ABSTRACT
Amaranthus spp. são plantas nefrotóxicas popularmente conhecidas como "caruru". Em casos de intoxicação por estas plantas, a principal alteração histopatológica está presente no rim, sob forma de nefrose tubular tóxica, porém em alguns casos pode haver alterações cardíacas. Alterações no eletrocardiograma, compatíveis com quadros de hipercalemia, foram descritas em suínos intoxicados por Amaranthus retroflexus e lesões como degeneração e necrose de miócitos cardíacos descritas em suínos intoxicados por A. caudatus e ovinos intoxicados por A. spinosus. Há dúvidas com relação às alterações cardíacas, que, na maioria dos casos, são incipientes, o que pode levar a erros de interpretação. Para a realização do trabalho foram utilizados blocos parafinados oriundos de um surto natural de intoxicação por A. spinosus no sudeste do Brasil. Esse estudo teve como objetivo detectar a presença de alterações regressivas incipientes no miocárdio de ovinos intoxicados por A. spinosus, através da utilização imuno-histoquímica do anticorpo anti-troponina C. Foram utilizados fragmentos de coração de 8 ovinos adultos e 2 fetos, intoxicados naturalmente por A. spinosus. Estes fragmentos foram submetidos à técnica de imuno-histoquímica com a utilização do anticorpo anti-troponina C. Pela avaliação imuno-histoquímica do coração dos oito ovinos adultos observaram-se diversos grupos de miócitos com diminuição significativa ou ausência de imunorreatividade para o anticorpo anti-troponina C; essas áreas correspondiam, em grande parte, aos mesmos grupos de miócitos que apresentavam, pela coloração de Hematoxilina e Eosina (H.E.) alterações que variavam de leve tumefação celular a aumento da eosinofilia, perda de estriação, lise celular e cariólise, ou mais raramente, acompanhadas de infiltrado inflamatório...
Amaranthus spp. are nephrotoxic plants popularly known as "pigweed". In cases of poisoning by these plants, the main histopathological alteration is found in the kidneys as toxic tubular nephrosis; however, in some cases, there may be cardiac changes. ECG changes associated with hyperkalemia have been described in pigs poisoned by Amaranthus retroflexus. Degeneration and necrosis of myocytes have been described in pigs poisoned by A. caudatus and sheep poisoned by A. spinosus. There are doubts regarding cardiac changes, since in most cases they are incipient and don't exhibit inflammatory reaction, which can lead to misinterpretation. For this study, paraffin blocks with tissues from a poisoning outbreak by A. spinosus in southeastern Brazil were used. The objective of the study was to detect the presence of incipient regressive changes in the myocardium of sheep poisoned by A. spinosus using anti-troponin C antibody-based immunohistochemistry. Fragments of hearts from 8 adult sheep and 2 fetuses naturally poisoned by A. spinosus were used. In the immunohistochemistry evaluation of the 8 hearts from the adult sheep there were several groups of myocytes with significant decrease or absence of immunoreactivity for anti-troponin C antibody. In most cases, these same areas on Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining exhibited changes that varied from mild cellular tumefaction to increased eosinophilia, as well as loss of striation, cell lysis and karyolysis, sometimes accompanied by inflammatory infiltrate...
Subject(s)
Animals , Amaranthus/toxicity , Hyperkalemia/veterinary , Plant Poisoning/veterinary , Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology , Sheep , Troponin , Immunohistochemistry/veterinary , Renal Insufficiency/veterinary , Death, Sudden/veterinary , Plants, Toxic/poisoning , Heart Injuries/veterinaryABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the anticancer activity and the mechanism of the apoptosis induced by Ama-ranthus spinosus L. extract ( ASE ) in human hepatic carcinoma cell line HepG2 . Methods Alamar blue assay was used for detecting the influence of ASE on the proliferation of the cancer cells. The morphological changes of cells were observed under inverted micro-scope and Hoechst 33258 stainning. The apoptosis of HepG2 cells was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot and caspase-3 activity kit were used to detect the protein expression in HepG2 cells. The specific inhibi-tor of caspase-9 and caspase-3 ( Z-LEHD-FMK and Ac-DEVD-CHO) was used to validate the signal transduc-tion pathyway. Results The results indicated that the cell proliferation was inhibited by ASE,especicially the HepG2 cells. The HepG2 cells showed obvious apop-totic characteristics. Flow cytometry analysis further validated the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. The expression of Bcl-2 and survivin was downreagulated in HepG2 cells treated with ASE, and Bax, caspase-9, caspase-3, Apaf-1 and PARP were upregualted. Besides, the caspase-3 activity was also increased. Z-LEHD-FMK and Ac-DEVD-CHO significantly increased the cell vi-abilty of HepG2 cells induced by ASE. Conclusion These results confirm that ASE induces the apoptosis of HepG2 through mitochondria-mediated pathway.
