ABSTRACT
Objective: The present study was carried out to explore protective effects of ethanolic extract of Apium graveolens (celery seeds) on ritonavir, a protease inhibitor induced dyslipidemia. Materials & Methods: Thirty mice were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 mice served as healthy control. Group 2 mice were given drug ritonavir at doses of 33.33 mg/kg (200mg/day, human dose), group 3 received same dose of ritonavir and ethanolic extract of celery seeds(CSE) at the doses of 75mg/kg. Group 4 was treated with same dose of ritonavir and CSE at high doses i.e.150mg/kg. Group 5 mice were given ritonavir and hypolipidemic drug, fenofibrate. All groups of mice were given the drug and extract by oral gavage route for the period of 12 weeks. Blood lipid profile and liver lipids of all the groups were tested at the end of 12 weeks. Results: Blood lipid profile was found to be deranged in the group of mice treated with ritonavir. Concurrent treatment of ritonavir with low dose of CSE showed no significant improvement in blood lipid profile in group 3 mice but high dose CSE along with ritonavir with the same dose of ritonavir exhibited significant improvement (p<0.05) in group 4 mice. Effect of fenofibrate in group 5 was almost equally effective as that of high dose of CSE. There was a similar pattern of decrease in liver lipids in all the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Above results suggest that ethanolic extract of celery seeds possess potential for improving blood lipid profile & liver lipids deranged by ritonavir when given concurrently. Its efficacy approaches that of fenofibrate. Its intake along with ritonavir would be better in terms of cost and side effects as compared to fenofibrate.
ABSTRACT
Background: Bronchial Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease along with hyperresponsiveness of bronchi. The present study was designed to assess the redox status of patients suffering from bronchial asthma and to compare it with that of normal healthy controls, by determining the total antioxidant activity (AOA) of the serum and saliva and correlating it with the disease status. Method: Total AOA was assayed spectrophotometrically in saliva and serum of two groups; asthmatic patients attending OPD of pulmonary Medicine and healthy controls. The patients were followed for a period of three months after start of therapy and total AOA was measured post therapy. Results: Asthmatic patients exhibited significantly(p<0.05) decreased serum and salivary total AOA as compared to healthy controls. Decreased contents of total AOA in serum and saliva was positively correlated with the severity of disease process. Total AOA in serum was significantly (p<0.0001) higher than salivary AOA in all the categories of asthmatic patients. Total AOA in serum was significantly (p<0.0001) higher than that in saliva of the control subjects. The depressed total AOA returned to near normal values post treatment. In Conclusion: Total AOA in serum and saliva is a good indicator for assessing the severity and progress of bronchial asthma. Salivary total AOA can be taken as a potential biomarker for oxidative stress in asthmatic patients.