Protective and curative effects of the 15 KD isolated protein from the Peganum harmala L. seeds against carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress in brain, tests and erythrocytes of rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the protective and curative effects of the 15 KD protein isolated from the seeds of Peganum harmala L. against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced oxidative stress in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the protective study, animals were pretreated intraperitoneally with 15 KD isolated protein at doses of 4 and 8 mg/kg body weight as well as vitamin C (250 mg/kg body weight p.o) for 7 days and then challenged with CCl4 orally (1 ml/kg body weight) in olive oil (50%) for 2 days. In the curative study, rats were administered CCl4 orally for 2 days, then treated intraperitoneally with 15 KD protein (4 and 8 mg/kg body weight) and orally with vitamin C. RESULTS: Administration of CCl4 induced induction in malondialdehyde (MDA) and decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels as well as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in brain, testes and erythrocytes. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in brain was also inhibited by CCl4 administration. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of rats either pre or post CCl4 intoxication successfully alleviated the oxidative stress in the brain, testes and erythrocytes of the experimental animals. Data also showed that the isolated protein possessed strong antioxidant activity comparable to that of vitamin C.

Curative effect of the Egyptian marine Erugosquilla massavensis extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress in rat liver and erythrocytes.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present work was to investigate the effect of marine crustacean extract (MCE) from marine mantis shrimp Erugosquilla massavensis and silymarin on oxidative stress induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rat liver and erythrocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male rats were randomly divided into 3 main groups, (1) control group which administered olive oil orally for 2 days, followed by distilled water for 7 consecutive days, (2) MCE group in which rats administered orally MCE, 250 mg/kg body weight for 9 consecutive days and (3) CCl4-treated group in which rats given CCl4 orally (2.5 ml/kg body weight) for 2 days. This group then subdivided into 5 subgroups. All subgroups treated orally for 7 consecutive days with distilled water (subgroup I), silymarin, 150 mg/kg body weight (subgroup II) and MCE at three tested doses 50, 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight (subgroups III, IV and V). RESULTS: The MCE and silymarin produced significant hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum aminotransferases (ASAT and ALAT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and increasing the serum total protein, glutathione reduced (GSH) levels and the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT). The MCE and silymarin also showed the same antioxidant effect on erythrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study, suggested that, the MCE could protect the liver and erythrocytes injuries perhaps, by its antioxidative effect, hence eliminating the deleterious effect of toxic metabolites from CCl4.