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Opuntia stricta is a rich source of phenolic compounds. This species generally has strong antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to analyze the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds isolated from Opuntia stricta, including its radical scavenging activities and preventive action against Cd-induced oxidative stress in rats. To assess the protection of prickly pear juice extract (PPJE) against Cd-induced hepato-nephrotoxicity and testicular damage, male albino rats received PPJE (250 mg kg−1) and/or Cd (1 mg kg−1) by oral administration and injection, respectively, for five consecutive weeks. The preventive action of PPJE was estimated using biochemical markers of kidney and liver tissues, antioxidant status, and histological examinations. In the present study, the lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, antioxidant status, and metallothionein levels were determined in different tissues. The chromatographic analysis indicated that PPJE extract is very rich in phenolic compounds such as verbascoside, catechin hydrate, and oleuropein. Our results showed that PPJE-treated rats had significantly (p < 0.05) decreased Cd levels in liver and kidney tissues. In addition, the administration of PPJE induced a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in lipid peroxidation of 30.5, 54.54, and 40.8 in the liver, kidney, and testicle, respectively, and an increase in antioxidant status in these tissues. Additionally, PPJE showed a strong ability to protect renal, hepatic, and testicular architectures against Cd exposure. This study revealed that PPJE protects against the toxic effects of Cd, possibly through its free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.

Background Mentha piperita L. is a flowering plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Mentha plants constitute one of the main valuable sources of essential oil used in foods and for medicinal purposes. Methods The present study aimed to investigate the composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of Mentha piperita leaf essential oil (MpEO). A single dose of CCl 4 was used to induce oxidative stress in rats, which was demonstrated by a significant rise of serum enzyme markers. MpEO was administrated for 7 consecutive days (5, 15, 40 mg/kg body weight) to Wistar rats prior to CCl 4 treatment and the effects on serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and γ -glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) levels, as well as the liver and kidney superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were evaluated. In addition, histopathological examinations of livers and kidneys was performed. Results The in vitro antioxidant activity of MpEO was lower than that of silymarin. Pretreatment of animals with MpEO at a dose of 5 mg/kg did not have a significant effect on ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, γGT, urea or creatinine levels in CCl 4 -induced stress. Whereas pretreatment with MpEO at doses of 15 and 40 mg/kg prior to CCl 4 , significantly reduced stress parameters (ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, γGT, urea and creatinine) compared to the CCl 4 -only group. Moreover, a significant reduction in hepatic and kidney lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and an increase in antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and GPx was also observed after treatment with MpEO (40 mg/kg) compared to CCl 4 -treated rats. Furthermore, pretreatment with MpEO at 40 mg/kg can also markedly ameliorate the histopathological hepatic and kidney lesions induced by administration of CCl 4 . Conclusions We could demonstrate with this study that MpEO protects liver and kidney from CCl 4 -induced oxidative stress and thus substantiate the beneficial effects attributed traditionally to this plant.

Participants in the coastal socio-economy of the Mediterranean Sea, such as industries, aquaculture, urban populations, conglomerates, and tourists, create intense anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems (such as the release of trace metals). This raises concerns about their impact on the surrounding environment and on marine organisms, including those collected for human consumption. This study introduces the possibility of using Patella caerulea (Linnaeus 1758), indigenous to the Mediterranean Sea, as a biosentinel of marine pollution. This study proposes coupling environmental (bioaccumulation) and toxicological (redox homeostasis) measures of bioavailability with genetic variability (COI mtDNA) assessments. Concentrations of six trace metals (cadmium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, and zinc) were measured in surface seawater and in P. caerulea individuals collected from four coastal stations on the Tunisian coast where different levels of metal contamination have occurred. The quantified biomarkers involved the determination of antioxidant defense enzymes, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the measurement of lipid peroxidation indicated by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Our study identified critical levels of metal contamination among locations in the Gulf of Gabes. Concomitantly, the induction of antioxidant biomarkers (especially SOD and GPX) was observed, highlighting the potential of P. caerulea to acclimate to stressful pollution conditions. Molecular analysis of COI (mtDNA) revealed low discrimination between the four P. caerulea populations, highlighting the role of marine currents in the Mediterranean Sea in the dispersal and passive transportation of limpet larvae, allowing an exchange of individuals among physically separated, P. caerulea populations.

Opuntia stricta is a rich source of phenolic compounds. This species generally has strong antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to analyze the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds isolated from Opuntia stricta, including its radical scavenging activities and preventive action against Cd-induced oxidative stress in rats. To assess the protection of prickly pear juice extract (PPJE) against Cd-induced hepato-nephrotoxicity and testicular damage, male albino rats received PPJE (250 mg kg[sup.−1] ) and/or Cd (1 mg kg[sup.−1] ) by oral administration and injection, respectively, for five consecutive weeks. The preventive action of PPJE was estimated using biochemical markers of kidney and liver tissues, antioxidant status, and histological examinations. In the present study, the lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, antioxidant status, and metallothionein levels were determined in different tissues. The chromatographic analysis indicated that PPJE extract is very rich in phenolic compounds such as verbascoside, catechin hydrate, and oleuropein. Our results showed that PPJE-treated rats had significantly (p < 0.05) decreased Cd levels in liver and kidney tissues. In addition, the administration of PPJE induced a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in lipid peroxidation of 30.5, 54.54, and 40.8 in the liver, kidney, and testicle, respectively, and an increase in antioxidant status in these tissues. Additionally, PPJE showed a strong ability to protect renal, hepatic, and testicular architectures against Cd exposure. This study revealed that PPJE protects against the toxic effects of Cd, possibly through its free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.

The present work explored the characterization, antioxidant and protective effects of edible Rumex roseus on erythrocyte oxidative damage induced by methomyl in mice. In a preliminary in vitro study, luteolin and ferulic acid were detected, using HPLC–DAD, as the most abundant phenols; Rumex roseus extract showed also a promising antioxidant effect. In the in vivo experiment, mice were subjected to methomyl intoxication demonstrating a significant decrease in red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels coupled by a significant increase in bilirubin, LDH, osmotic fragility, reticulocyte and white blood cells number. Erythrocyte specific alterations were also detected as sphercytosis, schistocytosis, dacryocytosis and Howell-jolly bodies; these features are characteristic of a normocytic normochromic regenerative anemia. The oxidative status was also altered, showing a significant increase in malondialdehyde concentration, GSH level and SOD activity while CAT and GPx activities significantly decreased. All the above-cited alterations showed signs of reversal when mice received the methanolic extract of Rumex roseus. The present data suggest that Rumex roseus could be classified as a novel functional food due to its dual role; further to being traditionally used as a flavor food, it was proven by the present work that the new Rumex was capable to alleviate mice erythrocyte oxidative stress known as one of the most critical health issues.

Dunaliella salina (microalgae), Fabrea salina (ciliate) and Artemia salina (crustacean) are the most abundant halophile Eukaryote organisms present in solar salterns at Sfax (Tunisia) when salinity is up to 150 PSU. We analysed the predator/prey relationship between the three organisms in laboratory conditions. In this study, aquatic food web relations were analysed by studying the grazing and energy transfer rates. In solar saltern, the dynamic population of Dunaliella displays a negative relationship with that of Fabrea and Artemia. Grazing experiments confirm that Fabrea and Artemia exercise a top-down control on Dunaliella populations. While Artemia and Fabrea occupy the same trophic level in food chain, the grazing rate of Fabrea on Dunaliella is strongly high reaching 0.85 × 106 ± 0.05 cells mL−1 day−1. The fatty acids (FAs) appeared as good tracers to define the energy transfer along the food chain studied. Effectively, the FA composition of consumers appeared correlated to the FA of their prey. In parallel, the saturated fatty acids (SFAs) content decreased according to the trophic levels, and the opposite was observed for monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Therefore, palmitic acid (C16:0) showed trends that rendered it useful for tracing trophic transfer to consumers (Artemia). The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and especially linoleic acid (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3) were able to be traced across the transfer to Fabrea. This study increased our knowledge of the energy transfer between the major halophile organisms living in the solar salterns at Sfax (Tunisia). We proposed also that the fatty acids are used in future investigations to understand the predator/prey ecological relationship in marine eukaryote organisms.

