Diosmin alleviates ulcerative colitis in mice by increasing abundance, improving intestinal barrier function, and modulating the NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways.

Ulcerative colitis is a common type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects millions of individuals around the world. Traditional UC treatment has focused on suppressing immune responses rather than treating the underlying causes of UC, which include oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbiota dysbiosis. Diosmin (DIO), a naturally occurring flavonoid, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Molecular docking, characterization, ADME/toxicity prediction, and anti-ulcer activity of new quercetin derivatives on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in mice.

Gastric ulcer (GU) is a serious upper gastrointestinal tract disorder that affects people worldwide. The drugs now available for GU treatment have a high rate of relapses and drug interactions, as well as mild to severe side effects. As a result, new natural therapeutic medications for treating GU with fewer negative side effects are desperately needed.

Early intervention with probiotics and metformin alleviates liver injury in NAFLD rats via targeting gut microbiota dysbiosis and p-AKT/mTOR/LC-3II pathways.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) constitutes a major health problem worldwide and intimately links with obesity and diabetes. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic impact of early treatment with metformin (MTF) alone or in combination with DSM 17938 () + metronidazole (MTZ) in male Sprague Dawley rats with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. Hepatic steatosis was induced by feeding rats HFD for 6 weeks.

Gut microbiota modulation as a promising therapy with metformin in rats with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: Role of LPS/TLR4 and autophagy pathways.

Gut microbiota is a crucial factor in pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Therefore, targeting the gut-liver axis might be a novel therapeutic approach to treat NASH. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of a probiotic (Lactobacillus reuteri) and metronidazole (MTZ) (an antibiotic against Bacteroidetes) either alone or in combination with metformin (MTF) in experimentally-induced NASH.

Deciphering the enzymatic target of a new family of antischistosomal agents bearing a quinazoline scaffold using complementary computational tools.

A previous phenotypic screening campaign led to the identification of a quinazoline derivative with promising activity against . Follow-up studies of the antischistosomal potential of this candidate are presented here. The studies in a mouse model show a significant reduction of total worms and a complete disappearance of immature eggs when administered concomitantly with praziquantel in comparison with the administration of praziquantel alone.

The phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast impacts Schistosoma mansoni ovipositing in vitro but displays only modest antischistosomal activity in vivo.

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the sole drug used to treat schistosomiasis, and the probability of developing resistance is growing the longer it is relied upon, justifying the search for alternatives. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs), particularly the PDE4 family, have attracted considerable attention as drug targets, including in Schistosoma mansoni, and especially SmPDE4A. This study investigates the potential antischistosomal activity of human PDE4 and potent SmPDE4A inhibitor roflumilast, either alone or combined with PZQ.

Antifibrotic effects of gallic acid on hepatic stellate cells: mechanistic study.

Few studies reported the antifibrotic effects of gallic acid (GA) despite its known hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities. Accordingly, this study investigated the antifibrotic effects of GA through clarifying its mechanisms on hepatic stellate cells' (HSCs) activation, proliferation and/or apoptosis. effects of GA on HSC-T6 activation/proliferation, morphology and safety on hepatocytes were assessed.

Screening of a PDE-focused library identifies imidazoles with in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal activity.

We report the evaluation of 265 compounds from a PDE-focused library for their antischistosomal activity, assessed in vitro using Schistosoma mansoni. Of the tested compounds, 171 (64%) displayed selective in vitro activity, with 16 causing worm hypermotility/spastic contractions and 41 inducing various degrees of worm killing at 100 μM, with the surviving worms displaying sluggish movement, worm unpairing and complete absence of eggs. The compounds that did not affect worm viability (n = 72) induced a complete cessation of ovipositing.

Rosmarinic acid attenuates hepatic fibrogenesis via suppression of hepatic stellate cell activation/proliferation and induction of apoptosis.

Objective: To investigate the antifibrotic role of rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural polyphenolic compound, on HSCs activation/proliferation and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: The impact of RA on stellate cell line (HSC-T6) proliferation, activation and apoptosis was assessed along with its safety on primary hepatocytes. In vivo, rats were divided into: (i) normal; (ii) thioacetamide (TAA)-intoxicated rats for 12 weeks; (iii) TAA + silymarin or (iv) TAA + RA.

Co-administration of metformin and N-acetylcysteine with dietary control improves the biochemical and histological manifestations in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a burgeoning health problem that affects 1/3 of the adult population and an increasing number of children in developed countries. Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are the mechanisms that seem to be mostly involved in its pathogenesis. This study was conceived in a NAFLD rat model to evaluate the efficacy of both metformin (MTF) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) with dietary control on biochemical and histologic liver manifestations.

Resveratrol mitigates hepatic injury in rats by regulating oxidative stress, nuclear factor-kappa B, and apoptosis.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol, possesses several pharmacological activities including anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antinociceptive, and antiasthmatic activity. Little is known about its hepatoprotective action mechanisms. This study was conceived to explore the possible protective mechanisms of resveratrol compared with the hepatoprotective silymarin in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Bioavailability of paracetamol with/without caffeine in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus.

Purpose: This study investigates the involvement of liver dysfunction in the modulation of paracetamol pharmacokinetic profile in genotype-4 HCV patients treated with either paracetamol alone (Para) or in combination with caffeine (Para-Caf).

Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers and 20 Child-Pugh B HCV patients, each divided into two equal subgroups, were examined, whose liver/kidney functions were correlated with their main clinical manifestation. After an overnight fasting, healthy and hepatic subjects received either a single dose of Para (1000 mg paracetamol) or Para-Caf (1000 mg paracetamol/130 mg caffeine).

