Ayse Can

Flavonoids and antioxidant activity of Rosa agrestis leaves.

In this work we report the isolation and characterisation of seven flavonoids, the levels of total phenolics, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, and the antioxidant activity of the leaf extract of Rosa agrestis Savi (Rosaceae). The results showed that the R. agrestis leaf extract exhibited significant antioxidative activity as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (EC50 = 47.4 µg mL−1), inhibited both β-carotene bleaching and deoxyribose degradation, quenched a chemically generated superoxide anion in vitro and showed high ferrous ion chelating activity. Reactivity towards 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical cation and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values were equivalent to 2.30 mM L−1 Trolox, the water soluble α-tocopherol analogue, and 1.91 mM L−1 Fe2+, respectively. The high antioxidant activity of the extract appeared to be attributed to its high content of total phenolics, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. The flavonoids isolated from R. agrestis leaves were diosmetin, kaempherol, quercetin, kaempherol 3-glucoside (astragalin), quercetin 3-rhamnoside (quercitrin), quercetin 3-xyloside and quercetin 3-galactoside (hyperoside). Diosmetin (5,7,3′-trihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone) was isolated for the first time from Rosa species.

Separation and some properties of Aloe vera L. leaf pulp lectins

The separation and partial purification of two lectins from the leaf pulp of Aloe vera L. (=barbadensis Miller) is presented. The fraction showing haemagglutinating activity was precipitated at 50% ammonium sulphate concentration from the crude leaf pulp extract. The precipitate thus obtained, after dialysis, was applied to a hydroxylapatite column. Stepwise elution resulted in two peaks showing haemagglutinating activity eluted with 5 mM (Aloctin I) and 20 mM (Aloctin II) phosphate buffers. Haemagglutinating activity was estimated visually by adding a 4% rabbit erythrocyte suspension to serial two‐fold dilutions of the lectins in microtitration plates. None of the 20 sugars tested inhibited haemag‐glutinating activity of Aloctin I up a concentration of 500 mM. Aloctin II was inhibited by N‐acetyl‐D‐galactosamine at 250 mM concentration. Of 10 metal ions tested, only Al3+ salts were found to activate Aloctin I and II. On the other hand, it was shown that neither lectin possessed any α‐ and β‐ galactosidase or α‐ and β‐ glucosidase activity. The lectins were of glycoprotein structure containing approximately 5% neutral sugar. The specificity of the lectins towards human and rat erythrocytes was investigated. Copyright

Ameliorative effect of vanadium on oxidative stress in stomach tissue of diabetic rats

Between their broad spectrum of action, vanadium compounds are shown to have insulin mimetic/enhancing effects. Increasing evidence in experimental and clinical studies suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and on the onset of diabetic complications. Thus, preventive therapy can alleviate the possible side effects of the disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of vanadyl sulfate supplementation on the antioxidant system in the stomach tissue of diabetic rats. Male Swiss albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control; control+vanadyl sulfate; diabetic; diabetic+vanadyl sulfate. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ; 65 mg/kg body weight). Vanadyl sulfate (100 mg/kg body weight) was given daily by gavage for 60 days. At the last day of the experiment, stomach tissues were taken and homogenized to make a 10% (w/v) homogenate. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), myeloperoxidase (MPO), carbonic anhydrase (CA), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were determined in the stomach tissue. CAT, SOD, GR, GPx, GST, CA, G6PD and LDH activities were increased in diabetic rats when compared to normal rats. Vanadium treatment significantly reduced the elevated activities of GR, GPx, GST compared with the diabetic group whereas the decreases in CAT, SOD, CA, G6PD and LDH activities were insignificant. No significant change was seen for MPO activity between the groups. It was concluded that vanadium could be used for its ameliorative effect against oxidative stress in diabetes.

MCP-1 and CCR2 Gene Variants and the Risk for Osteoporosis and Osteopenia

AIM In this study, we investigated whether monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) gene polymorphisms account for an increased risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia. METHODS Three hundred three postmenopausal women, 80 osteoporotic, 123 osteopenic, and 100 unrelated age-matched healthy controls, were included in the study. Genotyping of MCP-1 A2518G and CCR2 V64I gene polymorphisms were detected by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS We, for the first time, demonstrated the positive association of MCP-1 GG, CCR2 Val/Ile, and CCR2 Val+ genotype with osteoporosis risk. However, CCR2 Ile/Ile genotype frequencies were high in the control group compared with those of the patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Haplotype analysis confirmed the association of MCP-1/CCR2 gene variants with osteopenia and revealed that the frequency of MCP-1 A:CCR2 Val haplotype was significantly higher in patients when compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our findings have suggested that MCP-1 and CCR2 gene variants were risk factors for osteoporosis and osteopenia.

