Tissue factor procoagulant activity in the tumor cell lines and plasma of dogs with various malignant tumors.

Hypercoagulability is a common paraneoplastic complication in dogs with various malignant tumors. Importantly, tissue factor procoagulant activity (TF-PCA) induced by TF-bearing microparticles (TF-MPs) is associated with hypercoagulability in human patients with cancer. However, TF-PCA in tumor cells and the association between circulating TF-MPs and hypercoagulability in dogs with malignant tumors remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the TF-PCA in various types of canine tumor cell lines and plasma in dogs with malignant tumors. Mammary gland tumor, hemangiosarcoma, and malignant melanoma cell lines, but not lymphoma cell lines, expressed TF on their surfaces and showed cellular surface and MP-associated TF-PCA. The plasma TF-PCA was elevated in some dogs that naturally developed such tumors. No significant difference was observed in plasma TF-PCA between the disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) group (median: 43.40; range: 3.47-85.19; n=5) and non-DIC group (median: 7.73; range: 1.70-16.13; n=12). However, plasma TF-PCA was remarkably elevated in three of five dogs with DIC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate plasma TF-PCA in dogs with malignant tumors. Further studies must be conducted to determine the cellular origin of TF-MPs and the efficacy of plasma TF-PCA as a biomarker of DIC in dogs with malignant tumors.

Evaluation of wound healing potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) whole fruit extract on skin burn wound in rats (Rattus norvegicus).

OBJECTIVE: This research was conducted to study the wound healing process of whole fruit pomegranate extract (punica granatum) standardized with 40% ellagic acid ointment for deep second-degree burn wound of skin in the rat (Rattus norvegicus). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Powder of standardized pomegranate extract (SPE) with 40% ellagic acid was processed to become ointments. Twenty-five male rats, weighed 150-180 gm at 3 months of age, were randomly divided into five groups. After anesthetized, stainless circle plate with 1 cm of diameter in 85°C was contacted firmly toward right gluteal of rat skins for 5 sec in order to create deep second-degree burn wound. Control groups consist of (T0) cream base and (T1) 1% silver sulfadiazine. Treatment groups consist of (T2) 2.5% SPE, (T3) 5% SPE, and (T4) 10% SPE. Histopathological preparation used hematoxylin-eosin stained skin samples. Histological observations were performed using the optics microscope against collagen, the number of polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) infiltration, the degree of angiogenesis, and re-epithelization. The results were statistically compared between groups. RESULTS: Microscopic observation on the wound healing process on the collagen, PMN infiltration, angiogenesis, and re-epithelization showed that topical administration of 10% SPE in burns gives the best result. This is characterized by a high density of collagen with a good arrangement, which is accompanied by a complete and mature epithelium, low number of inflammatory cells, and angiogenesis. This may be caused by the compounds in the pomegranate extract, which have the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that 10% SPE accelerates the healing of deep second-degree burn wound. Thus, pomegranate standardized with 40% ellagic acid is a promising herb for the healing of burn wound of skin.

Protective effects of honey by bees (Apis dorsata) on decreased cortical thickness and bone impact strength of ovariohysterectomized rats as models for menopause.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the potential of honey as anti-osteoporosis by evaluating its effectiveness in increasing bone impact strength and cortical thickness, through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five female rats at 3 months of age, weighing 150-200 g were used in the study. They were placed in individual cages and adapted to food and environment for 10 days. On the 11th day, after the animals were adapted for 10 days, the animals were randomly divided into five treatment groups (n=9): Sham operation group (SH); ovariohysterectomized (OVX) group with no treatment; OVX with treatment Apis dorsata 1 g/kg BW (AD-1); OVX with treatment A. dorsata 2 g/kg BW (AD-2); and OVX with treatment A. dorsata 4 g/kg BW (AD-3). Furthermore, those nine rats in each treatment group were divided into three groups. Three of them were observed at months 1st, 2nd, and 3rd so that in each observation taken three rats in each treatment group. At the end of the study, the rats were euthanized and necropsy for taking their second femoral bone, i.e. dexter region for examining their bone impact strength, while the sinister region was used for measure the cortical thickness of the femoral diaphysis and examining their bone microarchitecture using SEM analysis. RESULTS: Based on results of the ANOVA test, the cortical thickness measurements of femoral diaphyseal can be seen that from month 1 to month 3 the lowest result was found in the group of rats that were OVX-I. Meanwhile, the highest result was found in the group of rats that were not OVX (SH-III). It was significantly different from the other treatment groups (p<0.05). The groups of rats were OVX with honey supplementation at doses of 2 g/kg BW had shown an increasing pattern in the cortical bone thickness from month 1 to month 3. Even on the observation of the 3rd month, the cortical bone thickness in the AD-2 (AD-2-III) group was not significantly different (p>0.05) from that in the group of rats was not OVX in month 1 (SH-I). The results of the bone impact strength measurement from month 1 to month 3 indicated that the groups of rats were OVX without the administration of honey supplements had the lowest value. The highest bone impact strength was found in the group of rats that was not OVX, but not significantly different (p>0.05) with the groups of rats that were OVX administered honey supplement with a dose of 2 g/kg BW (AD-2) and 4 g/kg BW (AD-3). CONCLUSION: The supplement of honey A. dorsata at doses of 2 g/kg BW in the group of rats was that OVX can inhibit the decreasing of the cortical bone thickness and repair damage in microarchitecture to generate bone impact strength. As a result, bones are not easily broken.

