protective value of hesperidin in mitigating the biochemical perturbations and trace element alterations induced by acrylonitrile in rats

Acrylonitrile [a chemical pollutant] has been reported to induce harmful effects in humans. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of hesperidin, a natural bioflavonoid, against the toxicity induced by acrylonitrile [AN] in rats. This study includes determination of serum total scavenger capacity "TSC", liver enzymes [aspartate transaminase "ASAT", alanine transaminase "ALAT" and alkaline phosphatase "ALP"], total proteins, albumin, glucose, creatinine, urea and lipid profile. Moreover, liver and kidney homogenate glutathione content "GSH", catalase, superoxide dismutase "SOD", glutathione peroxidase "GPx", malondialdehyde "MDA" and some minerals were estimated. Revealed that administration of AN [orally 50mg/ kg b.wt.] induced alterations in TSC level as well as liver, kidney and lipid profiles. In addition, a decrease in GSH-content and catalase, SOD and GPx activities was observed with an increase in MDA levels in both liver and kidney. There was disturbance in certain minerals such as Cu, Zn, Fe, Se, Ca, Mg and Mn. Particularly, Hesperidin administration [orally 200 mg/kg b.wt.] ameliorates the oxidative stress induced by AN, consistent with the reported antioxidant activity of hesperidin

Assessment of cardmium and lead in water, sediment and different organs of procambarus clakii [girard 1825] in the River Nile

Cadmium and lead were assessed in water, sediment and some organs [exoskeleton, gills, digestive glands and muscles] of crayfish, Procambarus clarkii [Girard, 1852], in four areas [I: Gezyrat El- Warrak, II: Manial Sheeha, III: Al-Hawamdia and IV: Helwan] along the River Nile at Great Cairo, Egypt. Samples of water, sediment and P. clarkii collected and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The present results showed that the concentration of Cd was markedly lower in water while the concentration of Pb was higher in areas II, III and IV, respectively [p< 0.001], in comparison to area I [control area]. The concentration of Cd in sediment increased while it decreased in case of Pb in the three studied areas in comparison to control. The highest bioconcentration factor [BCF] of Cd in four organs observed in area IV while the highest BCF of Pb observed in area I. This study shows that the lowest concentrations of Cd and Pb were in the crayfish muscles in comparison to the exoskeleton, gills, and digestive gland. Also, these results indicate that the analysis of Cd and Pb in different organs of P. clarkii might be a useful as a bioindicator for trace metals pollution in the freshwater system, due to their ability to rapidly accumulate and retain them in their tissues for long periods of time

Assessment of some metals in water, sediment and their bioaccumulation in the crayfish procambarus clarkii in the river Nile at greater Cairo

Calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc were assessed in water, sediment and some organs [exoskeleton, gills, and digestive gland] of crayfish, Procainharus clarkii, from four sites [I: Gezyrat El-Warrak, II: Manial Sheeha, III: Al-Hawamdia and IV: Helwan] along the River Nile at Greater Cairo, Egypt. Samples of water, sediment and P. clarkii organs were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results show that the highest concentrations of metals in different sites [I-IV] of the Nile water were in the following order: site IV>III>I>II for Ca and Mg, site II>IV>III>I for Fe, Mn and Zn, and site II>III>IV>I for Cu, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest concentrations of the studied metals in the Nile sediment were in the following order: site IV>I>II> III for Ca, site II>III>IV>I for Fe, site I>II>III>IV for Cu, site I>II>IV>III for Zn, site IV>III>I>II for Mn and site IV>III>II>I for Mg, respectively. The bioaccumulation factor [BCF] of these metals in the exoskeleton and digestive gland of P. clarkii revealed the following order: Fe> Mn > Cu > Mg> Zn > Ca. However, the order of accumulation of these metals in the gills was Fe>Cu > Mn > Mg> Ca > Zn. These results indicate that the analysis of such metals in various body parts of P. clurkii is useful as a bioindicator for pollution in the freshwater system.