Evaluation of anticholinesterase effect of some Epilobium species and quantification of hyperoside by HPLC.

This article presents the evaluation of anticholinesterase effects of aerial parts of Epilobium angustifolium, E. stevenii and E. hirsutum and isolated flavonoids from E. angustifolium, and quantification of the flavonoids by HPLC. Besides, the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition was seen in the EtOAc sub-extracts of E. angustifolium and E. stevenii (36.51 ± 1.88 and 39.89 ± 3.09%, respectively), whereas EtOAc sub-extract of E. angustifolium had the best butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (62.09 ± 1.98%). Hyperoside showed strong inhibition activity on both enzymes. The active EtOAc sub-extract of E. angustifolium was quantitatively analyzed for their content of hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-ß-D-galactoside) by HPLC. The content of hyperoside in EtOAc sub-extract of E. angustifolium was detected as 3.312%. The anatomical structures of the stem, leaf, sepal, petal, anther, and filament of E. angustifolium were investigated. The anatomical properties given in this study provide a description of E. angustifolium.[Formula: see text].

In vivo bioactivity assessment on Epilobium species: A particular focus on Epilobium angustifolium and its components on enzymes connected with the healing process.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Epilobium species are generally known as "Yaki Otu" in Turkey, which mens "plaster herb" in English. Young shoots of Epilobium angustifolium L., Epilobium stevenii Boiss., and Epilobium hirsutum L. are consumed as salad or meal. These species have been used as a poultice for the treatment of mouth wounds in traditional medicine. An ointment prepared from leaves is used for skin disorders in children. AIM OF THE STUDY: We aimed to evaluate the ethnopharmacological use of Epilobium angustifolium, E. stevenii, and E. hirsutum by using in vivo and in vitro experimental models, and to identify the active wound-healer compound(s) and to explain the probable mechanism of the wound-healing activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Evaluation of wound healing effects of plant extracts was performed in rats and mice by linear incision and circular excision wound models. Determination of total phenolic constituents and antioxidant capacities, which are known to promote the wound healing process, were carried out through Folin-Ciocalteau method and 2,2 Diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay as well as determination of total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) on the treated tissues. The active ethyl acetate (EtOAc) sub-extract of E. angustifolium was fractionated by different chromatographic separation techniques. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated via detailed analyzes (NMR and LC/MS). In addition, in vitro collagenase, hyaluronidase, and elastase enzymes inhibitory activity tests were performed on the isolated compounds to discover the activation pathways of the samples. RESULTS: Among the methanol (MeOH) extracts, E. angustifolium had the highest wound healing activity. Among the sub-extracts, EtOAc showed the highest wound healing activity. Thus, EtOAc sub-extract was subjected to chromatography to isolate the active compounds. Five known flavonoids namely hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-ß-D-galactoside) (1), kaempferol (2), kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamno pyranoside (3), quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamno pyranoside (4), and quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabino pyranoside (5) were isolated from the EtOAc sub-extract of E. angustifolium. In vitro tests showed that hyperoside could be the compound responsible for the wound-healing activity by its significant anti-hyaluronidase, anti-collagenase, and antioxidant activities. CONCLUSION: The EtOAc sub-extract of the aerial part of Epilobium angustifolium displayed remarkable wound-healing activity with anti-hyaluronidase, anti-collagenase, and antioxidant activities. Hyperoside was detected as the primary active compound of the aerial parts. According to the results, we suggest that EtOAc sub-extract of E. angustifolium and hyperoside may be a potent nominee to be used for the improvement of a wound-healing agent.

Protective Role of Propolis on Low and High Dose Furan-induced Hepatotoxicity and Oxidative Stress in Rats.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate potential protective effects of propolis on furan-induced hepatic damage by assessing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), antioxidant enzyme activities, and histopathological changes in the liver. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Albino Wistar rats were divided into six groups: a control, propolis-treated (100 mg/kg b.w./day), low-dose furan-treated (furan-L group; 2 mg/kg b.w./day), high-dose furan-treated (furan-H group; 16 mg/kg b.w./day), furan-L+propolis treated, and furan-H+propolis treated group. Propolis and furan were applied by gavage; propolis for 8 days, and furan for 20 days in furan-L groups and 10 days in furan-H groups. RESULTS: While MDA levels were elevated in furan-treated groups, levels of GSH and activities of antioxidant enzymes decreased (p < 0.001). The levels of MDA and GSH and activities of antioxidant enzymes were normal in the furan+propolis groups, especially in the furan-L+propolis group (p < 0.001). While the aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate pdehydrogenase activities were elevated in the furan-H treated group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), they were unchanged in the furan-L treated group. Histopathologically, several lesions were observed in the liver tissues of the furan-treated groups, especially in the higher-dose group. It was determined that these changes were milder in both of the furan+propolis groups. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that propolis exhibits good hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential against furan-induced hepatocellular damage in rats.

Protective effects of conventional and colon-targeted lycopene and linalool on ulcerative colitis induced by acetic acid in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the potential protective effects of conventional and colon-targeted lycopene (TLC) and linalool (TLN) on acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats. METHODS: Conventional and colon-targeted LC (10 mg/kg) and LN (200 mg/kg) were administered in vivo orally for 7 days and sulfasalazine (100 mg/kg) was also used as reference drug. Then, 4% AA was administered intrarectally to induce UC. Subsequently, the colon tissues were taken as samples for biochemical and histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) levels were decreased (p < 0.05) in the targeted groups compared to the AA group, whereas nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) level was increased (p < 0.05). Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) level was also decreased (p < 0.05) and catalase activity (CAT) was increased (p < 0.05) in the TLC group compared to the AA group. IL-1ß and IL-6 levels were lower in the TLC group compared to the conventional LC and sulfasalazine groups (p < 0.05). COX-2 and NF-κB levels were lower, while the Nrf-2 level was higher in the targeted groups compared to the conventional groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, COX-2 level was lower and Nrf-2 level was higher in the targeted groups compared to the sulfasalazine group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As expected, sulfasalazine was effective on all parameters analyzed, but the colon-targeted pretreatments were more effective from sulfasalazine on some parameters. Therefore, colon-targeted plant-derived therapies might be alternative approaches to provide protection against UC, which deserves to be investigated further.

