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In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus casei probiotics on liver damage induced by silver nanoparticles and expression of Bax, Bcl2 and Caspase 3 genes in rats. 32 adult male Wistar rats were divided into four healthy groups (control), the group receiving silver nanoparticles treated with L. casei, the group receiving silver nanoparticles treated with B. coagulans and the group receiving only silver nanoparticles. The effect of nanoparticles was induced by intraperitoneal injection of silver nanoparticles prepared from nettle at a dose of 50 mg/kg and entered the liver tissue through the bloodstream. Two days after injection, probiotic treatment with 109 CFU was performed by gavage for 30 days. One day after the last gavage, rat liver tissue weight was assessed. Also, the total amount of RNA was extracted from treated, and healthy tissues, as well as induced silver nanoparticles tissues, then evaluated by Real Time PCR. Data were evaluated using one-way Anova, Tukey test. Based on the biochemical results of this study, exposure of rats to different concentrations of silver nanoparticles compared with the control group caused a significant increase in the serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), especially at high concentrations. Evaluation of damage and histopathological lesions showed that silver nanoparticles in different concentrations caused different damage to liver tissue, so that, necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and vascular degeneration were observed at different concentrations by silver nanoparticles. In the present study, the effects of L. casei cell extract on increasing the expression of Bax proapoptotic gene and decreasing Bcl2 gene expression in cancer cells and inducing programmed cell death were shown. In this study, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 genes in the group receiving silver nanoparticles and in the groups treated with probiotics showed significant changes compared to the control group. It can be concluded that the function of silver nanoparticles and the effects of relative improvement of probiotics are from the internal route of apoptosis and factors such as dose, nanoparticle size and nanoparticle coating have an important role in the toxicity of silver nanoparticles, thus the destructive effects on liver tissue could be increased by increasing the concentration of silver nanoparticles.

Probiotics are commonly present in foods and role as dietary adjuncts and alternatives to pharmacological products in many medical fields. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus casei probiotics on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced reproductive injury and sperm toxicity in rats. Thirty-two Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: sham, CCl 4 (2 ml/kg), L. casei probiotic + 2 ml/kg CCl 4 and L. coagulans probiotic + 2 ml/kg CCl 4 . On the 36th day after the intervention, serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH) and total testosterone (T), as well as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were measured. Testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) level, the expressions of apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2 and Bax), Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, histomorphometric indices such as tubular differentiation index (TDI), repopulation index (RI), spermiogenesis index (SPI) and sperm parameters were evaluated. L. casei and L. coagulans probiotics improved the levels of reproductive hormones and antioxidant capacity in rats. Both the probiotics, especially L. casei, increased the rate spermatogenesis which accompanied with significant increments in testicular TDI, RI and SPI. Furthermore, both probiotics down-regulated Bax and up-regulated Bcl-2, following by decreased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Our key findings indicated that L. casei and L. coagulans have protective effects against CCl 4 -induced testicular toxicity., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Current scolicidal agents, which have been used for inactivation of protoscoleces during surgical procedures, are associated with adverse side effects including sclerosing cholangitis. This investigation aimed to evaluate the scolicidal effects of Bunium persicum (Boiss) essential oil against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts and also its toxicity in a mice model., Methods: Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (3.125-50 mcL/mL) were used for 5-30 min. The viability of protoscoleces was confirmed using the eosin exclusion test (0.1% eosin staining). Further, 48 male NMRI mice were used to determine the acute and sub-acute toxicity of B. persicum essential oil., Results: The obtained results revealed that the B. persicum essential oil at the concentrations of 25 and 50 mcL/mL after 5 min of exposure killed 100% protoscoleces. The mean mortality rate of protoscoleces after 10 min of exposure to the concentration of 12.5 mcL/mL was 100%. Lower concentrations (6.25 and 3.125 mcL/mL) of B. persicum essential oil, however, indicated a delayed protoscolicidal effects. The LD 50 value of intra-peritoneal injection of the B. persicum essential oil was 1.96 mL/kg body wt. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed in the clinical chemistry and hematologic parameters after oral administrations of B. persicum essential oil at the doses 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 4 mL/kg for 14 d., Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated the potent scolicidal activity of B. persicum with no significant toxicity; it might be used as a natural scolicidal agent in hydatid cyst surgery.

Background: We evaluated the in vivo activity of Bunium persicum (Boiss) essential oil on infected mice with acute toxoplasmosis., Methods: To evaluate prophylactic effects, male NMRI mice received B. persicum essential oil at the concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mL/kg for 14 days. After 24 h mice were infected intraperitonealy with 1×10(4) tachyzoites of T. gondii, RH strain. In order to investigate therapeutic effects, mice were infected and then received B. persicum oil at the concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 ml/kg two times a day for 5 days. The time/mean time of death in all infected mice and the number of tachyzoites from infected mice were recorded., Results: The time/mean time of death of infected mice was 8 and 9 days after oral administration of B. persicum oil at the concentration of 0.05 and 0.1 mL/kg, respectively (P<0.05). In contrast, the time/mean time of death control group was 5 days. In addition, B. persicum significantly reduced the mean number of tachyzoites compared with control group. The time/mean time of death of infected mice was 6 and 7 days after oral administration of B. persicum essential oil at the concentration of 0.05 and 0.1 mL/kg, respectively. In contrast, the time/mean time of death control group was 5 days. B. persicum especially at the concentration of 0.1 ml/kg significantly reduced the mean number of tachyzoites compared with control group., Conclusion: The results showed the potential of B. persicum essential oil as a natural source for the production of new prophylactic agent for use in toxoplasmosis.