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This study was conducted to investigate the biochemical effects of Paracetamol which chemically named as N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP) high dose on experimental animals and to study the antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of oil (ethanolic) and aqueous (water) extracts of Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) leaves supplementation as well as choosing the best extract. This study was carried out on eighty three male adult albino rats of Sprague-Dawely strains which were divided into eight groups, of ten animals each except APAP control group were composed of thirteen rats, all rats were fed commercial diet. Group (I): rats received a placebo 1g of 0.9% normal saline by oral intubation daily, while other groups received a high dose of APAP (1g APAP/kg body weight) daily by oral intubation to induce hepatotoxicity. Group (II): rats received APAP dose daily without any treatments. Groups (III, IV and V): rats received APAP dose and supplemented with water extract of M.olifera at three tested doses (200,300 and 400mg/Kg body weight) respectively daily by oral intubation. While groups (VI, VII and VIII), rats received APAP dose and supplemented with ethanolic extracts of M.olifera at three tested doses (200,300 and 400mg /Kg body weight) respectively daily for four weeks. At the end of the experimental period (four weeks) rats were anesthetized using diethyl ether anesthesia after overnight fasting. Blood samples were collected from the hepatic portal vein and serum was separated for analysis. Then rats sacrificed and abdomen was opened at greater curvature as liver and spleen were removed for biochemical and microscopical examination. The present study showed that APAP administration caused a significant increase in the level of hepatic protein carbonyl group (PCG), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. On the other hand, reduced blood glutathione (GSH) level, serum catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities as well as serum immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) levels were significantly decreased compared to healthy control group at (p≤0.05). The inflammatory markers like serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL1b) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity

Aims: This study was designed to investigate the active chemical constituents and antioxidant capacities of saffron stigmas and turmeric rhizomes ethanolic extracts (ESE and ETE) respectively. D- galactose deleterious brain effects as well as the role of ESE and ETE supplementation against D-galactose intoxication were evaluated on male rat’s brain. Place of study: Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Faculty of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University. Methodology: Fifty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups; 10 rats each. Group (1): Healthy control; group (2): D-galactose control; rats were intoxicated with D-galactose (250mg/kg body weight /day/subcutaneously); group (3-5): D-galactose intoxicated rats and supplemented with (30mg /kg body weight /daily orally) of ESE, ETE and (15mg /kg body weight /daily orally) from each extract respectively for six weeks. Results: Research results revealed that saffron and turmeric ethanolic extracts contain active chemical constituents including polyphenols and flavonoids that possess high antioxidant activity. Biochemical analysis of brain tissues documented that injection with D-galactose caused significant increase (p≤0.05) in oxidative stress parameters including [advanced glycation end products (AGEs), protein carbonyl group (PCG), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) Levels], pro-inflammatory markers like [tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin -6 (IL-6) levels] , epigenetic marker [p16INK4a content] as well as neural cell markers [metallothoenins (MTs) and serotonin (5-HT) levels].On the other hand D-galactose intoxication caused significant decrease (p≤0.05) in brain antioxidants as [total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reduced glutathione (GSH) level and catalase (CAT) activity] as well as brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. All these results were proved by the microscopic examination and apoptotic markers immunohistochemical analysis of brain tissues that revealed degenerative changes in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Oral administration of saffron and turmeric ethanolic extracts alone or in combination decreased brain oxidants, pro-inflammatory markers, epigenetic marker and neural cell markers levels while increased the levels and activities of antioxidants as well as AChE activity associated with an improvement of brain microscopic examination and immunohistochemical analysis. The most significant improvements (p≤0.05) were recorded in the group that supplemented with both extracts. Conclusion: Study results proved that saffron and turmeric ethanolic extracts active components were able to correct deleterious brain effects induced by D-galactose and using their mixture was more efficient in ameliorating brain toxicity than using each extract alone evidenced by biochemical analysis, microscopic examination as well as immunohistochemical determination of apoptotic markers in bmrain tissues. It is advised to add saffron and turmeric to human foods and to prepare their ethanolic extracts to be available for human beings due to their ability to preserve brain functions and structure as well as their potential to inhibit and retard brain aging and neuro-degeneration.

