Mahaboob basha P

With the limited but ongoing usage of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) as plasticizer, the health effects of both phthalate and its alternatives are far from being understood. Multigenerational effects of phthalates were evaluated in rats upon exposure to DBP, aiming to provide some evidences about its potential in causing developmental teratogenicity. Gestational rats were exposed to DBP (500 mg/kg bw/day) and control groups with olive oil. On the 18th day of gestation, fetuses (F1) isolated from a few dams were subjected to prenatal screening, and the other rats were allowed to litter, and later postnatal screening was made. DBP-toxicated (F1) rats were crossed and reared up to three generations (F2 and F3) by adopting the same experimental design. A considerable decrease in the weight of placenta, low number of corpora lutea and increased resorptions, and pre- and postimplantation loss were observed in F1, F2, and F3 generations. Further, there was a decrease in the number of live birt...

Aqueous leaf extract of L. speciosa (banaba) effectively decreased the blood glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice after 15th day of banaba exposure. Further, banaba leaf extract have the potential to inhibit lipid peroxidation and effectively intercept/neutralize reactive oxygen species such as super oxide, H2O2 and NO based free radicals. The aqueous banaba leaf extract (150 mg/kg bodyweight) duly reduced STZ generated reactive intermediates and radical species helping to regulate normal levels of antioxidative markers like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and reduced glutathione.

The effect of fluoride exposure during gestation and post gestation periods were studied to check the status of oxidant, antioxidant and macromolecular changes in CNS and ameliorative role of antioxidants. The pregnant Wistar albino rats were exposed to 50 and 150 ppm fluoride in drinking water and the pups born to them were used for experimentation. After postpartum, the pups were administered daily selected antioxidants through oral gavage. On 21st postnatal day pups were sacrificed and biochemical parameters were assessed. Fluoride exposure substantially increased the activity/levels of fluoride, LPO, protein oxidation, MAO-B, GOT, GPT and decreased protein thiols, RNA and total proteins in discrete regions of CNS. The findings evidenced fluoride induced dyshomeostasis caused on antioxidants, enzymes, macromolecules and governed the pathophysiological events leading to functional loss in a dose dependent manner. The administration of antioxidants remedied the disquiet caused by high fluoride exposure at extreme vulnerable periods of life.

Fluoride has been implicated as a pathologic mediator of fluorosis. Interestingly neuronal destruction, synaptic injury occurs by a mechanism involving oxidative stress, however, its effects in developmental stages of life, during maternal fluoride exposure and amelioration are not elucidated. In the present study, pregnant Wistar albino rats were exposed to 50 and 150 ppm fluoride in drinking water during gestation and post gestation. After parturition the pups born to the experimental animals were administered daily with selected antioxidants for 21 consecutive days. Fluoride administration substantially enhanced fluoride accumulation, lipid peroxidation and decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione levels in discrete regions of central nervous system. The results significantly (P < 0.05) demonstrated the effect of fluoride through exacerbated oxidative damage and disrupted antioxidant homeostasis...

Safer antioxidants from plant origin are essential to prevent the progression of free radical mediated disorders. Current research is directed towards finding naturally-occurring antioxidants of plant origin that provided efficacy by additive or synergistic activities. Panax ginseng (ginseng) and Lagerstroemia speciosa (banaba) are suggested to have bioactive components having health benefits. The present study investigates on the free radical scavenging potential as well as total phenolic and flavanoid contents of aqueous extract of ginseng and banaba. They were analysed for total antioxidant activity by TEAC assay, superoxide, hydroxyl, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities as well as total phenolic and flavanoid contents. The calculated results with trolox standard curve, the TEAC value explain the antioxidant potential of the GE overhaul BLE. In superoxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays, both GE and BLE showed almost similar range of activi...

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is a well-known plasticizer and cause a wide range of reproductive or endocrine disruptive disorders. Exposure to DBP during gestation shown to disrupt testosterone synthesis and male sexual development in the fetal rat, however, the underlying mechanisms and its impact on the cortical and cerebellar neuronal development remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the effect of multigenerational exposure of DBP on rat cortical as well as cerebellar neurons. In this study 1/16 LD50 (i.e., 500mg/kg BW) administered through oral gavage during gestation day 6 to till parturition; exposure continued until they were weaned on postnatal (PND) 30. All pups at PND30 were analysed for cytoarchitectural alternations in brain cortex and cerebellum. Variations were observed in the rate of feed and water consumption, litter size, organ (brain) somatic index and mortality. Significant degenerative changes in neuroglial cells of brain cortex of F1; focal aggregates of infl...

Sublethal doses of methyl parathion (o, o-dimethyl-o-nitrophenyl thiophosphate) injected intraperitoneally to 7th day old developing albino rat pups induced alterations in the inhibitory GABAergic system of CNS. A substantial simulation of the inhibitory system was noticed. A profound increase was found in the level of the inhibitory transmitter, GABA on methyl parathion injection. An increase in the activity levels of the enzymes glutamic acid decarboxylase and 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate-amino transferase in the cortex, brain stem and spinal cord of the CNS was found. It is observed that methyl parathion causes potentiation of the inhibitory transmission (GABAergic system) in the wake of inducing suppression of cholinergic system in CNS of developing rat pups.

