Mercuric Chloride induced Oxidative Stress, Genotoxicity, Haematological Changes and Histopathological Alterations in Fish Channa Punctatus (Bloch, 1793).

The current study was strived to investigate the adverse effects of Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) overload in the fish Channa punctatus. Two sub-lethal test concentrations of HgCl2 viz., 1/20th and 1/10th of 96 h LC50 i.e., 0.03 mg/L and 0.07 mg/L, respectively, were used for exposure. Blood, liver and kidney tissues of the control and exposed specimens were sampled at intervals of 15, 30 and 45 days to assess alterations in oxidative stress, genotoxicity haematological parameters and histopathology. Significant changes in Hb%, RBC count, WBC count, antioxidant enzyme activity viz., super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione reductase (GR) were recorded. Micronuclei (MN) induction, nuclear abnormalities (NA) and histopathological alterations were also observed in the exposed fish. Significant (p < 0.05) increase in activities of SOD, CAT, GSH, GR and after 45 d decrease in the level of GSH and GR suggest an undermined anti-oxidative defence system in the fish exposed to HgCl2. Histological examination of liver and kidney showed serious tissue injury and histological alterations. Significant increase in MN and NA frequencies reveal the DNA damage in erythrocytes of fish and haematological changes show the toxicological potential of HgCl2. The observed genotoxicity, biochemical, haematological and histological changes in the present study provide the most extensive insight of HgCl2 stress in Channa punctatus.

Protective Effect of Resveratrol against Hepatotoxicity of Cadmium in Male Rats: Antioxidant and Histopathological Approaches

Cadmium (Cd) is widely used in some industries and emitted from fossil fuels. It is a heavy metal with a number of side effects, including hepatotoxicity. Resveratrol (Rs) is considered an important polyphenol, which is a secondary plant metabolite and has the ability to scavenge free radicals. The study was designed to evaluate the effects of resveratrol on Cd, which induced hepatotoxicity, by the assessment of some histopathological and biochemical alterations. Forty male albino rats were divided into four groups: the 1st group was the control group, the 2nd group was treated with Cd (5 mg/kg), the 3rd group was given Rs (20 mg/kg), and the 4th group was treated with Cd in combination with Rs intraperitoneally for 30 successive days. The results indicate that Cd increased liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase ALP and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) while reducing the total protein level; Cd increased the malondialdhyde (MDA) level while decreasing the levels of other antioxidant enzymes super oxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (SOD, CAT and GPx). Serious congestion and hemorrhage related to the hepatic tissues were noticed in the Cd group, and Rs plays a major role in alleviating histopathological injuries and hepatic oxidative damage. It is clear that Rs has the ability to minimize the hepatotoxicity induced by Cd in male rats.

Estimating Pulmonary Function, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), And Superoxide Dismutase-3 (EC-SOD3) Levels in Patients with Chronic Bronchial Asthma on Curcumin Adjuvant Therapy

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of curcumin supplement as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in patients with chronic bronchial asthma. Forty patients diagnosed with chronic bronchial asthma were enrolled in this study and allocated into group (1) patients assigned to receive conventional therapy of asthma, and group (2) patient assigned to receive conventional therapy of asthma combined with 750 mg curcumin supplement twice daily for two months. Pulmonary function test, asthma control test, serum interleukin-6 and serum extracellular super oxide dismutase 3 were measured before and after two months in both study groups. After two months, the mean values of pulmonary function test (spirometry) and asthma control score showed significant increase compared to pre-treatment values in group 2 patients (P<0.01). Moreover, there was marked decrease in the level of interleukin-6 in group 2 patients after two months (p< 0.05) compared to the increased in group 1 patients. The mean level of super oxide dismutase 3 didn’t show any increase in both study groups after treatment. Curcumin supplement produced improvement in pulmonary function of patients with chronic bronchial asthma along with the reduction in inflammatory status. No change in endogenous oxidative status after curcumin supplementation.

The effectiveness of Rutin for prevention of surgical induced endometriosis development in a rat model

Apoptosis and antioxidant mechanisms are pathways for the treatment of endometriosis (Endo). Rutin (Rtn) is an antioxidant flavonol that induces apoptosis. This study, for first time, was conducted to evaluate the effects of rutin on Endo through apoptosis and antioxidant mechanisms. The experimental Endo was induced in 24 rats and then the animals were subdivided into Endo-sole, 3000 and 6000 µg/kg rutin (Rtn-3000 and Rtn-6000) and vitamin C groups. After 4 weeks, the expression of Bcl2, Bax, anti Pro Caspase-9, cleaved Caspase-9, pro PARP, pro Cleaved PARP, Pro PARP, pro mTOR and mTOR were assessed by western blotting technique. The protein concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity, and super oxide dismutase and gutathione peroxidase were also evaluated. TUNEL staining was also used for the detection of apoptosis. Caspase-9 and concentration of antioxidants were higher in the treated groups compared to Endo-sole group (P < 0.05). The results also showed that rutin decreased the expression of Bcl2 and MDA concentration (P < 0.05). The results for TUNEL staining showed that the animals treated with Rtn-6000 and vitamin C showed higher apoptosis. Rutin induces apoptosis by the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase and also antioxidant activity by increasing antioxidants concentrations.

