Chloroformic and Methanolic Extracts of Olea europaea L. Leaves Present Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities.

Olea europaea L. is used in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean areas. Its natural products are used in the treatment of different disorders, like fighting fever and some infectious diseases such as malaria, the treatment of arrhythmia, and relief of intestinal spasms. The aim of the current study is to investigate the possible anti-inflammatory and anatinociceptive effects of methanol and chloroformic extracts prepared from leaves of Olea europaea L. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the different extracts of Olea europaea leaves were assessed after intraperitoneal administration into rats and mice, using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats to test the anti-inflammatory effect and the acetic acid-induced writhing in mice to test the analgesic effect. The chloroformic and methanolic leaves extracts, studied at the doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg (Body Weight: BW), exhibited significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that Olea europaea leaves extracts have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

Mandibular bone alterations of ovariectomized rats under vitamin D insufficiency.

UNLABELLED: Experimental osteoporosis was studied in mandible bone by means of ovariectomy and vitamin D insufficiency. METHODS: 42 female Wistar rats were divided into the following four groups: (1) ovariectomized rats maintained in 12h day-night light conditions (ov-l), (2) ovariectomized rats maintained in 24h dark light conditions (ov-ob), (3) sham-operated rats maintained in 12h day-night light conditions (ch-l) and (4) sham-operated rats maintained in 24 h dark conditions (ch-ob). 12 weeks later the animals were sacrificed, the mandibles were excised, cleaned and weighed, the right side of the mandibles were histologically examined and the left side of the mandibles were prepared for mineral phase analysis by X-ray diffraction. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to detect apoptotic cells by anti-PARP p85 antibody. RESULTS: In group 2, the weight of mandibles significantly decreased. Chondroid areas were observed in ovariectomized groups and polarized light observation validated the collagen distribution disturbance in these groups (groups 1 and 2). Apoptotic osteoblasts were localized in groups 1, 2 and 4. They were numerous in group 2. The mineral phase analysis did not find differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study validates a new model of osteoporotic animal associating estrogens deficiency and vitamin D insufficiency where matrix synthesis and osteoblast biology are altered, but not biomineralization.

Study of the effect of aqueous extract of Grewia tenax fruit on iron absorption by everted gut sac.

Grewia tenax roots, leaves, juice and fruit decoctions have been used in Africa and Southeast Asiatic countries for a variety of medical purposes. In this investigation, we report the effect of aqueous extract of Grewia tenax fruit (AEGTF) on the variation in vitro of iron absorption. The incubation of freshly prepared rat everted gut sac (EGS) in Ringer medium containing FeSO(4) in the absence of AEGTF showed that in stomach there is iron absorption only at 15 min of incubation time, whereas, at duodenum and jejunum, iron uptake occurs just after 1 min of incubation time and the maximum of iron absorption is registered at 15 min of incubation time. Addition of AEGTF at different concentrations favors significantly this iron transfer from the mucous side toward the serous one. The maximum of iron absorption was carried out in the presence of AEGTF at 10 mg/ml and 5 min of incubation time in stomach, duodenum and jejunum. AEGTF used at high doses (20 and 30 mg/ml) reduced significantly iron uptake suggesting a probable toxic effect of this extract. Histological studies confirmed the presence of cytotoxic signs as multinucleated giant cells and the disappearance of enterocyte border brush. With the aim of elucidating the mechanism of action of AEGTF, we are attempting to isolate the active principles present in this extract.

Effects of amino-acids on pancreatic hormones and gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity in the goose.

In the goose, alanine and arginine, intravenously or orally administered, act in the same way on pancreatic hormones; they both stimulate insulin and glucagon secretions. Conversely, whereas alanine treatment has no effect on plasma gut GLI, oral arginine stimulates gut GLI secretion. Since stimulation of gut GLI secretion does not occur with i.v. arginine, it may be assumed that this secretion depends on the intestinal transit of arginine and, as already described (Sitbon and Mialhe 1979), of glucose. The results, compared with studies on a similar species (duck) and on mammals, point out that i.v. infusion of alanine stimulates IRI and GLI secretions in the goose and not in the duck. In the same way, arginine i.v. infusion, contrarily to the observation made in the duck, is without effect on gut GLI secretion in the goose. Furthermore, insulin seems to be able to inhibit the alpha cell response to arginine infusion, as in mammals, whereas this is not the case in ducks.

Effects of total pancreatectomy and amino-acid treatment on plasma amino-acids and glucose in the goose.

1. Total pancreatectomy in the goose, in addition to the effects previously described (fatal hypoglycaemia and impaired tolerance), increases markedly the plasma amino-acid level. This increase corresponds to a significant rise in individually tested plasma amino-acids. In addition, pancreatectomy suppresses the hyperglycaemia which normally follows arginine treatment. 2. Oral administration of arginine induces hyperglycaemia in normal, but not in depancreatized geese. Therefore, the arginine effect upon the blood glucose level could be mediated by glucagon. Plasma glucose and glucagon changes, in normal animals with oral administration or i.v. infusion (Khemiss and Sitbon, 1982), agree with this conclusion. 3. Conversely, alanine elicits hyperglycaemia in normal animals, and such hyperglycaemia persists in pancreatectomized geese. Therefore, in the goose, in contrast to the duck, alanine appears to be a strong gluconeogenic amino-acid. These experiments with alanine indicate that closely related species, such as ducks and geese, may present important physiological differences.