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. AbstractBackground/aim: Curcumin, a member of the ginger family of species, has long been used to

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Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has long been known as a model toxicant. Several reports have discussed its toxic effects on different organs by inducing oxidative stress and free radical production. A number of antioxidant agents, including herbal extracts, have been reported to reduce CCl4 induced toxicity. Many studies have reported the beneficial effects of ginger including its antioxidant properties. This work was performed to assess the possible protective role of ginger against CCl4 induced renal injury in adult male albino rats. A total of 48 adult male rats were divided into 3 groups. Group I served as the control group. Group II received CCl4 by intraperitoneal injections, twice weekly, for 4 weeks. Group III received CCl4 (as previously described) and aqueous extract of ginger orally, once daily, for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, renal specimens were processed for light and electron microscopic examination. In addition, morphometric analysis was performed on electromicrographs to assess the filtration barrier integrity. Carbon tetrachloride treated rats showed renal corpuscles with shrunken, lobulated, and hypercellular glomeruli, podocyte affection, as well as mesangial cell proliferation. Morphometric analysis demonstrated disordered filtration barrier integrity. The use of ginger prevented most of these structural changes. Exposure to CCl4 resulted in nephrotoxicity associated with glomerular and tubular alterations in adult male rats. Ginger exhibited a protective effect against CCl4 induced renal damage.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is considered the second most common neurodegenerative disease with subsequent motor and behavioral deficits. Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of PD.AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible neuroprotective effects of crocin on rotenoneinduced Parkinson-like behaviors. MATERIALS &METHODS: 70 male adult Wister Albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: (1) Control (10 rats); (2) Crocin 40 (10 rats); (3) Polyethylene glycol (PEG) (10 rats) ; (4) Rotenone (40 rats) injected I.P. of 1.5 mg/kg/48 hrs. for 2 weeks [11]; Preliminary behavioral tests and the rats that showed PD features were randomly subdivided into 4 equal groups of 10 rats per each. (4A) Rotenone-treated: (4B): Crocin 20 treated. (4C): Crocin 40 treated. (4D) L-DOPA treated-group. The neurobehavioral were done. In serum, the level of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine 8-OHdG was estimated. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor necrosis factor alpha TNF-α, dopamine, and nitrite/ nitrate levels were measured in the brain tissue. RESULTS: Rotenone induced neurobehavioral deficits with elevation of brain MDA, brain TNF-α, Nitrite/nitrate level and serum 8-OHdG and reduction of GSH, brain tissue dopamine. Crocin (20 or 40) improved these neurobehavioral deficits. Crocin (20 or 40) and L-DOPA decreased MDA, serum 8-OHdG, TNF-α and Nitrite/nitrate level and increased GSH and dopamine level. Crocin 40 had achieved potent effect compared with crocin 20. In summary, rotenone-induced Parkinson-like behavior in rats. Crocin achieved a protective effect. Keywords  Saffron  Crocin  Oxidative stress  Parkinson like behavior  DNA damage Bull. of Egyp. Soc. Physiol. Sci.