Punicalagin attenuates myocardial oxidative damage, inflammation, and apoptosis in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats: Biochemical, immunohistochemical, and in silico molecular docking studies.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a life-threatening ischemic disease and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Punicalagin (PU), the major ellagitannin found in pomegranates, is characterized by multiple antioxidant activities. The aim of this study is to assess the protective effects of PU against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced acute myocardial damage and to investigate its underlying vascular mechanisms using rat model. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into five groups and were treated orally (p.o.) with PU (25 and 50 mg/kg) for 14 days. ISO was administered subcutaneously (S.C.) (85 mg/kg) on the 15th and 16th days to induce Myocardial infarction. Cardiac markers, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory cytokines levels were determined in the heart tissue. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to determine the protein expression pathways of inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in all the groups. In silico study was carried out to evaluate the molecular interaction of PU with some molecular targets. RESULTS: Our results showed that ISO-induced cardiac tissue injury was evidenced by increased serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), associated with several histopathological changes. ISO also induced an increase of MDA, PCO, NO, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), along with a decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities in the myocardial tissues. In addition, an increase of TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-6, IL-1ß, iNOS, Nrf2 and (HO-1) was observed. Pre-treatment with PU reduced myocardial infract area, ameliorated histopathological alterations in myocardium, and decreased activities of myocardial injury marker enzymes in ISO-induced rats. In addition, PU remarkably restored ISO-induced elevation of lipid peroxidation and decrease of antioxidants, significantly reduced myocardial pro-inflammatory cytokines concentrations in this animal model. Molecular docking analysis of PU with protein targets showed potent interactions with negative binding energies. In conclusion, PU can protect the myocardium from oxidative injury, inflammatory response, and cell death induced by ISO by upregulating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and antioxidants.

Alteration of membrane integrity and respiratory function of brain mitochondria in the rats chronically exposed to a low dose of acetamiprid.

The pesticides are used in several fields of agriculture and farms to protect crops against harmful insects and herbs. The increased and uncontrolled use of these pollutants is very hazardous for the population health. Consumption of contaminated food matrices with these pesticides could impair the cell integrity and its molecular function. The main aim of this present study was to evaluate the alteration of the integrity of mitochondrial membranes and respiratory chain potential in the brain of rats exposed during 90 days to acetamiprid (AC), organochlorine of the new generation. After oral administration of AC in rats with 3.14 mg/kg of body weight, the results of this current study showed enhance in mitochondrial oxidative stress status by significant decrease of glutathione (GSH) level, glutathione pyroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activities. On the other hand, there is an increase in the enzymatic activity of the glutathione s-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD); at the same time, the MDA level was also highly increased. Furthermore, evaluation results of brain mitochondrial integrity revealed a significant increase in membrane permeability and mitochondrial swelling in rats exposed chronically to AC. Instead, other results of this present work showed a significant decrease in mitochondrial respiration potent (O2 consumption) in acetamiprid-treated rats. In conclusion, the long duration exposition of the animals to AC has led to respiratory chain dysfunction, disturbance of matrix oxidative status, and a loss of mitochondrial membranes integrity.

Naringenin ameliorates renal and platelet purinergic signalling alterations in high-cholesterol fed rats through the suppression of ROS and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Naringenin (NGEN) is a natural flavonoid aglycone of naringin that has been reported to have a wide range of pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging capacity. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of NGEN on oxidative and inflammatory parameters, as well as to evaluate the hydrolysis of adenine nucleotides in kidney and platelet membranes of rats exposed to a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) for 90 days. Kidney oxidative stress and mRNA expression of the ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases), ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) genes were evaluated by real time RT-PCR. The co-administration of NGEN (50 mg kg(-1)) for 90 days significantly prevented renal failure in HCD rats as indicated by an improvement of renal markers. Histopathological observation findings are also consistent with these effects. Moreover, NGEN (50 mg kg(-1)) significantly decreased the lipid profile and inhibited pro-oxidant and inflammation marker levels in the kidney of HCD rats. Furthermore, the NTPDase activities were significantly decreased in platelets and kidney membranes of HCD-treated rats and these alterations were improved by NGEN. In conclusion, this study suggests that naringenin can potentially improve the renal failure and platelet alterations observed in rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet probably through its antioxidant effects.

Anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of naringin on cisplatin-induced renal injury in the rat.

