Effect of nano silver on gastroprotective activity against ethanol-induced stomach ulcer in rats.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have unique properties and display an important role in bioactivities such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, and anticancer. Stable Ag NPs were prepared by reaction of silver nitrate solution with extract of Melissa and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, AFM, SEM, XRD, and Zeta potential. The resulted Ag NPs have a size range between 20 and 35 nm. The current study aims to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of Ag NPs against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Thirty rats were randomly divided into five groups. The experimental groups were fed 175 and 350 ppm/p.o of Ag NPs orally. Ag NPs improved the adversative influence of ethanol-induced stomach damage as confirmed by declining ulcer index and raised the percentage of ulcer prevention. Significantly reduced ethanol-induced gastric lesions were evidenced by increased mucus secretion and pH of stomach content, decreased ulcer area, nonappearance of edema, and leucocyte penetration of the subcutaneous layer. In gastric homogenate, Ag NPs displayed a substantial upsurge in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities, and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels., Ag NPs increased the intensity of periodic acid Schiff stained (PAS) and produced over-regulation of HSP-70 and down-regulation of Bax proteins. Ag NPs confirmed gastro-protection which might be attributed to its antioxidant effect, increased mucus secretion, increased SOD, and CAT, reduced MDA level, over-regulation of HSP-70 protein, and down-regulation of Bax protein.

In vivo hepatoprotective effect of Morinda elliptica stem extract against liver fibrosis induced by thioacetamide.

Morinda elliptica L. (Rubiaceae) is a phytomedicinal herb, used to treat gastrointestinal complications in Peninsular Malaysia. The study evaluates the in vivo hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of M. elliptica stem in thioacetamide (TAA) induced liver fibrosis in male Sprague Drawly rats. Thirty adult rats were divided into five groups of six rats each. Rats of the normal control group received intraperitoneal injections (i. p.) of vehicle 10% Tween-20, 5 ml/kg, and hepatotoxic group 200 mg/kg TAA three times per week respectively. Three supplementary groups were treated with TAA plus daily oral silymarin (50 mg/kg) or M. elliptica (250 or 500 mg/kg). After 8 weeks of treatment, all rats were sacrificed. Liver fibrosis was assessed by gross macroscopic and microscopic tissue analysis, histopathological, and biochemical analysis. The livers of the TAA treated group showed uniform coarse granules, hepatocytic necrosis with lymphocytes infiltration. Contrary, the livers of M. elliptica treated groups (250 and 500 mg/kg) were much smoother and the cell damage was much lesser. The livers of M. elliptica treated groups rats showed elevated activity of SOD and CAT with a significant decrease in MDA level at p < .0001. The level of liver damage parameters, that is, ALP, ALT, and AST, bilirubin, total protein, and albumin were restored to the normal comparable to silymarin. M. elliptica stem extract significantly promoted normal rat liver architecture with significant perfections in biochemical parameters. The molecular contents of M. elliptica with hepatoprotective influence could be discovered, is the future prospective of this study.

The strategy for controlling COVID-19 in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)/Iraq: Identification, epidemiology, transmission, treatment, and recovery.

This study has carried out a mini-review on first wave of COVID-19 infection and its control by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)/Iraq. COVID-19 infection, which was named by the International Committee of Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) as SARS-CoV-2, is a newly identified coronavirus. The last century has seen the outbreak of numerous life-threatening human pathogens including Nipah, Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and more recently a novel coronavirus has been observed. COVID-19 infection has so far spread to more than 186 countries around the world and KRG/Iraq has not been free from this virus. In this survey, the control of COVID-19 infection in KRG as a part of Iraq is discussed in detail. The methods of identification as well as the drugs that are currently in common use to reduce the wide distribution of COVID-19 infection and their effects in countries around the world are considered. So far, 714 positive cases have been reported by the ministry of health in Kurdistan Region Government-Iraq (KRG), among which there have been only 8 deaths, and 420 cases have recovered. Those who died had a previous history of a chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and hypercholesteremia. Alternative medicine based on natural green methods has been widely used by Kurdish people in past years for treatment of strong coughs. In the present study, some natural products which are cost free and effective in enhancing the body's resistance against the virus are considered. A surprising finding is that the patients in KRG have not in general had a severe cough, flu, or fever. The possible explanation may relate to the patients' strong immune systems, since none of them had a history of using alcohol and drugs, or of chronic disease. The epidemiology and transmission of the virus are discussed as well.