Anxiolytic-like effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in rats.

The main biologically active constituents of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) are polyphenolics, amongst them flavonoids, mainly anthocyanins. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of AMFJ (5 and 10 mL/kg) on anxiety using the social interaction test, on locomotor activity in the open field test and on working memory in the object recognition test in rats. AMFJ showed an anxiolytic-like effect which was demonstrated by a dose-dependent increase in the time of active social contacts between the test partners. The effects of both AMFJ doses were comparable to the effect of diazepam (1 mg/kg). AMFJ neither changed significantly horizontal and vertical locomotor activity, nor did it adversely affect working memory.

Influence of DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats.

1 There is an increasing body of evidence supporting the hypothesis that antioxidants are able to reduce gastric mucosal damage induced by stressors of different origin. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate (TA) on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats and a possible role for an anti-oxidative mechanism in the response. 2 TA (25, 50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) was applied intraperitoneally as a pretreatment 1 h before the subcutaneous administration of indomethacin (30 mg kg(-1)). 3 TA reduced the area of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers, the effect being significant (P < 0.05) at the highest dose of 100 mg kg(-1). 4 Histopathological examination of rat stomach samples demonstrated that TA caused an increase in gastric mucus production and a reduction of the severity of mucosal lesions. 5 The three doses of TA prevented indomethacin-induced elevation of plasma and mucosal malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, which in TA-pretreated rats were not significantly different from the control values. Neither indomethacin treatment nor TA pretreatment had a significant influence on the gastric mucosal levels of reduced glutathione or oxidized glutathione. 6 Our results suggest that the gastroprotective effect of TA is likely to be due to increased mucus production and interference with oxidative stress development as evidenced by the decreased plasma and gastric mucosal MDA.

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) is rich in phenolic antioxidants, especially flavonoids from the anthocyanin subclass. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of AMFJ on plasma glucose and lipids in diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). AMFJ was applied by gavage at doses of 10 and 20 ml/kg for 6 weeks to normal and diabetic rats. Streptozotocin caused a significant elevation of plasma glucose by 141% and of plasma triglycerides (TG) by 64% in comparison with normal control rats and induced statistically insignificant elevations of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and a reduction of HDL-cholesterol. Applied to normal rats, AMFJ did not influence plasma glucose and lipid levels. Applied to diabetic rats, AMFJ (10 and 20 ml/kg) significantly reduced plasma glucose by 44% and 42% and TG by 35% and 39%, respectively, to levels that did not significantly differ from those of the normal control rats and counteracted the influence of streptozotocin on total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. In conclusion, AMFJ significantly decreased the streptozotocin-induced abnormalities in blood glucose and TG in diabetic rats and might be useful in prevention and control of diabetes mellitus and diabetes-associated complications.

Antihyperlipidemic effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.

Aronia melanocrpa fruit juice (AMFJ) used in our experiment was very rich in phenolic substances (709.3 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 ml juice). Anthocyanins (106.8 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/100 ml juice) were the main flavonoid group. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of AMFJ on plasma lipids and lipoprotein profile, and histopathology of liver and aorta in rats with dietary-induced hyperlipidemia. AMFJ was administered by gavage for 30 days at doses of 5, 10 and 20 ml/kg body weight to rats fed a standard diet (SD) or a 4% cholesterol-containing diet (4% ChD). The 4% ChD caused a significant elevation of plasma total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). AMFJ did not significantly influence plasma lipids in rats fed the SD and significantly hindered the elevation of plasma TC, LDL-C and TG in rats fed the 4% ChD. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were not significantly influenced either by the 4% ChD or by AMFJ. Neither the cholesterol feeding, nor AMFJ treatment induced any histopathological changes in rat liver and aorta. In conclusion, AMFJ showed an antihyperlipidemic effect in rats with hyperlipidemia and could be valuable in reducing this factor of cardiovascular risk.

Effect of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage and oxidative stress in rats.

Aronia melanocarpa fruits are rich in phenolic substances-mainly flavonoids from the anthocyanin subclass. The anthocyanins are water-soluble plant pigments with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective and other activities. We studied the effect of A. melanocarpa fruit juice (AMFJ) on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats and its possible relation to the oxidative status. AMFJ (5, 10 and 20 ml kg(-1)) was applied orally as a pretreatment 1 h before the subcutaneous administration of indomethacin (30 mg kg(-1)). Gastric ulcer formation was estimated morphometrically and histopathologically 4h after the indomethacin administration. Malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat plasma and gastric mucosa and also reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in gastric mucosa were determined and used as biochemical markers of the oxidative status. AMFJ-pretreatment diminished the number and area of indomethacin-induced gastric lesions. Histopathological examination of rat stomachs demonstrated that AMFJ induced an increase in gastric mucus production and a reduction of the depth and severity of indomethacin-induced mucosal lesions. AMFJ dose-dependently reduced the elevated indomethacin plasma and gastric MDA levels and at the doses of 10 and 20 ml kg(-1) they were not significantly different from the control values. Neither indomethacin-treatment, nor AMFJ-pretreatment had a significant influence on GSH and GSSG gastric mucosal levels. These results demonstrated that indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage was accompanied by the development of oxidative stress, evidenced by the accumulation of MDA. AMFJ-pretreatment decreased the gastric lesions caused by indomethacin. It could be suggested that this effect of AMFJ was probably due to the increased mucus production and interference with oxidative stress development as evidenced by the decreased plasma and gastric mucosal MDA.

Hepatoprotective effect of the natural fruit juice from Aronia melanocarpa on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver damage in rats.

The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa are rich in anthocyanins--plant pigments with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. We studied the effect of the natural fruit juice from A. melanocarpa (NFJAM) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver damage in rats. Histopathological changes such as necrosis, fatty change, ballooning degeneration and inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytes around the central veins occurred in rats following acute exposure to CCl4 (0.2 ml kg(-1), 2 days). The administration of CCl4 increased plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities, induced lipid peroxidation (as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rat liver and plasma) and caused a depletion of liver reduced glutathione (GSH). NFJAM (5, 10 and 20 ml kg(-1), 4 days) dose-dependently reduced the necrotic changes in rat liver and inhibited the increase of plasma AST and ALT activities, induced by CCl4 (0.2ml kg(-1), 3rd and 4th days). NFJAM also prevented the CCl4-induced elevation of MDA formation and depletion of GSH content in rat liver.