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Diabetic nephropathy, characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress, poses a management challenge. This study investigates the effect of Polygonum hyrcanicum extract on diabetic nephropathy in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. In this experimental animal study, the P. hyrcanicum extract was prepared using continuous macerations. Thirty male Albino mice, divided into five groups, were induced with alloxan-induced diabetes. They received intraperitoneal injections of the plant extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) and metformin (300 mg/kg) for four weeks. Kidney and blood samples were collected to assess protein carbonyl, glutathione, lipid peroxidation, TNF-α and IL-6 levels. The amount of total flavonoid and phenolic content in the hydroalcoholic extract of P. hyrcanicum were 7.5 ± 0.3 mg of quercetin and 88.2 ± 1.3 mg gallic acid per gram of extract respectively. The antioxidant activity level of the hydroalcoholic extract was determined to be 1.78 ± 0.51 mM equivalent per gram of extract. Alloxan administration resulted in a significant reduction in glutathione levels and a significant increase in protein carbonyl, lipid peroxidation, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. Hydroalcoholic extract of P. hyrcanicum effectively reduced oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), indicating its potential in mitigating diabetic nephropathy. However, no significant difference in efficacy was observed between the 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg doses in terms of reducing these toxicities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To evaluate the protective effect of Zataria multiflora extract, an antioxidative medicinal plant, against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced oxidative lung damage in mice., Methods: Mice were intraperitoneally pre-treated with various doses of Zataria multiflora extract (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) once daily for 7 consecutive days. Animals were then injected with a single 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of CP 1 h after the last administration of O. vulgare. Twenty-four hours later, mice were euthanized, the lungs were immediately removed, and biochemical and histological studies were conducted., Results: A single dose of CP markedly altered the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in lung homogenates. Pretreatment with Zataria multiflora significantly inhibited the elevation of lipid peroxidation level and the depletion in glutathione content, and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities induced by CP in lung. In addition, Zataria multiflora effectively alleviated CP-induced histopathological abnormality and pulmonary damages in mice lung tissues., Conclusions: The results reveal that Zataria multiflora protects lung tissues from CP-induced toxicity and suggest a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of lung toxicity produced by CP in mice. Because Zataria multiflora has been extensively used as an additive agent and is regarded as safe, it may be used concomitantly as a good supplement for reducing organ toxicity in patients undergoing chemotherapy, besides their consolidated ethnopharmacological uses.

Ethanol is the most widely abused drug in the world and its long-term use induces oxidative stress in the liver tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate protective effect of Viola odorata against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rat. Animals were divided into 9 groups as follows: control (normal saline), ethanol (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), ethanol with 3 doses (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) of ethyl acetate flower and leaf extracts, and positive control (vitamin E 80 mg/kg). Animals were gavaged 30 min before ethanol injection for 28 days. Then, animals were killed and the livers were separated. Oxidative stress parameters, including reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl as well as glutathione content, were evaluated. Also, histopathological examination was performed and assessment of blood alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total antioxidant capacity were evaluated. Ethanol significantly increased oxidative stress markers in liver. Interestingly, administration of both extracts significantly decreased oxidative stress markers in liver tissue and biochemical parameters in the plasma. In addition, abnormal pathological features were improved after treatment with flower and leaf extracts. These results suggested that V. odorata can be considered a candidate for improving conditions due to ethanol-induced tissue oxidative damage because of its antioxidant activity.