ABSTRACT
alpha spinasterol was identified in stems of Amaranthus spinosus. The structure was obtained by spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature data.
alfa spinasterol fue identificado en ramas de Amaranthus spinosus. La estructura fue obtenida por metodos espectroscópicos y por comparación con datos de literature.
Subject(s)
Amaranthus/chemistry , Stigmasterol/isolation & purification , Stigmasterol/analogs & derivatives , Plant Stems/chemistry , Spectrum AnalysisABSTRACT
About 100 milch animals hair sample were collected from 5 villages namely Dakhin Panchpota, Noonaghata, Mitrapur, Goetra, Ranaghat of Nadia district, West Bengal, India and these samples were processed to estimate the concentration of arsenic. Out of them 30 cattle having arsenic concentration in the range of 2.5 to 4.5 mg/kg in hair was chosen for this experiment. These milch were divided into three groups’ i.e. Group I (G1) animals received turmeric powder, whereas Group II (G2) received Turmeric (Curcuma longa) + Amaranthus spinosus (Meghnads) and Group III (G3) served as untreated control. Arsenic content of milk, feces, hair & urine was estimated before and after administration of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa) at the dose of 30 grams to each animal of Group I (G1)/ day for 3 months (90 Days) and turmeric powder 15g (Curcuma longa) + Amaranthus spinosus (Meghnads) 15g / day to each animals Group II (G3). Turmeric & Amaranthus spinosus significantly decreased arsenic load in milk, urine, hair & feces after 3 month. In Milk, arsenic concentration was decreased significantly which may be beneficial for animals and human consumption.
ABSTRACT
Background: Amaranthus spinosus and Andrographis paniculata are traditionally used as antimalarial herbs, but the combination of both has not yet been tested. The aim of this study was to determine the schizonticidal anti-malaria effect of a combination in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Methods: Male mice (Balb/c strain) weighing 28-30 g, 7-8 weeks old, were randomly devided into 5 groups of 4 animals each. Group A: controls (nil) and 4 treatment groups (B, C, D, and E). Group B: Amarathus 10 mg/kgBW, group C: Andrographis 2 mg/kgBW, group D: combination of Amaranthus + Andrographis 10 mg + 2 mg/kgBW. All treatment with plant extracts was administered orally, once per day for 7 days. Group E was given chloroquine 10 mg/kgBW, once a day orally, for 3 days. Results: The body weigh increased only in group D, hemoglobin concentration increased significantly vs controls (p < 0.05) in treatment groups C, D, and E, and blood schizonticidal activity was seen in all treatment groups, highest at almost 90% in groups D and E. Survival rate was 100% in all groups. Conclusion: The combination of Amaranthus and Andrographis (10 mg + 2 mg/kgBW) exerts the same blood schizonticidal activity as chloroquine 10 mg/kgBW.
Subject(s)
Plasmodium berghei , MiceABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible antidiabetic effects of Amaranthus spinosus leaf extract (ASEt) against streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetes &oxidative stress in albino rats.Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced by a single dose of STZ (60 mg/kg) administered by intraperitoneal way after the administration of nicotinamide (120mg/kg). The oxidative stress was measured by reduced glutathione (GSH) content and by enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in liver and kidney. Biochemical observations were further substantiated with histological examination of pancreas, kidney and liver. Results: The increase in blood glucose with the decrease in GSH content and in enzymatic activities were the salient features observed in diabetic rats. Administration of ASEt (250 & 500 mg/kg bw/day, i.p) for 21 days caused a significant reduction in blood glucose in STZ-nicotinamide treated rats when compared with diabetic rats. Furthermore, diabetic rats treated with ASEt leaf extract showed a significant increase in the activities of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants when compared to those of diabetic rats. Degenerative changes of pancreatic cells in STZ treated rats were minimized to near normal morphology by administration of ASEt leaf extract as evidenced by histopathological examination.Conclusion: Results clearly indicate that Amaranthusspinosus treatment attenuate hyperglycemia by decreasing oxidative stress and pancreatic cells damage which may be attributed to its antioxidative potential.
