Anti-aging effect of nifuroxazide on skin changes of aged male rat models via modulating immunoreactivity of IL-6/NF-κB/Caspase-3

Abstract

To evaluate nifuroxazide's (NIF's) anti-aging characteristics in a skin-aging rat model for the first time in order to create effective preventive measures and anti-aging skin therapies. Thirty randomly selected aged male rats were assorted into three equal groups; aged control group, treated NIF I, aged rats were treated with NIF (10mg/kg, orally once daily for 14 consecutive days), and treated NIF II, aged rats were treated with NIF (20mg/kg, orally once daily for 14 consecutive days). Skin samples were obtained from the dorsal skin of the aged male rats and processed for tissue biochemical MDA, histological (Hx&E and Masson's Trichrome stains), and immunohistochemical (IL-6, NF-κB, and caspase-3) analysis. Group I aged male albino rat skin illustrated evident distorted epidermis and dermis, disorganization of collagen fibers with marked multiple spaces of collagen fibers loss in the dermis, marked reduction of total epidermal thickness and mean area percent of collagen fibers, elevated tissue MDA level and strong positive IL-6, NF-κB, and caspase-3 immune reaction. The anti-aging benefits of NIF on skin aging are demonstrated by a marked improvement in histological alterations in the form of a well-organized epidermis and dermis, most collagen fibers in the dermis appear closely packed, significant elevation of total epidermal thickness and mean area percent of collagen fibers, a significant decrease of tissue MDA level, and immunoexpression of the inflammatory markers, IL-6, and NF-κB, and the apoptotic marker caspase-3. This study found that group III, which received 20mg/kg of NIF, experienced more pronounced and noticeable improvements in skin aging than group II, which received 10mg/kg of NIF.