The activity of pomegranate extract standardized 40% ellagic acid during the healing process of incision wounds in albino rats (Rattus norvegicus).

AIM: This research aimed to evaluate the effects of pomegranate extract standardized to 40% ellagic acid on the incised wound in albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty albino rats were divided into 10 treatment groups. The five groups were sacrificed on the 8th day, while the others were sacrificed on the 15th day. Two groups of albino rats with incised wound were not treated at all (P0), the other two groups of albino rats with incised wound were treated with Betadine® (P1) ointment, and the rest of the groups were treated with pomegranate extract standardized to 40% ellagic acid with a concentration of 2.5% (P2), 5% (P3), and 7.5% (P4). The treatments were carried out twice a day with an interval of 12 h for 7 and 14 days. At the end of the research, the skin tissue of those albino rats had been taken for histopathologic preparations before H and E staining was performed. RESULTS: Collagen deposition, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) infiltration, angiogenesis, and fibrosis degree in Group P4 treated with 7.5% pomegranate extract standardized to 40% ellagic acid for 14 days were significantly different from those in Groups P0, P1, P2, and P3, especially in the case of PMN inflammation (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The administration of 7.5% pomegranate extract standardized to 40% ellagic acid for 14 days on incised wounds of those albino rats can accelerate the wound healing process characterized by collagen deposition improvement, PMN infiltration in the wound area, angiogenesis, and fibrosis degree.

Benefits of pomegranate (Punica granatum Linn) fruit extracts to weight changes, total protein, and uric acid in white rats (Rattus norvegicus) as an animal model of acute renal failure.

AIM: The occurrence of acute renal failure (ARF) cases continues to increase every year. Some of the cases are due to nephrotoxic effect caused by overdose of antibiotic consumption or abuse of the drug, gentamicin. An antibiotic therapy that can be used to overcome in such a case is the pomegranate extracts. However, until now, studies using pomegranate for cases of ARF have not been done. This study aims to determine changes in body weight, the levels of total protein (TP), and the levels of serum uric acid (UA) as a result of the pomegranate extract consumption. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 32 rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into four groups randomly. One group was assigned as the control group (P0) and given intraperitoneal (i.p.) saline and 0.3% carboxy methyl cellulose sodium (CMC) Na; P1 was provided with 80 mg/kg bw/i.p. gentamicin and 0.3% CMC Na orally, P2 was supplied with 80 mg/kg bw/i.p. gentamicin and ellagic acid in 0.3% CMC Na, and P3 was given 80 mg/kg bw/i.p. gentamicin and 150 mg/kg bw pomegranate extract in 0.3% CMC Na. The provision of treatment was carried out in 8 days and followed by making the overthrow of body weight and blood sampling for the examination of study variables. RESULTS: The results taken by doing the analysis of variance method for the four treatment groups show that the control group (P0) has significant differences from P1, P2, and P3 (p<0.05), but there are no significant differences among the other three treatment groups. Meanwhile, the average values of serum UA levels among P1, P2, and P3 indicate significant differences. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the administration of pomegranate extracts in the treatment of nephrotoxicity toward rats is effective to maintain normal body weight, normal TP levels, and the UA blood serum of the rats. As this study is a preventive therapy, it needs further researches about the effective dose as a curative therapy, its level of effectiveness and its long-term side effects.