No abstract

Key wordsABSTRACT: Diabetes mellitus, blood glucose, body weight, water intake, food intake.The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) and Black cumin seed (Nigella Sativa) mixture on selected biochemical parameters of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Therefore, twenty one healthy adult albino rats divided into three groups (7 rats in each). Rats of first and second groups were non diabetic and diabetic respectively. Rats of the third group were diabetic and received a mixture of Turmeric (0.5 g/kg b .wt.) and Black cumin seed (1 g/kg b.wt.) orally by intragastric intubations once a day for six weeks. The changes in blood glucose level, body weight and water and food intake were measured. In addition, selected biochemical parameters were also determined. The present study revealed that, dietary supplementation of plant mixture of Turmeric and Black cumin seed to diabetic rats significantly (P<0.05) reduced the blood glucose level as well as water and food intake accompanied by an increase in body weight gain when compared with untreated diabetic rats. Proteins were not affected whereas liver and kidney functions were disrupted in STZ-diabetic rats and restored whenever treated by medicinal plants mixture. Hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia observed in STZdiabetic rats were attenuated by administration of examined medicinal plants combination. Conclusively, dietary supplementation of Turmeric and Black cumin seed mixture reduced blood glucose level and ameliorated the hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia in STZ induced diabetic rats.

Background: γ-glutamyltransferase(EC: 2.3.2.2) activity increased in hepatocellular diseases in animals and human including sarcocystosis. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the activities of hepatic enzyme; alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) during the sarcocystosis infestation in buffalo. Also, to explore the purification, kinetic properties, and effect of anticoccidial drug ambrolium on the most affected enzyme. Methods: Blood and liver samples were collected from 10 sarcocyst-free and 15 sarcocyst-infested buffalos from Alexandria abattoirs, Egypt. Results: The result revealed that the specific activities of plasma ALT and AST were non-significantly increasedbut, GGT significantly increased in infested buffalo. Hepatic ALT, and GGT specific activities were significantly decreased while, AST activity was increased in infested-buffalo. The purified GGT enzyme had lowered specific activity in infested buffalo than control one and the enzyme consist of two subunits with molecular weight of 29.000 and 70.000 dl. Also, the purified enzyme from infested-buffalo had higher K m and lowered V max as compared to control one. The optimum temperature of purified GGT was 37 ºC and the ambrolium drug had an inhibitory effect on purified enzyme. Conclusion: We concluded that, the alteration in hepatic enzymatic activities considered a biomarker for diagnosis of sarcocystosis in buffalo, and ambrolium had an inhibitory effect of competitive type on purified enzyme

Background: Olive leaves and oil's beneficial effects are not only related to its high content of oleic acid, but also to the antioxidant potential of polyphenolics. Objectives: The present study was aimed to assess the effects of olive leaves and oil treatments on high sucrose induced oxidative damage in rabbits. Methods: Forty male rabbits were allocated into four groups; control group was kept on normal basal ration, sucrose fed group was received 30% sucrose containing ration, sucrose plus olive leaves group was administered olive leaves 5% in ration beside sucrose 30% and sucrose plus olive oil group was received olive oil 5% in basal ration together with sucrose 30% for 60 days. Results: Feeding high sucrose diet significantly increased total lipid, triacylglycerol, cholesterol and LDLc levels while decreased HDL-c level with hyperglycemia. High sucrose induced hepatic damage assessed by increasing liver marker enzymes. Increased testosterone, copper levels with decreased serum zinc level were also observed. Furthermore, high sucrose diet caused an induction in oxidative stress biomarkers with subsequent depletion in antioxidant enzymes (glutathione-Stransferase and catalase) and reduced glutathione level in liver, heart and kidneys. On the other hand, treatment with olive leaves or oil improved serum lipid profile, liver functions, glucose, zinc and copper levels but decreased testosterone level. Moreover, olive leaves or oil attenuated lipid peroxidation with increase in the antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion: We concluded that olive leaves as well as oil had improved the biochemical alterations induced by feeding high sucrose diet for long time.

Objectives: The present study was performed to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of ginger on hypercholesterolemic rats.Methods: A total forty male rats were randomly divided into four groups (10 rats/ each). Control rats were fed basal ration and water ad libitum, hyperlipidemic rats were administeredTriton WR-1339 at dose of 250 mg i.p/kg b.wt (three times/week), ginger-treated rats were fed orally on ginger aqueous extract at dose of 400 mg/kg b.wt, and the forth groupwhere the rats treated with aqueous extract of ginger before induction of hyperlipidemia for three weeks. Blood sample were collected from all groups and serum was separated for biochemical analysis. Results: The data obtained revealed that hyperlipidemic rats had a drastic increase in serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), very low density lipoprotein (vLDL-c), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c) and total lipid levels while, they had marked decrease in serum high density lipoprotein (HDL-c) level suggesting increased atherogenic indices. Also, hyperlipidemia caused significant increase in serum testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK-MB) activities and troponin-I level with decrease in serum sodium level. Administration of ginger to hyperlipidemic rats reduced serum TC,TAG, VLDL,LDL-c and total lipid levels whileHDL-c was non-significant differed. Furthermore, ALT, AST, ALP, LDH and CK-MB activities and troponin-I level were significantly decreased while serum male sex hormones and thyroid hormones were increased following treatment of ginger. Conclusions: It was concluded that ginger had a protective effect against hyperlipidemia in rats.