Effect of Boswellia serrata on Alzheimer's disease induced in rats

Alzheimer's disease [AD] is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Increased oxidative stress has been shown to be a prominent and early feature in AD. Medicinal plants with antioxidant activities have been used traditionally in the treatment of several human diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the possible prophylactic and therapeutic effects of aqueous infusions of Boswellia serrata on AD induced in rats. Ninety adult male Sprague Dawley rats were enrolled in this study and were divided into 9 groups [ten each]. Groups 1-5 for the protective study, 6-9 for the therapeutic study as follows: 1st group: negative control group in which rats were given daily oral dose of 1ml tab water, 2nd group: induction of animal model mimicking AD by daily oral administration of aluminum chloride [AlCl[3]] to rats in a dose of 17 mg/kg for 4 successive weeks; 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups: rats were orally given rivastigmine [0.3 mg/kg/day], Boswellia serrata [45 and 90 mg/kg /day respectively], for two weeks followed by combination of each treatment with AlCl[3] for another four successive weeks. Groups 6-9 for the therapeutic study: 6th group: AD induced group which acted as a model mimicking AD in humans received orally 1ml of tab water only for 12 successive weeks and served as therapeutic untreated group. 7th, 8th and 9th groups: AD rats treated orally with rivastigmine [0.3 mg/kg/day], Boswellia serrata [45 and 90 mg/kg /day respectively] daily for 12 successive weeks. At baseline [before induction of AD], before treatment, then after each treatment, behavioral stress tests as activity cages, rotarod, and T-maze tests were done. At the end of all experiments rats' brains were dissected and divided sagitally into two portions, the first portion was homogenized for determination of acetylcholine [Ach] and acetycholinesterase [AchE] levels. The second portion was used for histopathologic examination. The present study indicated that Boswellia serrata when was used for treatment of AlCl[3] induced AD, its high dose only produced increased activity of rats in the activity cage, duration of rats revolving on the rotarod and reduction in the duration taken by rats to reach food in the T-maze test. Both doses produced elevation of Ach level and reduction of AchE activity in brain homogenates. These results were consistent with the histopathological findings in brain tissues where, the neurons appear more or less like normal ones. This study revealed that the treatment of AD-induced rats with aqueous infusions of B. serrata significantly ameliorates the neurodegenerative characteristics of ADs in rats

Impact of galectin-3 deficiency on gene expression in the liver of mice 48-h post-treatment with olive oil or CC1[4]

Galectin-3 [Gal-3] is a multifunctional protein, playing a key role in many biolegical processes. Previous study demonstrated that normal hepatocytes do not express galectin-3, but this protein can be present in injured liver. The present paper aimed to assist in elucidate the biological role of galectin-3 in injured liver by CC1[4] and to clarify genes that differentially expressed in response to galectin-3 deficiency in normal and chemically injured liver of mice 48-h post-treatment with olive oil or CC1[4]. Four male wild type mice [WT] and another four galectin-3 disrupted mice [Gal-3[-/-]] were used in this experiment. The mice were fasted overnight and classified into two groups, [each group including, two WT and two Gal-3[-/-] mice] the first subgroup received in the following morning 4 ml/kg olive oil, while the second subgroup was received 8 ml/kg CC1[4] [50% in olive oil] by gavages. After 48h, the mice were anesthetized and killed to obtain blood and excise the liver. Gene's expression analysis in the liver tissue was carried out using cDNA microarray technique. The cDNA microarrays analysis revealed that 7 genes have clearly changed their levels of expression, of these 5 genes related to detoxification mechanisms are up-regulated and 2 genes related to tumor cell and amyloid protein have been down-regulated in Gal-3[-/-] mice after 48 h post-treatment with olive oil. The mice treated with CC1[4] reveled that 42 genes have clearly changed their levels of expression, of this 8 genes were up-regulated and 34 genes were down-regulated. Of the up-regulated genes were detoxification, fatty acids and lipid metabolism proteins. On the other hand, the down-regulated genes encoded proteins for xenobiotic metabolism, stress response, transcription factors, lipid metabolism, proteolysis and peptedolysis, RNA, nerve system, and immune responses proteins. This study demonstrated that changes in gene expression profile in galectin-3 deficiency mice 48-h post-treatment with CC1[4], mostly related to down-regulated different genes including, many biological processes, implying the multifunctional of galectin-3 to protect and ameliorated the liver injury induced by CC1[4] in mice

Modulalion of gene expression in the liver of mice 48-h post-treatment with CCl[4]

Carbon tetrachloride [CCl[4]] has been widely used to study mechanisms of hepatic injury and repair following toxic induced injury. This study was undertaken to evaluate the changes in gene expression in hepatocyte of injured liver of mice 48-h post-treatment with CCl[4]. Twelve adult male wild type mice were used in this experiment. The mice were fasted overnight and classified into two groups, [six mice each] the first group received in the following morning 4 ml/kg Olive oil, while the second group was received 8 ml/kg CCl4 [50% in olive oil] by gavages. After 48-h, the mice were anesthetized and killed to obtain blood and excise the liver. Gene's expression analysis in the liver tissue was carried out using cDNA microarray technique. Serum liver function tests, histopathological, histochemical and immunohistochemical examinations were also done. Serum transaminases [AST and ALT] activities exhibited significant increase with the induced hepatic pathological changes included typical inflammation and necrosis observed in CCl[4]-treated mice. The cDNA microarrays analysis revealed that 63 genes have clearly changed their levels of expression. Of these, 37 genes were up-regulated, and 26 genes were downregulated. Of the up-regulated genes were ribosomal, transcription, stress, proteolysis and peptidolysis encoded proteins. The most interesting up-regulated gene is metallothionine-1 gene which was observed by microarry and immunohistochemistry techniques. On the other hand, the down-regulated genes encoded proteins for xenobiotic metabolism, detoxification, lipid metabolism and hormones proteins. These results demonstrated that changes in gene expression profile correlate with the biochemical and pathological alterations in the liver in response to CCl[4] intoxication, and most of them can be related to CCl[4] mechanism of toxicity. However, the majority of the up-regulated genes are occurred in ribosomal protein. Furthermore, Mt-1 can be used as a biological marker for CCl[4] toxicity

Reflection of some hormones and bio-elements changes on bone mineralization in hemodialyzed chronic renal failure patients

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between bone mineralization and kidney dysfunction in patients on regular hemodialysis and whether there is any effect of hemodialysis on some essential trace elements that affect the bone strength. The study was carried out on 20 subjects suffering from chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis [HD-CRF] and 20 matched healthy subjects as a normal control group. A significant decrease in serum calcium, calcitonin and aldosterone levels was detected in HD-CRF group as compared with the corresponding levels in the normal control group. Meanwhile, there was a significant increase in serum total alkaline phosphatase activity and total protein level in HD-CRF group as compared with their respective values in the normal control group. Oxidative stress was assessed by estimating some trace elements [Se, Cu, Zn and iron] as well as NO in serum. The results showed a significant increase in serum NO and iron levels concomitant with a decrease in serum Se, Cu and Zn levels in HD-CRF patients as compared with the normal control ones. In conclusion, a physiological distress is often detectable in HD-CRF patients. This includes the disturbance in the hormonal and trace element status that strongly affects bone mineralization