ABSTRACT
The data concerning the infl uence of the plant remedy on the functional state of kidneys, blood lipid spectrum, free radical processes activity and manifestation of immune disturbances in experimental glomerulonephritis are given in the present paper.Key words: nephrophyt, Heiman’s nephritis, immune disturbances, dyslipidemia, free radicalprocesses. Kidney diseases of immune etiology are the main causes of the development of chronic kidney insuffi ciency resulting in invalidism and mortality. The immune disturbances take their toll in glomerulonephritis pathogenesis [1, 2]. The lipid metabolism impairments frequently noted in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis accompanied by nephritic syndrome are characterized by the increase of triglycerides (TG) in the blood, total cholesterol, low densitylipoproteins, non-esterifi cative fatty acids and atherogenic index. Experimental works by Bernard D.B. [3] have proved the injuring role of lipids in the development of kidney diseases. Free radical processes and lipid peroxidation are closely connected with lipid effects on the kidney tissue. These processes are heavily emphasized in nephrology due to their interrelation with infl ammation and cytomembrane destruction. At present the assortment of drugs used in chronic kidney insuffi ciency is limited; therefore, the search of new nephroprotective remedies is of great importance. The present work was aimed at the study of “nephrophyt” effect on the functional state of kidneys, lipid composition in the blood, free radical processes activity and manifestation of immune disturbances in the acute phase of experimental Heiman’s nephritis. The experiments were carried out on male and female Wistar rats weighing 180-200 g. The animals were maintained under standard laboratory conditions including regular care, diet, light and temperature regimen with free access to water. Experimental works were carried out observing the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientifi c Purposes (Strasbourg, 18 March 1986). Heiman’s nephritis was induced according to the J. Reynolds’ and C. Pusey’s method modifi ed by I.V. Mukhin’s [4]. The animals of the experimental group received “nephrophyt” at the dose of 150 mg/kg a day for 3 weeks since the last introduction of the cortical layer suspension with a full Freind’s adjuvant. “Nephrophyt” is a complex of dry extracts derived from the herb of a common knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare L.), leaves of a common bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi L.), fl ushes of Orthosiphon stamineus (Orthosiphon stamineus Benth.), herb of Canada tickclover (Desmodium canadense (L.) D.S.).
ABSTRACT
The present work presents information on the development and use of technologies for detoxification and desensitization of the body based on the tenets of the traditional medicine.KEY WORDS: traditional medicine, purification of the body, development and use, technology for detoxification and desensitization.INTRODUCTIONIn recent decades it has been noted the decrease in the index health as well as the incidence rate growth due to the deterioration of environmental conditions, the increased fastness of living, and the reduction of social protectability [7]. Pollution of the inner medium of the body with substances received through water, food and air causes a serious worry. These substances include plant and animal growth stimulants, fertilizers, pesticides, various coloring matters for foodstuffs, preservatives, drugs, salts of heavy metals, radionuclides, etc. Intensive xenobiotic contamination gives rise to dangerous acute intoxications and the development of chronic intoxication of the body followed by the disturbances of inner organs functioning resulting in the decrease of the bodily resistance and growth of incidence rate [2, 3]. Growing environmental and social pressing leads to the impairment of detoxification, desensitization, immune and other adaptive mechanisms of the human body [4, 5] that is a cause of many diseases. According to the data of World Health Organization (WHO) there is a tendency to the development of severe chronic cases due to intoxication and sensitization of the body [7]. Under the circumstances when the rate of chronic cases increases in number and the future generations are threatened with chronic diseases, the detoxification of the body seems of great importance.THE AIM of the given work is to develop and introduce into practice the detoxification and desensitization technology based on the traditional medicine.THE OBJECTS for studies were plant remedies stimulating detoxification and drainage function of the hepatobiliary system, gastro- intestinal tract, kidneys and skin created on the base of the traditional medicine formulae (nor bu dun thang, shi rguid, nephrophyt, sudorific plant collection). The studies were carried out with the use of pharmacological, clinical, biochemical and statistical methods [1, 6].RESULT. The lymphatic system is known to be the main drainage system excreting endo- and exotoxins from extracellular space, from cells and tissues [2, 3]. The system is capable to transport even big structures (high-molecular proteins, toxins) which enter the system through valves but not through semi-impermeable vessel walls as in the case of circulatory system. As a result transported toxins enter the venous duct. Further, the processes of detoxification take place mainly in the liver and kidneys. To avoid the “overloading” of these organs it is necessary to increase their functional activity using relevant medicinal preparations [4, 5, 7]. The increase in functioning of the given organs and drainage are regarded as the first level of detoxification and desensitization of the body. At present, taking into account the chemization of the home, water, air and food pollution and uncontrolled intake of medicinal preparations, it is necessary to pay attention to the “medicine of evacuation” i.e. to the purification of inner medium of the body [1, 5]. The technology for detoxification and desensitization of the body developed on the base of the traditional medicine, suggests the stage-by-stage intake of the remedy stimulating hepatobiliary system (nor bu dun thang) for 9 days; the remedy promoting the function of gastro-intestinal tract (shi brguid) for 9 days; the remedy stimulating the function of kidneys(nephrophyt) for 9 days and sudorific remedy (sudorific plant collection) for 9 days. Pre-clinical studies which were carried out on white male Wistar rats have revealed drainage and detoxification influence of the given remedies. The combined administration of the above remedies to SBA mice has shown that they have desensitization effect. Clinical studies of the given technology were carried out on the patients with endogenic intoxication and pollution of the inner medium of the body, particularly, on the persons suffered from atopic dermatitis and eczema. The Table 1 shows the results of therapy with the use of the developed technology of detoxification and desensitization of the body. The clinical studies were carried out on the patients suffered from allergic dermatoses (atopic dermatitis, eczema) at the Buryat Republican dermato-venerologic dispensary.The data given in the Table 1 show that the use of the given technology of detoxification and desensitization of the body improves the general state of the majority of patients followed by normalization of biochemical indices in the blood serum. Biochemical investigations performed after treatment have shown the decrease of the malonic dialdehyde (MDA) content and circulating immune complexes (CIC); the transaminase activity and concentration of α and α2 –globulins were also decreased as compared with the data obtained before treatment. The same tendency was observed in patients with the subacute stage of atopic dermatitis. Only in 5 patients no significant effect was noted. When the given technology was used for the treatment of eczema no significant positive changes in biochemical indices of the blood serum were noted in 32 cases in spite of satisfactory general state of the patients on the background of the treatment.The studies conducted have revealed the tendency to the improvement of the general state of the patients and the improvement of biochemical indices in the blood serum at the final terms of the treatment with the use of the given technology. Nevertheless in some cases a full health restoration was not noted in a number of patients, especially in patients with eczema. It is indicative of probable recurrence of the disease. Refresher course of the treatment is advisable.
