ABSTRACT
A critical restriction in the use of bleomycin [BLM] is development of pulmonary fibrosis via oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms. Drugs that induce heme oxygenase-1 [HO-1] like hemin [HEM], have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. Accordingly, it is worth to test HEM against BLM-induced lung Injury. Four groups of rats were used: control group; HEM group [50mg/kg, i.p.]; BLM group [5mg/kg, intratracheal single injection] and HEM+BLM group [HEM administered 1 day before BLM injection and continued for 14 days]. At the end of experiment, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] and NO levels were estimated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [BALF]. Hydroxyproline [HP], myeloperoxidase [MPO], IL-6, GSH, MDA levels and SOD activity were determined in lung tissues. In addition, expression of HO-1 and NF-kappaB protein in lung tissues was determined using both western blot and immunohistochemical techniques. Also lung tissues were investigated histopathologically. BLM produced lung damage as indicated from the elevation in LDH and NO, perturbation in lung oxidative stress indicators, increased HP, MPO, IL- 6 contents and NF-kappaB expression. On the other side, HEM, reduced BLM harmful effects as noticed from amelioration of biochemical markers and histopathological lesions, which is concomitant with over-expression of HO-1. Therefore, induction of HO-1 in lung by HEM may alleviate the lung damaging effects of BLM
ABSTRACT
The antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of brown propolis was determined by invitro antioxidant assays via 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl [DPPHú] free radical scavenging activity and phosphomolybdenum method. The brown propolis extract had an effective DPPHú scavenging activity at 20-200 micro g/ml concentrations. Moreover, the in-vivo experiments showed that brown propolis extract has a powerful antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity in the liver tissues challenged with CCl4. On the other hand, we found that pretreatment of rats with propolis extract protected gastric tissues against indomethacin-induced gastropathy as demonstrated from reduction in the ulcer index, attenuation of histopathological changes and amelioration of the altered oxidative stress biomarkers like glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels and superoxide dismutase act ivi ty in gastric tissues. In conclusion, total ethanolic extract of brown propolis exposed major anti-oxidant and anti-ulcer activities