Nephrotoxicity is a common complication of cisplatin chemotherapy and thus limits the use of cisplatin in clinic. Naringin, a natural flavonoid, plays important roles in inflammation and apoptosis in some inflammatory diseases; however, its roles in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity remain unclear. In this study, we first assessed the involvement of ROS overproduction and inflammation in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in aged rats, and then we investigated the changes of renal function, histological injury, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in renal tissues after treatment with naringin (20, 50 or 100 mg/kg body weight). Cisplatin resulted in an increase of renal markers, lipid peroxidation, protein and DNA oxidation, and ROS formation. Renal tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitrite levels were also elevated. Expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), inductible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), caspase-3 and p53 were up-regulated in renal tissues of Cis-treated rats compared with the normal control group. Histopathological changes were also observed in cisplatin group. Adminstration of naringin at different doses (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was able to protect against the deterioration in kidney function, abrogate the decline in antioxidant enzyme activities and suppressed the increase in TBARS, nitrite and TNF-α concentrations. Moreover, naringin inhibited NF-κB and iNOS pathways, caspase-3 and p53 activation and improved the histological changes induced by cisplatin. In conclusion, our studies suggest that oxidative stress and inflammation might play important roles in the development of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and naringin might become an effective therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Protective role of naringin against cisplatin induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis in rat striatum via suppressing ROS-mediated NF-κB and P53 signaling pathways.

Cisplatin (Cis) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent successfully used in the treatment of a wide range of malignancies while its usage is limited due to its dose-dependent toxicity. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of naringin, an ubiquitous flavonoid, against Cis-induced striatum injury in Wistar aged rats. Briefly, the experimental procedures were divided in two sets of experiments. In the first, the animals were divided into 4 groups: control, Nar 25mg/kg, Nar 50mg/kg and Nar 100mg/kg. In the second, the animals were divided into 4 groups: Cis (5mg/kg/week for 5 consecutive weeks), Cis+Nar (25mg/kg), Cis+Nar (50mg/kg) and Cis+Nar (100mg/kg). The administration of Cis (5mg/kg/week for 5 consecutive weeks) resulted in a decline in the concentrations of reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid. The activity of membrane bound ATPases and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were decreased while the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased. Further, in striatum tissue, Cis significantly enhance the mRNA gene expression of P53, nuclear factor κB pathway (NFκB) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). Oxidative/nitrosative stress was evident in Cis group by increased malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PCO), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrite concentration (NO). Naringin (25, 50 and 100mg/kg) administration was able to protect against deterioration in striatum tissue, abrogate the change in antioxidant enzyme activities and suppressed the increase in MDA, PCO, NO and TNF-α concentrations. Moreover, Nar inhibited P53, NFkB and TNF-α pathways mediated inflammation and apoptosis, and improved the histological changes induced by Cis. Thus, these findings demonstrated the neuroprotective nature of Nar by attenuating the pro-inflammatory and apoptotic mediators and improving antioxidant competence in striatum tissue. These results imply that Nar has perfect effect against Cis-induced striatum injury in aged rats, which should be developed as an effective food and healthcare product for the treatment of brain injury in the future.

Naringin Abrogates Cisplatin-Induced Cognitive Deficits and Cholinergic Dysfunction Through the Down-Regulation of AChE Expression and iNOS Signaling Pathways in Hippocampus of Aged Rats.

Chemotherapy-related cognitive deficits are a major neurological problem, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. However, very few studies have looked at the possible ways of preventing this stress-induced deficit. Thus, we investigated the relationship between cisplatin (Cis) exposure to acetylcholinesterase, ATPase, oxidative stress biomarkers, and impaired behavior performance and the possible protecting mechanism of naringin (Nar), a plant-derived flavonoid, in aged rats. The experimental procedures were divided in two sets of experiments. In the first, the animals were divided into four groups: vehicle, Nar 25 mg/kg, Nar 50 mg/kg, and Nar 100 mg/kg. In the second, the animals were divided into four groups: Cis (5 mg kg(-1) week(-1) for five consecutive weeks), Cis plus Nar (25 mg/kg), Cis plus Nar (50 mg/kg), and Cis plus Nar (100 mg/kg). Results showed that Cis exposure leads to the increase in acetylcholinesterase associated with a significant increase in mRNA levels of acetylcholinesterase and the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the hippocampus. Moreover, a decrease in membrane-bound ATPase enzyme activities and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant activities in the hippocampus and an increase in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyls (PCO), nitrite formation (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were found. Further, Cis-induced neuronal alterations were evidenced by impairment behavioral performance. Treatment with Nar significantly and dose-dependently prevented all the behavioral, biochemical, and molecular alterations in aged rats treated with cisplatin. Thus, findings from the current study demonstrate the possible involvement of oxidative-stress-mediated inflammatory signaling in Cis-induced cognitive dysfunction and also suggests the effectiveness of naringin in preventing cognitive deficits in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.