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Impacts of inhaling gasoline fumes on the lungs of adult male rats and the alleviating role of fenugreek seeds were evaluated. Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups, unexposed control and fenugreek groups, gasoline exposed groups for 6 h/6 day/week for 10 weeks with and without supplementation of fenugreek seed powder in food (5% w/w). Rats exposed to gasoline fumes showed significant elevation in lung tumor necrosis factor-α, as an inflammatory marker, and the proapoptotic marker Bax with a reduction in the antiapoptotic marker Bcl2. Moreover, remarkable elevations in transforming growth factor-β1, collagen and hydroxyproline were observed as fibrotic markers. Lung oxidative stress markers (hydrogen peroxides, malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl) increased significantly along with marked decrease in total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels. Additionally, marked decreases in white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin content, platelet count, accompanied by elevated red cell distribution width percentage were observed, supporting the inflammatory status. Histopathological changes represented by hematoxylin&eosin, immunohistochemistry staining for Bax&Bcl2, and transmission electron microscopy supported the negative impacts of gasoline fumes compared to the control group. Fenugreek seeds supplementation with gasoline exposure showed pronounced alleviation of lung biochemical and histopathological changes compared to the gasoline-exposed group.

Water nitrate pollution has been demonstrated to induce pancreatic toxicity, with increased risk of developing diabetes and exocrine pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to evaluate mechanisms that lead to pancreatic toxicity in nitrate exposed young and adult male rats, as well as the preventive effect of fenugreek seeds against these changes. Nitrate exposure of both ages showed almost identical changes, including significant reduction in serum insulin with elevation in blood glycosylated hemoglobin , serum glucose , acid phosphatase, α-amylase and pancreatic tumor marker (carcinoembryonic antigen),indicating a tendency for developing diabetes, in association with pancreatic cancer which seemed of greatest value in the young group. An elevation in pancreas levels of nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation, with a reduction in the antioxidants; superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as glutathione and its metabolizing enzymes; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and-glutamyl transferase were also demonstrated. This goes with marked changes in insulin gene profile, as indicated by appearance of new band with a molecular weight 275 bp and absence of three (1100, 825 and 750) bands as compared to the control of each age. Feeding fenugreek seeds powder to all nitrate exposed rats prevented changes in serum glucose, insulin, pancreatic tumor marker, oxidative stress biomarkers and insulin gene profile, indicating effectiveness of this plant to elicit cyto-protection against nitrate-induced pancreatic toxicity, probably through its antioxidant properties.

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