The present study investigates the growth of Dunaliella salina as influenced by cadmium (Cd) contamination. Growth was measured in terms of cell number and chlorophyll a content and was found to decrease with increasing Cd concentration. This metal, which was mainly removed by bioadsorption to cell surfaces (95.34 ± 3.04 % of total Cd removed), also drastically reduced the soluble and insoluble carbohydrate (0.41 ± 0.01 and 0.81 ± 0.07 pg cell⁻¹, respectively, for 150 mg Cd L⁻¹) concentrations and increased the total metallothioneins protein content (from 0.11 ± 0.02 for the control culture to 3.30 ± 0.2 for 100 mg Cd L⁻¹). In addition, the presence of this metal in the medium stimulated the synthesis of some secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids. These compounds had an important role to protect D. salina against the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the presence of Cd in the medium as shown by the increase of the antioxidant capacity of D. salina exposed to Cd.

Objective. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) was one of the plant remedies for primary health care. The present study was focused on the determination of chemical composition, antioxidant activities, and anti-inflammatory activity and on analyzing its major bioactive polyphenols by HPLC. Methods. Artichoke Leaves Extracts (ALE) were analyzed for proximate analysis and phytochemical and antioxidant activity by several methods such as DDPH, ABTS, FRAP, and beta-carotene bleaching test. The carrageenan (Carr) model induced paw oedema in order to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity. Identification and quantification of bioactive polyphenols compounds were done by HPLC method. The oxidative stress parameters were determined; CAT, SOD, GSH, MDA, and AOPP activities and the histopathological examination were also performed. Results. It was noted that EtOH extract of ALE contained the highest phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents and the strongest antioxidants activities including DDPH (94.23%), ABTS (538.75 mmol), FRAP assay (542.62 umol), and β-carotene bleaching (70.74%) compared to the other extracts of ALE. Administration of EtOH extract at dose 400 mg/kg/bw exhibited a maximum inhibition of inflammation induced by Carr for 3 and 5 hours compared to reference group Indomethacin (Indo). Conclusion. ALE displayed high potential as natural source of minerals and phytochemicals compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

This study aimed to investigate the microencapsulation of novel condensed tannins isolated from Periploca angustifolia roots, using β-cyclodextrin macrocyclic oligosaccharides, in order to enhance their antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic potentials. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results revealed that tannin fraction was successfully included into β-cyclodextrin cavities proved with an encapsulation efficacy of 70%. Our in vitro findings highlighted that both pure and encapsulated tannins have efficient inhibition capacities of pancreatic lipase activity. However, the inclusion complex has the greatest, in vivo, antioxidant, and antihyperlipidemic effects. In fact, results showed that complexed tannins had markedly restored serum lipid biomarkers, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl oxidation, and antioxidant enzyme defense. These findings were additionally confirmed by aortic and myocardial muscle sections of histological examination. Consequently, β-cyclodextrin microencapsulation may be considered as an effective and promising technique for tannin delivery with improved antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic activities.

Metal pollution can produce many biological effects on aquatic environments. The marine diatom Amphora subtropica and the green alga Dunaliella sp. possess a high metal absorption capacity. Nickel (Ni) removal by living cells of A. subtropica and Dunaliella sp. was tested in cultures exposed to different Ni concentrations (100, 200, 300, and 500 mg L−1). The amount of Ni removed by the microalgae increased with the time of exposure and the initial Ni concentration in the medium. The metal, which was mainly removed by bioadsorption to Dunaliella sp. cell surfaces (93.63% of total Ni (for 500 mg Ni L−1) and by bioaccumulation (80.82% of total Ni (for 300 mg Ni L−1) into Amphora subtropica cells, also inhibited growth. Exposure to Ni drastically reduced the carbohydrate and protein concentrations and increased total lipids from 6.3 to 43.1 pg cell−1, phenolics 0.092 to 0.257 mg GAE g−1 (Fw), and carotenoid content, from 0.08 to 0.59 mg g−1 (Fw), in A. subtropica. In Dunaliella sp., total lipids increased from 26.1 to 65.3 pg cell−1, phenolics from 0.084 to 0.289 mg GAE g−1 (Fw), and carotenoid content from 0.41 to 0.97 mg g−1 (Fw). These compounds had an important role in protecting the algae against ROS generated by Ni. In order to cope with Ni stress shown by the increase of TBARS level, enzymatic (SOD, CAT, and GPx) ROS scavenging mechanisms were induced.