Protective effects of Bidens pilosa on hepatoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.

The aim of this study was to assess the protective effects of oral and topical treatment with Bidens pilosa (BP) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)- induced toxicity. Fifty-six rats were divided into seven groups: A: CCl4 only; B: CCl4+oral BP; C: CCl4 and topical BP; D: CCl4+oral and topical BP; E: oral BP only; F: negative control; and G: positive control (cyclophosphamide). The animals were treated for 10 weeks. Blood samples were collected for tests of hepatic and renal function, and fragments of the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, and intestine were collected for histopathological analyses. Cells from the femoral bone marrow were used for a micronucleus test and 'comet assay'. Statistically significant differences were observed in the levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), albumin, urea and creatinine, hepatic inflammation, renal tubular lesion, and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa between the BP-treated groups and untreated group. The median number of micronuclei in group A was 4.00, in group G was 9.00 and in the other groups was 0.00. Group A had the lowest number of cells with a score of 0 and the greatest number with scores of 3 and 4, similar to the results obtained from group G using the 'comet assay'. Thus, BP effectively protected against the toxic effects of CCl4 on the liver, kidney, and intestine and exerted an antimutagenic effect on rats exposed to CCl4.

Hunger is suppressed after resistance exercise with moderate-load compared to high-load resistance exercise: the potential influence of metabolic and autonomic parameters.

The purpose of present study was to compare the effects of moderate-load versus high-load resistance exercise (RE) on hunger response, blood lactate, glucose, and autonomic modulation in trained men, and to examine the correlations between these parameters. For this, 11 recreationally resistance-trained males performed 2 randomized trials: moderate-load (6 sets at 70% 1-repetition maximum (1RM) and a 90-s rest interval between sets) and high-load (6 sets at 90% 1RM and a 180-s rest interval between sets) leg-press exercise until movement failure. The subjective rating of hunger was obtained through a visual analog scale. Glucose and lactate concentration were evaluated at rest, immediately after exercise, and 30 min after exercise. Heart rate variability was recorded at baseline and during recovery (until 30 min after exercise) to assess autonomic modulation. The moderate-load condition induced lower subjective hunger ratings than the strength condition immediately after exercise (19.7 ± 16.6 vs 47.3 ± 27.7 mm), 30 min after exercise (33.6 ± 22.9 vs 58.5 ± 29.9 mm), and 60 min after exercise (43.8 ± 26.6 vs 67.8 ± 27.9 mm) (p < 0.05) and lower area under the curve hunger in relation to the high-load condition (p < 0.006). Moderate-load RE presented greater lactate concentration and induced slower heart rate variability recovery in relation to high-load RE (p < 0.05), but no difference was found in glucose, as well as no correlations between any of the variables investigated. In conclusion, moderate-load RE induced lower subjective hunger ratings, slower recovery of the parasympathetic nervous system, and higher lactate concentration in relation to high-load RE, but the metabolic variables were not correlated with hunger suppression.