The effect of aminoguanidine against cholestatic liver injury in rats

We investigated the protective role of aminoguanidine (AG) in rat liver injury induced by chronic biliary obstruction. Secondary biliary cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation for 14 days. Swiss albino rats were divided into three groups: Common bile duct ligated (CBDL) rats; Group A, CBDL rats treated with AG as Group B and simple laparotomy group known as the Sham group; Group C. Group B received 200 mg/kg of AG intraperitoneally daily throughout 14 days. The present data showed decreased gama glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in the AG treated rats, when compared with CBDL rats (p < 0.05). In the AG treated rats, tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower than that in CBDL rats (p < 0.001). Although the levels of glutathione (GSH) in AG treated rats were higher and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were lower than that in CBDL rats, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The levels of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were significantly lower and although the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were lower in AG treated rats than that in CBDL rats, the difference was not statistically significant. Administration of AG in the rats with biliary obstruction resulted in inhibition of ductular proliferation and portal inflammation. The present study demonstrates that intraperitoneal administration of AG in CBDL rats maintains antioxidant defenses, reduces liver oxidative and cytokine damage and ductular proliferation and portal inflammation. This effect of AG may be useful in the preservation of liver injury in cholestasis.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of propolis samples from different geographical origins against certain oral pathogens

Propolis is an agent having antimicrobial properties, however, its composition can vary depending on the area where it is collected. In the present study, the antimicrobial activity of five propolis samples, collected from four different regions in Turkey and from Brazil, against nine anaerobic strains was evaluated. Ethanol extracts of propolis (EEP) were prepared from propolis samples and we determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of EEP on the growth of test microorganisms by using agar dilution method. All strains were susceptible and MIC values ranged from 4 to 512 microg/ml for propolis activity. Propolis from Kazan-Ankara showed most effective MIC values to the studied microorganisms. MBC values of Kazan-Ankara EEP samples were ranged from 8 to 512 microg/ml. Death was observed within 4 h of incubation for Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and micros and Lactobacillus acidophilus and Actinomyces naeslundii, while 8 h for Prevotella oralis and Prevotella melaninogenica and Porphyromonas gingivalis, 12 h for Fusobacterium nucleatum, 16 h for Veillonella parvula. It was shown that propolis samples were more effective against Gram positive anaerobic bacteria than Gram negative ones. The organic chemical compositions of EEPs were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main compounds of EEPs were flavonoids such as pinobanksin, quercetin, naringenin, galangine, chrysin and aromatic acids such as cafeic acid. Because of increased antimicrobial resistance, propolis may be kept in mind in the treatment of oral cavity diseases.     

Screening of antimicrobial,antioxidant, antidiabetic activities,anatomical and morphological properties of Colchicum speciosum Steven (Colchicaceae)

Protoplasma - Colchicum speciosum Steven species is a perennial stemless plant. C. speciosum is a flowering herb native to mountainous regions of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran....     

Citric acid production by a novel autochthonous Candida zeylanoides isolate: optimization of process parameters

Biotechnology Letters - In this study, citric acid (CA) production by autochthonous Candida zeylanoides 7.12 was investigated and optimized. Response surface methodology&nbsp;(RSM) was used for...     

3-Pyridinylboronic Acid Ameliorates Rotenone-Induced Oxidative Stress Through Nrf2 Target Genes in Zebrafish Embryos

Neurochemical Research - Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases and research on potential therapeutic agents for PD continues. Rotenone is a...     

Kinetic models for the dynamical behavior of polyacrylamide (PAAm)–κ-carrageenan (κC) composite gels

A fluorescence method was employed for studying the drying and swelling of PAAm–κC composite gels, which were formed from acrylamide (AAm) and N, N’- methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) with various κ–carrageenan (κC) contents by free radical crosslinking copolymerization in water. Composite gels were prepared at 80 °C with pyranine (Py) as a fluorescence probe. Scattered light, I_sc, and fluorescence emission intensities, I_em, were monitored during drying and swelling of these gels. The fluorescence intensity of pyranine increased and decreased as drying and swelling time are increased, respectively, for all gel samples. The Stern–Volmer equation combined with moving boundary and Li-Tanaka models were used to explain the behavior of I_em during drying and swelling processes respectively. It is found that the desorption coefficient D_d decreased as κC contents were increased for a given temperature during drying. However, the cooperative diffusion coefficient, D_s presented exactly the opposite case. Conventional gravimetrical and volumetric experiments were also carried out during drying and swelling of PAAm–κC composite gels. It was observed that D_d and D_s values measured with the fluorescence method were found to be much larger than they were measured with the conventional methods.