Evaluation of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effect of Artemisia vulgaris extract against diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis in Balb C mice / Avaliação dos efeitos quimiopreventivo e quimioterápico do extrato de Artemisia vulgaris contra carcinogênese hepatocelular induzida por dietilnitrosamina em camundongos Balb C

The main objective of current study was to investigate the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity of Artemisia vulgaris extract on diethylnitrosoamine induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Balb C mice. Diethylnitrosoamine (DEN: 0.9%) was prepared to induce hepatocarcinoma in Balb C mice. The extract Artemisia vulgaris (AV) was prepared by maceration technique. Mice were classified into four groups as follows: Group 1 a control group (N=7) received saline solution (3.5 l/mg), group 2 (N=14) received diethylnitrosoamine (3.5 l/mg) intraperitoneally once in a week for eight consecutive weeks, group 3 (N=7) received only plant extract (AV: 150 mg/kg (Body weight) once in a week, while group 4 (N=7) was given in combination of diethylnitrosoamine (3.5 l/mg) and plant extract (AV: 150 mg/kg (body weight). After eight weeks of DEN administration, mice of group 2 were divided into two subgroups containing seven mice each; subgroup 1 was sacrificed while subgroup 2 was treated with plant extract only (150 mg/kg (body weight)) once in a week for eight consecutive weeks. The DEN injected mice significant decline in levels of albumin with concomitant significant elevations such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alpha feto protein, gamma glutamyl transferase, 5 nucleotidase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and bilirubin. The administration of A. vulgaris significantly decreased the DEN induced hepatotoxicity. Present study revealed the potential anti-cancerous nature of Artemisia vulgaris, both in case of chemopreventive and post-treatment of A. vulgaris. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of prevention and therapy.

O objetivo principal do presente estudo foi investigar as atividades quimiopreventiva e quimioterápica do extrato de Artemisia vulgaris em hepatocarcinogênese induzida por dietilnitrosoamina (DEN) em camundongos Balb C. Dietilnitrosoamina (DEN: 0,9%) foi preparada para induzir hepatocarcinoma em camundongos da linhagem Balb C. O extrato de A. vulgaris (AV) foi preparado pela técnica de maceração. Os camundongos foram classificados em quatro grupos conforme os seguintes: grupo 1, grupo controle (N=7) recebeu solução salina (3,5 µl/mg); grupo 2 (N=14) recebeu dietilnitrosoamina (3,5 µl/mg) por via intraperitoneal uma vez por semana durante oito semanas consecutivas; grupo 3 (N=7) recebeu apenas o extrato vegetal (AV: 150 mg/kg (peso corporal) uma vez por semana; enquanto no grupo 4 (N=7) foi administrado uma combinação de dietilnitrosoamina (3,5 l/mg) com extrato vegetal (AV: 150 mg/kg (peso corporal). Após oito semanas de administração de DEN, os camundongos do grupo 2 foram divididos em dois subgrupos, contendo sete camundongos cada um; no subgrupo 1, os animais foram sacrificados, enquanto no subgrupo 2, os animais foram tratados apenas com extrato vegetal (150 mg/kg (peso corporal)) uma vez por semana durante oito semanas consecutivas. Os camundongos nos quais foram injetados DEN apresentaram declínio significativo nos níveis de albumina, mas elevações significativas concomitantes de: aspartato aminotransferase, alanina aminotransferase, lactato desidrogenase, alfa-fetoproteína, gama-glutamiltransferase, 5 nucleotidase, glicose-6-fosfato desidrogenase e bilirrubina. A administração de A. vulgaris diminuiu significativamente a hepatotoxicidade induzida pelo DEN. O presente estudo apresentou a potencialidade anticancerosa da A. vulgaris, tanto nos casos de quimioprevenção quanto no pós-tratamento da A. vulgaris. Mais estudos são necessários para explorar o mecanismo de prevenção e a terapia.

Effects of some botanical extracts on the midgut, integument and fat body of the cotton leaf worm, spodoptera littoralis [lepidoptera: noctuidae]

Botanical extracts [8%] of four plants [Artemisia monosperma, Zygophyllum cocccineum, Lupinus termis and Brassica tournifortii] fed to the 4[th] larval in-stars of Spodoptera littoralis induced histopathological changes in the structure of the midgut, integument and fat body of the 5[th] instars. Zygophyllum coccineum and Lupinus termis induced severe damages in the midgut. The integument of treated larvae showed degeneration in the cuticle and epidermal cells which were also detached from each other. Water extracts of A. monosperma, Z. coccinieum and L. termis were the most promising in inducing shrinkage in the fat body cells and detachment of midgut muscle layers. Also, the degeneration of the midgut membrane and epithelial layer occurs in different degrees with the tested plants. This study supports the use of botanical extracts in pest control programs of lepidopterous insects

Effect of artesunate on Toxoplasma gondii: in vitro and in vivo studies

The effect of Artesunate [As] on Toxoplasma gondii [T. gondii] in vitro and in vivo was studied. In vitro, tachyzoites of RH strain were exposed to As in a concentration of 2 microg/ml for 72 hours. The assessment of As effect was carried out by studying the viability, infectivity and ultrastructure changes of treated tachyzoites by scanning electron microscope [SEM]. In the in vivo study, Swiss albino mice were infected intraperitoneally with tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain, then orally treated with As in a dose of 200 mg/kg for five successive days. The effect of As was evaluated by the mortality rate and survival time of the treated mice. Parasite burden, viability, infectivity and ultrastructure changes of tachyzoites harvested from the peritoneal cavities of infected treated mice as compared with infected non-treated control mice were also studied. In vitro study demonstrated a significant reduction in viability and infectivity of tachyzoites exposed to As compared with untreated controls. In vivo study, showed that treatment of infected mice with As induced a significant decrease in mortality rate and increase in survival time. There was also a significant reduction in parasite burden in infected treated mice with significant reduction in viability and infectivity of tachyzoites harvested from them as compared with infected non-treated control. SEM showed distortion in tachyzoites' shape, peeling, erosions and discontinuity in areas of surface membrane of treated tachyzoites of both in vitro and in vivo studies. So, As proved an effective and promising drug in treating acute toxoplasmosis