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The behavior of the antioxidant defense system was studied in sunflower cotyledons subjected to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. The two doses assayed (15.0 and 30.0 kJ m−2) induced oxidative damage, as evidenced by an increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in both chlorophyll content and superoxide dismutase activity. However, the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio was significantly increased and ascorbate/dehydroascorbate ratio was not affected by UV-B treatments. In addition, the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione dehydrogenase and guaiacol peroxidase were increased at the two doses of UV-B radiation used, while ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were not altered under the two irradiation treatments. These results suggest that UV-B radiation undoubtedly induces antioxidant defense system in sunflower cotyledons, allowing plant survival in spite of the oxidative stress generation. However, more research is necessary to elucidate the precise role that the antioxidant system plays under UV-B stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of salinity (100 mM NaCl) and different nitrogen sources (NaNO3/(NH4)2SO4) on the activity and spatial distribution of antioxidative enzymes (glutathione reductase, GR; superoxide dismutase, SOD; guaiacol peroxidase, POD; and catalase, CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was investigated in maize and sunflower seedlings. Leaves and roots were collected after 2 weeks of treatment. Roots of maize were cut into segments and the cortex and stele were also separated. Salinity caused a clear reduction in plant biomass. The biomass production of ammonium-fed plants was lower than that of nitrate-fed plants. The antioxidant enzymes exhibited higher activities in salinity-treated plants. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities caused by different N sources differed in the two species. Ammonium-fed plants showed higher CAT activity in both plant species and higher GR activity in maize and sunflower leaves, with the highest GST activity in maize. POD and SOD activities were lower in both maize and sunflower seedlings and lower GR activity was observed in maize roots. SOD and POD activities were higher in the mature sections of the root than in the tips. GR activity was higher in the younger parts of the nitrate-fed plant roots. The antioxidant enzyme activities were higher in the cortex than in the stele of the nodal roots. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Myeloperoxidase-mediated chlorination is thought to be a necessary microbicidal mechanism. The H2O2 required for this process is generated by the NADPH oxidase. Staphylococcus aureus can also produce H2O2, which is not broken down by catalase negative organisms. It has been thought that this bacterial H2O2 can substitute for cellular H2O2 in the halogenation reaction in chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) where neutrophils are lacking the NADPH oxidase. We have readdressed this issue in a mouse model of CGD using clinical isolates of catalase positive and negative strains of S. aureus. The results showed these organisms to be equally virulent and that the H2O2 they produced is insufficient to cause significant iodination, a marker for chlorination, thereby contradicting the accepted views on this subject. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Extensive research in the past decades has shown that nature relies on high-valent iron (IV,V) porphyrins in a number of enzyme-directed processes of heme proteins. For example, hydroxylation reaction catalyzed by cytochrome P450 involves an iron porphyrin intermediate which contains the oxoferryl moiety (Fe(IV)&z.dbnd6;O). Liver microsomal cytochrome P450-LM 3,4 is known to catalyze the transfer of a functionalized nitrogen atom intra- as well as inter-molecularly, and the proposed reaction cycle presumably involves a high-valent iron porphyrin intermediate which contains the nitrido-iron moiety(Fe(V)&z.tbnd6;N). This review is focused on the biological significance of these high-valent iron(IV,V) porphyrins and their Fe(IV)&z.dbnd6;O and Fe(V)&z.tbnd6;N stretching vibrations observed in resonance Raman spectra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have investigated the antioxidant status in RPr79/4, a CAT-deficient mutant of barley, and in its motherline, cv. Maris Mink. Seedlings of the CAT-deficient mutant that were grown in a growth chamber under a 14-h photoperiod (200 μmol quanta m−2 s−1), exhibited higher concentrations of glutathione and ascorbate peroxidase as compared to wild-type plants. An additional mitochondrial MnSOD isoenzyme, was also detected in RPr79/4. When seedlings of the CAT-deficient mutant were grown at higher light intensities (370 μmol quanta m−2 s−1), a Cu/ZnSOD isoform and the cytosolic glutamine synthetase isoenzyme were concomitantly induced. Taken together, these results suggest that several defense mechanisms operating in different subcellular compartments respond in concert to compensate for CAT deficiency in barley seedlings exposed to oxidative stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Changes in the activity of so-called oxidative stress defensive enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and heme oxygenase, as well as changes in lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione levels, were measured in guinea pig and rat liver after acute cobalt loading. Cobalt chloride