Organs Liver Research Articles

Hereditary Amino Acid Metabolism Disorders and Urea Cycle Disorders: to Practicing Physician

Hereditary amino acid metabolism disorders (aminoacidopathies) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of hereditary metabolic diseases caused by enzymes deficiency involved in amino acid metabolism, that finally leads to progressive damage of central nervous system, liver, kidneys, and other organs and systems. Hereditary urea cycle disorders occur because of enzyme deficiency leading to impaired urea synthesis and hyperammoniemia in patients. The age of disease onset and clinical manifestations severity range from milder, intermittent forms to severe, manifesting in the first hours of life. Expanded neonatal screening (implemented in Russian Federation at 01.01.2023) allows to diagnose diseases from these groups in the first days of life, to prescribe timely pathogenetic therapy. Altogether it helps to prevent the development of disease severe complications. Raising awareness about hereditary aminoacidopathies and urea cycle disorders among pediatricians, neonatologists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists is a topical issue of modern pediatrics.

A systematic review on multipotent carcinogenic agent, N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), its major risk assessment, and precautions.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) as a possible carcinogen and mutagenic substances, placing it in category 2A of compounds that are probably harmful to humans. It is found in nature and tobacco smoke, along with its precursors, and is also synthesized endogenously in the human body. The oral or parenteral administration of a minimal quantity of NDEA results in severe liver and kidney organ damage. The NDEA required bioactivation by CYP450 enzyme to form DNA adduct in the alkylation mechanism. Thus, this bioactivation directs oxidative stress and injury to cells due to the higher formation of reactive oxygen species and alters antioxidant system in tissues, whereas free radical scavengers guard the membranes from NDEA-directed injury in many enzymes. This might be one of the reasons in the etiology of cancer that is not limited to a certain target organ but can affect various organs and organ systems. Althoughthere are various possible approaches for the treatment of NDEA-induced cancer, their therapeutic outcomes are still very dismal. However, several precautions were considered to be taken during handling or working with NDEA, as it considered being the best way to lower down the occurrence of NDEA-directed cancers. The present review was designed to enlighten the general guidelines for working with NDEA, possible mechanism, to alter the antioxidant line to cause malignancy in different parts of animal body along with its protective agents. Thus, revelation to constant, unpredictable stress situations even in common life may remarkably augment the toxic potential through the rise in the oxidative stress and damage of DNA.

Toxicological evaluation of Sargassum plagiophyllum extract in male mice

Purpose: To provide valid scientific evidence for the safety of Sargassum plagiophyllum extract in an animal model.
 Methods: Sargassum plagiophyllum extract (SPE) was obtained via water extraction using an autoclave at 121°C for 20 min. The SPE was administered to 4 groups of adult male mice via gavage once a day for 21 days. The treatment groups received different doses of SPE, i.e., 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg. Control mice were given distilled water. Body weight, and feed and water intakes were recorded. The toxicity of SPE was assessed by determining blood, biochemical, and histopathological indices.
 Results: Intake of SPE for 21 days did not produce any impact on body mass, feed intake and water intake, even at 2000 mg/kg. Hematological parameters were also unaffected. Biochemical analysis of blood/serum revealed normal levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in all treatment groups, when compared to control group. Moreover, histopathological studies confirmed healthy conditions of the liver, kidney, colon, and other organs in all treatment groups.
 Conclusion: These results from a mouse model provide basic scientific evidence of the safety of consuming Sargassum plagiophyllum extract, even at high doses thus expanding its potential use as a medication for improving health.

