Sallam, M. F., H. M. S. Ahmed, A. A. El-Nekeety, K. A. Diab, S. H. Abdel-Aziem, H. A. Sharaf, and M. A. Abdel-Wahhab, "Assessment of the Oxidative Damage and Genotoxicity of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles and Exploring the Protective Role of Holy Basil Oil Nanoemulsions in Rats.", Biological trace element research, vol. 201, issue 3, pp. 1301-1316, 2023. Abstracts12011-022-03228-0.pdf

This study was designed to evaluate the oxidative damage, genotoxicity, and DNA damage in the liver of rats treated with titanium nanoparticles (TiO-NPs) with an average size of 28.0 nm and ξ-potential of - 33.97 mV, and to estimate the protective role of holy basil essential oil nanoemulsion (HBEON). Six groups of Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally for 3 weeks as follows: the control group, HBEO or HBEON-treated groups (5 mg/kg b.w), TiO-NPs-treated group (50 mg/kg b.w), and the groups treated with TiO-NPs plus HBEO or HBEON. Samples of blood and tissues were collected for different analyses. The results revealed that 55 compounds were identified in HBEO, and linalool and methyl chavicol were the major compounds (53.9%, 12.63%, respectively). HBEON were semi-round with the average size and ζ-potential of 120 ± 4.5 nm and - 28 ± 1.3 mV, respectively. TiO-NP administration increased the serum biochemical indices, oxidative stress markers, serum cytokines, DNA fragmentation, and DNA breakages; decreased the antioxidant enzymes; and induced histological alterations in the liver. Co-administration of TiO-NPs plus HBEO or HBEON improved all the tested parameters and the liver histology, and HBEON was more effective than HBEO. Therefore, HEBON is a promising candidate able to protect against oxidative damage, disturbances in biochemical markers, gene expression, DNA damage, and histological changes resulting from exposure to TiO-NPs and may be applicable in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

Sallam, M. F., H. M. S. Ahmed, K. A. Diab, A. A. El-Nekeety, S. H. Abdel-Aziem, H. A. Sharaf, and M. A. Abdel-Wahhab, "Improvement of the antioxidant activity of thyme essential oil against biosynthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles-induced oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disturbances in gene expression in vivo.", Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS), vol. 73, pp. 127024, 2022. Abstract

BACKGROUND: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO-NPs) are widely utilized in medicine and industry; however, their safety in biological organisms is still unclear. In this study, we determined the bioactive constitutes of thyme essential oil (TEO) and utilized the nanoemulsion technique to improve its protective efficiency against oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and DNA damage of biosynthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO-NPs).

METHODS: TEO nanoemulsion (TEON) was prepared using whey protein isolate (WPI). Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups and treated orally for 21 days including the control group, TEO, or TEON- treated groups (5 mg/kg b.w), TiO-NPs-treated group (50 mg/kg b.w) and the groups received TiO-NPs plus TEO or TEON. Blood and tissues samples were collected for different assays.

RESULTS: The GC-MS analysis identified 17 bioactive compounds in TEO and thymol and carvacrol were the major compounds. TEON was irregular with average particles size of 230 ± 3.7 nm and ζ-potential of -24.17 mV. However, TiO2-NPs showed a polygonal shape with an average size of 50 ± 2.4 nm and ζ-potential of -30.44 mV. Animals that received TiO2-NPs showed severe disturbances in liver and kidney indices, lipid profile, oxidant/antioxidant indices, inflammatory cytokines, gene expressions, increased DNA damage, and pathological changes in hepatic tissue. Both TEO and TEON showed potential protection against these hazards and TEON was more effective than TEO.

CONCLUSION: The nanoemulsion of TEO enhances the oil bioactivity, improves its antioxidant characteristics, and protects against oxidative damage and genotoxicity of TiO2-NPs.

Eltimamy, M., M. Elshamarka, M. Aboelsaad, M. Sayed, and H. Moawad, "Effects of alcoholic extract of Terminalia Chebula dried fruit on blood biochemical profile in diabetic rats.", Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders, vol. 21, issue 1, pp. 159-170, 2022. Abstract

BACKGROUND: A considerable amount of attention has been recently paid to the discovery of effective natural antidiabetic drugs. Terminalia chebula is considered as the mother of herbs, with reported antidiabetic activity. This study aims to evaluate the renal and hepatic protective profile of its antidiabetic therapeutic doses.

METHODS: To achieve the aim of the study, a total of 66 adult male rats of Sprague-Dawley species weighing about 180-200 g (weighed using a digital scale) were used. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was induced in using streptozotocin (STZ), rats were given a 5% dextrose solution for the next 24 h. Subjects received oral treatment of Terminalia chebula ethanolic extract at different doses (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. Measurements of fasting blood glucose level, change in body weight, lipid profile, serum liver enzymes, serum renal parameter, and histopathology of liver and kidney were carried out.