administration produced a much higher degree of lipid peroxidation in guinea pig than in rat liver compared with the control animals. The intrahepatic reduced glutathione content in control guinea pig was higher than that in rat, but was equally decreased in both species after cobalt administration. The enzymatic scavengers of free radicals, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, were significantly decreased in rat liver after acute cobalt loading, and as a compensatory reaction, the heme oxygenase activity was increased (seven-fold). In guinea pig liver, only superoxide dismutase activity was depleted in response to cobalt-induced oxidative stress, while catalase and glutathione peroxidase were highly activated and the heme oxygenase activity was dramatically increased (13-fold). It is assumed that enhanced heme oxygenase activity may have important antioxidant significance by increasing the liver oxidative-stress defense capacity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gallic acid (GA) is a natural polyphenolic compound with many health benefits. To assess the potential risk of long-term consumption of GA to gut health, healthy dogs were fed a basal diet supplemented with GA (0%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.08%) for 45 d, and fecal microbiota and metabolomics were evaluated. This study demonstrated that GA supplementation regulated serum lipid metabolism by reducing serum triglyceride, fat digestibility, and Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio. In addition, the relative abundance of Parasutterella was significantly lower, and the SCFAs-producing bacteria were increased along with fecal acetate and total SCFAs contents accumulation in the 0.08% GA group. Metabolomics data further elucidated that 0.08% GA significantly affected carbohydrate metabolism by downregulating succinic acid in fece, thereby alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress. Overall, this study confirmed the beneficial effects of long-term consumption of GA on lipid metabolism and gut health, and the optimal level of GA supplementation was 0.08%., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

With the advancement of blueberry industrialization, cultivation measures for obtaining high-quality fruits and technologies for obtaining high levels of the main secondary metabolites have become inevitable requirements for further development of the blueberry industry. This study applied different shading treatments and found that the FT1 shading treatment yielded the largest values for the single fruit weight, solid longitudinal diameter and transverse diameter of blueberry fruit as well as the highest solidity-acid ratio and total phenol and vitamin C contents. Moreover, 470 known metabolites were obtained from blueberry fruits. Interestingly, the differentially abundant metabolites related to ABC transporters, pyrimidine metabolism, and purine metabolism pathways were commonly identified from the three comparisons, which indicated that these three metabolic pathways in blueberry fruits are vulnerable to shading treatment. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of summer shading to improve the quality and antioxidant substances of small berries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Reports about the impact of Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) hepatotoxicity on coagulation profile have been inconsistent. Multiple investigators have however demonstrated the effectiveness of silymarin in the resolution of anomalies induced by CCl 4 , although the effect of silymarin on the impact of CCl 4 hepatotoxicity, especially coagulation profile and osmotic fragility have not been investigated. The liver, the primary site for the secretion of coagulation proteins, can become impaired in CCl 4 hepatotoxicity, and silymarin reportedly increases hepatic protein synthesis as part of its hepatoprotective mechanism. This study assessed the effect of silymarin on blood coagulation profile and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups (n = 5) at random, namely: Control, CCl 4 given CCl 4 (1 ml/kg) administered intraperitoneally twice a week, Silymarin (S) given silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) orally, and S+CCl 4 given silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) orally and (1 ml/kg) CCl 4 one hour after, intraperitoneally twice a week for a duration of four weeks. Results showed protraction of activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time, increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility, liver damage, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in rats given CCl 4 . Silymarin attenuated most of these effects as observed from comparison between CCl 4 and S+CCl 4 rats. The findings of this study suggests that pretreatment with silymarin attenuated disruption in coagulation profile and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background: Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) play an imperative role in the expansion of cardiovascular disease. Sinomenine (SM) has been exhibited to possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of the study was scrutinized the cardioprotective effect of SM against I/R injury in rat., Methods: Rat were randomly divided into normal control (NC), I/R control and I/R + SM (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg), respectively. Ventricular arrhythmias, body weight and heart weight were estimated. Antioxidant, inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory mediators and plasmin system indicator were accessed., Results: Pre-treated SM group rats exhibited the reduction in the duration and incidence of ventricular fibrillation, ventricular ectopic beat (VEB) and ventricular tachycardia along with suppression of arrhythmia score during the ischemia (30 and 120 min). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) altered the level of antioxidant parameters. SM treatment significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the level of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), creatine kinase (CK) and troponin I (Tnl). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the tissue factor (TF), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and plasma fibrinogen (Fbg) and inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators., Conclusion: Our result clearly indicated that SM plays anti-arrhythmia effect in I/R injury in the rats via alteration of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Compared with the P. longanae -infected longan, the DNP-treated P. longanae -infected fruit represented a higher pulp breakdown index, a higher O 2 -. production rate, and a higher MDA content, but the lower activities of APX, SOD and CAT, the lower transcript levels of DlAPX6 , DlSOD1 , DlSOD2 , DlSOD3 and DlCAT1 , the lower values of AsA, GSH, flavonoid and total phenolics, a lower scavenging ability of DPPH radical, and a lower value of reducing power. Whereas, the ATP-treated P. longanae -infected samples showed the contrary results. The above findings indicated that the DNP-promoted the pulp breakdown in P. longanae -infected longan was because DNP weakened the capacity of scavenging ROS, raised the O 2 -. level, and accelerated the membrane lipids peroxidation. However, the ATP-suppressed the pulp breakdown in P. longanae -infected longan was because ATP improved the capacity of scavenging ROS, reduced the O 2 -. level, and reduced the membrane lipids peroxidation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury induces multi-dimensional damage to neuronal cells through exacerbation of critical protective mechanisms. Targeting more than one mechanism simultaneously namely, inflammatory responses and metabolic energy homeostasis could provide additional benefits to restrict or manage cerebral injury. Being proven neuroprotective agents both, progesterone (PG) and trimetazidine (TMZ) has the potential to add on the individual therapeutic outcomes. We hypothesized the simultaneous administration of PG and TMZ could complement each other to synergize, or at least enhance neuroprotection in reperfusion injury. We investigated the combination of PG and TMZ on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced cerebral reperfusion injury in rats. Molecular docking on targets of energy homeostasis and apoptosis assessed the initial viability of PG and TMZ for neuroprotection. Animal experimentation with MCA induced ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats was performed on five randomized groups. Sham operated control group received vehicle (saline) while the other four I-R groups were pre-treated with vehicle (saline), PG (8 ​mg/kg), TMZ treated (25 ​mg/kg), and PG ​+ ​TMZ (8 and 25 ​mg/kg) for 7 days by intraperitoneal route. Neurological deficit, infarct volume, and oxidative stress were evaluated to assess the extent of injury in rats. Inflammatory reactivity and apoptotic activity were determined with alterations in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and DNA fragments. Reperfusion injury inflicted cerebral infarct, neurological deficit, and shattered BBB integrity. The combination treatment of PG and TMZ restricted cellular damage indicated by significant ( p  ​< ​0.05) decrease in infarct volume and improvement in free radical scavenging ability (SOD activity and GSH level). MPO activity and LPO decreased which contributed in improved BBB integrity in treated rats. We speculate that inhibition of inflammatory and optimum energy utilization would critically contribute to observed neuroprotection with combined PG and TMZ treatment. Further exploration of this neuroprotective approach for post-recovery cognitive improvement is worth investigating., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can reverse the malignant behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, thereby exerting anti-HCC effect; however, the underlying mechanism is yet to be understood. This study aimed to demonstrate that ATRA is vital to ferroptosis in HCC. Ferroptosis-related genes exhibit different expression in patients with HCC compared to that in healthy individuals. A total of 20 amino acid products were detected in HepG2 cells, the expression level of 5 was decreased after ATRA treatment. ATRA improved the levels of lipid ROS, MDA, and NAPD + /NADPH, and reduced the mt-DNA copy number and changed the structure of mitochondria, in HepG2 and Hep3B cells. We found the expression of genes positively correlated with ferroptosis to increase and those negatively correlated to decrease with ATRA treatment. Inhibition of ferroptosis by Ferrostatin-1 reversed ATRA-inhibited proliferation of HCC cells, along with cell migration and invasion. GSH synthesis was blocked by ATRA, accompanied by decreased cystine content and increased glutamate content, and downregulation of the expression of GSH synthesis-related genes. Our findings suggested that ATRA inhibited the malignancy of HCC cells by improving ferroptosis, and that inhibition of GSH synthesis contributed to ATRA-induced ferroptosis., (© 2022 Chongqing Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a