Objectives: In this study, the efficacy of a miswak extract-containing toothpaste (Salvadora persica) on gingival inflammation was compared with that of a herbal and a conventional toothpaste., Methods: Non-smoking outpatients with sulcus bleeding index (SBI) ≥25% and with periodontal pocket depths ≤3 mm were randomly selected and divided into three groups: M-group, miswak extract-containing toothpaste; P-group, herbal toothpaste; and C-group, conventional toothpaste. After instructing the patients to brush their teeth twice a day for 3 weeks with the assigned toothpaste using a flat-trimmed manual toothbrush, a thorough oral examination was performed by a calibrated examiner (EH). The primary outcome was the SBI after 21 days. Furthermore, the amount of plaque was measured by approximal plaque index (API)., Results: Sixty-six patients with a mean age of 57.8 ± 10.2 years were recruited and enrolled. After 3 weeks of brushing, all three patient groups showed a significant reduction in SBI. The P-group (SBI reduction: 17.1% ± 9.1) and the M-group (14.5% ± 8.1) showed the strongest effect followed by the C-group (9.4% ± 7.8). All three groups showed a significant reduction in API without significant differences between the groups., Conclusions: The use of each of the three tested toothpastes caused a significant reduction in gingival inflammation and amount of plaque. The miswak extract-containing toothpaste showed a similar effect as the herbal toothpaste and can be safely used for domestic oral hygiene in patients with gingivitis., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating agent, has been extensively used in chemotherapy, it possesses a wide spectrum of adverse effects including hepatotoxicity. This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Zataria multiflora against hepatic damage induced by CP in mice.Mice were orally (gavages) pretreated with the ethanolic extract aerial parts of Zataria at doses of 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days before a single intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg CP. After 24 h, animals were anesthetized, blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected and used for biochemical and histological examination.Serum levels of hepatic markers were significantly increased after only CP treated animals but restored in Zataria pretreated groups. A single dose of CP administration also markedly induced abnormality in the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in liver tissues homogenates. However, pretreatment with Zataria significantly inhibited the abnormality of antioxidant enzymes defense system in the liver tissues. In addition, histopathological studies proved that CP causes damage to the liver, and this was evidenced by the induced dilated and congested sinusoidal space, lymphocytic infiltration between hepatocytes, portal space with moderate to severe inflammation and necrotic hepatocyte with absence of nuclei. Zataria effectively protected animals against CP-induced hepatic tissue damages.Our results reveal that Zataria produces a potent hepatoprotective role and could be a potent candidate to use concomitantly as a supplement agent against hepatotoxicity of CP for the patients undergoing chemotherapy., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Context: Cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating chemotherapeutic agent, can bind DNA, causing chromosome breaks, micronucleus (Mn) formation, and cell death. Because Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) has antioxidative properties, it might protect against DNA damage., Objective: The genoprotective effect of O. vulgare ethanolic extract against CP-induced genotoxicity in mouse bone marrow cells was evaluated using a Mn assay., Materials and Methods: Mice were pre-treated with aerial parts of O. vulgare ethanolic extract at different doses (50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) for 7 d. One hour after the last administration of O. vulgare, animals were injected with CP at 200 mg/kg. After 24 h, the bone marrow cells of both femurs were flushed and the frequency of MnPCEs was evaluated to measure the chromosomal damages. In addition, the number of PCEs per 1000 NCEs in each animal was recorded to evaluate the bone-marrow suppression; mitotic activity was calculated as [PCE/(PCE + NCE)] × 100 to assess the cell division., Results: At 400 mg/kg, O. vulgare displayed its maximum protective effect, reduced the number of MnPCEs from 10.52 ± 1.07 for CP group to 2.17 ± 0.26 and completely normalized the mitotic activity (p < 0.001). Origanum vulgare also led to significant proliferation and hypercellularity of immature myeloid elements after the mice were treated with CP, mitigating the bone marrow suppression., Discussion and Conclusion: Origanum vulgare ethanolic extract exerts a potent genoprotective effect against CP-induced genotoxicity in mice bone marrow, which might be possibly due to the scavenging of free radicals during oxidative stress conditions.