RESULTS: Higher doses of Terminalia chebula (600 mg/Kg) were shown to have a potential therapeutic effect as well as the most prominent antidiabetic, antilipidemic activity, hepatoprotective and renoprotective profiles when compared to lower doses.

CONCLUSION: The use of Terminalia chebula alone or in combination with conventional antidiabetic drugs may be beneficial as a new advent therapy for diabetes.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-021-00951-8.

Abdel-Aziz, M. A., H. M. S. Ahmed, A. A. El-Nekeety, H. A. Sharaf, S. H. Abdel-Aziem, and M. A. Abdel-Wahhab, "Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles for the treatment of osteoarthritis alone or in combination with Diacerein in a rat model.", Inflammopharmacology, vol. 29, issue 3, pp. 705-719, 2021. Abstract

Gold (Au) compounds were used as an effective therapeutic agent for various inflammatory diseases; however, the use of Au compounds becomes limited because of its association with several side effects. Hence, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were developed as a new option for the medical proposes. However, the safety evaluation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment remains vague. This study aimed to biosynthesize, characterize and evaluate the therapeutic effects of biosynthesized AuNPs and/or Diacerein (DIA) in experimental OA. OA was induced by a single injection of monosodium iodoacetate (3 mg/joint) in the intra-articular knee of female rats. Normal rats (N-rats) and OA-rats were treated orally for 5 weeks as follow: untreated N-rats; untreated OA-rats; N-rats received DIA (50 mg/kg b.w); N-rats received AuNPs (30 μg/kg b.w.); N-rats received AuNPs plus DIA; OA-rats received DIA; OA-rats received AuNPs, and OA-rats received AuNPs plus DIA. Blood, knee cartilage, liver and kidney samples were collected for biochemical and histological analysis. The synthesized AuNPs were nearly spherical with average size of 20 nm and zeta potential of 33 mV. AuNPs and DIA induced a significant improvement in serum inflammatory cytokines, biochemical parameters, estrogen level, hepatic and renal oxidative markers, hepatic DNA fragmentation, genomic template stability and cartilage joint histology of OA-rats. AuNPs were more effective than DIA and the combined treatment was more effective than the single treatment. It could be concluded that AuNPs are promising for the treatment of OA alone or in combination with DIA.

Abdel-Aziz, M. A., H. M. S. Ahmed, A. A. El-Nekeety, and M. A. Abdel-Wahhab, "Osteoarthritis complications and the recent therapeutic approaches.", Inflammopharmacology, vol. 29, issue 6, pp. 1653-1667, 2021. Abstract

The accelerated prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) disease worldwide and the lack of convenient management led to the frequent search for unprecedented and specific treatment approaches. OA patients usually suffer from many annoying complications that negatively influence their quality of life, especially in the elderly. Articular erosions may lead eventually to the loss of joint function as a whole which occurs over time according to the risk factors presented in each case and the grade of the disease. Conventional therapies are advancing, showing most appropriate results but still greatly associated with many adverse effects and have restricted curative actions as well. Hence, novel management tools are usually required. In this review, we summarized the recent approaches in OA treatment and the role of natural products, dietary supplements and nanogold application in OA treatment to provide new research tracks for more therapeutic opportunities to those who are in care in this field.

MA, S., E. NI, A. E. - L. HA, and S. HM., "Potential effects of yohimbine and sildenafil on erectile dysfunction in rats", European Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 700, pp. 127–133, 2012. Abstractabdellatif_paper.pdf

In this study the effects of yohimbine and sildenafil on cold stress-induced erectile dysfunction in rats
were investigated. Yohimbine hydrochloride (0.2 mg/kg, i.p.) and sildenafil citrate (20 mg/kg, i.p) were
administered to rats 1 h before the stress session daily for 14 consecutive days and their effect was
assessed. Results of this section revealed that, immersion of rats in cold water significantly decreased
sexual arousal and motivation as indicated by increased latencies and intervals. Furthermore decreased
copulatory performance and potency as indicated by decreased ejaculation frequency was observed.
Decreased copulatory activity was confirmed by decreased testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicle-stimulating-hormone (FSH) levels as well as decreased cholesterol content in rat testes.
Treatment with yohimbine or sildenafil significantly increased the sexual arousal and potency and
corrected the effects induced by stress on the mating behavior of male rats. On the contrary they did
not significantly alter testosterone, FSH and LH levels which is reflected by failure of both drugs to alter
cholesterol content in rat testes. Regarding the effect of yohimbine and sildenafil on isolated rat corpus
cavernosum, their cumulative dose response curves (3107, 3106 and 3105 M) were determined
in corpus cavernosum strips isolated from normal rats and pre-contracted with phenylephrine (3106
M) were also assessed. Results of this part showed that both yohimbine and sildenafil have a relaxant effect
on rat corpus cavernosum strips in a dose dependant manner, which is confirmed by the increase in nitric
oxide content in rats’ penis shown by sildenafil.

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