Background and Objective: High fructose consumption has increased worldwide. It causes various metabolic, genetic and histologic alterations. Alternative medicine, primarily herbal plants, has been proposed to alleviate the negative effects of high fructose consumption. The main objective of this study was to explore the efficacy of supplementation or treatment with mango leaves against high fructose induced alterations in male rats. Methodology: Mango leaves nutritional and active components were determined. A total of sixty male adult rats were used in this study. Fifteen rats were kept as healthy (negative control group; rats fed on balanced diet) while in others metabolic alterations were induced by consumption of high fructose diet ad libitum. Rats fed on high fructose diet were splited into 3 groups (15 rats in each), one group set as positive control group; rats fed on high fructose diet only and the other 2 groups; mango treated group; rats fed on high fructose diet until induction of hyperglycemia (one month and half) then fed on high fructose diet with replacement of fiber with 5% mango leaves and mango supplemented group; rats fed on high fructose diet with 5% mango leaves replacing fiber. Results: Mango leaves contain significant amounts of crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, ash, total flavonoids and polyphenols that controlled and corrected the following high fructose consumption results. Consumption of high fructose diet significantly (p≤0.05) increased final body weight (FBW), body weight gain (BWG), abdominal circumference (AC), Lee index and body mass index (BMI). High fructose also significantly (p≤0.05) increased levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum  triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), fasting blood glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), serum tumor necrosis factor-α   (TNF-α), leptin, malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and adipocyte size as well as blood histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzyme activity. High fructose consumption contrarily caused significant decrease (p≤0.05) in levels of quantitative insulin check index of insulin sensitivity (QUICKI), adiponectin, muscular insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) gene expression as well as blood reduced glutathione (GSH). Furthermore, microscopic examinations of the pancreatic and adipose tissues corroborated the biochemical findings. Conclusion: Mango leaves are a cheap source of macro and micronutrients as well as active constituents. By limiting metabolic and genetic abnormalities caused by high fructose consumption, either mango leaf supplementation or therapy improved and ameliorated all biochemical and microscopic data. The mango leaves supplemented group showed the most improvement.

Objective: Our study aimed to examine the protective and curative ability of fresh orange juice (OJ) (Citrus sinensis L.) to counteract the adverse side effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on hepatic tissues of female irradiated rats and that has not been studied in advance. Methods: Forty-nine adult female Sprague-Dawley albino rats (170±5 g) were divided into four sets of 12 animals, except the healthy control group contained 10 rats only and the irradiated control group contained 15 rats and was divided as follow Group I: Healthy control; Group II: Irradiated control, rats receiving a single dose (20 gray absorbed dose [Gy]) of whole-body γ-rays; Group III: Protective group, rats received (5 ml OJ/kg body weight) once daily for 14 days and after 24 h exposed to irradiation; and Group IV: Curative group, then rats were submitted to irradiation than after 24 h, treated with (5 ml OJ/kg body weight) once every day for 14 successive days. Results: Our results explored that fresh OJ contains significant amounts of antioxidants as flavonoids and polyphenols and consequently pre- or post-fresh OJ supplementation to female irradiated rats attenuated significantly (p≤0.05) hepatic lipid, protein, and DNA-oxidative damage, hepatic inflammation, and activated inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin E2 pathway, liver fibrosis, impaired liver functions, and hepatic lipid metabolism when compared with irradiated control rats. Furthermore, fresh OJ improved significantly (p≤0.05) the hepatic antioxidant capacity in protective and curative groups in comparison with the irradiated control group. Conclusion: The current research illustrated that fresh OJ may improve and normalize the various hepatic biochemical abnormalities resulted from irradiation due to its high content of active constituents of flavonoids and polyphenols. It is advised for people who exposed to IR, especially females, to consume about (5 ml OJ/kg body weight) before exposure as the most significant improvements were recorded in the protective group that supplemented with OJ before irradiation.