ABSTRACT
The purpose of this experimental study was to evaluate the efficacy of hesperidin [HES] in protecting against methotrexate [MTX]-induced intestinal damage using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. Seventy-eight male Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups that received [a] saline only [control group], n = 19; [b] HES only, n = 19; [c] MTX only, n = 19, and [d] MTX plus HES, n = 21. On the first day of the study, a single dose of MTX [20 mg/kg] was administered intraperitoneally to group 3 and 4 rats. The HES [200 mg/kg] was administered by gavage for 5 days. For the MTX plus HES group, HES [200 mg/kg] was administered by gavage for 5 days after MTX treatment. Rats were sacrificed on the 2nd, 4th and 6th day of the study. Tissue samples from the jejunum were taken for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. On the 4th day, crypt injury in the MTX plus HES group [1.00 +/- 0.00] was less than that in the MTX group [2.00 +/- 0.89; p < 0.05]. The small intestinal damage score was lower in the MTX plus HES group [6.33 +/- 0.82] as compared to the MTX group [8.00 +/- 2.37]. Inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin-8 levels were lower in the MTX plus HES group [65 and 25%, respectively] as compared to the corresponding values of the MTX group [80 and 52.5%, respectively]. On the 6th day, the Ki-67 proliferation index in the MTX group [45%] was lower than that in the MTX plus HES group [76.67%] and the control group [p < 0.05]. The small intestinal damage score was high in the HES group on the 4th day due to increased cellular infiltration. On the 6th day, the Ki-67 proliferation index rose in parallel with the decrease in cellular infiltration and therefore histopathological scoring. The proliferation-enhancing effect of HES also appeared in healthy rats. HES seemed to have a protective effect against MTX-induced intestinal injury
ABSTRACT
The protective role of two synthetic organoselenium compounds 1-isopropyl-3-methylbenzimidazole-2-selenone (SeI) and 1, 3-di-p-methoxybenzylpyrimidine-2-selenone (Sell) was examined against the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced changes in biochemical parameters in blood of rats. Albino Winstar rats (150-200 g body wt) were treated with single dose of DMBA (50 mg/kg body wt) and organoselenium compounds (25 micromol/kg) for 4 weeks at two days internal. Blood was taken from the anaesthetized rats ventricle from their hearts for biochemical analysis. Administration of DMBA resulted in elevation of urea, uric acid and creatinine levels as well as AST, ALT and LDH activities and decrease in levels of total proteins, albumin and globulin. SeI and SeII caused a significant (p<0.05) decrease in urea, uric acid and creatinine levels and alanine aminotransferase (ALT); aspartate aminotransferase; (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities and significantly increased the levels of total protein and albumin (p<0.05). These organoselenium compounds are likely to be beneficial in human health.