high value crop owing to its nutrient rich profile, consisting of some of the largest reserve of proteins and oils among all plant crops. High yielding soybean variety seeds are of great intrinsic value as part of strategies to gain larger yield outputs over the years. These seeds often tend to lose their viability and corresponding storage period. The study is primarily focused on understanding and estimating the impact of storage conditions and influence of biochemical changes that leads to deteriorating seed health. Vitamin E is an essential compound that provides shielding effect to plant seeds against environmental stress. For this purpose seed priming of vitamin E was performed with a concentration of 300mgL -1 applied on to seeds. A total of seven promising cultivars were accessed for this; including Swat-20, Swat-84, NARC-2. Malakand, Rawal, Ajmeri and FaisalSoy. Results shows that all cultivars tend to lose their yield potential which is greatly in line with storage induced biochemical changes. Among the cultivars, Swat-84 and Swat-20 were resilient to an extent towards harmful storage stress impact. The present study has shown that application of vitamin E seed coating tend to enhance positive traits in stored seeds (including concentrations of CAT, SOD, TSS, etc.) in comparison to untreated seeds showing a healthy impact of the treatment on seed health under storage conditions. It is suggested that storing vitamin E treated seeds under optimum conditions as an effective method for attaining viable seeds after long terms storage. Findings of the present study can be used for future studies, assessment and designing of seed storage system in a manner to reduce negative impact on seed growth potential during long term storages., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Diclofenac (DIC) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which is known to induce oxidative stress. Dithiocarbamates are compounds with proven antioxidant effect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity of diisopropyldithiocarbamates sodium salt (a synthetized compound) (Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) ) against diclofenac-induced toxicity in the testes of male Wistar albino rats. The animals were assigned into six groups of six rats each. Group 1 (control) received corn oil, Groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 received DIC (100 mg/kg), DIC and (Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) (30 mg/kg), DIC and vitamin E (30 mg/kg), (Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) (30 mg/kg) and vitamin E only respectively. Our findings show that treatment with DIC significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 42% compared to normal control (NC) animals. In DIC treated group, Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) caused a 17% elevation of catalase (CAT) activity compared to DIC only group. Reduced glutathione level was significantly reduced in DIC only treated group when compared with DIC and VIT E treated group. Photomicrographs of testis from Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) treated rats showed normal seminiferous epithelium with no lesions. In conclusion, Na(i-Pr 2 dtc) has antioxidant properties., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The potential mechanism behind the browning inhibition in fresh-cut water chestnuts (FWC) after eugenol (EUG) treatment was investigated by comparing the difference in browning behavior between surface and inner tissues. EUG treatment was found to inactivate browning-related enzymes and reduce phenolic contents in surface tissue. Molecular docking further confirmed the hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding between EUG and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Moreover, EUG also enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging enzyme activities, ultimately decreasing the O 2 - generation rates. Regarding inner tissue, EUG induced the accumulation of colorless phenolic compounds and increased the antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, 1.5 % EUG exhibited the best inhibitory effect on FWC browning, which partly attribute to the direct inhibitory effects on PAL activity. Furthermore, EUG could also enhance the enzymatic/non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and alleviate the ROS damage to membranes, thereby, preventing the contact between oxidative enzymes and phenols and indirectly inhibiting the enzymatic browning in FWC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Phomopsis longanae Chi is a crucial pathogen causing fruit spoilage in postharvest fresh longan. The influence of P. longanae invasion with a suspension containing 1 × 10 4 P. longanae spores per mL on the breakdown occurrence and ROS metabolism in pulp of longan cv. Fuyan during storage at 28 °C was explicated. Compared to control group, more severe development of pulp breakdown (PB), higher PB index, O 2 -. generation rate, H 2 O 2 and MDA content, but lower SOD, APX and CAT activities, GSH, AsA, flavonoid and total phenolics amounts, ability of scavenging DPPH radical, and reducing power were displayed in the pulp of P. longanae- infected fruit during days 0-5. In this context, P. longanae induced breakdown of longan pulp by reducing the scavenging ability of ROS and increasing the cumulation of ROS, thereby enhancing the structural collapse and lipid peroxidation of cell membrane, which were responsible for the PB of harvested longans., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Kombucha, originated