Combined Oral Arginine and Monosodium Glutamate Exposure Induces Adverse Response on the Prostate Function and Testis Histology of Rats.

Aims: This study investigated the effect of exposure to arginine (ARG) and glutamate (GLU), or its variant, monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the prostate function and testis histology of rats. Study Design: Exposure to either ARG, GLU, monosodium glutamate (MSG), ARG plus GLU or ARG plus MSG was per oral for 4 consecutive weeks. On the last day of the experiment, rats were food-deprived for 15 h before collecting their blood and testis samples. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria, between June 2005 and June 2006. Methodology: Total and prostatic acid phosphatase activities in serum were determined by the method of Walter and Schutt. Testis sections were stained and mounted using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), for histology. Results: On comparison with control, the results showed that ARG, GLU, or arginine together with monosodium glutamate (ARG+MSG) induced a significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) elevation whereas, ARG+GLU caused a reduction (p<0.05 and p<0.01), in serum total acid phosphatase (TAP) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) activities. MSGinduced reduction in TAP activity (20.76 ± 0.18 I.U/L), however, was not statistically significant (p>0.05 and p>0.01). Histological examination of the testis sections revealed varying degree of degeneration characterized by necrosis in ARG+GLU and ARG+MSG groups relative to control and ARG, GLU or MSG groups. Conclusion: Results may indicate variable treatment related adverse effect on the prostate function and the testis histology of the rats. The possible effect, however, appeared higher following concomitant exposure to ARG and MSG. Thus, caution should be exercised in the simultaneous ingestion of arginine and monosodium glutamate in animals. Further work however, is required to address some shortcomings (including small sample size) of this study to validate reliability.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Effects of Ziziphus Mauritiana Lam. Leaf Extracts against Chronic Ethanol-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rat Liver

Chronic alcohol ingestion is known to increase the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); thereby leading to liver damage. Antioxidant enzymes act individually or in combination to reduce or counter the effect of these ROS. Chronic administration of alcohol at (40v/v; 1ml/100g); for 6 weeks showed a significant (p0.05) elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT); aspartate aminotransferase (AST); alkaline phosphatase (ALP); and total bilirubin (TB). There was also a significant (p0.05) decreased levels of catalase; glutathione peroxidase; glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase compared to control rats. Pretreatment of rats with 200; 400 mg/kg body weight of aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus mauritiana or 100 mg/kg silymarin resulted in a significant (p0.05) decreased levels of ALT; AST; ALP; and TB with levels of catalase; glutathione peroxidase; glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase showing a significant (p0.05) increase compared to group administered alcohol only. Histopathology of rat liver administered with alcohol only resulted in severe necrosis; mononuclear cell aggregation and fatty degeneration in the central and mid zonal areas which was a characteristic of a damaged liver. Pre-treatment with the aqueous extract of Ziziphus mauritiana or silymarin reduced the morphological changes that are associated with chronic alcohol administration. The presence of tannins; saponins and phenolic compounds observed in the plant extract could be responsible for the observed effects of decreasing the levels of injured tissue marker and lipid peroxidation

Effects of single oral doses of scopoletin and aflatoxin B1 on the clotting time, serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels of chicks.

The plasma cholesterol and phospholipid levels as well as the bleeding time of chicks treated with single oral doses of scopoletin (60 micrograms/kg, body wt) and aflatoxin B1 (50 micrograms/kg, body wt) were measured at intervals for a period of one week (168 h). Both compounds generally increased the bleeding time (AFB1 0.8-28.7%, Scopoletin 0.5-38.2%), serum total and free cholesterol, and the serum phospholipid levels but decreased the levels of the serum esterified cholesterol fraction relative to control throughout the period of study. The extent of these changes elicited by the respective compounds and the variation in the differences between their respective effects varied with the measured parameters. The importance of the similarities in the effects elicited by aflatoxin B1 and Scopoletin was highlighted.