Amria Mamdouh Mousa

The high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) worldwide necessitates the attention and intervention of modern medical treatment options. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that Ficus Lyrata leaves can exert protective effects in rats against hepatic fibrosis and hypercholesterolemia. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effect of Ficus lyrata Wrab bark extract on the NAFLD rat model. NAFLD was induced through a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks in male Wistar rats. After four weeks of HFD feeding, the rats were treated with F. lyrata extract (250 mg/kg, 5 days/week) or simvastatin (4 mg/kg, 5 days/week) while continuing on the HFD till the end of the experiment. Serum and liver samples were harvested for biochemical, molecular, histopathological, and immunohistochemical investigations. In silico analysis was also conducted to analyse the binding affinity of the extract polyphenols and the key regulators of hepatic lipogenesis. The results revealed that F. lyrata extract administered to HFD-fed rats significantly improved the characteristics of NAFLD by reducing hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and aminotransferases while improving serum lipid profile and adipokines. Moreover, the extract reduced the expression of hepatic lipogenic genes sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 (ACC-1), and fatty acid synthase (FAS), and inflammatory markers tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), along with modulating oxidative stress markers and reversing histopathological changes. Molecular docking study revealed that most polyphenolic compounds in F. lyrata extract exhibited good binding affinity towards peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPAR-γ) and liver X receptor α (LXR-α). In conclusion, our findings suggested that F. lyrata bark could be a promising therapeutic agent against the health issues related to NAFLD.

One of the major etiological factors that account for lung cancer is tobacco use. Benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], one of the main constituents of tobacco smoke, has a key role in lung carcinogenesis. The present study was conducted to investigate the cytotoxicity of an aqueous ethanolic extract of Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers leaves (LLE) on human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549), as well as its in vivo antitumor effect on a lung tumorigenesis mice model. Our results revealed that LLE possesses cytotoxic activity against the A549 cell line. Mice orally administered B(a)P (50 mg/kg body weight) showed an increase in relative lung weight with subsequent decrease in final body weight. Serum levels of tumor marker enzymes AHH, ADA and LDH and the inflammatory mediator NF-κB increased, while total antioxidant capacity (TAC) decreased. In addition, we observed the increased activity of metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-12) and levels of the tumor angiogenesis marker VEFG and the lipid peroxidation marker MDA, as well as decreased levels of the non-enzymatic antioxidant GSH and enzymatic antioxidants CAT and GSH-Px in lung tissues. Moreover, B(a)P administration up-regulated the expression of the COX-2 gene, pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, and an anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2, and at the same time down-regulated expression of pro-apoptotic genes BAX and caspase-3 and the p53 gene. Pre- and post-treatment with LLE (250 mg/kg body weight) attenuated all these abnormalities. Histopathological observations verified the protective effect of LLE. Overall, the present data positively confirm the potent antitumor effect of L. speciosa leaves against lung tumorigenesis.

Background: Cuphea ignea is one of the herbal resources belonging to Lythraceae family. Some species of this family have been used traditionally in South and Central America’s folk medicine for treating stomach disorders. Therefore, the present study was performed to evaluate the gastropreventive effect of aqueous ethanolic extract of C. ignea aerial parts on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. Methods: Gastric ulcers were induced in Sprague Dawley rats using one oral dose of absolute ethanol (1.5 mL/rat). The C. ignea aerial parts extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight and ranitidine (a reference drug) at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight were orally administrated daily for 7 days before ulcer induction. One hour after ethanol administration blood samples were collected and then stomachs of sacrificed rats were subjected to biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic studies. Results: Oral administration of C. ignea extract significantly attenuated gastric ulcer as revealed by significant reduction in the gastric ulcer index and volume of gastric juice while significantly increased preventive percentage, gastric pH value and pepsin activity. Pre-treatment of C. ignea extract markedly improved the serum level of TNF-α, the gastric MPO activity and NO content. Furthermore, C. ignea pre-treatment significantly increased the gastric levels of enzymatic and non- enzymatic antioxidants namely CAT, SOD, GSH-Px, and GSH with concomitant reduction in MDA level compared with those in the ethanol group. These results were further supported by histopathological findings which revealed the curing effect of C. ignea on the hemorrhagic shock induced by ethanol toxicity. Conclusions: C. ignea extract showed a potential gastroprotective effect on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, and its effect may be mediated through suppression of oxidative stress and gastric inflammation.

The development of new anticancer agents is very important, but challenging. Herein, a zirconium-based metal organic framework (UiO-66-COOH) was synthesized, and L-methioninase enzyme was purified from Wickerhamomyces subpelliculosus. Subsequently, a new composite (METase@UiO-66) was prepared from L-methioninase and UiO-66-(COOH). The METase@UiO-66 composite was characterized via scanning electron microscopy analysis and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Moreover, the effects of pH, temperature and storage stability on the composite were well studied. The interesting results revealed greater stability of the composite as compared to that of the free enzyme. The composite was stable at 80 °C for around 40 minutes, and it showed better tolerance to variation in the reaction pH (5–7). Moreover, the storage stability of METase was significantly improved after immobilization, and the composite retained its full activity even after 12 days at 4 °C. In addition to the immobilization of the enzyme onto an MOF, the anti-cancer activity of the composite was investigated. For the first time, this composite was tested for the treatment of mice-bearing tumors, and the results of the in vivo studies showed that the treatment of mice-bearing tumors with the METase@UiO-66 composite caused a marked inhibition of tumor growth. Thus, the advantages of the METase@UiO-66 composite make it a promising anticancer agent in the field of cancer treatment.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of aqueous ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia ferrea (C. ferrea) leaf in normal and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats.MethodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 6 groups of 6 rats each were assigned into diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced in rats by single intraperitoneal administration of STZ (65 mg/kg body weight). C. ferrea extract at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight was orally administered to both diabetic and non-diabetic animals for a period of 30 days. After completion of experimental duration serum, liver and pancreas were used for evaluating biochemical and histopathological changes.ResultsOral administration of C. ferrea leaf extract significantly reduced elevated serum glucose, α-amylase, liver function levels and significantly increased serum insulin, total protein and body weight as well as improved lipid profile due to diabetes. Furthermore, the treatment resulted in a marked increase in glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione, and diminished levels of lipid peroxidation in liver and pancreas of diabetic rats. Histopathological studies demonstrated the reduction in the pancreas and liver damage and confirmed the biochemical findings.ConclusionsFrom the present study, it can be concluded that the C. ferrea leaf extract effectively improved hyperglycaemia while inhibiting the progression of oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Hence, it can be used in the management of diabetes mellitus