ABSTRACT
Stress is thought to impair immune function through emotional or behavioral manifestations thus the present study was done to assessed the effect of ethanolic extract of Butea frondosa [BF] leaves on behaviour, immunomodulatory activity and brain acetyl cholinesterase activity in normal and stress induced male rats. Neuroprotective effects of BF, doses [100,200,400mg/kg p.o] were measured by assessing the changes in the behaviour and the immunity of the rats. In stress control, the results indicated that the retention transfer latency, time spent in a closed arm, agglutination , total leukocytes counts [TLC], total paw edema ,size of spleen , decreased significantly [p<0.01] while glucose level, size of the kidney and the liver, AChE activity increased significantly [p<0.01] in comparison with normal control. In BF [200mg/kg] treated rats, the results indicated that the time spent in a closed arm [p<0.01], agglutination [p<0.01], TLC [p<0.01], total paw edema [p<0.05], size of spleen[p<0.01] , increased significantly while glucose level [p<0.01], size of the kidney and the liver [p<0.01], AChE activity [p<0.01] decreased significantly in comparison with stress control. This study therefore concluded that the ethanolic extract of BF [200mg/kg] showed a protective effect against the stress induced impaired immune system and the psychological disorders
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. Preliminary studies have evaluated the association between innate immunity including Toll-like receptors [TLRs] and airway samples of patients with COPD. The role of TLRs in peripheral blood neutrophils is poorly understood. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the role of TLR2 and TLR4 in peripheral blood neutrophils of COPD patients
Methods: A total of 101 COPD cases and an equal number of healthy controls participated in this case-control study. Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated from all participants and cultured for 24 hours through lipopolysaccharide [LPS] stimulation. The gene expressions of TLR2 and TLR4 were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of interleukin [IL]-8 and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-9 were measured in neutrophils cell culture supernatants using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]
Results: The levels of IL-8 and MMP-9 were significantly higher in patients with COPD compared to healthy controls. Similarly, the gene expression of TLR2 and TLR4 were increased in LPS stimulated peripheral blood neutrophils of patients with COPD. Smoke pack years was positively correlated with IL-8 levels and negatively correlated with forced expiratory volume in the first second % [r = -0.33; p = 0.023] and FEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC] [r = -0.27; p = 0.011]
Conclusions: The increased expression of TLR2 and TLR4 suggests its role in disease pathogenesis of COPD. Smoke pack years was negatively associated with spirometric parameters in COPD patients. This may help to predict the smokers without COPD who risk developing the condition in the future
ABSTRACT
Background: up to know many herbal medicines with different oral formulations have been recommended for diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 4 herbal hypoglycemic agents include garlic [Allium sativum] neem [Azadirachta indica], tulsi [Ocimum sanctum] and bitter gourd [Momordica charantia] on blood glucose, antioxidant enzymes and metal ions in diabetics
Methods: crude extracts of herbal agents was prepared and each one was given to one group of diabetic rats. Two group of diabetic rats received insulin and glibenclamide. As controls, two groups of healthy and diabetic rats received saline. Body weight, fasting blood glucose, antioxidant enzymes and metal ions were measured before and after the study
Results: all agents including herbal preparations, insulin and glibenclamide reduced the levels of blood sugar and lipid peroxide when compared with diabetic control. These agents also increased levels of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rats. Antioxidant enzymes decreased significantly in diabetic controls. Metal ions increased in diabetic rats treated with herbal agents, insulin and glibenclamide but decreased in diabetic controls
Conclusion: above mentioned herbal plants may be useful in the treatment of diabetes as they not only have hypoglycemic effect but they also protect rats from free radical mediated cellular injury by improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes. They also improve the levels of metal ions which are associated with antioxidant enzymes