Potential role of leptin against glucocorticoid-induced secondary osteoporosis in adult female rats.

OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed the potential role of leptin administration in the protection and intervention against glucocorticoid-induced secondary osteoporosis in female rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this purpose five groups of female Sprague Dawley rats were classified into: (1) negative control group in which the healthy rats received saline as vehicle, (2) a group orally administered with prednisolone (5 mg kg b.wt.-1) daily for six months (osteoporotic group), (3) a group subcutaneously administered with leptin (400 microg kg b.wt.-1) three times weekly for six months (positive control), (4) a group orally administered with prednisolone daily with simultaneous subcutaneous administration of leptin three times weekly for six months (protective group), and (5) a group orally administered with prednisolone daily for six months then subcutaneously administered with leptin three times weekly for other six months (therapeutic group). RESULTS: The obtained data revealed that prednisolone administration resulted in significant decrease in serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) level accompanied with significant increase in serum receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and beta2-microglobulin levels in comparison with the negative control group. Moreover, prednisolone significantly decreased bone mineral density and content of different areas of the right femur bones as compared to the negative control group. Furthermore, administration of leptin with/after stopping prednisolone administration resulted in a marked modulation in the majority of bone biomarkers as well as improvement in bone mineral density and content. CONCLUSIONS: Leptin provided promising effect on bone through its direct action on bone and matrix mineralization.

New insights on the anti-inflammatory effect of some Egyptian plants against renal dysfunction induced by cyclosporine.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate the anti-inflammatory role of fennel, carob, doum and mixture of them in improving the renal dysfunction induced in rats by the cyclosporine. DESIGN: Sixty female albino rats were divided into six groups: healthy control rats, cyclosporine injected rats (positive control), other groups were injected by cyclosporine for 7 days and then diet was supplemented with either fennel, doum, carob or mixture of them. After 45 days of supplementation, rats were scarified. Serum and urinary samples were obtained for different biochemical analysis. METHODS: The analysis included the determination of creatinine levels in serum and urinary samples, serum ammonia, transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), urinary N-acetyl-beta D-glucosaminidase (NAG), beta2 microglobulin as well as calculating the creatinine clearance. Also, an histopathological examination for the kidney tissue was performed. RESULTS: The present study showed that cyclosporine induced the nephrotoxicity as appeared by elevation of serum and urinary levels of creatinine, urinary level of beta2 microglobulin, serum levels of ammonia, TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha and the NAG level while decreased the creatinine clearance. Addition of fennel, carob, doum or mixture of them significantly improved the kidney functions. Moreover, anti-inflammatory status of animals injected with cyclosporine and supplemented with fennel, carob, doum and mixture of them, showed a significant amelioration in the kidney functions as compared to animals injected with the cyclosporine only. Histopathological investigation of kidney tissue of rat treated with the cyclosporine showed a moderate degree of renal damages. While, groups fed on fennel, carob, doum or mixture of them showed a great improvement in the kidney morphological structure. CONCLUSIONS: Diet supplementation with fennel, carob, doum have a promising anti-inflammatory influence on attenuating the complications associated with the renal dysfunction.