ABSTRACT
This paper describes the effects of a multicomponent plant preparation developed on the basis of Tibetan prescriptions, including ethanolic extracts of Arctostaphylos uva- ursi (L.) Spreng, Orthosiphon stamineus (L.), Polygonum aviculare (L.), on caspase-3 activity and recovery of tissue ATP content in ischemic renal cells of albino Wistar rats. It has been shown that after “Nephrophyte” administration at a dose of 150 mg/kg body wt. (overnight and 1 hour before ischemia) the activity of caspase-3 significantly decreased and the recovery of tissue ATP was significantly enhanced. These results suggest that “Nephrophyte” may protect the kidney against ischemia/ reperfusion injuries, at least, by ameliorating apoptotic process and preserving tissue ATP content. KEY WORDS: kidney, ischemia/reperfusion, caspase-3, ATP, “Nephrophyte” INTRODUCTION Acute renal failure (ARF) as a result of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is of great clinical significance because of its frequent occurrence, high morbidity and mortality. It is important to improve the ability of kidney to tolerate ischemic damages. ATP depletion and apoptosis are widely recognized to be implicated in ischemic renal injury. Hence, research efforts designed to prevent or ameliorate I/R injury have focused on the pharmacological inhibition of apoptotic process, preservation and recovery of intracellular ATP. However, the above approaches remain to be fully explored. It is now widely recognized that several pathological processes of biological tissues are caused by ischemia-reperfusion processes. Acute renal failure (ARF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by an abrupt loss of kidney function resulted from different forms of renal injury including ischemic and toxic stimuli. Tubular cell death through apoptosis is supposed to play a significant role in the genesis of ARF that has been confirmed by studies both in animal models and in clinical kidney diseases [12; 16]. Therefore, the control of apoptosis could be a potential target for therapeutic interventions with the aim to prevent or at least to alleviate the severity of ARF. Among the biochemical events leading to apoptotic changes, activation of caspases is of great importance since they are responsible for almost all the biochemical and morphological features of apoptosis, caspase-3 being a key mediator of apoptotic death in different cell types. Earlier, it has been shown that protease inhibitors, especially peptide-based inhibitors are highly effective in preventing programmed cell death in both in vitro and in vivo models [8; 10]. Recently, natural compounds of plant origin became a focus of interest in regulating cell survival. The induction of apoptosis by plant extracts largely through caspase-3 activation has been reported in a number of studies. For example, solamargine, a steroidal alkaloid glycoside from Solanum incunum triggers apoptosis in human hepatoma cells [9]; triterpenoid saponins from Acacia victoriae induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells [6]; Tylophora alkaloids were shown to induce apoptosis in human erythroleukemic cells involving cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation [3]. As to the data on the natural inhibitors of apoptosis, there are few reports in the present-day literature. Luo et al. [11] have found that the standardized Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 significantly attenuates mitochondrion- initiated apoptosis and decreases caspase-3 activity in neuroblastoma cells [19]. The inhibitory effect of caffeic acid on the activity of caspase-3 in cultured cerebellar granule neurons subjected to apoptosis has been shown in a more recent study [18], as well as protective effect of tirofuban on ischemia-induced renal apoptosis [5]. Here, we report the inhibition of caspase-3 activity and significant recovery of tissue ATP by “Nephrophyte”, a multicomponent plant preparation developed on the Tibetan prescriptions, in rat ischemic kidney cells. Our previous studies showed antioxidant, anti- inflammatory and nephroprotective activity of the phytopreparation in question due to its phytoconstituents (flavonoids, phenolic acids and free amino acids) that was the rationale for the present research [13; 15]. MATERIALS AND METHODS ANIMALS Albino Wistar rats, weighing 180-200 g each of either sex were used. The animals were maintained under a standard light cycle (12 h light, 12 h dark) and temperature (20˚C), with free access to food and water. The research was approved by the animal study committee of the local institutional review board and conducted according to the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals.