Anti-Hypolipidemic and Anti- Oxidative Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Origanum majorana on the Hepatosteatosis Induced with High-Fat Diet in Rats

@#Introduction: The aim of the current study is to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic and antioxidative effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of marjoram (HAEM) in rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: In the experimental study, the rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats in each and fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks as follows: One group (normal diet group) was fed with a standard diet, one group was fed with HFD, and two groups were fed with HFD and orally fed with 150 and 450 mg/kg/day HAEM. The serum samples and liver tissues were used for measuring the biochemical and oxidative parameters and histopathological studies. HFD induced hepatosteatosis in rats as evidenced by the altered liver enzymes activity, serum lipid profile and oxidative status. Results: Serum lipid profile (triglyceride, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein) in rats fed with HFD + HAEM (150 and 450 mg/kg/day) was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the evaluation of oxidative stress showed a reduction of the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and an increase in ferric-reducing anti-oxidant power. Meanwhile, liver enzyme activities declined in response to HAEM. Conclusion: Using the HAEM could be a future therapeutic agent in treating hepatosteatosis and reducing oxidative damages of HFD in the liver.

Effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa on scopolamine-induced spatial memory impairment in rats and its possible mechanism / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of Nigella sativa (NS) extract on memory performance and its possible mechanisms in scopolamine (Sco)-induced spatial memory impairment model using Morris water maze test.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The control group received saline instead of both NS extract and Sco. The Sco group was treated by saline for two weeks, and was injected by Sco (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) 30 min before each trail in Morris water maze test. Sco+NS 200 and Sco+NS 400 groups were daily treated by 200 or 400 mg/kg of NS (intraperitoneally) for two weeks, respectively, and were finally injected by Sco 30 min before Morris water maze test. The brains of animals were removed to determine the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and oxidative stress criteria in cortical tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Time latency and path length in the Sco group were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.01), while the Sco+NS 400 group showed a significantly shorter traveled path length and time latency compared with the Sco group (P<0.01). AChE activity in the cortical tissues of the Sco group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.01), while AChE activity in the Sco+NS 200 and Sco+NS 400 groups was lower than the Sco group (P<0.01). Following Sco administration, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were increased (P<0.01) in comparison with the control group, while cortical total thiol content decreased (P<0.01). Pretreatment with extracts caused a significant elevation in cortical total thiol content (P<0.01) and reduction in cortical MDA concentration (P<0.01) compared with the Sco group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hydro-alcoholic extract of NS prevents Sco-induced spatial memory deficits and decreases the AChE activity as well as oxidative stress of brain tissues in rats. Our results support the traditional belief about the beneficial effects of NS in nervous system. Moreover, further investigations are needed for better understanding of this protective effect.</p>

The Effects of Soy Extract on Spatial Learning and Memory Damage Induced by Global Ischemia in Ovariectomised Rats

Background: The effects of soy extract on memory as well as the oxidative damage to brain tissue induced by ischemia was investigated in ovariectomised (OVX) rats. Methods: The rats were divided into: 1) Sham; 2) OVX; 3) Sham‑Ischemia; 4) OVX‑Ischemia; 5) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20; and 6) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60. The common carotid artery was occluded (30 minutes), and it was then re-‑perfused. The OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups received 20 or 60 mg/kg of soy extract for eight weeks before the ischemia. Results: The Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups took a longer time to reach the platform while, spent a shorter time in the target quadrant (Q1) than the Sham and OVX. The escape latencies in the OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups were lower while, time spent in the Q1 was higher than that of the OVX-‑Ischemia. In the rotarod test, there were no significant differences between the groups. The hippocampal concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups were higher than the Sham and OVX. Pre-‑treatment by 20 and 60 mg/kg of the extract reduced the MDA. Conclusion: It is suggested that soy prevents memory impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage due to ischemia in OVX rats.

Protective effect of l-arginine against oxidative damage as a possible mechanism of its beneficial properties on spatial learning in ovariectomized rats

The role of ovarian hormones and nitric oxide [NO] on oxidative damage in brain tissues as well as learning and memory has been widely investigated. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the precursor of NO, L-Arginine on learning and brain damage due to oxidative stress in ovariectomized [OVX] rats. Thirty -two rats were divided into four groups: 1] Sham, 2] OVX, 3] Sham-L-Arginine [Sham-LA] and 4] OVX-L-Arginine [OVX-LA]. The animals of sham- LA and OVX-LA were treated with 500 mg/kg of L-Arginine. The animals in Sham and OVX groups received 1 ml/kg saline. The animals were tested in Morris water maze and finally, the brains were removed and MDA and total thiol concentrations were measured. The escape latency and swimming path in OVX group were significantly higher than in Sham group [p<0.01]. The animals in OVX-LA group had significantly lower swimming path length and escape latency compared to OVX group [p<0.01] while, there was no significant difference between Sham- LA and Sham groups. In OVX-LA group, the brain tissues total thiol concentration was significantly higher, and MDA concentration was lower than of OVX group [p<0.001].There was no significant difference between Sham-LA and Sham groups. It seems that the beneficial properties of L-Arginine on spatial learning of ovariectomized rats are in part due to its protective capacity against oxidative damage