ABSTRACT
The seed is used as a poultice for broken bones. It is used internally in the treatment of internal bleeding, diarrhoea and excessive menstruation. The root is known as an effective diuretic. In South-East Asia a decoction of the root is used to treat gonorrhoea and is also applied as an emmenagogue and antipyretic. The Nepalese and some tribes in India apply A. spinosus to induce abortion. In Thai traditional medicine, A. spinosus is used to treat diarrhea. The root is also used for toothaches. In many countries, including those in Africa, the bruised leaves are considered a good emollient and applied externally in cases of ulcerated mouths, eczema, burns, wounds, boils, earache and hemorrhoids The leaves are also used for gastroenteritis, gall bladder inflammation, absesses, colic menorrhagia, arthritis and for the treatment of snakebites. The plant ash in a solution is used to wash sores. The plant sap is used as an eye wash to treat ophthalmia and convulsions in children. In Malaysia, A. spinosus is used as an expectorant and to relieve breathing in acute bronchitis. In mainland South-East Asia, it is also used as a sudorific, febrifuge, an antidote to snake poison, and as a galactagogue. During the rainy season which is also malaria endemic season, A. spinosus bark decoction is taken in a volume of about one liter three times a day to ward off malaria.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To provide scientific validation for the antipyretic activities of Amaranthus viridis (Linn.), Amaranthus caudatus (Linn.) and Amaranthus spinosus (Linn.). Methods: The antipyretic activity of methanol extracts of all three plants at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg was investigated by yeast induced pyrexia in rats. Paracetamol (150 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as reference drug and control group received distilled water. Rectal temperatures of all the rats were recorded and compared at 19 h, immediately before extract or vehicle or paracetamol administration, and again at 1 h interval up to 24 h by thermal probe Eliab themistor thermometer. Results: At 400 mg/kg dose all the three methanolic extracts showed significant (P<0.01) reduction in yeast provoked elevated temperature as compared with that of standard drug paracetamol, whereas 200 mg/kg dose is less effective when compared with higher dose (P<0.05). Conclusions: The results show that methanol extract of three plants of Amaranthus possesses a significant antipyretic effect in maintaining reducing yeast-induced elevated body temperature in rats and their effects were comparable to that of the standard antipyretic drug paracetamol.
ABSTRACT
Objective To clone and characterize Profilin encoding genes in Amaranthus spinosus and to analyze the contribution of different amino acids in isoallergens to allergen antigenicity and tertiary structure. Methods The primers were designed according to the core sequences which were obtained by bioinformatic analysis of the known Profilin amino acid sequences, followed by gene cloning from the Ama- ranthus spinosus cDNA pool and subsequent confirmation by double-digestion, colony PCR and DNA sequen- cing. Antigenicity evaluation and tertiary structural modeling of the encoded protein were accomplished by online software MULTIPRED and SWISS-MODEL, respectively. Results Two panallergenic genes, named as PRF7 and PRF23, were acquired from Amaranthus spinosus. Sequence and structure analysis demonstra- ted that there was some discrepancy in tertiary structures of the encoded proteins, besides distinct difference in their amino acid sequences. PRF7 exhibited high homology with panallergen Profilins Q64LH0, with the identities 98%, whereas the homology of PRF23 and Q9XF42 (apple allergen) was 81%. Q64LH0 and PRF23 were modeled as 3nulA (Q42449) and lg5uB (Q9LE18), respectively. PRF23 exhibited distinct0 three dimensional structural difference in certain fragments compared with Q64LH0 and other Profilins. Though the average values of antigenicity displayed no difference between Q64LH0 and PRF23 on whole se- quences, the antigenicity of PRF23 on certain fragments was obviously lower than that of Q64LHO because of the alteration of some amino acids with different characters, implying the cause of lower incidence of hay fe- ver in South China than in North China. Conclusion Based on sequence analysis, antigenicity evaluation and tertiary structural modeling for Q64LH0 and PRF23, we obtained lots of useful information about the contribution of different amino acids to antigenicity and protein structures, thus would facilitate allergen ge- netic improvement by amino acid replacement.