The protective effect of an aqueous extract from Smilax excelsa l. against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats

Background: Because reactive oxygen species (ros) contribute to the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic liver diseases, dietary antioxidants and drugs from herbal origins have been proved to be beneficial as therapeutic agents in reversing hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of an aqueous extract from smilax excelsa l. Shoots and leaves against acute ccl4-induced liver injury as well as the changes in antioxidative defense system in female wistar albino rats. Materials and Methods: S. Excelsa extract was administered orally in doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, once daily for 9 days. Acute hepatic toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ccl4 (1 ml/kg) on the 10 day. 24 h after ccl4 intoxication, biochemical and histopathological analyses were undertaken on sera and liver tissues. Results: Ccl4 challenge caused significant increases in the activities of liver enzymes as well as the levels of bilirubin, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, while total serum protein levels and antioxidant defense system parameters were reduced significantly compared to the normal group. Administration of s. Excelsa extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg resulted in a suppression of ccl4-induced lipid peroxidation and altered oxidative stress parameters to nearly normal values in comparison to ccl4-treated rats. Nevertheless the extract did not reduce the extent of ccl4-induced mild liver injury, as seen by the histopathology of liver damage. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that s. Excelsa could protect the liver tissues against ccl4-induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidative defense activities.

New spiroindolinones bearing 5-chlorobenzothiazole moiety

Abstract In this study, 5-chloro-3H-spiro-[1,3-benzothiazole-2,3′-indole]-2′(1′H)-one derivatives 3a–l were synthesized by the reaction of 1H-indole-2,3-diones 1a–l with 2-amino-4-chlorothiophenol 2 in ethanol. 3a–l were tested for their abilities to inhibit lipid peroxidation (LP), scavenge DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals, and to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Most of the tested compounds exhibited potent scavenging activities against ABTS•+ radical, reducing powers and strong inhibitory capacity on LP. 3 a, 3 d, 3e, 3h, 3j and 3 k chosen as prototypes were evaluated in the National Cancer Institute’s in vitro primary anticancer assay. The greatest growth inhibitions were observed against a non-small cell lung cancer cell line HOP-92 for R1-fluoro substituted 3 d and a renal cancer cell line RXF-393 for R-chloro substituted 3 e in the primary screen.

Effects of Aloe vera leaf gel extract on rat peritonitis model

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and probable toxic effects of Aloe vera (AV) in a rat peritonitis model. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into five groups: (1) Control group, (2) AV group, (3) peritonitis group (P), (4) peritonitis + AV group (P + AV), and (5) peritonitis + antibiotherapy group (P + Ab). Ultrafiltration (UF) rates were determined and colony and leukocyte counts were calculated in the dialysate. Glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine levels, and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities were studied in blood. Glucose, interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were studied in dialysate and peritoneal tissue for the assessment of the anti-inflammatory effect. Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) were also investigated in peritoneal tissue. Results: Aloe vera increased the UF rate and lowered leukocyte numbers in the peritonitis group. There was no significant difference in blood and dialysate glucose, BUN, creatinine levels and ALT activity among control and AV groups. AV decreased IL-1β, IL-6 and PGE2 in peritonitis, showing good anti-inflammatory effect. AV showed antioxidant effect on the chosen antioxidant parameters Cu, Zn-SOD, MDA, and NO. Conclusion: It was concluded that, AV might be used in peritonitis for its probable UF increasing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.

Carbon tetrachloride-induced kidney damage and protective effect of Amaranthus lividus L. in rats.