Dietary Supplementation of Brown Seaweed and/or Nucleotides Improved Shrimp Performance, Health Status and Cold-Tolerant Gene Expression of Juvenile Whiteleg Shrimp during the Winter Season

This study was aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Sargassumpolycystum and nucleotides- supplemented diets to improve immune response and cold-tolerance of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei. Four treatments were evaluated: T1, the control, shrimp received only a basal diet; T2, a basal diet with 500 ppm nucleotides; T3, a basal diet with 500 ppm S.polycystum powdered; T4, a basal diet with 500 ppm nucleotides and 500 ppm S.polycystum powdered. Shrimp were fed experimental diets for 56 days. Results revealed shrimp fed T4 diet exhibited the best significant improvement in water quality, survival, growth, and feed utilization indices followed by T2, and T3, while T1 showed the worst values. Additionally, nonspecific immune responses (phagocytosis (%), lysozyme, phenoloxidase, super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity, total nitric oxide) were improved with 1.7–3.2-fold in T4 higher than T1. Histomorphology of hepatopancreas in T4 showed the most increased activation of the hepatic glandular duct system compared with the other treatments. Moreover, nucleotides/seaweed-supplemented diets upregulated relative expression of cMnSOD, Penaeidin4, and heat shock protein70 (HSP70) genes, while translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) was downregulated. In conclusion, the synergistic effects of both S. polycystum and nucleotides have many advantages as a growth promoter, immunostimulant, antimicrobial, and cold-tolerant stimulant to L. vannamei.

Effect of salicylic acid on the anti-oxidative system of Bt and non - Bt cotton grown in semi-arid soils of Nizamabad

The effect of salicylic acid (SA) sprayed in three concentrations viz., 0.5 mM, 1.0mM and 3.0mM on the antioxidative system comprising of antioxidative enzymes [catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and super oxide dismutase (SOD)] as well as antioxidants like ascorbate (ASA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were analyzed in two varieties of cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.) viz., Bt- cotton and non-Bt plants grown in the semi-arid tropics of Nizamabad. The soil in Nizamabad district is saline and black soil wherein the plants usually experience drought and saline stresses. Application of all three concentrations of SA positively increased the activities of all the enzymes (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and super oxide dismutase (SOD) in the two varieties of cotton compared to untreated control plants except peroxidase (POD) enzyme activity which was found decreased. Further SA was found to increase the contents of ascorbate (ASA) as well as reduced glutathione (GSH). The Bt-cotton variety showed better performance over non-Bt varieties. SA at 3.0 mM conc. was found most effective in increasing enzymes as well as antioxidants in both cotton varieties over 1.0mM, 0.5 mM and untreated controls. The promotion of enzyme contents as well as antioxidants in both cotton varieties is an indicator that SA mitigated the negative effect of the semi-arid soil conditions of Nizamabad district.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress and LeptinLevel in Samples of Iraqi Obese Women

The aim of this study is to investigate oxidative stress and leptinlevel in obese women. Fifty obese women with BMI value of ≥ 30.0 kg/m2 and thirty healthy women with BMI<24.9 kg/m2 were involved in the study during their attendance at Gastroenterology and Liver Hospital/ Medical city in Baghdad province from October 2018 to February 2019. The age range for all women was 30-50 years. Blood samples were collected from each participant for the evaluation of the levels of leptin hormone, Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD), and Malondialdehyde (MDA). The results of BMI, leptin hormone, MDA and SOD showed highly significant increase (P<0.01) in obese women in comparison with the control group. Results: The results show that BMI value were significantly higher (P<0.01) in obese women (41.90 ± 0.87kg/m2) in comparison with the control (23.58 ± 0.28kg/m2). The level of leptin hormone was significantly higher(P<0.01) in obese women (1444.00 ± 10.67pg/ml) in comparison with the control (932.26 ± 25.92pg/ml). Also, MDA level was significantly higher(P<0.01) in obese women (6.81 ± 0.29mg/dl) in comparison with the control (4.53 ± 0.44) mg/dl. The level of SOD was significantly higher(P<0.01) in obese women (15.67 ± 1.42mg/dl) in comparison with the control group (3.75 ± 0.60mg/dl). Conclusions: Obesity is detected by the level of leptin Hormone; leptin is regarded as a good parameter for monitoring obesity,showing a high increasewith increasing BMI.Theincrease in obesity causes oxidant stress and formation of MDA that is considered as a major risk factor in obesity,where adecrease in antioxidants was also recorded.