Methyl parathion induced alterations in the level of monoamines, viz. norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin were studied in discrete regions of developing central nervous system of rat pups. A significant decrease in the level of monoamines noticed in methyl parathion toxicosis may be related to the altered neuronal activity and inefficiency, leading to depression and impairment in various behavioural activities. In contrast to AChE inhibition, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity showed an increasing trend and it could cause deamination of catecholamines and accumulation of its metabolites. This suggests that an increased AChE inhibition may indirectly stimulate MAO activity in developing rat pups exposed to methyl parathion.

Chronic fluoride intoxication through drinking water is a serious health problem. Patients with diabetes are known to have impaired renal function and elimination of fluoride from the body is mainly done through kidney. Fluoride toxicity in diabetes patients may aggravate complications. In this study, the influence of fluoride was assessed on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in mice as also the efficacy/protective effective of oral supplementation of ginseng (GE) and banaba leaf extracts (BLE). The efficacy of plant extracts, GE and BLE at doses of 50, 150, 250 mg/kg b.w./day alone and in combination, was tested for a period of 15 days on fluoride treated STZ induced diabetic animals. Fluoride exposure to mice with STZ-induced diabetes produced significant changes in OSI (organo-somatic index), fluoride content, blood glucose, urea, serum creatinine and oxidative stress indices in kidney tissues with evident histological alterations. Among the antioxidant treatments, combinatio...

In previous studies, we investigated a link between high fluoride exposure and functional IQ deficits in rats. This study is an extension conducted to explore the combined influence of physical exercise and temperature stress on the learning ability and memory in rats and to assess whether any positive modulation could be attenuated due to exercise regimen subjected to F-toxicated animals at different temperatures. Accumulation of ingested fluoride resulted significant inhibition in acetylcholinesterase activity (P < 0.05), plasma cortisol levels (P < 0.05), and impaired the acquisition, performance, latency time, and retention in fluoride-exposed animals. Fluoride-toxicated rats took more number of sessions during the learning phase [F (5, 35) = 19.065; P < 0.05] and post hoc analysis on the number of correct choices revealed that there was a significant effect of treatments [F (5, 30) = 15.763; P < 0.05]; sessions [F (8, 240) = 58.698; P < 0.05]; and also significant difference in the interactions [F (40, 240) = 1.583; P < 0.05]. The latency data also revealed a significant difference between groups [F (5, 30) = 28.085; P < 0.05]; time = [F (8, 240) = 136.314; P < 0.05]; and there was a significant difference in the interactions [F (40, 240) = 2.090; P < 0.05]. In order to ascertain if interdependence between fluoride concentrations and the foregoing free radical parameters, respective correlation coefficients were calculated and results clearly emphasize the positive role of exercise in the promotion of cognitive functions by decreasing fluoride levels in rat hippocampus. A significant recovery in cognitive function was noticed in all the exercised animals due to reduced burden of brain oxidative stress. In comparison to exercise regimens performed at different temperatures, high (35 °C) and low temperatures (20 °C) led to a slower acquisition and poor retention of the task when compared to thermo neutral temperatures (25 and 30 °C). Thus exercise up-regulate antioxidant defenses and promote learning abilities in fluorotic population.

High-fluoride (100 and 200 ppm) water was administered to rats orally to study the fluoride-induced changes on the thyroid hormone status, the histopathology of discrete brain regions, the acetylcholine esterase activity, and the learning and memory abilities in multigeneration rats. Significant decrease in the serum-free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels and decrease in acetylcholine esterase activity in fluoride-treated group were observed. Presence of eosinophilic Purkinje cells, degenerating neurons, decreased granular cells, and vacuolations were noted in discrete brain regions of the fluoride-treated group. In the T-maze experiments, the fluoride-treated group showed poor acquisition and retention and higher latency when compared with the control. The alterations were more profound in the third generation when compared with the first- and second-generation fluoride-treated group. Changes in the thyroid hormone levels in the present study might have imbalanced the oxidant/antioxidant system, which further led to a reduction in learning memory ability. Hence, presence of generational or cumulative effects of fluoride on the development of the offspring when it is ingested continuously through multiple generations is evident from the present study.

The present study was undertaken to identify the nature of the interactive effects of chlorpyrifos (CPF) and cold stress (15 degrees and 20 degrees C) on the activities of acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), choline acetyl transferase (ChAT), Na+, K(+)-ATPase and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the cerebral cortex of 1 week, 3 weeks and 3 months of age. The results indicated an interaction of CPF with age of animal and cold exposure resulting in marked decrease in the activity levels of AChE, ChAT, Na+, K(+)-ATPase, followed by increased MDA levels. Overall, the effects of co-exposure of cold stress and CPF were appreciably different from either of the exposures. However, synergistic-action of CPF and cold stress at 15 degrees C showed a greater inhibition of AChE, ChAT, and Na+, K(+)-ATPase in comparison with CPF or cold stress alone and together at 20 degrees C. The results reveal that young animals are markedly more sensitive to interactive effects of CPF and cold stress than adults.