Unlabelled: Abstract Context: Despite its wide clinical use, cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating chemotherapeutic agent, possesses many adverse effects, including hepatotoxicity. Because Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) has antioxidative properties, it might protect against above-mentioned damage., Objective: This study evaluated the protective effects of O. vulgare extract on CP-induced liver toxicity., Materials and Methods: Mice were pretreated with aerial parts of O. vulgare ethanolic extract (intraperitoneally) at doses of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days before the administration of a single 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of CP 1 h after the last injection of O. vulgare. After 24 h, animals were anesthetized, blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected and used for biochemical and histological examination., Results: Serum levels of hepatic markers were increased after CP treatment but restored in the O. vulgare-pretreated groups. The serum ALT, AST, and ALP of the CP group were 196.49 ± 3.82, 143.78 ± 4.79, and 203.18 ± 3.81 IU/l, respectively. However, pretreatment with 400 mg/kg O. vulgare significantly decreased the serum ALT, AST, and ALP to 52.49 ± 2.18, 44.78 ± 2.06, and 65.62 ± 1.73 IU/l, respectively (p < 0.001). Histological examinations also confirmed the protective effects of O. vulgare against CP-induced liver toxicity., Discussion and Conclusion: Our results reveal that O. vulgare with high amount of flavonoids and phenolic compounds induces potent hepatoprotective mechanisms against CP. Therefore, O. vulgare might help defend the body against the side effects, particularly hepatic damages induced by chemotherapeutic agents.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the chemical properties of the n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts of the fruiting body of the medicinal mushroom Trametes versicolor. The study led to the isolation of 5 sterols, 2 triterpene derivatives, 1 hydroquinone-derived aromatic compound, and, finally, 1 cerebroside and 1 triglyceride derivative. These compounds were identified for first time in T. versicolor and were named as follows: 4-isobutoxyphenyl palmitate (5), N-D-2'-hydroxyheptanoic-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphinga-dienine(cerebroside) (6), 3β-linoleyloxyergosta-7,22-diene (7), 3β-linoleyloxyergosta-7-ene (8), and betulinic acid (9). Other compounds elucidated in our study were ergosterol (1), ergosterol peroxide (2), trilinolein (3), ergosta-7, 22-dien-3β-ol (4), and betuline (10). These compounds were obtained via column or thin-layer chromatography before being identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses and infrared data. In addition, the beneficial pharmacological effects of the compounds are described here.

Context: Injury to normal tissues is the major limiting side effect of using cyclophosphamide (CP), an antineoplastic alkylating compound., Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of an extract of Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae), an antioxidative medicinal plant, against CP-induced oxidative lung damage in mice., Materials and Methods: Mice were pre-treated with various doses of O. vulgare extract (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days followed by an injection with CP (200 mg/kg b.w.) One hour after the injection of O. vulgare on the last day, mice were injected with CP; 24 h later, they were euthanized, their lungs were immediately removed, and biochemical and histological studies were conducted., Results: A single dose of CP markedly altered the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in lung homogenates. Pretreatment with O. vulgare significantly reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and attenuated the alterations in glutathione content and superoxide dismutase activity induced by CP in lung tissue. In addition, O. vulgare effectively alleviated CP-induced histopathological changes in lung tissue., Conclusions: Our results revealed that O. vulgare protects lung tissues from CP-induced pulmonary damage and suggest a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of lung disease produced by CP. Because O. vulgare has been extensively used as an additive agent and is regarded as safe, it may be used concomitantly as a supplement for reducing lung damage in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Mushrooms are considered one of the richest sources of natural antibiotics, and various species of them inhibit the growth of a wide diversity of microorganisms. Ganoderma lucidum, a well-known medicinal mushroom. has many pharmacological and biological activities including an antimicrobial effect, although few studies have investigated the antibacterial and antifungal effects of its purified compounds. The chemical structure of the purified compounds from the hexane fraction was elucidated as ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-yl acetate, ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-yl acetate (isopyrocalciferol acetate), ergosta-7,22-dien-3-one, ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol, and ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (ergostrol). In addition, the structure of ganodermadiol was demonstrated after purification from the chloroform fraction. The fractions inhibited Gram-positive bacteria and yeast, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 6.25 mg/mL, but were ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria in the tested concentrations. The results were comparable for isolated compounds, whereas the mixture of ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-yl acetate and isopyrocalciferol acetate was weakly effective against Escherichia coli (minimum inhibitory concentration, 10 mg/mL). It could be assumed that the antimicrobial effect of crude fractions is the consequence of mixing triterpenoid and steroid compounds.