Dietary rosemary oil alleviates heat stress-induced structural and functional damage through lipid peroxidation in the testes of growing Japanese quail.

Supplementation of natural antioxidants to diets of male poultry has been reported to be effective in reducing or completely eliminating heat stress (HS)-induced reproductive failures. In this study, the aim is to investigate whether rosemary oil (RO) has a protective effect on HS-induced damage in spermatozoa production, testicular histologic structures, apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) through lipid peroxidation mechanisms in growing Japanese quail. Male chicks (n=90) at 15-days of age were assigned to two groups. The first group (n=45) was kept in a thermo-neutral (TN) room at 22°C for 24h/d. The second group (n=45) was kept in a room with a greater ambient temperature of 34°C for 8h/d (from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and 22°C for 16h/d. Animals in each of these two groups were randomly assigned to three subgroups (RO groups: 0, 125, 250ppm), consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2×3 factorial design). Each of subgroups was replicated three times with each replicate including five chicks. The HS treatment significantly reduced the testicular spermatogenic cell counts, amount of testicular Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic marker) and amount of AR. In addition, it significantly increased testicular lipid peroxidation, Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositive staining, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in conjunction with some histopathologic damage. Dietary supplementation of RO to diets of quail where the HS treatment was imposed alleviated HS-induced almost all negative changes such as increased testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased numbers of spermatogenic cells, and decreased amounts of Bcl-2 and AR, increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and some testicular histopathologic lesion. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RO for growing male Japanese quail reared in HS environmental conditions alleviates the HS-induced structural and functional damage by providing a decrease in lipid peroxidation.

Ameliorating effect of pomegranate juice consumption on carbon tetrachloride-induced sperm damages, lipid peroxidation, and testicular apoptosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption has an ameliorating effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced sperm damages and testicular apoptosis associated with the oxidative stress in male rats. The study comprised of four groups (groups 1-4). Group 1 received olive oil + distilled water daily; group 2 was treated with 5 ml/kg PJ + olive oil daily; group 3 was treated with 0.25 ml/kg CCl4 dissolved in olive oil, weekly + distilled water daily; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily PJ. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular catalase activity, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages when compared with the control group. However, significant ameliorations were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, MDA level, apoptotic index, and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with PJ when compared with group given CCl4 only. In conclusion, PJ consumption ameliorates the CCl4-induced damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the lipid peroxidation.

Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil on heat stress-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor density in developing Japanese quails.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cinnamon bark oil (CBO) on heat stress (HS)-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) density in developing Japanese quails. Fifteen-day-old 90 male chicks were assigned to two main groups. The first group (45 chicks) was kept in a thermoneutral room at 22 °C for 24 h/day. The second group (45 chicks) was kept in a room with high ambient temperature at 34 °C for 8 h/day (from 9 AM-5 PM) and at 22 °C for 16 h/day. Each of these two main groups was then divided into three subgroups (CBO groups 0, 250, 500 ppm) consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2 × 3 factorial order). Each of subgroups was replicated for three times and each replicate included five chicks. Heat stress caused significant decreases in body weight, spermatid and testicular sperm numbers, the density of testicular Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic marker) and AR immunopositivity, and significant increases in testicular lipid peroxidation level, the density of testicular Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositivity, and a Bax/Bcl-2 ratio along with some histopathologic damages. However, 250 and 500 ppm CBO supplementation provided significant improvements in HS-induced increased level of testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased number of spermatid and testicular sperm, decreased densities of Bcl-2 and AR immunopositivity, and some deteriorated testicular histopathologic lesions. In addition, although HS did not significantly affect the testicular glutathione level, addition of both 250 and 500 ppm CBO to diet of quails reared in both HS and thermoneutral conditions caused a significant increase when compared with quails without any consumption of CBO. In conclusion, HS-induced lipid peroxidation causes testicular damage in developing male Japanese quails and, consumption of CBO, which has antiperoxidative effect, protects their testes against HS.

Distribution of neuropeptides in endocrine and exocrine pancreas of long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus): an immunohistochemical study.

This study aimed to determine the existence and distribution of certain neuropeptides in endocrine and exocrine pancreas of the long-legged buzzard by using immunohistochemical methods. SOM-14-, NPY- and CGRP-IR endocrine cells were determined in both central and peripheral regions in A-islets within the pancreas, while SP-IR endocrine cells were found only in the central region, and CCK-8- and galanin-IR endocrine cells were only detected in peripheral region. On the other hand, in B-islets; SP-, NPY- and CGRP-IRendocrine cells were determined in both central and peripheral regions, while SOM-14- CCK-8- and galanin-IRendocrine cells were found only in the peripheral region. In addition; SOM-14-, NPY-, CGRP-, CCK-8- and galanin-IR cells were also observed in exocrine pancreas. This distribution pattern in the pancreas of the long-legged buzzard demonstrates that neuropeptides perform their probable affects through endocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms. In conclusion, the existence and distribution of neuropeptides in the pancreas of long-legged buzzard have been introduced in this study for the first time and this bird species has also been found to differ from other types of avian species.