in China 2000  years ago, is a sour and sweet-tasted drink, prepared traditionally through fermentation of black tea. During the fermentation of kombucha, consisting of mainly acidic compounds, microorganisms, and a tiny amount of alcohol, a biofilm called SCOBY forms. The bacteria in kombucha has been generally identified as Acetobacteraceae. Kombucha is a noteworthy source of B complex vitamins, polyphenols, and organic acids (mainly acetic acid). Nowadays, kombucha is tended to be prepared with some other plant species, which, therefore, lead to variations in its composition. Pre-clinical studies conducted on kombucha revealed that it has desired bioactivities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-hypercholestorelomic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, etc. Only a few clinical studies have been also reported. In the current review, we aimed to overhaul pre-clinical bioactivities reported on kombucha as well as its brief compositional chemistry. The literature data indicate that kombucha has valuable biological effects on human health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: Momordica charantia is popularly used in folk medicine in the management of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis., Purpose: To evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic potential of M. charantia as well as its haematinic and antioxidant potential., Methods: Seventy-two experimental rats were randomly assigned into 9 groups (I-IX) of 8 rats each. Group I (control), was given 1 ml distilled water; II received 250 mg/kg. M. charantia ; III received 500 mg/kg M. charantia ; IV was administered 100 mg/kg of Atorvastatin only; V was administered 30 mg/kg of cholesterol dissolved in coconut oil; VI was administered with 250 mg/kg of M. charantia plus 30 mg/kg of cholesterol. VII was treated with 500 mg/kg of M. charantia plus 30 mg/kg of cholesterol solution; VIII was administered 30 mg/kg cholesterol solution plus Atorvastatin at a dose of 100 mg/kg; IX was administered 1 ml of coconut oil only. After 60 days of administration, blood and aorta samples were obtained from the rats. The samples were subjected to biochemical, haematological and histological analysis using standard methods., Results: Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Catalase (CAT) activities were significantly higher in the treated groups as compared to the control groups. There were significant increases in the monocyte counts of the groups given low dose (250 mg/kg) of the extract (LDMC), high dose (500 mg/kg) of the extract (HDMC), as well as atorvastatin. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) of the test groups administered were significantly higher than that of the control group. However, only the group administered with cholesterol plus HDMC showed significantly lower mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) than that of the control group. Histological sections of the aorta show degeneration of the internal elastic lamina in the group fed with the diet only as well as vascular ulceration and stenosis in the aorta and heavy perivascular infiltrates of inflammatory cells. These alterations were however not visible in the groups administered with the extracts, as well as atorvastatin., Conclusion: Our findings show the possible anti-atherosclerotic potential of the extract, which could be compared to that of the standard drug (atorvastatin)., Competing Interests: We wish to confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Amphetamine is one of the most abuser drugs in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to evaluate health status outcome at baseline and after detoxification in amphetamine users through the evaluation of the body mass index, renal function tests, cardiac biomarkers, gonadal hormonal levels, and oxidative stress markers. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 participants. Sixty participants were hospitalized patients for treatment of addiction and 30 participants were healthy volunteers. This study was performed at a psychiatric and rehabilitation center, in Qassim region, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Participants were divided into: group I = control; group II = amphetamine users and group III = amphetamine plus cannabis users. Socio-demographic data was collected. The urinary amphetamine level, Severity Dependence Scale (SDS), body mass index (BMI), vital signs; serum levels of troponin T (TnT), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), luteinizing Hormone (LH), testosterone Hormone (TSTS), urea, creatinine, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) were measured on admission and after detoxification. The results showed that the BMI was significantly decreased while, vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate were significantly increased in all abusers and returned to normal values after the detoxification period. The cardiac biomarker troponin T was significantly increased and reversed after detoxification. The immune system was evaluated through assessing serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG. The immune system remained immunocompromised in drug users, and IgM and IgG levels did not reach the level of control group after treatment. Luteinizing and testosterone hormones were evaluated. Both hormones were increased on admission and improved after the detoxification period. Renal function showed no significant differences between drug users and the control group. In the evaluation of the antioxidant