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An explicit star product ⋆ on the dual of a general Lie algebra equipped with the linear Poisson bracket is constructed. An equivalence operator between this star product and the Kontsevich star product in [K1] is given and diverse properties of the star product ⋆ are studied. It is also proved that the star product ⋆ provides a convergent deformation quantization in the sense of Rieffel [R1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored the hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of Linalool (Lin) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced toxicity in mice. Four study groups (n = 8 each) were used: (1) a negative control group and (2) a toxicity control group (single dose of CCl 4 administered on day 14 as 1 mL/kg of CCL 4 in 1% olive oil). Intraperitoneally (i.p.)), and two experimental groups where mice were treated with either (3) Lin (25 mg/kg b.w., orally, daily for 15 days) or (4) pretreated with Lin (25 mg/kg b.w., orally, daily for 14 days) and intoxicated with CCl 4 (1 mL/kg of CCL 4 in 1% olive oil. i.p.) on day 14. The levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10), the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and TGF-1β, and the histopathology of the liver were assessed. According to our findings, IL-10 concentrations were significantly increased in Lin-treated groups, while other cytokine levels were marked by a considerable decrease in the toxicity model group (CCl 4 -treated group). Histopathological examinations of liver tissues showed that the Lin-treated groups had an almost normal structure. The current findings showed that Lin could inhibit CCl 4 -induced liver injury in mice, which warrants further investigation of Lin as a potential protective and therapeutic agent against hepatotoxicity., (© 2022 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Objectives: Our work aimed to translate Ditrovie scale into standard Arabic and to verify its validity and reliability in the Tunisian population., Materials: The translation-retro-translation method was the chosen translation method. The committee of experts analyzed these versions and elaborated a pre-final version The Arabic version obtained was conducted on a sample of 100 patients with idiopathic overactive bladder. The reliability of the scale was verified by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient., Results: The feasibility and acceptability of the scale was good. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.86. The reproducibility of our scale as well as of each domain were very good (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.9) with a mean of the differences centered and homogeneous in the Bland and Altman graph., Conclusion: The standard Arabic version of the Ditrovie scale is a reliable instrument with satisfactory psychometric properties allowing evaluation of quality of life of patients with idiopathic overactive bladder., Level of Evidence: B., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the extraction and the characterization of a novel heteropolysaccharide from Tunisian halophyte Lobularia maritima (LmPS). We were also interested in its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced liver injury in rats. LmPS physicochemical properties were evaluated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV absorption. According to TLC and HPLC results, LmPS was a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose, galactose, and xylose. Its molecular weight was 130.62 kDa. This heteropolysaccharide was characterized by a significant antioxidant potential and was efficient against oxidative stress and CCL 4 -induced hepatotoxicity in rat Wistar models ( n  = 8) treated with a single dose of LmPS 250 mg/kg of body weight. This was evidenced by a significant increase in serum marker enzymes specially aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The cytokines released after stimulation of rats with LmPS showed high anti-inflammatory profiles with an increased rate of interleukine-10 (IL-10) with 0.03 pg/mL compared to animals treated only with CCl 4 . On the contrary, we noticed a decrease of the other cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α: TNF-α, interleukine-6: IL-6, transforming growth factor beta 1: TGF-β1) with average concentration values of <0.2, 0.1, and 0.04 pg/mL, respectively. Besides, histopathological examinations revealed that CCl 4 causes acute liver damage, characterized by extensive hepatocellular necrosis, vacuolization, and inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as DNA fragmentation. LmPS administration at a dose of 250 mg/kg resulted in a significant hepatoprotection, evidenced by a reduction of CCl 4 -induced oxidative damage for all tested markers. These findings eagerly confirmed that LmPS was effective in the protection against CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity and genotoxicity. It, therefore, suggested a potential therapeutic use of this polysaccharide as an alternative medicine for patients with acute liver diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Environmental and occupational exposure to chromium compounds, especially hexavalent chromium, is widely recognized as potentially nephrotoxic in humans and animals. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) against sodium dichromate-induced nephrotoxicity, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity. Cactus cladodes extract (CCE) was phytochemically studied and tested in vitro for its potential antioxidant activities. Additionally, the preventive effect of CCE against sodium dichromate-induced renal dysfunction in a Wistar rat model (24 rats) was evaluated. For this purpose, CCE at a dose of 100 mg/kg was orally administered, followed by 10 mg/kg sodium dichromate (intraperitoneal injection). After 40 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed, and the kidneys were excised for histological, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme analyses. The phenol, flavonoid, tannin, ascorbic acid, and carotenoid contents of CCE were considered to be important. Our analyses showed that 1 mL of CCE was equivalent to 982.5 ± 1.79 μg of gallic acid, 294.37 ± 0.84 μg of rutin, 234.78 ± 0.24 μg of catechin, 204.34 ± 1.53 μg of ascorbic acid, and 3.14 ± 0.51 μg of β-carotene. In vivo, pretreatment with CCE was found to provide significant protection against sodium dichromate-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, preserving normal antioxidant activities, and protecting renal tissues from lesions and DNA damage. The nephroprotective potential of CCE against sodium dichromate toxicity might be due to its antioxidant properties.

Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber, commonly known as Dandelion, has been widely used as a folkloric medicine for the treatment of liver and kidney disorders and some women diseases such as breast and uterus cancers. The main objective of the present study was to assess the efficiency of T. officinale leaf extract (TOE) in treating sodium dichromate hazards; it is a major environmental pollutant known for its wide toxic manifestations witch induced liver injury. TOE at a dose of 500 mg/kg b.w was orally administered once per day for 30 days consecutively, followed by 10 mg/kg b.w sodium dichromate was injected (intraperitoneal) for 10 days. Our results using Wistar rats showed that sodium dichromate significantly increased serum biochemical parameters. In the liver, it was found to induce an oxidative stress, evidenced from increase in lipid peroxidation and changes in antioxidative activities. In addition, histopathological observation revealed that sodium dichromate causes acute liver damage, necrosis of hepatocytes, as well as DNA fragmentation. Interestingly, animals that were pretreated with TOE, prior to sodium dichromate administration, showed a significant hepatoprotection, revealed by a significant reduction of sodium dichromate-induced oxidative damage for all tested markers. These finding powerfully supports that TOE was effective in the protection against sodium dichromate-induced hepatotoxicity and genotoxicity and, therefore, suggest a potential therapeutic use of this plant as an alternative medicine for patients with acute liver diseases., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a xerophyte plant that belongs to the Cactaceae family. The present study was designed to investigate the possible protective effects of cactus cladodes extract (CCE) on sodium dichromate-induced testis damage in adult male Wistar rats. For this purpose, CCE at a dose of 100 mg/kg was orally administrated, followed by 10 mg/kg sodium dichromate (intraperitoneal injection). After 40 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed, and the testes were excised for histological, lipid peroxidation (LPO), and antioxidant enzyme analyses. Sodium dichromate treatment significantly (P<0.01) decreased the body, testis, and accessory sex organ weights, sperm count and motility, and serum testosterone level. In addition, histological analysis revealed pronounced morphological alterations with tubular necrosis and reduction in the number of gametes in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules of sodium dichromate-intoxicated rats. Furthermore, exposure to sodium dichromate significantly (P<0.01) increased LPO level and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in testis. Interestingly, pretreatment with CCE significantly (P<0.01) restored the serum testosterone level, sperm count, and motility to the levels of the control group. Moreover, CCE administration was capable of reducing the elevated level of LPO and significantly (P<0.01) increased SOD, CAT, and GPx activities in testis. Cactus cladodes supplementation minimized oxidative damage and reversed the impairment of spermatogenesis and testosterone production induced by sodium dichromate in the rat testis.

