Recently, the study of the protective powers of medicinal plants has become the focus of several studies. Attention has been focused on the identification of new molecules with antioxidant and ...chelating properties to counter reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved as key elements in several pathologies. Considerable attention is given to argan oil (AO) and olive oil (OO) due to their particular composition and preventive properties. Our study aimed to determine the content of AO and OO on phenolic compounds, chlorophylls, and carotenoid pigments and their antioxidant potential by FRAP and DPPH tests. Thus, several metallic elements can induce oxidative stress, as a consequence of the formation of ROS. Iron is one of these metal ions, which participates in the generation of free radicals, especially OH from H
O
via the Fenton reaction, initiating oxidative stress. To study the antioxidant potential of AO and OO, we evaluated their preventives effects against oxidative stress induced by ferrous sulfate (FeSO
) in the protozoan
and mice. Then, we evaluated the activities of the enzymatic (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and metabolite markers (lipid peroxidation (MDA) and glutathione (GSH)) of the antioxidant balance. The results of the antioxidant compounds show that both oils contain phenolic compounds and pigments. Moreover, AO and OO exhibit antioxidant potential across FRAP and DPPH assays. On the other hand, the results in
and mice show a variation in the level of iron-changed SOD and GPx activities and MDA and GSH levels. By contrast, treating
and mice with argan and olive oils shows significant prevention in the SOD and GPx activities. These results reveal that the iron-changed ROS imbalance can be counteracted by AO and OO, which is probably related to their composition, especially their high content of polyphenols, sterols, and tocopherols, which is underlined by their antioxidant activities.
Sepsis causes severe dysregulation of organ functions, via the development of oxidative stress and inflammation. These pathophysiological mechanisms are mimicked in mice injected with bacterial ...lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here, protective properties of argan oil against LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammation are explored in the murine model. Mice received standard chow, supplemented with argan oil (AO) or olive oil (OO) for 25 days, before septic shock was provoked with a single intraperitoneal injection of LPS, 16 hours prior to animal sacrifice. In addition to a rise in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, injected LPS also caused hepatotoxicity, accompanied by hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and hyperuremia. These LPS-associated toxic effects were blunted by AO pretreatment, as corroborated by normal plasma parameters and cell stress markers (glutathione: GSH) and antioxidant enzymology (catalase, CAT; superoxide dismutase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase, GPx). Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed that AO can protect against acute liver injury, maintaining a normal status, which is pointed out by absent or reduced LPS-induced hepatic damage markers (i.e., alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)). Our work also indicated that AO displayed anti-inflammatory activity, due to down-regulations of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) and in up-regulations of the expression of anti-inflammatory genes encoding Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10). OO provided animals with similar, though less extensive, protective changes. Collectively our work adds compelling evidence to the protective mechanisms of AO against LPS-induced liver injury and hence therapeutic potentialities, in regard to the management of human sepsis. Activations of IL-4/Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (IL-4/PPARs) signaling and, under LPS, an anti-inflammatory IL-10/Liver X Receptor (IL-10/LXR) route, obviously indicated the high potency and plasticity of the anti-inflammatory properties of argan oil.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L) is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean countries especially in Morocco. Pomegranate peel and seed contain considerable amounts of phenolic compounds with ...antioxidant activity. The aim of the present study was to phytochemically characterize the pomegranate peels and seeds obtained from three Moroccan provinces, using UHPLC-DAD. In addition, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), and metal chelating of pomegranate peel were also evaluated. The results showed that pomegranate peel possesses the highest phenolic (TPC: 224.39 mg GAE/g dw) and flavonoid (TFC: 62.64 mg rutin/g dw) contents. Punicalagin-β and punicalagin-α, are the abundant compounds found in peel: 216.36±9.94 mg/g, 154.94±5.21 mg/g, respectively. Pomegranate peels showed significantly (p<0.05) high antioxidant activity 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) EC50: 42.71±0.04 μg/mL, 2.2′-Azino-bis(3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid) (ABTS) EC50: 62.15±0.01 μg/mL), and chelating activity (FRAP 1.85±0.00 mg ascorbic acid equivalents/100 g, Fe2+: 2.52±0.01 μmol EDTA equivalents/g dw) compared to seeds. A positive correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenolic was found. According to achieved results, high antioxidant capacity of pomegranate extracts, especially peel, shed light to further use as natural food preservatives. Pomegranate peel could be used for the fortification of food with fiber by introducing it in dietary, as well as in health applications due to its higher antioxidant capacity.
This study assessed the medicinal properties of
and
(
, known for their pharmaceutical benefits. Extracts from their flowers, stems, propolis, and honey were examined for phenolic content, ...antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total condensed tannin (TCC) were determined using specific methods. Antioxidant potential was assessed through various tests including DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and Total antioxidant capacity. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated using phenol-induced ear edema in rats, while antibacterial activity was measured against Gram-positive (
ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative (
ATCC 10536) bacteria. Among the extracts, the aqueous propolis extract of
demonstrated exceptional antioxidant capabilities, with low IC
values for DPPH (0.07 ± 0.00 mg/mL) and ABTS (0.13 ± 0.00 mg/mL), as well as high TAC (176.72 ± 0.18 mg AA/mg extract) and FRAP (86.45 ± 1.45 mg AA/mg extract) values. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of
propolis extracts surpassed that of indomethacin, yielding edema percentages of 3.92% and 11.33% for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts, respectively. Microbiological results indicated that the aqueous extract of
flower exhibited the most potent inhibitory action against
, with an inhibition zone diameter (IZD) of 21.0 ± 0.00 mm and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.125 mg/mL. Additionally, only
honey displayed the ability to inhibit
growth, with an inhibition zone diameter of 09.30 ± 0.03 mm and a MIC of 0.0433 mg/mL.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the distribution of PON1 Q192R and L55M polymorphisms and activities in a North African population and to determine their association with ...cardiovascular complications. The prevalence of the QQ, QR, RR, LL, LM, and MM genotypes in the study population was 55.4%, 34.09%, 9.83%, 41.97%, 48.20%, and 9.83% respectively. The Q, R, L, and M alleles had a gene frequency of 0.755, 0.245, 0.67, and 0.33, respectively. The PON1 192 RR genotype was significantly more prevalent among ACS patients than among healthy subjects. There was a 4.33-fold increase in the risk of ACS in subjects presenting the PON1 192 RR genotype compared to those with the QQ genotype (OR=4.33; 95% CI=1.27-17.7). There was a significantly different distribution of PON1 L55M in the ACS patient groups (UA, STEMI, NSTEMI). Moreover, individuals presenting the PON1 55MM genotype present a higher risk for ACS than those with LL genotype (OR=3.69; 95% CI=1.61-11.80). Paraoxonase activities were significantly lower in coronary patients than in healthy subjects. The decrease in PON1 activity was inversely correlated with the number of concomitant risk factors for CVD (r=0.57, p<0.0001). The results of the present study suggested that the PON1 R and M alleles may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiac ischemia in our North African population and that a decrease in PON1 activity may be a valuable marker for monitoring the development of the atherosclerosis process and the associated cardiovascular complications.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma fluoride levels and pregnancy complications among rural and urban women living in the Settat province of Morocco, where fluorosis ...is endemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study included pregnant women permanently residing in the province of Settat who visited the Provincial Hospital Hassan II. A close-ended questionnaire was completed to verify the presence or absence of pregnancy complications, including abortion, fetal and neonatal complications, diabetes mellitus, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. In addition, blood was collected from all participants and fluoride levels were determined. Results: The sample included 511 rural (43.8%) and urban (56.2%) pregnant women with a mean age of 26.9 + or - 6.1 years. The prevalence of pregnancy complications was significantly higher in rural pregnant women (abortion=13.2%; fetal and neonatal complications=4.8%; pregnancy induced-hypertension=1.4%) than in urban areas (abortion=6.7%; fetal and neonatal complications=2.2%; pregnancy induced-hypertension=0.9%) (p<0.05). Plasma fluoride levels were also significantly higher in rural participants with a means of 0.036 + or - 0.009 mg/L than in urban areas with a means of 0.034 + or - 0.008 mg/L (p<0.05). However, in both rural and urban participants, the results showed that there was no correlation between plasma fluoride levels and abortion (r=0.068; p=0.247), fetal and neonatal complications (r=-0.008; p=0.890), diabetes mellitus (r=-0.018; p=0.975) and pregnancy induced-hypertension (r=-0.063; p=0.285). Conclusions: Higher plasma fluoride levels were found in rural pregnant women than in urban ones. However, no significant correlation was found between plasma fluoride levels and the studied pregnancy complications, despite their higher prevalence in rural women. Keywords: Women, pregnancy complications, plasma fluoride, fluorosis, Morocco
The functionality of HDL has been suggested as an important factor in the prevention of cardiovascular and coronary artery diseases. The objective of the present study was to investigate the ...functionality of HDL and the factors that may affect the anti-atherogenic properties of HDL in ACS patients.
One hundred healthy subjects and 205 ACS patients were recruited. HDL functionality was evaluated by measuring their capacity to mediate cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages. Oxidative stress status was determined by measuring plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, and vitamin E levels by HPLC. The PON1 Q192R polymorphism status and PON1 paraoxonase and arylesterase activities of the healthy subjects and ACS patients were also determined. The HDL of ACS patients displayed a limited capacity to mediate cholesterol efflux, especially via the ABCA1-pathway. MDA (7.06±0.29μM) and protein carbonyl (9.29±0.26μM) levels were significantly higher in ACS patients than in healthy subjects (2.29±0.21μM and 3.07±0.17μM, respectively, p<0.0001), while α- and γ-tocopherol (vitamin E) levels in ACS patients were 8-fold (p<0.001) and 2-fold (p<0.05) lower than in healthy subjects. Paraoxonase, arylesterase and HDL-corrected PON1 activities (PON1 activity/HDL ratio) were significantly lower in ACS patients. Logistic regression analyses showed that high PON1 paraoxonase and arylesterase activities had a significant protective effect (OR=0.413, CI 0.289–0.590, p<0.001; OR=0.232 CI 0.107–0.499, p<0.001, respectively) even when adjusted for HDL level, age, BMI, and PON1 polymorphism.