Effects of rosuvastatin and/or β-carotene on non-alcoholic fatty liver in rats.

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has markedly increased, especially in patients exhibit one or more features of the metabolic syndrome. This study investigates the effect of rosuvastatin (RSV) and/or β-carotene (βC) in NAFLD-induced rats. Rats were classified into nine groups; normal (I), NAFLD-induced with high-fat diet (HFD; II), NAFLD switched to regular diet (RD; III), NAFLD-HFD or NAFLD-RD treated with RSV (IV, V), βC (VI, VII) or both RSV+βC (VIII, IX), respectively.

Praziquantel in a clay nanoformulation shows more bioavailability and higher efficacy against murine Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Consideration of existing compounds always simplifies and shortens the long and difficult process of discovering new drugs specifically for diseases of developing countries, an approach that may add to the significant potential cost savings. This study focused on improving the biological characteristics of the already-existing antischistosomal praziquantel (PZQ) by incorporating it into montmorillonite (MMT) clay as a delivery carrier to overcome its known bioavailability drawbacks. The oral bioavailability of a PZQ-MMT clay nanoformulation and its in vivo efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni were investigated.

Pharmacological and antioxidant actions of garlic and.or onion in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a broad spectrum of fat-induced liver injury, ranging from mild steatosis to cirrhosis and liver failure. This study investigates the hepatoprotective properties of garlic and onion in NAFLD rat model. Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 9 groups; normal (I), NAFLD induced with high fat diet (HFD; II), NAFLD switched to regular diet (RD; III), NAFLD-HFD or NAFLD-RD treated with garlic (IV, V), onion (VI, VII) or the combined garlic+onion (VIII, IX) respectively.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Melaleuca styphelioides on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Context: Liver disease is a serious problem. Polyphenolic compounds have marked antioxidant effect and can prevent the liver damage caused by free radicals. In vitro studies have revealed the strong antioxidant activity of an ellagitannin-rich plant, namely, Melaleuca styphelioides Sm.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of Bauhinia hookeri extract against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice and characterization of its bioactive compounds by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS.

The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Bauhinia hookeri ethanol extract (BHE) against CCl4-induced liver injury was investigated in mice. BHE was administered (500 and 1000 mg/kg/day) along with CCl4 for 6 weeks. The hepatic marker enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined in the serum.

Potential effect of the medicinal plants Calotropis procera, Ficus elastica and Zingiber officinale against Schistosoma mansoni in mice.

Context: Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br.

Effect of ketoconazole, a cytochrome P450 inhibitor, on the efficacy of quinine and halofantrine against Schistosoma mansoni in mice.

The fear that schistosomes will become resistant to praziquantel (PZQ) motivates the search for alternatives to treat schistosomiasis. The antimalarials quinine (QN) and halofantrine (HF) possess moderate antischistosomal properties. The major metabolic pathway of QN and HF is through cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4.

Haemin enhances the in vivo efficacy of artemether against juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni in mice.

Among the potential alternatives to praziquantel, interestingly, the antimalarial artemether (Art) also exhibits antischistosomal properties. Previous in vitro studies suggested that Art interacts with haemin and together produce a lethal agent against schistosomes. This study investigates the in vivo effect of Art plus haemin on juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni worms and on their antioxidant enzymes.

Bioavailability and in vivo efficacy of a praziquantel-polyvinylpyrrolidone solid dispersion in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice.

One of the problems of praziquantel (PZQ) is its very low aqueous solubility. Moreover, its dissolution rate is considered the limiting factor for its bioavailability. This work correlates the physical properties and the dissolution behavior of PZQ-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solid dispersion (SD) at the ratios of 1:1 and 3:7 with its oral bioavailability and its in vivo efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni (S.

Schistosoma mansoni: N-acetylcysteine downregulates oxidative stress and enhances the antischistosomal activity of artemether in mice.

Unlabelled: Artemether (Art), a derivative of the antimalarial artemisinin, also exhibit antischistosomal properties. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has a diversity of applications, largely because of the chemical properties of the thiol moiety present in its structure. The ability of this moiety to sweep reactive oxygen species is well-established with NAC.

Comparative efficacy and bioavailability of different praziquantel brands.

This study investigates the efficacy, bioavailability and drug metabolizing enzymes mainly involved in the metabolism of the commercial brands of praziquantel (PZQ) in Egypt in comparison with the original pure powder. Mice infected with PZQ-susceptible (CD) or PZQ-insusceptible (EE2) Schistosoma mansoni isolates were divided each into seven groups, six of them received PZQ brands (Distocide, Epiquantel, Biltricide, Bilharzid, Praziquantel, and pure PZQ), while the seventh one was left as infected untreated. Seven weeks post-infection, worms were quantified and hepatic CYP450 and CYT b5 were examined.

Drug-metabolizing enzymes and praziquantel bioavailability in mice harboring Schistosoma mansoni isolates of different drug susceptibilities.

The level of drug-metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome P450 [CYP450] and cytochrome b5 [cyt b5]) and the bioavailability of praziquantel (PZQ) were investigated in batches of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni displaying either a decreased susceptibility to PZQ ("EE2" and "BANL"-isolates), or a normal susceptibility to the drug ("CD" isolate). Each batch was divided into 2 groups. The first group was further subdivided into 5 subgroups.