ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of Cannabis sativa extract on the development of neuro- and hepato-toxicity caused by malathion injection in rats.Methods:The extract of Cannabis sativa was obtained from the plant resin by chloroform treatment. Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol content of the extract (20%) was quantified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The doses of cannabis extract were expressed as Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol content of 10 or 20 mg/kg. Malathion (150 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered followed after 30 min by the cannabis extract (10 or 20 mg/kg, subcutaneously). Rats were euthanized 4 h later. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity were determined in brain and liver. Brain 5-lipoxygenase and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity were measured as well. Histopathological examination of brain and liver tissue was also performed.Results:Compared to controls, malathion resulted in increased oxidative stress in brain and liver. MDA and nitric oxide concentrations were significantly increased (P<0.05) and GSH significantly decreased with respect to control levels (P<0.05). Malathion also significantly inhibited PON-1 and BChE activities but had no effect on brain 5-lipoxygenase. Brain MDA concentrations were not altered by cannabis treatment. Cannabis at 20 mg/kg, however, caused significant increase in nitric oxide and restored the GSH and PON-1 activity. Brain BChE activity significantly decreased by 26.1% (P<0.05) after treatment with 10 mg/kg cannabis. Cannabis showed no effect on brain 5-lipoxygenase. On the other hand, rats treated with cannabis exhibited significantly higher levels of liver MDA, nitric oxide and PON-1 activity compared with the malathion control group. Rats treated with only malathion exhibited spongiform changes, neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and degeneration of some Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. There were also hepatic vacuolar degeneration and dilated and congested portal vein. These histopthological changes induced by malathion in brain and liver were reduced to great extent by cannabis administration at 20 mg/kg.Conclusions:Our data suggest that acute treatment with cannabis alleviates the malathion-induced brain and hepatic injury in rats possibly by maintaining the levels of GSH and PON-1 activity.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of the prostaglandin E1 analogue misoprostol on oxidative stress and neurodegeration caused by subcutaneous rotenone administration in rats.Methods:Rotenone was administered in a dose of 1.5 mg/kg every other day for 2 weeks. Starting from the 1st day of rotenone injection, rats were subcutaneously treated with misoprostol at doses of 10, 100 or 1 000 μ g/kg. Rats were evaluated for brain lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde: MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO) levels, and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. The concentrations of the anti-apoptotic protein B cell/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were determined in the striatum. Histopathologic examination and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cerebral cortex and striatum were also performed.Results:Compared with the vehicle-treated group, rotenone caused a significant increase in brain lipid proxidation (MDA) by 61% (P<0.05) accompanied by an increase in NO by 73.1% (P<0.05) and a decrease in GSH concentration by 29.4% (P<0.05). In addition, brain PON-1 activity significantly decreased by 63.0% (P<0.05) and striatal Bcl-2 significantly decreased by 27.9% (P<0.05) with respect to the corresponding control value. Brain sections from rotenone treated rats showed extensive dark pyknotic and apoptotic nuclei in neurons, shrunken cytoplasm and perineuronal vacuolation. Rotenone also caused pronounced expression of iNOS in the cerebral cortex and striatum. Treatment with misoprostol at doses of 100 and 1 000 μ g/kg resulted in decreased brain MDA (by 16.5%-23.0%) (P<0.05) and NO levels (by 37.1%-40.7%) (P<0.05) and increased GSH concentrations (by 18.8%-30.1%) (P<0.05). PON-1 activity was significantly increased by 80.0%-114.8% (P<0.05) by misoprostol at 100 and 1 000 μ g/kg, respectively. In addition, misoprostol treatment restored striatal Bcl-2 concentrations to its normal value. Misoprostol treatment resulted in markedly reduced brain injury and decreased iNOS expression in the cerebral cortex and striatum of rotenone intoxicated rats.Conclusions:These data suggest that misoprostol prevents the rotenone-induced neurodegeneration in rat brain by reducing brain oxidative stress.
ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of cannabis seizures in Egypt. Methods Unheated and heated extracts of cannabis seizures were prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves (marijuana) or from the resin (hashish) and subjected to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results The heated resin extract had the peak of THC in a relative ratio of 31.34%, while extracting the resin directly without heating contained only 18.34% of THC. On the other hand, marijuana showed minimum percentage of THC at 11.188% on heating and 9.55% without heating. Conclusions These results indicate the high potency of the abused cannabis plant in the illicit Egyptian market.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To determine the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of cannabis seizures in Egypt.@*METHODS@#Unheated and heated extracts of cannabis seizures were prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves (marijuana) or from the resin (hashish) and subjected to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).@*RESULTS@#The heated resin extract had the peak of THC in a relative ratio of 31.34%, while extracting the resin directly without heating contained only 18.34% of THC. On the other hand, marijuana showed minimum percentage of THC at 11.188% on heating and 9.55% without heating.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results indicate the high potency of the abused cannabis plant in the illicit Egyptian market.