Due to the continuous increase in polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs) incorporation in the environment, growing number of adverse effects on living organisms and ecosystem have become a global concern. Therefore, current study was planned to elucidate the impacts of 5 different concentrations control, 2, 20, 200, and 2000 μgL-1 of PS MPs on testicular tissues of rats. PS MPs significantly reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) as well as total protein contents, while elevated the level of lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species. Moreover, expressions of steroidogenic enzymes (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein) as well as the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) in plasma, intra-testicular testosterone and plasma testosterone were reduced and a significant ( P < 0.05) reduction was noticed in the sperm count, motility and viability. Furthermore, PS MPs significantly up-regulated the expressions of Bax and caspase-3, while down-regulated the Bcl-2 expression. The histomorphological assessment revealed significant damages in the testicles as well as decrease in the number of germ cells (spermatogenic, spermatocytes and spermatids). Collectively, PS MPs generated oxidative stress (OS) and caused potential damage to the testicles of rats in a dose-dependent manner.

Ischemic stroke is categorized by either permanent or transient blood flow obstruction, impeding the distribution of oxygen and essential nutrients to the brain. In this study, we examined the neuroprotective effects of compound A3, a synthetic polyphenolic drug product, against ischemic brain injury by employing an animal model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (p-MCAO). Ischemic stroke induced significant elevation in the levels of reactive oxygen species and, ultimately, provoked inflammatory cascade. Here, we demonstrated that A3 upregulated the endogenous antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione s-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH), and reversed the ischemic-stroke-induced nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) elevation in the peri-infarct cortical and striatal tissue, through the activation of endogenous antioxidant nuclear factor E2-related factor or nuclear factor erythroid 2 (Nrf2). In addition, A3 attenuated neuroinflammatory markers such as ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (Iba-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α), toll-like receptors (TLR4), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by down-regulating p-JNK as evidenced by immunohistochemical results. Moreover, treatment with A3 reduced the infarction area and neurobehavioral deficits. We employed ATRA to antagonize Nrf2, which abrogated the neuroprotective effects of A3 to further assess the possible involvement of the Nrf2 pathway, as demonstrated by increased infarction and hyperexpression of inflammatory markers. Together, our findings suggested that A3 could activate Nrf2, which in turn regulates the downstream antioxidants, eventually mitigating MCAO-induced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

Background Euphorbia helioscopia, conventionally known as sun spurge, has been used as a traditional medicine to treat different diseases owing to its reported antitumor, antiviral and antioxidant activities. Methods The current research was formulated to assess the in-vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic ability of Euphorbia helioscopia subsequent to the phytochemical analysis of its various extracts. For this purpose, methanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts were prepared using the whole dried plant. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts was done to evaluate the total flavonoid components (TFC) and total phenolic components (TPC) in the extracts. A total of seven phenolic and three flavonoid contents were documented and quantified using HPLC. Antioxidant values were found by DPPH● assay, FRAP and ABTS assays. The antidiabetic potential of the extracts was evaluated by measuring the inhibition ability of the activity of enzymes α amylase and α glucosidase. Results After analyzing statistically, the results showed that methanolic extract possesses the highest TFC and TPC values while aqueous extract encompassed the lowest level of these contents. Invitro results showed that methanolic extract of the Euphorbia helioscopia has the maximum antioxidant capability since it showed the highest scavenging ability towards the DPPH● (IC50 value = 0.06 ± 0.02 mg/ml), FRAP (758.9 ± 25.1 μMFe+ 2/g), and ABTS (689 ± 25.94 μMTEq/g) due to the presence of high TPC (24.77 ± 0.35 mgGAEq/g) and TFC (17.95 ± 0.32 mgQEq/g) values. Antidiabetic activity in terms of inhibition potential of α amylase and α glucosidase activity was also observed maximum in methanolic extract having lowest IC50 value (0.4 ± 0.01 mg/ml and 0.45 ± 0.01 mg/ml respectively) and minimum in the aqueous extract (IC50 value = 0.57 ± 0.02 mg/ml and 0.76 ± 0.1 mg/ml respectively). Conclusion The experiment outcomes have shown that Euphorbia helioscopia extracts used in the current study contain antioxidant and antidiabetic activities; however, it is highest in its methanolic extract. The presence of the same trend towards the highest antidiabetic activity of the methanolic extract in terms of maximum inhibiting activity of α amylase and α glucosidase enzymes suggests a close association of TFC and TPC in minimizing diabetes.

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Nonylphenol (NP) is an environmental contaminant, which adversely affects the male fertility due to endocrine disruption and generation of oxidative stress. The current research was planned to assess the effects of nobiletin (NOB), a polymethoxyflavone, on NP-induced testicular damages. Twenty-four male rats were divided into 4 groups: control (0.1% DMSo), NP group (50 mg/kg), NP+NOB group (50 mg/kg + 25 mg/kg), and NOB group (25 mg/kg). Our results revealed that NP brought down the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GSR), while elevated the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Additionally, NP decreased the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), plasma testosterone, daily sperm production (DSP), epididymal sperm count, viability, motility, gene expression of testicular steroidogenic enzymes (StAR, 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD) and anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2), as well as number of spermatogenic cells belonging to various stages. Whereas, sperm (head, mid-piece/neck and tail) abnormalities, expression of apoptotic proteins (Bax and caspase-3), and histopathological damages were increased. However, NOB remarkably reversed all the damages caused by NP. Therefore, it is deduced that NOB could be used as a potential therapeutic to counter the NP-prompted oxidative stress and apoptotic damages in testes.