Background: Cuphea ignea is one of the herbal resources belonging to Lythraceae family. Some species of this family have been used traditionally in South and Central America’s folk medicine for treating stomach disorders. Therefore, the present study was performed to evaluate the gastropreventive effect of aqueous ethanolic extract of C. ignea aerial parts on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. Methods: Gastric ulcers were induced in Sprague Dawley rats using one oral dose of absolute ethanol (1.5 mL/rat). The C. ignea aerial parts extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight and ranitidine (a reference drug) at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight were orally administrated daily for 7 days before ulcer induction. One hour after ethanol administration blood samples were collected and then stomachs of sacrificed rats were subjected to biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic studies. Results: Oral administration of C. ignea extract significantly attenuated gastric ulcer as revealed by significant reduction in the gastric ulcer index and volume of gastric juice while significantly increased preventive percentage, gastric pH value and pepsin activity. Pre-treatment of C. ignea extract markedly improved the serum level of TNF-α, the gastric MPO activity and NO content. Furthermore, C. ignea pre-treatment significantly increased the gastric levels of enzymatic and non- enzymatic antioxidants namely CAT, SOD, GSH-Px, and GSH with concomitant reduction in MDA level compared with those in the ethanol group. These results were further supported by histopathological findings which revealed the curing effect of C. ignea on the hemorrhagic shock induced by ethanol toxicity. Conclusions: C. ignea extract showed a potential gastroprotective effect on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, and its effect may be mediated through suppression of oxidative stress and gastric inflammation.

It is the first time to detect and genotype the BPVs in these areas with no record of previous genotyping in the whole country. The obtained results will highlight the importance of this disease

Background and Aim: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) transplantation and their hepatogenic differentiated cells (HDCs) can be applied for liver injury repair by tissue grafting. Regenerative potentiality in liver cirrhosis models was widely investigated; however, immunomodulation and anti-inflammation in acute hepatitis remain unexplored. This study aimed to explore the immunomodulatory and evaluate twice intravenous (IV) or intrahepatic (IH) administration of either BM-MSCs or middle-stage HDCs on aflatoxin (AF) acute hepatitis rat model. Materials and Methods: BM-MSCs viability, phenotypes, and proliferation were evaluated. Hepatogenic differentiation, albumin, and a-fetoprotein gene expression were assessed. AF acute hepatitis was induced in rats using AFB1 supplementation. The transplantation of BM-MSCs or their HDCs was done either by IV or IH route. Hepatic ultrasound was performed after 3-weeks of therapy. Cytokines profile (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-4, and IL-10) was assessed. Hepatic bio-indices, serum, and hepatic antioxidant activity were evaluated, besides examining liver histological sections. Results: Acute AFB1 showed a significant increase in TNF-α (p<0.01), liver enzyme activities (p<0.05), as well as decrease in IL-4, IL-10, and antioxidant enzyme activities (p<0.05). Cytokines profile was ameliorated in groups treated with IV and IH BM-MCs, showed a negative correlation between IL-4 and TNF-α (p<0.05), and a positive correlation between IL-10 upregulation and TNF-α (p<0.01). In IV HDCs treated group, positive correlations between IL-4 and IL-10 downregulation and TNF-α were observed. However, in IH HDCs group, a significant positive correlation between IL-4 and IL-10 upregulation and TNF-α, were recorded (p<0.05). In addition, IV BM-MSCs and IH HDCs treatments significantly increased antioxidant enzymes activity (p<0.05). IV and IH BM-MSCs significantly ameliorated liver transaminase levels, whereas IH HDCs significantly ameliorated alanine aminotransferase activity and nitric oxide concentration (p<0.05). Conclusion: The administration routes of BM-MSCs did not demonstrate any significant difference; however, the IH route of HDCs showed significant amelioration from the IV route. On the other hand, it showed noticeable anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory improvements in aflatoxicosis rats. Therefore, it can be concluded that acute hepatitis can be treated by a noninvasive IV route without the expense of hepatogenic differentiation. Further research using clinical trials that address several problems regarding engraftment and potentiation are needed to determine the optimal manipulation strategy as well as to achieve better long-term effects.

Exposure to food contaminants continues to be a substantial source of human health risks all over the world, particularly in developing countries. Carbendazim (CBZ) is a chemical fungicide used to control the spread of various fungi and other pathogens in the agriculture and veterinary sectors. The hazardous effects of CBZ on human health occur due to the accumulation of its residues in agricultural food products. In this study, the possible hepatoprotective effects of Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (ACVL) extract were evaluated in CBZ-treated rats. A GC-MS analysis revealed that ACVL extract contained several bioactive hydrocarbon components and fatty acids, and that the components exerted hepatic protection by mitigating oxidative stress via upregulating antioxidant agents and neutralizing nitrogen and oxygen free radicals. Moreover, ACVL extracts relieved hepatic inflammation via decreasing NO, NF-κB, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6) in the liver of CBZ-treated rats, both at protein and mRNA levels. In addition, the protective effect of ACVL has appeared in the histopathological figures and function markers in the livers of CBZ-treated rats. According to the present results, ACVL extract can protect the hepatic tissue and restore its functions to a control level in CBZ-treated rats; this effect may be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.