system, there was a significant increase in serum MDA, SOD, GPx, and CAT levels compared to healthy controls. After the detoxification phase, these oxidative stress biomarkers still remained elevated. The current results have shown the addiction of amphetamine and cannabis exert detrimental effects on different body organs and the exert major consequences on the health status of drug users. The present study showed that, there was no improvement in the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, although an improvement was observed in the other parameters after the detoxification phase., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The purpose of this work was to investigate the protective effect of five essential oils (EOs) ; Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Origanum compactum Benth. , Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Ocimum basilicum L.; against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The chemical composition of the EOs was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated and the protective effect of EOs was investigated. Yeast cells were pretreated with different concentrations of EOs (6.25-25 µg/ml) for an hour then incubated with H 2 O 2 (2 mM) for an additional hour. Cell viability, antioxidants (Catalase, Superoxide dismutase and Glutathione reductase) and metabolic (Succinate dehydrogenase) enzymes, as well as the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl content (PCO) were evaluated. The chemical composition of EOs has shown the difference qualitatively and quantitatively. Indeed, O. compactum mainly contained Carvacrol, O. basilicum was mainly composed of Linalool, T. vulgaris was rich in thymol, R. officinalis had high α-Pinene amount and for E. globulus , eucalyptol was the major compound. The EOs of basil, oregano and thyme were found to possess the highest amount of total phenolic compounds. Moreover, they have shown the best protective effect on yeast cells against oxidative stress induced by H 2 O 2 . In addition, in a dose dependent manner of EOs in yeast medium, treated cells had lower levels of LPO, lower antioxidant and metabolic enzymes activity than cells exposed to H 2 O 2 only. The cell viability was also improved. It seems that the studied EOs are efficient natural antioxidants, which can be exploited to protect against damages and serious diseases related to oxidative stress., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Inflammatory arthritis is a major cause of disability in the elderly. This condition causes joint pain, loss of function, and deterioration of quality of life, mainly due to osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Currently, available treatment options for inflammatory arthritis include anti-inflammatory medications administered via oral, topical, or intra-articular routes, surgery, and physical rehabilitation. Novel alternative approaches to managing inflammatory arthritis, so far, remain the grand challenge owing to catastrophic financial burden and insignificant therapeutic benefit. In the view of non-targeted systemic cytotoxicity and limited bioavailability of drug therapies, a major concern is to establish stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems using nanomaterials with on-off switching potential for biomedical applications. This review summarizes the advanced applications of triggerable nanomaterials dependent on various internal stimuli (including reduction-oxidation (redox), pH, and enzymes) and external stimuli (including temperature, ultrasound (US), magnetic, photo, voltage, and mechanical friction). The review also explores the progress and challenges with the use of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials to manage inflammatory arthritis based on pathological changes, including cartilage degeneration, synovitis, and subchondral bone destruction. Exposure to appropriate stimuli induced by such histopathological alterations can trigger the release of therapeutic medications, imperative in the joint-targeted treatment of inflammatory arthritis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Carotenoids, fat-soluble pigments found ubiquitously in plants and fruits, have been reported to exert significant neuroprotective effects against free radicals. However, the neuroprotective effects of total mixed carotenes complex (TMC) derived from virgin crude palm oil have not been studied extensively. Therefore, the present study was designed to establish the neuroprotective role of TMC on differentiated human neural cells against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cytotoxicity. The human neural cells were differentiated using retinoic acid for six days. Then, the differentiated neural cells were pre-treated for 24 hr with TMC before exposure to 6-OHDA. TMC pre-treated neurons showed significant alleviation of 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity as evidenced by enhanced activity of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. Furthermore, TMC elevated the levels of intra-neuronal dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in differentiated neural cells. The 6-OHDA induced overexpression of α-synuclein was significantly hindered in neural cells pre-treated with TMC. In proteomic analysis, TMC altered the expression of ribosomal proteins, α/β isotypes of tubulins, protein disulphide isomerases (PDI) and heat shock proteins (HSP) in differentiated human neural cells. The natural palm phytonutrient TMC is a potent antioxidant with significant neuroprotective effects against free radical-induced oxidative stress., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Ammu Kutty Radhakrishnan reports financial support was provided by Malaysian Palm Oil Board. KR is employed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, who provided the research grant to carry out this study., (© 2022 The Authors.)