Medical Consequences and Treatment of Injuries Caused by White Phosphorus Munitions

White phosphorus (WP) has been used in hand grenades, mortar and artillery shells, and aerial bombs since World War I. Recently it has been used in combat operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Nagorno-Karabakh and is used during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza. Burns caused by WP usually result in death or disability. The purpose of the work is to analyze and summarize the data of the scientific literature on the medical consequences and treatment of lesions caused using ammunition with WP. Materials and methods. For the analysis, we used available scientific publications describing the consequences of WP burns received during hostilities. The method of analysis is descriptive. The following tasks were solved: the properties of WP as a damaging agent were studied; materials on the medical consequences of WP lesions and methods of treatment of such lesions were summarized. Discussion of the results. WP is highly reactive, highly toxic and ignites in air as early as 35°C. The severity of WP lesions is the result of both the thermal and chemical effects of combustion. Fatalities among humans from WP burns have occurred involving less than 10% of the total body surface area. Burns caused by WP heal more slowly than thermal burns. WP penetrates deeply through the fatty subcutaneous tissue. Therefore, the burns are full-thick, necrotic. The absorbed WP acts as a cellular poison and causes damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, myocardium, and other organs. Any WP particles trapped in the wound may re-ignite. Conclusion. At the pre-hospital stage, the first thing to do is to wash off the wounds with cool water and remove the pieces of WP that have fallen into the skin with forceps. The light from the UV lamp can help to visualize the small particles of WP. Cleaning exfoliated skin and removing visible WP particles from the skin are critical methods for limiting wound severity and systemic WP absorption. It is advisable to excise the burned area within an hour after the lesion and repeat surgical procedures until all phosphorus particles have been removed; to control during the first 48 hours for the content of calcium and phosphorus in the blood serum with appropriate correction. In the future, skin grafting and treatment with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells are advisable.

AFM1 exposure in male balb/c mice and intervention strategies against its immuno-physiological toxicity using clay mineral and lactic acid bacteria alone or in combination

Context Aflatoxins are the most harmful mycotoxins that cause human and animal health concerns. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the primary hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 and is linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and immunotoxicity in humans and animals. Because of the important role of dairy products in human life, especially children, AFM1 is such a major concern to humans because of its frequent occurrence in dairy products at concentrations high enough to cause adverse effects to human and animal health. Reduced its bioavailability becomes a high priority in order to protect human and animal health. Objectives This study aimed to investigate, in vivo, the ability of lactic acid bacteria (lactobacillus rhamnosus GAF01, LR) and clay mineral (bentonite, BT) mixture to mitigate/reduce AFM1-induced immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress in exposed Balb/c mice. Materials and methods The in vivo study was conducted using male Balb/c mice that treated, orally, by AFM1 alone or in combination with LR and/or BT, daily for 10 days as follows: group 1 control received 200 µl of PBS, group 2 treated with LR alone (2.108 CFU/mL), group 3 treated with BT alone (1 g/kg bw), group 4 treated with AFM1 alone (100 μg/kg), group 5 co-treated with LR + AFM1, group 6 co-treated with BT + AFM1, group 7 co-treated with BT + LR + AFM1. Forty-eight h after the end of the treatment, the mice were sacrificed and the blood, spleen, thymus, liver and kidney were collected. The blood was used for biochemical and immunological study. Spleen and thymus samples were used to thymocytes and splenocytes assessments. Liver and kidney samples were the target for evaluation of oxidative stress enzymes status and for histological assays. Results The results showed that AFM1 caused toxicities in male Blab/c mice at different levels. Treatment with AFM1 resulted in severe stress of liver and kidney organs indicated by a significant change in the biochemical and immunological parameters, histopathology as well as a disorder in the profile of oxidative stress enzymes levels. Also, it was demonstrated that AFM1 caused toxicities in thymus and spleen organs. The co-treatment with LR and/or BT significantly improved the hepatic and renal tissues, regulated antioxidant enzyme activities, spleen and thymus viability and biochemical and immunological parameters. LR and BT alone showed to be safe during the treatment. Conclusion In summary, the LR and/or BT was able to reduce the biochemical, histopathological and immunological damages induced by AFM1 and indeed it could be exploited as one of the biological strategies for food and feedstuffs detoxification.

The application and sustainable development of coral in traditional medicine and its chemical composition, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical research.

This review discusses the variety, chemical composition, pharmacological effects, toxicology, and clinical research of corals used in traditional medicine in the past twodecades. At present, several types of medicinal coral resources are identified, which are used in 56 formulas such as traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, Mongolian medicine, and Uyghur medicine. A total of 34 families and 99 genera of corals are involved in medical research, with the Alcyoniidae family and Sarcophyton genus being the main research objects. Based on the structural types of compounds and the families and genera of corals, this review summarizes the compounds primarily reported during the period, including terpenoids, steroids, nitrogen-containing compounds, and other terpenoids dominated by sesquiterpene and diterpenes. The biological activities of coral include cytotoxicity (antitumor and anticancer), anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral, immunosuppressive, antioxidant, and neurological properties, and a detailed summary of the mechanisms underlying these activities or related targets is provided. Coral toxicity mostly occurs in the marine ornamental soft coral Zoanthidae family, with palytoxin as the main toxic compound. In addition, nonpeptide neurotoxins are extracted from aquatic corals. The compatibility of coral-related preparations did not show significant acute toxicity, but if used for a long time, it will still cause toxicity to the liver, kidneys, lungs, and other internal organs in a dose-dependent manner. In clinical applications, individual application of coral is often used as a substitute for orthopedic materials to treat diseases such as bone defects and bone hyperplasia. Second, coral is primarily available in the form of compound preparations, such as Ershiwuwei Shanhu pills and Shanhu Qishiwei pills, which are widely used in the treatment of neurological diseases such as migraine, primary headache, epilepsy, cerebral infarction, hypertension, and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is undeniable that the effectiveness of coral research has exacerbated the endangered status of corals. Therefore, there should be no distinction between the advantages and disadvantages of listed endangered species, and it is imperative to completely prohibit their use and provide equal protection to help them recover to their normal numbers. This article can provide some reference for research on coral chemical composition, biological activity, chemical ecology, and the discovery of marine drug lead compounds. At the same time, it calls for people to protect endangered corals from the perspectives of prohibition, substitution, and synthesis.

Toxicity Test of Inggu (Ruta angustifolia (L)) Ethanol Leaves Extract to Male White Mice (Mus musculus)

Inggu leaf (Ruta angustifolia (L.) is one of the medicinal plants that is widely used by Indonesian people as traditional medicine for various diseases. One of the properties of the inggu plant can be used to treat fever, toothache, heartburn and ulcers. Toxicity testing ethanol extract of guinea leaf using a completely randomized design (CRD) with 7 treatments with stratified doses of 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, 16,000 mg/kg BW and control. Parameters observed after administration of the extract were diarrhea, changes in breathing, changes in aggressive behavior and decreased movement activity. Liver and kidney organs were taken to determine the organ weight ratio. The results showed that the ethanol extract of inggu leaves with graded doses up to a dose of 16,000 mg/kg BW in experimental animals did not cause death, which was included in the practically non-toxic category. Administration of ethanol extract of guinea leaves at a dose of 500 mg/kg BW to 16,000 mg/kg BW caused a decrease in locomotion activity in experimental animals during the 4-hour observation time. The ratio of organ weight of mice from the test results of the ratio of liver, right kidney and left kidney of mice was not different from that of control animals.

A Multiattention ResUNet and Modified U‐Net Architecture for Liver Tumor Segmentation

Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the world, and early diagnosis is important. However, the similarity in shape, texture, and intensity values between the liver, tumors, and other neighboring organs such as the heart, spleen, stomach, and kidneys often complicates visual differentiation. Manual identification of tumors in the liver is time‐consuming, intricate, and susceptible to errors with potential repercussions for patient care. While machine learning–based approaches have emerged for liver organ recognition and segmenting the tumor, they continue to face challenges related to recognition accuracy and the inability to distinguish tumors of varied sizes. To solve the problems, a multiattention network made up of cascaded ResUNet and U‐Net with attention mechanisms was proposed in this study. We investigated liver tumor segmentation with various configurations of U‐Net, ResUNet, U‐Net with attention mechanisms, and ResUNet with attention mechanisms on augmented and nonaugmented data. We used the 3Dircadb dataset for training and validation purposes, and the proposed method was evaluated on dice score, intersection of union (IoU), recall, and precision. The performance metrics achieved with this method on the dataset are as follows: approximately 0.89 for the dice coefficient, 0.90 for IoU, 0.93 for recall, and 0.96 for precision in the case of liver segmentation without data augmentation and 0.92, 0.90, 0.92, and 0.94, respectively, for dice score, IoU, recall, and precision with data augmentation. For tumor segmentation, the metrics include 0.70 for dice coefficient, 0.61 for IoU, 0.91 for recall, and 0.94 for precision when the data were augmented but 0.83 for dice score, 0.78 for IoU, and 0.89 and 0.90, respectively, for recall and precision.

Melatonin serves as a novel treatment in bladder fibrosis through TGF-β1/Smad and EMT.

Melatonin (MEL) is an indole amine molecule primarily produced in the pineal gland. Melatonin has been shown in numerous studies to have antifibrotic effects on the kidney, liver, and other organs. However, it is still unclear how melatonin works in bladder fibrosis. We explored how melatonin affects animals with bladder fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms. MEL was used to treat human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBdSMCs) after they were stimulated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in vitro. Proteomic analysis and bioinformatic analysis of the altered expression of these proteins were subsequently performed on HBdSMCs from the different processing methods. To construct an in vivo bladder fibrosis model, we injected protamine sulfate (PS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) twice a week into the rat bladder for six weeks. After two weeks of PS/LPS treatment, the mice in the treatment group were treated with MEL (20 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks. Finally, we detected the expression of fibrosis markers from different perspectives. The TGF-β1/Smad pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cell and bladder tissues were also identified. Further proteomic analysis was also performed. In vitro, we found that TGF-β1 treatment enhanced the expression of the fibrosis markers collagen III and α-SMA in HBdSMCs. E-cadherin expression decreased while the TGF-β1/Smad pathway was activated. Vimentin and N-cadherin expression was also elevated at the same time. Similar findings were observed in the LPS group. After MEL treatment, the expression of collagen III and α-SMA decreased, the expression of E-cadherin increased, and the expression of vimentin and N-cadherin also decreased. According to our quantitative proteomics analysis, CCN1 and SQLE may be important proteins involved in the development of bladder fibrosis. MEL decreased the expression of these genes, leading to the relief of bladder fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the extracellular space structure related to metabolic pathways, actin filament binding, and stress fibers can serve as a pivotal focus in the management of fibrosis. Melatonin attenuates bladder fibrosis by blocking the TGF-β1/Smad pathway and EMT. CCN1 appears to be a possible therapeutic target for bladder fibrosis.

Use of ultrasonic screening in aquaculture for the directed formation sturgeon and salmon fish mature stocks

The results of research work for the period from 2018 to 2023 on the use of early non-invasive functional ultrasound screening for the purpose of targeted formation of highly productive mature-brood stocks of Siberian sturgeon of the Ob, Yenisei, Baikal, Lena populations, European sterlet of the Kama population, Siberian sterlet of the Ob, Yenisei, Irtysh populations on main full-cycle industrial fish-breeding farms of Eastern and Western Siberia using water recirculation systems are presented in the article. Biotechnological methods for the formation of highly productive mature stocks using ultrasound monitoring are described. The number of individuals with pathologies and anomalies in the development of the reproductive system, liver, gallbladder and other internal organs were estimated; treatment methods were proposed. For the first time studies on the use of ultrasound for visualizing the gonads, determining the stages of maturity, detecting diseases of the heart, liver, gallbladder in salmon fish (trout, Atlantic salmon) grown in aquaculture have been carried out. For the first time ultrasound and histological studies were carried out to study the nature of “ink spots” on the skin of Siberian sturgeon Lena population from natural habitat. It was found that in the skin of sturgeon during pathology there was a growth of epidermal cells. Melanin melanocytes increased in both epidermis and dermis. At the same time there were no elastic fibers of the epidermis after painted according to Van-Gison. All these changes may indicate melanoma.

Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy Women with Hypothyroidism and Potential Influence on Pregnancy Outcome.

Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for maintaining normal physiological processes during pregnancy, including the metabolism of energy materials in both the mother and fetus and the growth and development of fetal bone and nervous system. TH can act on the liver, fat, and other tissues and organs to participate in lipid synthesis and breakdown through multiple pathways. Consequently, abnormal thyroid function is often accompanied by lipid metabolism disorders. Both clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism, as well as dyslipidemia during pregnancy, have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recently, there has been an increased interest in studying the alteration of lipidomic and hypothyroidism (both clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism) during pregnancy. Studies have suggested that altered lipid molecules might be used as potential biomarker and associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcome. Thus, we summarized the associations between lipid metabolism and clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy in this review. Then, we discussed the underlying mechanisms of thyroid dysfunction and lipid metabolism. In addition, we reviewed the possible effect of dyslipidemia on pregnancy and neonatal outcome. However, the relationship between hypothyroidism during pregnancy and changes in the lipid profile and how to intervene in the occurrence and development of adverse pregnancy outcomes require further study.

Management of Wilson’s disease in a 5 year old patient

Wilson's disease is a rare inherited disorder characterized by excess copper accumulation in the liver, brain, and other vital organs. This case report describes a 5-year-old patient diagnosed with Wilson’s disease after exhibiting symptoms like jaundice, shortness of breath, and ascites. The patient was treated with a low-copper diet and medication, which led to significant improvements. The case underscores the importance of early diagnosis and nutritional management in managing Wilson's disease

The role of the cytochrome P450 superfamily in the skin.

In mammals, the skin acts as a barrier to prevent harmful environmental stimuli from entering the circulation. CYP450s are involved in drug biotransformation, exogenous and endogenous substrate metabolism, and maintaining the normal physiological function of the skin, as well as facilitating homeostasis of the internal environment. The expression pattern of CYP450s in the skin is tissue-specific and thus differs from the liver and other organs. The development of skin topical medications, and knowledge of the toxicity and side effects of these medications require a detailed understanding of the expression and function of skin-specific CYP450s. Thus, we summarized the expression of CYP450s in the skin, their function in endogenous metabolic physiology, aberrant CYP450 expression in skin diseases and the influence of environmental variables and medications. This information will serve as a crucial foundation for future studies on the skin, as well as for the design and development of new drugs for skin diseases including topical medications.

High-intensity interval training increases AMPK and GLUT4 expressions via FGF21 in skeletal muscles of diabetic rats

Background: In type 2 diabetes, a decrease in expression of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) can result in decreased glucose uptake. The hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) promotes glucose uptake. The liver and other organs, such as the muscles, produce FGF21. Physical activity increases FGF21 secretion from skeletal muscles. FGF21 is thought to promote glucose uptake during exercise by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). As a result, the goal of this study is to determine how HIIT affects glucose uptake via FGF21 signaling in diabetics. Methods: Twenty-four eight-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four categories: (1) without intervention (Con), (2) DM intervention (ConDM), (3) DM group undergoing continuous training (DM-CT), and (4) DM group undergoing high-intensity interval training (DM-HIIT). The trainings in the exercise groups (DM-CT and DM-HIIT) were performed six days a week for six weeks. We analyzed FGF21 levels in serum and muscles by ELISA. Measurement of phosphorylated AMPK in muscles used ELISA, and that of mRNA GLUT4 expression used RT-PCR. Results: Following HIIT interventions, the glucose level in plasma was closer to normal level. An increase in FGF21 levels aided in the reduction in blood glucose. The HIIT group had significantly higher FGF21 levels in serum and muscles. An increase in FGF21 was followed by an increase in AMPK phosphorylation and GLUT4 expression in the HIIT group. Conclusions: In diabetic rats, HIIT promotes glucose uptake via FGF21, which activates AMPK and increases GLUT4 expression.