Background: Cis-Platinum (II) (cis-diammine dichloroplatinum; CDDP) is a potent antitumor compound widely used for the treatment of many malignancies. An important side-effect of CDDP is nephrotoxicity. The cytotoxic action of this drug is often thought to induce oxidative stress and be associated with its ability to bind DNA to form CDDP-DNA adducts and apoptosis in kidney cells. In this study, the protective effect of cactus cladode extract (CCE) against CDDP-induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity were investigated in mice. We also looked for levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, chromosome aberrations (CA) test, SOS Chromotest, expressions of p53, bax and bcl2 in kidney and we also analyzed several parameters of renal function markers toxicity such as serum biochemical analysis., Methods: Adult, healthy balb/c (20-25 g) male mice aged of 4-5 weeks were pre-treated by intraperitonial administration of CCE (50 mg/Kg.b.w) for 2 weeks. Control animals were treated 3 days a week for 4 weeks by intraperitonial administration of 100 μg/Kg.b.w CDDP. Animals which treated by CDDP and CCE were divided into two groups: the first group was administrated CCE 2 hours before each treatment with CDDP 3 days a week for 4 weeks. The second group was administrated without pre-treatment with CCE but this extract was administrated 24 hours after each treatment with CDDP 3 days a week for 4 weeks., Results: Our results showed that CDDP induced significant alterations in all tested oxidative stress markers. In addition it induced CA in bone morrow cells, increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins p53 and bax and decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein bcl2 in kidney. On the other hand, CDDP significantly increased the levels of urea and creatinine and decreased the levels of albumin and total protein.The treatment of CCE before or after treatment with CDDP showed, (i) a total reduction of CDDP induced oxidative damage for all tested markers, (ii) an anti-genotoxic effect resulting in an efficient prevention of chromosomal aberrations compared to the group treated with CDDP alone (iii) restriction of the effect of CDDP by differential modulation of the expression of p53 which is decreased as well as its associated genes such as bax and bcl2, (iiii) restriction of serums levels of creatinine, urea, albumin and total protein resuming its values towards near normal levels of control., Conclusion: We concluded that CCE is beneficial in CDDP-induced kidney dysfunction in mice via its anti-oxidant anti-genotoxic and anti-apoptotic properties against CDDP.

Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis methanolic root extract (ORE) was investigated for phenolic and flavonoids contents, in vitro evaluated for DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and in vivo tested for its gastro-protective ability against 80% ethanol induced ulcer in rats. Phytochemical test of ORE were positive for phenolic and flavonoid contents. DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power of ORE showed an EC(50) of 118.65±2.51 μg/ml and 300 μg/ml respectively. In vivo the pre-treatment of rats with ranitidine (50 mg/kg) and 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg doses of ORE significantly (p<0.05) reduced the 80% ethanol induced-ulcer lesion, with a rate of 82.68%, 49.21%, 83.13%, and 92.59% respectively, and prevented the depletion of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total glutathione (GSH), and inhibited the increase of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat stomach tissues when compared with ethanol group. Also pre-treatment with ORE marked a dose-dependent attenuation of histopathology changes induced by ethanol. Phenolic and flavonoids wealth, radical scavenging activity, and reducing power, have been implicated for antiulcer property of ORE., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study carried out on male Wistar rats, was to evaluate the protective effects of regular ingestion of juice from the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) cladodes against nickel chloride toxicity. Rats were given either normal tap water or water containing 25% of cactus juice for one month. Then, rats of each group were injected daily, for 10 days, with either NiCl(2) solution (4mg (30micromol)/kg body weight) or with the same volume of saline solution (300mM NaCl). Significant increases of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase activities and of cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels were observed in blood of nickel-treated rats. In the liver, nickel chloride was found to induce an oxidative stress evidenced by an increase in lipid peroxidation and changes in antioxidant enzymes activities. Superoxide-dismutase (SOD) activity was found to be increased whereas glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were decreased. These changes did not occur in animals previously given cactus juice, demonstrating a protective effect of this vegetal extract.