We aimed to explore the effects of the 60 Co-γ irradiated ginseng adventitious root (GAR) with different radiation doses on the hypoglycemic effects of its extract (GARSE) through in vivo and in vitro experiments. The total saponin of GARSE was increased by 4.50% after 5 kGy irradiation, and the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability was enhanced by 5.10%. At 50 μg/mL, GARSE irradiated by 5 kGy displayed superior protective effects on human glomerular mesangial cells (HMCs) with high glucose damage. After feeding type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) mice with GARSE irradiated by 5 kGy at 500 mg/kg·BW for 4 weeks, the glucose values was decreased by 16.0% compared with the unirradiated. The Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway was activated and the oxidative stress was attenuated, which further alleviated T1DM., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

• StCDPK32 exhibits a cell membrane, nuclear and cytoplasmic localization. • StCDPK32 elevates photosynthesis under salinity condition. • StCDPK32 positively regulates StP5CS, StPOD, StCAT and StSOD transcription. • Overexpression of StCDPK32 enhances salt resistance of potato. • Artificial microRNA-mediated StCDPK32 silencing weakens salt resistance. Calcium-dependent protein kinase 32 (StCDPK32) of potato is identified as a mono-molecular Ca2+-sensor/kinase-effector protein encoding by StCDPK32. This study aims to understand the mechanism of StCDPK32 involved in resisting to salinity stress. StCDPKs were examined in Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Zihuabai treated with 200 mM NaCl for 0–48 h. To investigate the ability of potato to resist salt stress, Zihuabai was cultured in NaCl-conditioned medium. To explore the effects of StCDPK32 on physiochemical activities and gas exchange, StCDPK32-upregulated and StCDPK32-downregulated potato plants were developed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. Subcellular location of StCDPK32 protein was detected using confocal scanning laser microscopy. It was found that NaCl treatment resulted in transcription change of StCDPKs. Salinity treatment promoted StCDPK32 transcription in potato plants. StCDPK32-transgenic plants are tolerant to NaCl while StCDPK32-repressed plants are sensitive to NaCl in comparison with the untransgenic plants. StCDPK32 overexpression elevates genes expression and enzyme activities associated with salt stress. Additionally, photosynthesis is promoted by StCDPK32 overexpression under salt stress conditions. StCDPK32 protein localizes in nucleus, cytoplasm and cellular membrane. StCDPK32 positively modulates physiological properties and photosynthesis in response to salinity stress. StCDPK32 is a potential candidate gene for growth improvement under salt conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern intensive agricultural practices face numerous challenges that pose major threats to global food security. In order to address the nutritional requirements of the ever-increasing world population, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are applied on large scale to increase crop production. However, the injudicious use of agrochemicals has resulted in environmental pollution leading to public health hazards. Moreover, agriculture soils are continuously losing their quality and physical properties as well as their chemical (imbalance of nutrients) and biological health. Plant-associated microbes with their plant growth- promoting traits have enormous potential to solve these challenges and play a crucial role in enhancing plant biomass and crop yield. The beneficial mechanisms of plant growth improvement include enhanced nutrient availability, phytohormone modulation, biocontrol of phytopathogens and amelioration of biotic and abiotic stresses. Solid-based or liquid bioinoculant formulation comprises inoculum preparation, addition of cell protectants such as glycerol, lactose, starch, a good carrier material, proper packaging and best delivery methods. Recent developments of formulation include entrapment/microencapsulation, nano-immobilization of microbial bioinoculants and biofilm-based biofertilizers. This review critically examines the current state-of-art on use of microbial strains as biofertilizers and the important roles performed by these beneficial microbes in maintaining soil fertility and enhancing crop productivity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Cisplatin is an antineoplastic medicine used for solid tumor treatment. The main side effect that limits its dose is nephrotoxicity. Diacerein has been used for the treatment of joint diseases like osteoarthritis. It also has exhibited analgesic effects and antipyretic activities in animal models so this study targets to indicate the diacerein effect on nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin in rats. Rats were distributed into four groups: normal healthy control; diacerein, which received diacerein daily by gastric gavage (50 mg/kg/day); cisplatin, which received only one intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (6 mg/kg) and cisplatin and diacerein, which received diacerein daily after the cisplatin injection till 7th and 12th days, respectively. Diacerein