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Abstract The present study aimed at exploring to explore the penoxsulam toxicity and protective effects of blueberry extract in roots of Allium cepa L. The effective concentration (EC50) of penoxsulam was determined at 20 µg/L by the root growth inhibition test as the concentration reducing the root length by 50%. The bulbs of A. cepa L. were treated with tap water, blueberry extracts (25 and 50 mg/L), penoxsulam (20 µg/L) and combination of blueberry extracts (25 and 50 mg/L) with penoxsulam (20 µg/L) for 96 h. The results revealed that penoxsulam exposure inhibited cell division, rooting percentage, growth rate, root length and weight gain in the roots of A. cepa L. In addition, it induced chromosomal anomalies such as sticky chromosome, fragment, unequal distribution of chromatin, bridge, vagrant chromosome and c-mitosis and DNA strand breaks. Further, penoxsulam treatment enhanced malondialdehyde content and SOD, CAT and GR antioxidant enzyme activities. Molecular docking results supported the up-regulation of antioxidant enzyme SOD, CAT and GR. Against all these toxicity, blueberry extracts reduced penoxsulam toxicity in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest amount of recovery for cytological, morphological and oxidative stress parameters was observed when using blueberry extract at a concentration of 50 mg/L. In addition, blueberry extracts application showed a positive correlation with weight gain, root length, mitotic index and rooting percentage whereas a negative correlation with micronucleus formation, DNA damage, chromosomal aberrations, antioxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxidation indicating its protecting effects. As a result, it has been seen that the blueberry extract can tolerate all these toxic effects of penoxsulam depending on the concentration, and it has been understood that it is a good protective natural product against such chemical exposures.

Abstract The present study aimed to assess the toxic effects of pendimethalin herbicide and protective role of curcumin using the Allium test on cytological, biochemical and physiological parameters. The effective concentration (EC50) of pendimethalin was determined at 12 mg/L by the root growth inhibition test as the concentration reducing the root length by 50%. The roots of Allium cepa L. was treated with tap water (group I), 5 mg/L curcumin (group II), 10 mg/L curcumin (group III), 12 mg/L pendimethalin (group IV), 12 mg/L pendimethalin + 5 mg/L curcumin (group V) and 12 mg/L pendimethalin + 10 mg/L curcumin (group VI). The cytological (mitotic index, chromosomal abnormalities and DNA damage), physiological (rooting percentage, root length, growth rate and weight gain) and oxidative stress (malondialdehyde level, superoxide dismutase level, catalase level and glutathione reductase level) indicators were determined after 96 h of treatment. The results revealed that pendimethalin treatment reduced rooting percentage, root length, growth rate and weight gain whereas induced chromosomal abnormalities and DNA damage in roots of A. cepa L. Further, pendimethalin exposure elevated malondialdehyde level followed by antioxidant enzymes. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were up-regulated and glutathione reductase was down-regulated. The molecular docking supported the antioxidant enzymes activities result. However, a dose-dependent reduction of pendimethalin toxicity was observed when curcumin was supplied with pendimethalin. The maximum recovery of cytological, physiological and oxidative stress parameters was recorded at 10 mg/L concentration of curcumin. The correlation studies also revealed positive relation of curcumin with rooting percentage, root length, weight gain, mitotic activity and glutathione reductase enzyme level while an inverse correlation was observed with chromosomal abnormalities, DNA damage, superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities, and lipid peroxidation indicating its protective effect.

Abstract Octanoic acid is a medium-chained saturated fatty acid found abundantly in the ketogenic dietary supplements containing medium chained triglycerides (MCT) along with decanoic acid. The MCT ketogenic diet is commonly consumed for weight loss but has also showcased neuroprotective potential against neurodegenerative disorders. However, recent clinical findings have reported a critical disadvantage with the long-term consumption of ketogenic diet i.e. bone loss. The following study was employed to investigate whether the two major components of MCT diet also possess bone loss potential as observed with classical ketogenic diet. Swiss albino mice aged between 10 and 12 weeks, were divided into 3 treatment groups that were administered with oral suspensions of octanoic acid, decanoic acid and a combination of both for 4 weeks. Bone specific markers, microarchitectural parameters, using micro computed tomography, and biomechanical strength were analyzed. Remarkably deleterious alterations in the trabecular bone microarchitecture, and on bone markers were observed in the octanoic acid treated groups. Our results suggest significant negative effects on bone health by octanoic acid. These findings require further investigation and validation in order to provide significant clinically relevant data to possibly modify dietary composition of the MCT ketogenic diet.