Bee venom-loaded EGFR-targeting peptide-coupled chitosan nanoparticles for effective therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting EGFR-mediated MEK/ERK pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the world's most risky diseases due to the lack of clear and cost-effective therapeutic targets. Currently, the toxicity of conventional chemotherapeutic medications and the development of multidrug resistance is driving research into targeted therapies. The nano-biomedical field's potential for developing an effective therapeutic nano-sized drug delivery system is viewed as a significant pharmaceutical trend for the encapsulation and release of numerous anticancer therapies.

Protective Effect of Natural Antioxidant, Curcumin Nanoparticles, and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles against Type 2 Diabetes-Promoted Hippocampal Neurotoxicity in Rats.

Numerous epidemiological findings have repeatedly established associations between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease. Targeting different pathways in the brain with T2DM-therapy offers a novel and appealing strategy to treat diabetes-related neuronal alterations. Therefore, here we investigated the capability of a natural compound, curcumin nanoparticle (CurNP), and a biomedical metal, zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnONP), to alleviate hippocampal modifications in T2DM-induced rats.

Therapeutic Screening of Herbal Remedies for the Management of Diabetes.

The study of diabetes mellitus (DM) patterns illustrates increasingly important facts. Most importantly, they include oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular death. Up to now, there is a shortage of drug therapies for DM, and the discovery and the development of novel therapeutics for this disease are crucial.

Ameliorative effect of curcumin and zinc oxide nanoparticles on multiple mechanisms in obese rats with induced type 2 diabetes.

The present study was carried out to investigate the therapeutic effect of synthesized naturally compounds, curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs) and metal oxide, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on a high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hepatic and pancreatic pathophysiology in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) via measuring AKT pathway and MAPK pathway. T2DM rats were intraperitoneally injected with a low dose of 35 mg/kg STZ after being fed by HFD for 8 weeks. Then the rats have orally received treatments for 6 weeks.

Erectile dysfunction drugs altered the activities of antioxidant enzymes, oxidative stress and the protein expressions of some cytochrome P450 isozymes involved in the steroidogenesis of steroid hormones.

Objectives: Infertility is a global health problem with about 15 percent of couples involved. About half of the cases of infertility are related to male-related factors. A major cause of infertility in men is oxidative stress, which refers to an imbalance between levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants.

Synergistic effect of nano-selenium and metformin on type 2 diabetic rat model: Diabetic complications alleviation through insulin sensitivity, oxidative mediators and inflammatory markers.

Background And Objectives: In the present article, we explore a novel strategy of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by investigating the effect of Se-NPs alone and in combination with standard anti-diabetic drug metformin (MET) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced T2DM.

Methods: HFD was supplemented daily to experimental rats for 8 weeks, followed by a single low dose injection of 35 mg/kg of STZ to induce T2DM. The synergistic effect of the different therapeutic strategies on diabetic complications was evaluated after the Se-NPs and MET administration for 8 weeks.

Oxidative stress and expression of insulin signaling proteins in the brain of diabetic rats: Role of Nigella sativa oil and antidiabetic drugs.

Background And Objectives: Insulin resistance of the brain is a specific form of type2-diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the active insulin-signaling pathway plays a neuroprotective role against damaging conditions and Alzheimer's progression. The present study identifies the mediated emerging effects of the Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on the memory enhancing process, its anti-oxidative, acetylcholinestrase (AChE) inhibition, anti-brain insulin resistance and anti-amyloidogenic activities. In addition, the possible role of some anti-diabetic drugs in the neuro-protection processes and their effect in combination with NSO and/or the insulin receptor inhibitor IOMe-AG538 were investigated.

Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphism and end-stage renal disease in lebanese patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The development and progression of nephropathy is strongly determined by genetic factors, and few genes have been shown to contribute to DN. An insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was reported as a candidate gene predisposing to DN and ESRD.

Zinc and curcumin lower arylsulfatses and some metabolic parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

In rats with induced diabetes, Zinc and curcumin treatment showed a significant increase of catalase and a significant decrease of glucose, lipid profile components and arylsulphatases activity compared to the untreated rats. We suggest that dietary zinc and curcumin are promising protective agents for reducing the metabolic defect of diabetes.

Nigella sativa Relieves the Altered Insulin Receptor Signaling in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats Fed with a High-Fat Diet.

The black cumin (Nigella sativa) "NS" or the black seeds have many pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic properties. In this work, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed with a high-fat diet were treated daily with NS oil (NSO) in order to study the effect on the blood glucose, lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, and the gene expression of some insulin receptor-induced signaling molecules. This treatment was combined also with some drugs (metformin and glimepiride) and the insulin receptor inhibitor I-OMe-AG538.