Lipid nanoparticles as the drug carrier for targeted therapy of hepatic disorders.

The liver, a complex and vital organ in the human body, is susceptible to various diseases, including metabolic disorders, acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent decades, these diseases have significantly contributed to global morbidity and mortality. Currently, liver transplantation remains the most effective treatment for hepatic disorders. Nucleic acid therapeutics offer a selective approach to disease treatment through diverse mechanisms, enabling the regulation of relevant genes and providing a novel therapeutic avenue for hepatic disorders. It is expected that nucleic acid drugs will emerge as the third generation of pharmaceuticals, succeeding small molecule drugs and antibody drugs. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent a crucial technology in the field of drug delivery and constitute a significant advancement in gene therapies. Nucleic acids encapsulated in LNPs are shielded from the degradation of enzymes and effectively delivered to cells, where they are released and regulate specific genes. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the structure, composition, and applications of LNPs in the treatment of hepatic disorders and offers insights into prospects and challenges in the future development of LNPs.

Revolution of Bone and Teeth Health: Study of Aloe Barbadensis Instant Powder Formulation

Aloe barbadensis is a plant with many applications such as anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and aiding in cell regeneration. Understanding aloe barbadensis' phytochemical profile and pharmacological action is essential since it is believed to have an impact on the formation of teeth and bones. The stability and bioavailability of Aloe barbadensis can be improved by formulating it as an instant powder. The research's objectives are to ascertain the Aloe barbadensis instant powder's qualitative and quantitative phytochemical profile, dosage formulations, and activity testing on hemoglobin, cholesterol, and red blood cell parameters. Samples of aloe barbadensis were washed, and they were then dried for 72 hours at 50°C. Following a maceration process using a 70% ethanol solvent, the extract was dried. Phytochemical screening, TLC profile, and extract description were employed to test the extract qualitatively. The quantities of total flavonoids, total anthraquinones, and total phenolics were determined to quantitatively test the extract. The formulation of the instant powder was then completed and evaluated on female mice using metrics associated with red blood cells, hemoglobin, and cholesterol levels. Furthermore, observations were made on the mice's liver organs. The study's findings revealed a qualitative profile of Aloe barbadensis extract, which included a tasteless, unique odor, milky white hue, and liquid shape. Aloe barbadensis has been demonstrated to contain flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins, and anthraquinones, according to the results of phytochemical screening. Three spots, identified as Rf 3.2 and Rf 8.5 in the Rf 2.3 area, are visible in the chromatographic pattern. Total anthraquinones were discovered to be 4.59%, total flavonoids to be 0.24%, and total phenolic content to be 1.42%. The third formula of instant Aloe barbadensis pollen has been demonstrated through preclinical examinations to have the capacity to reduce cholesterol, boost hemoglobin, and enhance red blood cell count—all of which are associated with the growth of teeth and bones. An SPSS statistical study demonstrating statistically significant differences with other groups supports this. Mice liver histopathological examinations revealed no liver damage in any of the test groups.

