Acacetin, a flavone with diverse therapeutic potential in cancer, inflammation, infections and other metabolic disorders.

Taurine and hesperidin rescues carbon tetrachloride-triggered testicular and kidney damage in rats via modulating oxidative stress and inflammation.

Background and purpose: Mercuric chloride (Merc) can cause kidney toxicity. Harmine (Harm), an herbal alkaloid has various pharmacological and medicinal effects mainly because of its antioxidant activity. In this study, therefore, Harm’s protective mechanisms on Merc-induced nephrotoxicity in BALB/c male mice were investigated. Experimental approach: Forty-eight male mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8). Groups                       were received saline, Merc (0.5 mL/day of 0.5 ppm aqueous), Harm (5, 10, 15 mg/kg/day), Merc + Harm                       (5, 10, 15 mg/kg/day) for 14 consecutive days. Saline and Harm were administrated intraperitoneally and Merc dissolved in drinking water. Urea and creatinine serum levels, body weight, kidney weight, quantitative and qualitative histological alterations, apoptosis rate, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were evaluated. Findings/Results: There was a significant reduction in total body and kidney weights, renal histological criteria, TAC, SOD levels in the Merc group compared to the control group ( P < 0.05), whereas these parameters in the Merc + Harm groups, were significantly increased compared to the Merc group ( P < 0.05). Urea and creatinine serum levels, levels of NO, and apoptosis were significantly higher in the Merc group than the control, while these parameters were decreased in the Merc + Harms groups in comparison with the Merc group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion and implications: Harm protected Merc-induced renal damage in mice. This protection was observed in both histological and biochemical respects. The beneficial effect of Harm was related to its antioxidant properties that diminish NO production and apoptosis induction in the kidney.

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Harmine protects mercuric chloride kidney-induced injury by antioxidant activity in male mice: a biochemical and histological study

Testicular damage has been described as a common side effect of cisplatin (CDDP), which limits its clinical uses. Since oxidative injury and inflammatory response are the most pathological impact, estimation of natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents like trans-ferulic acid (TFA) could protect against CDDP-induced testicular damage. In the current investigation, rats were assigned into four groups: normal, TFA (50 mg/kg/day, P.O), CDDP (10 mg/kg) as single intraperitoneal (I.P) injection at the end of the 5th day, and TFA+CDDP where TFA was administered 5 days before CDDP injection and 5 days after. Interestingly, TFA significantly restored testosterone levels and abrogated oxidative stress injury. Additionally, TFA effectively suppressed inflammatory cytokines. It also counteracted the inflammation via downregulation of TLR4 and IRF3, P38-MAPK, NF-κB-p65, JAK1, STAT3, ERK1, and ERK2. Besides, TFA can modulate AKT and p-AKT protein expressions. In parallel, TFA mitigated the histopathological aberration of the testis and prevented spermatogenesis disruption. On the other hand, TFA augmented the in vitro CDDP cytotoxicity on Caco-2 and MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, TFA enhanced the cytotoxic effect of CDDP via apoptosis induction in both the early and late stages of apoptosis. Collectively, TFA exhibited a potential protective effect against CDDP-induced testicular injury by inhibiting oxidative stress as well as TLR4/IRF3/INF-γ, P38-MAPK/NF-κB-p65/TNF-α, and JAK1/STAT-3/ERK1/2 inflammatory signaling pathways with enhancing its in vitro cytotoxic activity.

Trans-ferulic acid ameliorates cisplatin-induced testicular damage via suppression of TLR4, P38-MAPK, and ERK1/2 signaling pathways

Effects of chemotherapeutic agents on male germ cells and possible ameliorating impact of antioxidants.

Ischemia–reperfusion (Isc/Rep) incidence can damage kidneys and long-distance organs such as the liver. Due to the increasing use of herbs in medicine, this study was designed to assess the effects...

Acacetin Alleviates Hepatitis Following Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion in Male Balb/C Mice by Antioxidants Regulation and Inflammatory Markers Suppression.

This study aimed to compare acacetin adverse effect besides a cisplatin low dose on male reproductive and urinary systems on mice. In this study, 36 male Balb/c mice were received Dimethyl sulfoxide, cisplatin (1 mg/kg) or acacetin (10, 25, 50 mg/kg) for 3 days, while the sixth group, treated with acacetin (50 mg/kg) for 10 days. All treatments were done consequence daily and intraperitoneally. Histological and biochemical factors to male reproductive and urinary systems were assayed. Only in cisplatin exposed group, significant differences were seen with the others. So that, some reproductive criteria were significantly decreased; serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, sperm parameters, the diameters of seminiferous tubules, Johnsen's score and from the urinary system; renal corpuscles' space, Mg2+ concentration (p < .01). Moreover, significant increases were seen in serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, testis myeloperoxidase activity and tumour necrosis factor-alpha expression, kidney histological damage and renal corpuscle diameter (p < .01). Cisplatin exposure disrupts histological and functional characteristics of either male reproductive or urinary systems, suggesting by inflammation-promoting. Acacetin does not induce any harmful impact on these two systems and could be considered as a safe flavonoid by high dose and prolonged usage.

Evaluating the effects of acacetin versus a low dose of cisplatin drug on male reproductive system and kidney in mice: With emphasis on inflammation process.

Introduction: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most causes of neonatal infections. The bacterium colonizes genitourinary tracts of pregnant women and transmits to infants. The aim of this study was investigating colony PCR and culture methods to detection of GBS in pregnant women. Materials and methods: Hundred pregnant women, at the 35th and 37th weeks of pregnancy, were selected from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit of the Moatazedi and Shahid Chamran Hospitals in Kermanshah province. Specimens were collected from vaginal introitus and investigated by selective culture and colony PCR methods. Then, antibiotic resistance tests were performed according to the latest guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Results: Prevalence of GBS colonization was shown to be 5% and 6% by the culture and colony PCR methods, respectively. Also, resistance rate to erythromycin, penicillin, vancomycin, and the clindamycin were determined to be 50%, 16.66%, 16.66% and 33.33 %, respectively. Moreover, the highest resistance was for erythromycin and the appropriate antibiotics were penicillin and then vancomycin. Conclusion: A higher prevalence of GBS colonization in pregnant women in the Kermanshah city of Iran was detected using colony PCR method compared to culture method.

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The investigation of antibiotic resistance and rapid detection of group B Streptococcus (Bca) from vaginal specimens of pregnant women by colony PCR method

Farshid Raissi

Papers

Acacetin Alleviates Hepatitis Following Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion in Male Balb/C Mice by Antioxidants Regulation and Inflammatory Markers Suppression.

Evaluating the effects of acacetin versus a low dose of cisplatin drug on male reproductive system and kidney in mice: With emphasis on inflammation process.

The investigation of antibiotic resistance and rapid detection of group B Streptococcus (Bca) from vaginal specimens of pregnant women by colony PCR method