Cadmium is a strong toxic heavy metal which presents in paints and liquid wastes and causes oxidative stress in fish. On the other hand, lead is widely used for different purposes, e.g. lead pipes, it targets vital organs such as liver and kidney causing biochemical alterations. The present study evaluates the effects of 60 days exposure to Cd and Pb either single or combined together in African catfish. Sixty-four fishes were divided into 3 groups and exposed to CdCl2 (7.02 mg/L) or PbCl2 (69.3 mg/L) or a combination of them along with control group. Activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) were estimated. Moreover, gill, liver and kidney were assayed for activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and levels of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Individual exposure showed that both Cd and Pb significantly decreased LDH activity and SOD activity in the kidney. Pb significantly increased G-6-PDH activity and decreased GSH level in the gill. CAT activity in liver and kidney elevated significantly on Cd exposure while lead caused a significant depletion in the liver and significant elevation in the kidney. Both Cd and Pb significantly increased MDA levels in liver and kidney while Pb increased its level in gills. The combined exposure resulted in normalization of LDH, G-6-PDH activity, and CAT activity in liver and kidney as well as GSH level in both tissues and MDA in gill and kidney. The combination increased SOD activity and MDA level in liver and decreased SOD activity in kidney and GSH level in gills. In conclusion, the antioxidant system of African catfish was adversely affected by prolonged exposure to Cd and Pb. The combined exposure caused less damage than individual exposure and returned most parameters to those of controls.

Any change in haematological and biochemical parameters could be a predictor of unfavorable environment or effect of different stress factors. The present study was designed to assess different salinity concentration induced changes in some haematological and biochemical parameters in 64 O. niloticus fishes captured from Manzala Lake (Egypt), they were acclimatized and fed with commercial fish diet for one week before starting the experiment for another 2 weeks. Fishes were divided into 4 equal groups assigned as; control, 4g NaCl\L, 8 g NaCl\L and 12 g NaCl\L. RBCs, HCT, Hb concentration, platelets count, superoxide dismutase activity, catalase activity, potassium level and serum total protein were estimated. The HCT, Hb concentration, platelets count and potassium levels were significantly higher in (4gNaCl\L, 8gNaCl\L and12gNaCl\L, respectively). The Superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), total protein, RBCs and catalase activit were significantly lower in (4gNaCl\L, 8g NaCl\L and 12gNaCl\L, respectively) compared to the control group. Other parameters such as WBCs, haematimetric indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC), malonedialdhyde (MDA) level, carbonyl protein (CP), glutathione reductase (GR) activity, as well as serum sodium, glucose, cortisol and IgM, did not show any significant differences in the estimated salinity concentrations.

The study of haematological and biochemical parameters is important to evaluate the physiological status in wild birds. In order to carry out ecophysiological or conservation studies, it is important to know the baseline physiological parameters and how these vary with age, sex and life history events. Haematological parameters including red blood corpuscles (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), haematocrit, haemoglobin and related RBC indices and plasma and biochemical parameters including glucose, lipid profile and liver function tests, kidney function tests and electrolyte concentration reference values were determined in two long-distance migratory species from the family Anatidae, the northern shoveler (Anas clypeata) and Eurasian teal (Anas crecca), during migration season. Data revealed significant inter-species differences for most blood and biochemical parameters. These differences are likely due to different feeding habit, diet and species-specific migration behaviour rather than phylogenetic reasons or different environmental condition as they winter at the same place (Máñez et al., Conservation Monitoring in Freshwater Habitats, 2010). To our knowledge, this is the first study that performs a comparative blood analysis on northern shoveler and Eurasian teal during their overwintering period in Manzala Lake, Egypt. Due to the lack of haematological studies on both species during migration, the current results represent a contribution to understanding the physiological adaptations that facilitate the use of different habitats in these species and for establishing reference physiological values and for comparison within the same species, or even with other species in different periods with regard to their use in future conservation efforts or other studies.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring tumors. Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum–resin (OGR) extract is a traditional cooking spice known for its broad spectrum of biological activities such as antifungal, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of OGR extract against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The OGR chemical composition was analyzed using LC–ESI–MS/MS; MTT, clonogenic assays, and a xenograft model were used to measure cytotoxicity, while apoptotic proteins were detected using Western blotting. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract was a rich source of isoflavones, xanthones, and other derivatives. In a dose-dependent manner, the OGR extract significantly inhibited colony formation ability and HT-29 cell growth (IC₅₀ was 3.60 ± 0.02 and 10.5 ± 0.1 mg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, the OGR extract significantly induced apoptosis and increased the expression of some pro-death proteins involved in cellular apoptosis including PUMA, BIM, BIK, and BAK. Moreover, in a subcutaneous HT-29 xenograft model, the tumor volume and burden decreased after treatment with the OGR extract (550 ± 32 mm³ and 16.3 ± 3.6, respectively) This study demonstrated that Ferula assa-foetida OGR ethanolic extract has potential antitumor effects against HT-29 CRC cell lines by reducing cell viability and the function of apoptosis. More studies are needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms related to cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction.

Different heavy metals accumulate in the environment due to intensive human activities, which adversely affect wildlife. Biota usually develops different biological responses to face such stress; analysis of these biological responses could be used as a biomarker of pollutants. The current study aimed to compare hematologic and biochemical parameters in cattle egret collected from industrial and rural sites in New Damietta City, Egypt, to assess the effect of heavy metal pollution. Selected heavy metals concentrations including copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) were measured for the two sampling sites in aerosols from ambient air, feathers, and blood samples. Some hematological, biochemical parameters and oxidative stress markers were measured in the blood using a non-invasive method. Sampling was done in summer and winter during 2015-2016. Heavy metal concentrations in aerosols from the industrial area were significantly higher than those from the rural site. The highest concentrations of all heavy metals in both sites were recorded in summer. Cattle egret from the industrial area showed a significantly decreased RBCs count and PCV level and increased WBCs count, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, uric acid, ammonia, creatinine, bilirubin, and cortisol levels. Moreover, birds from the industrial area suffered from environmental stress as indicated by elevations of MDA, GPx and catalase activity in industrial birds as compared to rural birds. In conclusion, birds from the industrial areas were adversely affected by the elevated concentrations of selected heavy metals, so it could be used as an effective bioindicator of environmental contamination.