Assessment of the effect of sodium tetraborate on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in lead-induced nephrotoxicity.

Exposure to Pb, a toxic heavy metal, is a risk factor for renal damage. Borax, an essential trace element in cellular metabolism, is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods. This study investigated the effects of sodium tetraborate (ST), a source of borax, on renal oxidative stress and inflammation in rats exposed to Pb. Wistar Albino rats (n = 24) were divided into four groups: Control (0.5 mL, i.p. isotonic), Pb (50 mg/kg/day/i.p.), ST (4.0 mg/kg/day/oral), and Pb + ST groups. At the end of the five-day experimental period, kidney tissue samples were obtained and analyzed. Histopathologically, the Pb-induced damage observed in the Pb group improved in the Pb + ST group. Immunohistochemically, Pb administration increased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and caspase-3. When evaluated biochemically, Pb application inhibited catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities and activated superoxide dismutase enzyme activity. An increase in malondialdehyde levels was considered an indicator of damage. ST application increases glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity and decreased malondialdehyde levels. These results indicate that ST might play a protective role against Pb-induced renal damage via the upregulation of renal tissue antioxidants and cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and caspase-3 immunoexpression.

In Vivo and in Vitro Regulatory Effect of Silibinin on Some Metabolic Enzyme Activities against Cobalt Induced Toxicity in Rats: A Biochemical Approach.

The study aimed to examine the in vivo inhibition effect of cobalt ion and silibinin on metabolic enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and their in vitro inhibition effect on 6PGD. Twenty-four Wistar Albino rats weighing approximately 250-300 g were used in the study. The rats were divided into 4 groups as group 1 (control): isotonic serum (0.5 mL i.p), group 2 (cobalt): (150 mg kg/day cobalt), group 3 (silibinin): (100 mg/kg/day silibinin), group 4 (cobalt + silibinin). As a result of the in vivo applications, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the activities of G6PD (p < 0.05), 6PGD (p < 0.05), GR (p < 0.05), and GST (p < 0.05) enzymes in the groups that were administered cobalt compared to the control group. It was also found that the activities of G6PD (p < 0.05), 6PGD (p > 0.05), GR (p > 0.05), and GST (p > 0.05) enzymes increased in groups that were administered cobalt + silibinin compared to the group that was administered cobalt. As for in vitro applications, it was found that different Co2+ ions inhibited 6PGD enzyme which was obtained as a result of purification with IC50 = 346.6 µM value, while silibinin increased 6PGD enzyme activity within the concentration range of 100-750 µM by 40%. As a result, it was found that cobalt ions had an inhibition effect on G6PD, GR, and GST enzymes, which are vitally important for living metabolism, in vitro and in vivo and inhibited 6PGD enzyme activity in vitro, and silibinin increased these enzyme activities in vivo and 6PGD enzyme activity both in vivo and in vitro and decreased the inhibition effect.

The Effects of Sodium Tetraborate against Lead Toxicity in Rats: The Behavior of Some Metabolic Enzymes.

This study was planned to research the in vivo effects of lead (Pb) ions and sodium tetraborate (Na2B4O7) on G6PD and 6PGD, which are some of the enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway, which carries vital importance for metabolism, and GR and GST, which are glutathione metabolism enzymes, and the in vitro effects of the same agents on the 6PGD enzyme. According to the in vivo analysis results, in comparison to the control group, the rat liver G6PD (p < 0.05), and 6PGD (p < 0.01) enzyme activities in the Na2B4O7 group were significantly lower. In addition, GR and GST enzyme activities were insignificantly lower in the Na2B4O7 group compared to the control group (p > 0.05). The Pb group had lower G6PD and 6PGD enzyme activity levels and higher GR and GST enzyme activity levels compared to the control group, while these changes did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). In the in vitro analyses of the effects of Pb ions on the 6PGD enzyme that was purified out of rat liver with the 2',5'-ADP-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography method, it was determined that Pb ions (200-1200 µM) increased the rat liver 6PGD enzyme activity levels by 33%. On the other hand Na2B4O7 was not significantly effective on 6PGD activity. These results will also contribute to future studies in understanding the physiopathology of the states triggered by Pb ions and sodium tetraborate (Na2B4O7).

The protective effect of arbutin against potassium bromate-induced oxidative damage in the rat brain.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of arbutin (ARB) against brain injury induced in rats with potassium bromate (KBrO3 ). The rats were divided into four groups as Group 1: Control (0.9% NaCl ml/kg/day p.), Group 2: KBrO3 (100 mg/kg (gavage), Group 3: ARB (50 mg/kg/day p.), and Group 4: KBrO3 + ARB (100 mg/kg (gavage) + 50 mg/kg/day p.). At the end of the fifth day of the study, the rats in all groups were killed, and their brain tissues were collected. In the collected brain tissues, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels were measured, and routine histopathological examinations were made. The MDA levels in the group that was exposed to KBrO3 were significantly higher than those in the control group (p ˂ 0.001). In comparison to the KBrO3 group, the MDA levels in the KBrO3 + ARB group were significantly lower (p ˂ 0.001). It was observed that SOD and CAT enzyme activity levels were significantly lower in the KBrO3 group compared to the control group (p ˂ 0.001), while these levels were significantly higher in the KBrO3 + ARB group than in the KBrO3 group (p ˂ 0.001). Additionally, the group that was subjected to KBrO3 toxicity, as well as ARB administration, had much lower levels of histopathologic signs than the group that was subjected to KBrO3 toxicity only. Consequently, it was found that KBrO3 exposure led to injury in the brain tissues of the rats, and using ARB was effective in preventing this injury.