The results of the present study showed that the functionality of HDL is impaired in ACS patients and that the impairment may be due to oxidative stress and an alteration of PON1 activities.
•ACS patients present a high oxidative stress and an alteration of HDL function and PON1 activities
Landraces and old wheat cultivars display great genetic variation and constitute a valuable resource for the improvement of modern varieties, especially in terms of quality. Gluten quality is one of ...the major determinants of wheat quality, and it is greatly influenced by variation in the high molecular weight and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS and LMW-GS). Identification of novel allelic variants for either of the two groups of the gluten-forming proteins could greatly assist in the improvement of wheat gluten quality. In the present study, the allelic composition of the HMW- and LMW-GS of ninety-five durum wheat accessions was evaluated. These accessions included Moroccan cultivars and landraces and North American cultivars and were all conserved in the National Gene Bank from Morocco. In total, 20 cataloged alleles and 12 novel alleles were detected. For the HMW-GS, two alleles were found at the Glu-A1 locus, and seven different allelic variants were identified at the Glu-B1 locus. Among them, two alleles were new (alleles Glu-B1cp and co). Additionally, two of the analyzed accessions exhibited the Glu-D1d allele, suggesting the presence of the Glu-D1 locus introgression. For the LWM-GS, eight, ten and two alleles were identified at the Glu-A3, Glu-B3 and Glu-B2 loci, respectively. Among them, two new allelic variants were identified at the Glu-A3 locus, and seven new allelic variants were identified at the Glu-B3 locus. Overall, the Moroccan landraces exhibited a greater genetic diversity and a greater number of glutenin alleles compared to the Moroccan and North American durum wheat cultivars. The novel germplasm and glutenin alleles detected in this study could contribute to the improvement of durum wheat quality and the expansion of modern durum wheat genetic diversity.
During sepsis, the imbalance between oxidative insult and body antioxidant response causes the dysfunction of organs, including the brain and liver. Exposing mice to bacterial lipopolysaccharides ...(LPS) results in a similar pathophysiological outcome. The protection offered by argan oil was studied against LPS-induced oxidative stress, dysregulation of peroxisomal antioxidants, and β-oxidation activities in the brain and liver. In a short-term LPS treatment, lipid peroxidation (malonaldehyde assay) increased in the brain and liver with upregulations of proinflammatory
(
)-
and anti-inflammatory
(
)-
genes, especially in the liver. Although exposure to olive oil (OO), colza oil (CO), and argan oil (AO) prevented LPS-induced lipid peroxidation in the brain and liver, only AO exposure protected against liver inflammation. Remarkably, only exposure to AO prevented LPS-dependent glutathione (GSH) dysregulation in the brain and liver. Furthermore, exposure to AO increased more efficiently than OO and CO in both organs, peroxisomal antioxidant capacity via induction of catalase (
) gene, protein and activity expression levels, and superoxide dismutase (
) mRNA and activity levels. Interestingly, LPS decreased protein levels of the peroxisomal fatty acid-ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, ABCD1 and ABCD2, and increased acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) protein expression. Moreover, these LPS effects were attenuated for ABCD1 and ACOX1 in the brain of mice pretreated with AO. Our data collectively highlight the protective effects of AO against early oxidative stress caused by LPS in the brain and liver and their reliance on the preservation of peroxisomal functions, including antioxidant and β-oxidation activities, making AO a promising candidate for the prevention and management of sepsis.
•Chronic fluoride ingestion has many irreversible pathological effects and impairs biological functions in sheep.•Endemic fluorosis in sheep remains a big challenge for many regions in the world even ...using advanced research.•Several solutions have been suggested in the past to prevent fluorosis but had limited degrees of success.•Supplementation of sheep with natural minerals and antioxidants might be the most effective solution.
Fluoride is a natural element widely distributed in the environment and plays an important role in the growth of humans and animals. However, in many species, high concentrations of fluoride induce several problems, such as dental, skeletal, and non-skeletal fluorosis. Sheep living in endemic areas are sensitive to the chronic toxicity of fluoride, and they have been found to suffer not only from teeth and bone problems but also from other organs. Studies indicating the chronic harmful effects of fluoride on teeth, bones, blood biochemical parameters, kidney, liver, heart, reproductive system and growth in sheep have been clearly summarized in this review. Besides, this work also includes updated progress in terms of prevention or reduction of fluoride toxicity in this species.
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