Protective and therapeutic potentials of Dunaliella salina on aging-associated cardiac dysfunction in rats

Objective: To investigate the possible protective and/or therapeutic potentials of Dunaliella salina (D. salina) biomass, its carotenoid and polar fractions on cardiac dysfunction associated with D-galactose (D-GAL) induced aging in rats. Methods: Aging associated cardiac dysfunction was induced in rats by injection of D-GAL (200 mg/kg; i.p) for 8 weeks. D-GAL injected rats were treated with two regimens; protective regimen where D. salina biomass (250 mg/kg), its carotenoid (250 μg/kg) and polar (250 μg/kg) fractions were given orally for two weeks concurrently with D-GAL injection as well as treatment regimen where the three treatments were given orally for 28 consecutive days after D-GAL injection. Results: D-GAL injection for 8 weeks was accompanied with dramatic electrocardiographic changes as well as profound elevation in serum levels of homocysteine, creatinine kinase isoenzyme and lactate dehydrogenase in addition to the reduction of the cardiac content of glucose trasporter 4. D-GAL also induced reduction in cardiac superoxide dismutase activity and elevation of inducible nitric oxide synthetase and interleukin-6. On the other hand, oral administration of D. salina carotenoid fraction as well as the total biomass significantly attenuated the D-GAL-induced disturbances in the above mentioned parameters where the protective regimen appeared more successful in controlling the manifestations of cardiac dysfunction. The histopathological examination further emphasized the promising results. Besides, the HPLC analysis of the carotenoid fraction of D. salina revealed the presence of 2.31% β -carotene. Conclusions: D. salina carotenoid fraction as well as the total biomass ameliorate D-GAL-induced aging associated cardiac dysfunction which is attributed to the potent antioxidant activity of β -carotene.

Study of polysaccharides isolated from the oleo-gum-resins of boswellia carteri and commi phora myrrha and their immuno- modulatory activity

The present study aims to isolate the polysaccharides of the oleo-gum-resins of Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha Family Burseraceae, identify their components and test their immuno-modulatory activity for the first time. The polysaccharides were isolated from the oleo-gum-resins of Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha using different chemical and chromatographic techniques. The components of the polysaccharide hydrolysates are estimated qualitatively and quantitatively by using PC and HPLC analysis. The immuno-modulatory activity is tested by splenocyte and mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation methods. The percentage yield of the isolated polysaccharide was 15.4% and 15.7% from Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resins respectively. Galactose and ribose are the major constituting units of the polysaccharide isolated from Boswellia carteri oleo-gum-resin whereas ribose and galacturonic acid are the major constituting units of the polysaccharide isolated from Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resin. The polysaccharide of B. carteri oleo-gum-resin showed mild immuno-stimulatory activity at a dose of 5microg/ml, while that of C. myrrha oleo-gum-resin showed no activity at this dose. Chromatographic investigation of the polysaccharides isolated from Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resins by PC and HPLC analysis demonstrated their qualitative and quantitative variation in their chemical composition. Higher concentrations of the polysaccharides could be tested for immuno-modulatory activity