Antagonistic Effects of Chinese Salt and Folic Acid on Developing Swiss Albino Mice

One of the most often utilized taste enhancer in commercial meals is monosodium glutamate (MSG) commonly called Chinese salt. MSG utilization has been increasing over time and linked with toxicity in liver and other organs. Objective: To determine the teratogenic and toxic effects of Chinese salt and folic acid on developing mice. Methods: In this study, 20 female pregnant albino mice were divided into four groups, each consisted 5 mice. The control group was supplied with water. To check the teratogenicity and toxicity of Chinese salt and folic acid the treated groups such as Group-I, Group-II and Group-III were supplied with Chinese salt and/or folic acid of concentration 7.50 ug/g of their body weight. The dose was administered orally on daily basis during 6th to 12th day of gestation. This was accomplished through an 18 days trial. On the eighteenth day of gestation, the pregnant mice underwent dissection and the fetuses were retrieved. Fetuses were taken from all groups for histopathological findings and morphometry. Results: Vast range of morphological, morphometric and histological abnormalities in mice were observed in pregnant mice and fetuses. Conclusions: The findings of this study clearly revealed that Chinese salt and folic acid overdose are potentially toxic to liver and stomach.

Hypoxia is a Very Dangerous Condition

Hypoxia is a state of reduced amount of oxygen in cells and tissue, which causes a disturbance in the functioning of organs, systems and cells. This is dangerous condition. Without oxygen, brain, liver and other organs can be damaged very fast after symptoms start.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Carissa spinarum Extract on Carbon Tetra Chloride Induced Liver Damage in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Objectives: A study was performed to check if the leaf extract of the plant Carissa spinarum exhibits a hepatoprotective effect. As there is an increase in demand for hepatoprotective drugs, this study was an attempt to introduce an alternative to hepatoprotective drugs. Material and Methods: An acute toxicity study was performed on adult wild strain Zebrafish (Danio rerio), and carbon tetra chloride (5 ppm) (parts per million) was utilized to induce hepatic damage. A preliminary study was also performed for the standardization of doses. Animals were divided into seven groups, consisting of 10 each, and treated with an aqua-alcoholic extract prepared from the shadow dried leaves of the plant Carissa spinarum at doses of 0.5 ppm, 1 ppm, and 2 ppm. Silymarin (50 ppm) was used as a standard hepatoprotective drug. Results: Groups received plant extract at doses of 0.5 ppm, 1 ppm, and 2 ppm; a hepatic-protective effect was seen in all these groups. The most hepatic-protective effect was seen at the highest dose (2 ppm). Phytochemical studies also verified the presence of various plant secondary metabolites. Conclusions: The whole experiment was aimed at finding out the hepatoprotective effect of an extract prepared from the leaves of the plant Carissa spinarum. After the administration of the plant extract, it helped the liver and other organs heal faster, which proves it also exhibits regenerative properties.

The protective effects of Nigella sativa, thymoquinone and bentonite in experimental aflatoxicosis model in broilers

The aim of this study was to determine the preventive efficacy of black seed (Nigella sativa L.), thymoquinone and Na bentonite on biomarkers of tissue degeneration in the liver and other organs induced by aflatoxin (AF) in broilers. One hundred broiler chicks were divided into 10 equal groups and fed for 28 days. The animals received feed with 2 mg/kg total aflatoxin, Nigella sativa (NS; 5%), thymoquinone (TMQ; 300 mg/kg) and Na bentonite (BNT; 10 g/kg) both individually and in combination. At the end of the experiment, blood and liver tissue samples were collected. AF treatment significantly increased serum and liver 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG), serum transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and liver total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels, whereas it significantly decreased liver TGF-β and serum TAC levels compared to the control. However, there were no changes in the serum and liver hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels from AF. Both individual and combined addition of NS, BNT and TMQ to AF-contaminated feed significantly improved liver 8-OHdG, liver TAC and serum TGF-β levels. Serum 8-OHdG levels were ameliorated only in the AF+BNT+TMQ group. In addition, the AF+BNT+NS and AF+BNT+TMQ groups showed significant improvement in liver 8-OHdG, liver TGF-β and liver TAC levels. We conclude that NS and TMQ supplementation to AF-contaminated feed may be beneficial against aflatoxicosis in broilers.