treatment decreased kidney function markers so the cisplatin effect was reversed. Also, diacerein increased the renal antioxidants and decreased oxidative stress. Diacerein up-regulated Ho-1 (heme oxygenase 1), Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) genes expression, while down-regulated Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) gene expression. Furthermore, the renal transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) decreased by the diacerein effect. Consequently, diacerein has a curative effect against cisplatin due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic properties., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Purpose: This current study investigated the effect of metformin treatment on hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NADLD) in high fat diet (HFD) fed rats., Method: Wistar rats were fed with a HFD or laboratory chow diet for 8 weeks. Metformin was administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg. Body weight, food and water intake were recorded on daily basis. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), biochemical analysis and histological examinations were conducted on plasma and tissue samples. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mRNA expression was analyzed using reverse transcription polymeric chain reaction (RT-PCR)., Results: Metformin treatment for 8 weeks prevented HFD-induced weight gain and decreased fat deposition in HFD fed rats. Biochemical analysis revealed that metformin treatment significantly attenuated nitro-oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced protein oxidation product (APOP), and excessive nitric oxide (NO) levels in the liver of HFD fed rats. Gene expression analysis demonestrated that metformin treatment was associated with an enhanced expression of antioxidant genes such as Nrf-2, HO-1, SOD and catalase in liver of HFD fed rats. Metformin treatment also found to modulate the expression of fat metabolizing and anti-inflammatory genes including PPAR--γ, C/EBP-α, SREBP1c, FAS, AMPK and GLUT-4. Consistent with the biochemical and gene expression data, the histopathological examination unveiled that metformin treatment attenuated inflammatory cells infiltration, steatosis, hepatocyte necrosis, collagen deposition, and fibrosis in the liver of HFD fed rats., Conclusion: In conclusion, this study suggests that metformin might be effective in the prevention and treatment of HFD-induced steatosis by reducing hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: There is no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Earlier reports have shown that Cyclophosphamide (CYCP), an anti-malignant drug, elicited cytotoxicity; and that naringin has several beneficial potentials against oxidative stress and dyslipidaemias. We investigated the influence of naringin on free radical scavenging, cellular integrity, cellular ATP, antioxidants, oxidative stress, and lipid profiles in the CYCP-induced erythrocytotoxicity rat model. Rats were pretreated orally by gavage for fourteen consecutive days with three doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) naringin before single CYCP (200 mg/kg, i.p.) administration. Afterwards, the rats were sacrificed. Naringin concentrations required for 50 % scavenging hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide radical were 0.27 mg/mL and 0.28 mg/mL, respectively. Naringin pretreatment significantly (p < 0.05) protected erythrocytes plasma membrane architecture and integrity by abolishing CYCP-induced decrease in the activity of erythrocyte LDH (a marker of ATP). Pretreatment with naringin remarkably (p < 0.05) reversed CYCP-induced decreases in the erythrocytes glutathione levels, activities of glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase; attenuated CYCP-mediated increases in erythrocytes levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and major lipids (cholesterol, triacylglycerol, phospholipids, and non-esterified fatty acids). Taken together, different acute pretreatment doses of naringin might avert CYCP-mediated erythrocytes dysfunctions via its antioxidant, free-radical scavenging, and anti-dyslipidaemia properties., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ischemic stroke is a cerebrovascular disease normally caused by interrupted blood supply to the brain. Ischemia would initiate the cascade reaction consisted of multiple biochemical events in the damaged areas of the brain, where the ischemic cascade eventually leads to cell death and brain infarction. Extensive researches focusing on different stages of the cascade reaction have been conducted with the aim of curing ischemic stroke. However, traditional treatment methods based on antithrombotic therapy and neuroprotective therapy are greatly limited for their poor safety and treatment efficacy. Nanomedicine provides new possibilities for treating stroke as they could improve the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs in vivo , achieve effective drug accumulation at the target site, enhance the therapeutic effect and meanwhile reduce the side effect. In this review, we comprehensively describe the pathophysiology of stroke, traditional treatment strategies and emerging nanomedicines, summarize the barriers and methods for transporting nanomedicine to the lesions, and illustrate the latest progress of nanomedicine in treating ischemic stroke, with a view to providing a new feasible path for the treatment of cerebral ischemia., (© 2021 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)