powerful technique to detect the interaction of drugs and delivery systems with MLV. It was shown that Naringenin could be better incorporated into NLC with respect to SLN and that Naringenin could be released by NLC into the biomembrane model. Therefore, suggesting the administration of Naringenin loaded into nanoparticles could help avoid the disadvantages associated with the use of the free molecule.