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of water extract of Amaranthus lividus L. (A. lividus) (Amaranthaceae) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced toxicity in kidneys of rats. For this purpose, male albino Wistar rats were pretreated with A. lividus (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)) daily for 9 days and a single dose of CCl4 was applied intraperitoneally (50% in olive oil; 1.5 mL/kg b.w.) on the 10th day. All rats were killed 24 h after CCl4 administration, and kidneys were excised and used for determination of histopathological and biochemical parameters. CCl4 administration caused a remarkable increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione levels and glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities and a decrease in catalase (CAT) activity when compared to the control group. Pretreatment with A. lividus (250 and 500 mg/kg b.w.) significantly prevented the elevation in LPO level and MPO activity as well as protected the decrease in CAT activity but did not alter other biochemical parameters. The protective effect of A. lividus was further evident through the decreased histological alterations in kidneys. In conclusion, this study has indicated that A. lividus possesses protective and antioxidant effects against CCl4-induced oxidative kidney damage.

Protective effect of Amaranthus lividus L. on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats / Karbon tetraklorür ile sıçanlarda oluşturulan karaciğer toksisitesi üzerine Amaranthus lividus L. bitkisinin koruyucu etkisi

Abstract Objective: Amaranthus lividus is consumed as popular vegetable in West Black Sea Region of Turkey. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective and antioxidant effects of A. lividus on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced oxidative stress and acute liver injury in rats. Methods: Male albino Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups: Normal control, A. lividus control, silymarin control, CCl4, A. lividus (250 mg/kg)+CCl4, A. lividus (500 mg/kg)+CCl4, silymarin+CCl4. Rats were orally pretreated with A. lividus (250 and 500 mg/kg) or silymarin (25 mg/kg) daily for 9 days before administration of CCl4 (1.5 mL/kg, 1:1 in olive oil, i.p.). Results: Pretreatment of rats with A. lividus, significantly prevented the CCl4 induced elevation in the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin and hepatic lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase. In addition, pretreatment with A. lividus significantly prevented the CCl4 induced depletion in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione level in liver. It has been observed that the hepatoprotective effect of A. lividus was comparable to that of silymarin, a standard drug. Histopathological evaluation of the liver also revealed that A. lividus at 250 mg/kg dose partially suppressed the CCl4 induced liver damage in rats. Conclusion: Our results indicated that A. lividus has a protective effect against CCl4 induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats, and this effect might be related to its antioxidant activity. Özet Amaç: Amaranthus lividus, Türkiye’nin Batı Karadeniz Bölgesinde sebze olarak yaygın şekilde tüketilen bir bitkidir. Bu çalışmada A. lividus’un karbon tetraklorür (CCl4) ile sıçanlarda oluşturulan oksidatif stres ve akut karaciğer hasarı üzerine koruyucu ve antioksidan etkilerinin ölçülmesini amaçladık. Metod: Erkek albino Wistar cinsi sıçanlar 7 gruba ayrıldı: Normal kontrol, A. lividus kontrol, silimarin kontrol, CCl4, A. lividus (250 mg/kg)+CCl4, A. lividus (500 mg/kg)+CCl4, silimarin+CCl4. Sıçanlara CCl4 (1.5 mL/kg, 1:1 zeytin yağı içinde, i.p.) verilmeden önce 9 gün boyunca günde 1 kere ağızdan A. lividus (250 ve 500 mg/kg) veya silimarin (25 mg/kg)’in ön uygulaması yapıldı. Bulgular: Sıçanlara A. lividus ile ön uygulama yapılması, serumdaki alanin aminotrasferaz, aspartat aminotransferaz, bilirubin ve karaciğerdeki lipit peroksidasyonu ve miyeloperoksidaz düzeylerinde CCl4’ün neden olduğu artışı anlamlı şekilde önledi. İlave olarak A. lividus ile ön uygulama yapılması, karaciğerdeki katalaz, glutatyon-S-transferaz, glutatyon peroksidaz, glutatyon redüktaz ve süperoksit dismutaz gibi antioksidan enzim aktivitelerinde ve glutatyon düzeyinde CCl4’ün neden olduğu azalışı anlamlı şekilde önledi. A. lividus ve standart ilaç olarak kullanılan silimarinin karaciğer üzerinde benzer koruyucu etkiler gösterdiği gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca karaciğerin histopatolojik olarak değerlendirilmesi, 250 mg/kg dozda A. lividus’un CCl4 nedeni ile sıçanların karaciğerinde oluşan hasarı kısmen baskıladığını ortaya koymuştur. Sonuç: Bulgularımız, CCl4 ile sıçanlarda oluşturulan akut karaciğer toksisitesine karşı A. lividus’un koruyucu etkiye sahip olduğunu ve bu etkinin antioksidan aktivitesi ile bağlantılı olabileceğini göstermektedir.