Anti-diabetic activity of different oils through their effect on arylsulfatases.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by the overproduction of the reactive oxygen species which affects the integrity of the lysosomal membrane affecting lysosomal enzymes. The effect of these species is blocked by some natural products as antioxidants. In the current study, groups of normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were treated by Nigella sativa (NS), olive and canola oils and subjected to the study of arylsulfatases as a model of lysosomal enzymes.

Epidermal growth factor, its receptor and transforming growth factor-β1 in the diagnosis of HCV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

In this article, we present a study on the levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF), its phosphorylated receptor (p-EGFR) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the sera of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. The results reveal significant higher serum levels of EGF and TGF-β1 in patients with HCC compared to their level in patients with CHC infection and control subjects. The levels of p-EGFR in HCC and CHC patients show a highly significant difference between patients.

Detection of new point mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in breast cancer patients.

This study included 20 selected female patients with breast cancer, 30 of their female relatives (sisters and daughters), and 10 healthy females as a control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all the subjects, and the polymerase chain reaction was carried out using specific primers for BRCA1 (exons 2 and 8) and BRCA2 (exons 9, 11, and 21). The mutations were detected using a single-strand conformation polymorphism assay and heteroduplex analysis.

Some heterocyclic thione derivatives exhibit anticoccidial activity by inhibiting glycosidases.

Coccidiosis is one of the most common parasitic diseases affecting many species of domestic animals. This disease has a major economic significance and the search for new compounds having anticoccidial activity is of great importance. In this article, different levels of protection from coccidian infection by Eimeria stiedae were developed in rabbits by treatment with compounds incorporating the skeleton of thiourea.

Effect of calcium treatment on blood parameters, gonadal development and the structure of bone in immature female rats.

Calcium is an essential nutrient required for critical biological functions. Calcium supplementation is to be evaluated using immature female rats. The present study focused on some blood parameters, gonadal development and bone structure.

CYP1A1, CYP2E1, and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to colorectal and gastric cancer among Lebanese.

Mutations in the genes encoding enzymes involved in the metabolism of chemical carcinogens can significantly affect the risk of cell transformation and cancer development. The resident Lebanese population has experienced a sharp increase in cancer incidence within the last few years. The relationship between gene polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes and gastrointestinal (GI) cancer incidence was not previously investigated.

Succinate cytochrome c reductase in schistosomiasis: in vitro inhibition by some schistosomicidal drugs.

Enzymes in mitochondria play an important role in biological oxidation and energy production. To understand the effect of schistosomiasis on these important processes, succinate cytochrome c reductase (SCR) from control and Schistosoma-infected mice was subjected for investigation. In this article, we report that SCR from Schistosoma-infected mouse showed a significant decrease in its Vmax and Km compared to control using both cytochrome c and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol as substrates.

Inhibition of mammalian aspartate transcarbamylase by quinazolinone derivatives.

Quinazolinone derivatives have been studied as both in vitro and in vivo inhibitors of aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase). In vitro treatment of mammalian ATCase with four compounds revealed that they inhibited enzyme activity and that 2-phenyl-1,3-4(H)benzothiazin-4-thione was the most potent one. This compound acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor towards both aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate.

In vitro effect of schistosomicidal drugs on hepatic arylsulfatase B from the schistosoma-infected mouse.

Arylsulfatase B (ASB) hydrolyzes the desulfation of N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfate at the non-reducing terminal of glycosaminoglycans. This enzyme activity was found to be elevated in mice schistosomiasis. In the present study, the catalytic and immunological properties of purified ASB from the liver of Schistosoma-infected mouse was investigated in the presence and absence of the schistosomicidal drugs praziquantel and Commiphora extract.

Effect of some cardiac and respiratory drugs on succinate-cytochrome c reductase.

Succinate-cytochrome c reductase was inhibited in vitro and in vivo by phenobarbitone, aminophylline and neostigmine using both 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) and cytochrome c (cyt c) as substrates. The enzyme was also activated by gallamine towards both substrates. In vitro, phenobarbitone and aminophylline inhibited the enzyme with respect to the reduction of DCIP and cyt c in a non-competitive manner with Ki values of 1.

Activity of some hepatic enzymes in schistosomiasis and concomitant alteration of arylsulfatase B.

The levels of arylsulfatases A and B, alpha-amylase, aspartate transcarbamylase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were investigated during the infection of mice with schistosoma mansoni. This infection caused a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the activity of hepatic arylsulfatase B (ASB), aspartate transcarbamylases and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.

Inhibition of some hepatic glycosidases by the diseco nucleoside, 4-amino-3-(D-glucopentitol-1-yl)-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole and its 3-methyl analog.

The in vivo and in vitro effects of 4-amino-3-(D-glucopentitol-1-yl)-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole and its 3-methyl analogue on alpha- and beta-glucosidases, beta-glucuronidase as well as alpha-amylase have been investigated. alpha-Glucosidase is the enzyme that is markedly affected in vivo and in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The compounds showed a reversible inhibition of a competitive type for alpha-glucosidase.