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

Effects of soy on body composition: a 12-week randomized controlled trial among Iranian elderly women with metabolic syndrome

To examine the effects of soy [in the form of textured soy protein [TSP] and soy-nut] on body composition in elderly women with metabolic syndrome [MetS]. A 12-week randomized clinical trial was conducted on 75 women between 60-70 years of age with MetS in rural health clinics around Babol, Iran in 2009. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups of soy-nut [35g/d], TSP [35g/d] and control. Body fat, lean mass and anthropometric indicators were measured before and after intervention, too. Participants were classified as overweight and showing android fat distribution. After 12 weeks of intervention, both soy-nut and TSP groups showed an increase of non-significant in lean mass [0.9 and 0.7 kg], hip circumference [0.45 and 0.28 cm], triceps skinfold [TSF] thickness [0.87 and 0.67mm] and reduction in BMI [-0.15 and -0.33], waist circumference [-0.83 and -1.2] and body fat [-1.5% and -1.7%]. Significant increase in the mean change of TSF and lean mass was observed in the users of soy-nut compared to the control group [P<0.01, P<0.05]. 12-week intervention of soy had a mild favorable effect on body composition in elderly women with MetS

Hypolipidemic polysaccharides from Hyphaene thebaica fruits

The effect of oral consumption of polysawharides isolated from Hyphaene thebaica [L.] Mart fruits on lipid profile of female and male Sprague - Dawley hyperlipidemic rats was investigated. The animals were orally treated with isolated pectin in two different doses [130 and 260 mg/ kg.b.w.]. Lipid profile of the treated animals was obtained and compared with the untreated hyperlipidemic ones. This experiment showed decreasing of total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG] and nonhigh density lipoprotein -cholesterol [non HDL-C] in the animals treated with the polysaccharides by 47%, 32% and 72.6% respectively for the 1[st] dose, and by 56%, 44% and 77% respectively for the 2[nd] dose. The percentage of increase in high density lipoprotein [HDL - C] is 24.8% and 47.7% for the 1[st] and 2[nd] dose respectively. It can be concluded that polyiaccharides [pectin] of Hyphaene thebaica produced significant improvements in level of non HDL-C and other lipid parameters when used as monotherapy. The used doses were effectives, but action of the higher dose was more prominent

Colloidal aqueous extract of resin from boswellia carterri [gum olibanum] as a non steroidal anti-inflammatory agent

Pharmacological evaluation of colloidal extract of resin from Boswellia carterri [gum olibanum] has been carried out in experimental animals. It displayed marked anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced rat paw edema as well in the cotton-pellet induced granuloma. The extract showed also significant analgesic, antipyretic and anticonvulsant effects. The results indicated that this compound is highly promising new agent for the treatment of pain, fever, convulsion and inflammation without irritation or ulceration of the rat stomach