Biochemical markers

Resumen Context: Heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium has been widely reported for its effect on diabetes clinical or preclinically. However, role in diabetic complications is yet to be revealed. Aims: To investigate the effect of alcoholic extract of the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupiumin experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy in rats. Methods: The streptozotocin (STZ) 55 mg/kg, i.p., once daily induced diabetes in Sprague-Dawley rats. These animals were treated orally with alcoholic extract of P. marsupium (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) or glimepiride (10 mg/kg) for 60 days. Body weight, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1c), biochemical markers of renal function were estimated on day 30 and at the end of study (day 60). Kidney weight measurement, oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation (TBARS), catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione were estimated in kidney tissues, and histopathological evaluation was carried out at the end of study period. Results: The administration of an alcoholic extract of P. marsupium showed a decrease in blood glucose, HBA1c, kidney weight, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum uric acid, urea, urine volume, urine albumin and the level of TBARS. While the increase in urine creatinine, the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione were observed when compared to the diabetic control group. This effect was observed significantly at the highest dose of the plant extract. The histopathological study also confirmed that alcoholic extract prevented structural kidney damage. Conclusions: These results suggest that the alcoholic extract of P. marsupium has renoprotective effects against STZ induced diabetic nephropathy.

Mineral deficiencies are well-established causal factor(s) for sub-optimum production
in citrus. Identifying nutrient constraints based on morphological symptoms or
in combination with leaf/soil analysis is often misleading, especially with reference
to remediating the nutritional problems of a standing crop. The task becomes further
confounded by other co-factors under the conditions favoring the occurrence of multinutrient
deficiency. Important biochemical markers for various nutrient deficiencies
include: ribulose-1,5 biphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase), nitrate reductase, and glutamate
dehydrogenase for nitrogen (N) deficiency; citrate synthetase, aconitase, phosphoenol
pyruvate kinase, and glutamic oxaloacetic transminase for phosphorus (P) deficiency;
diesterase, acid invertase, arginine decarboxylase, and N-carbamyl putrescine
aminohydrolase for potassium (K) deficiency; pyruvate kinase and succinate dehydrogenase
for calcium (Ca) deficiency; invertase for magnesium (Mg) deficiency; adolase
and aconitase for iron (Fe) deficiency; catalase for manganese (Mn) deficiency (higher
peroxidase activity under Mn deficiency is differentiated from Fe deficiency); carbonic
anhydrase and nitrate reductase for zinc (Zn) deficiency; and phenylalanine ammonia
lyase and nitrate reductase for boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) deficiency, respectively.
These markers have also shown some promise in establishing the physiological basis of
tolerance of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) against Mn and aluminum (Al)
toxicities involving the Mn-oxidative pathway and complexation of calmodulin protein
with Al3+ ions, respectively.

The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) against the malathion-induced blood hematological and biochemical alterations in Caspian roach (Rutilus caspicus). The fish treated with 0.5 mg L-1 malathion in water and supplemented with selenium nanoparticles (1 mg kg-1) and /or COS (600 mg kg-1) in their diet for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, the blood samples were collected and hematological indices were assayed including serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride as well as enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE). Significant decreases were observed in LDH level, AChE activities and hematological indices such as the white and red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels of the fish exposed to malathion (p < 0.05). Dietary selenium nanoparticles and COS could significantly (P < 0.05) reduce hematological indices, lysozyme value and the blood antioxidant enzyme activities in malathion-exposed Caspian roach. Briefly, this suggests that supplementation of dietary Caspian roach with nano-selenium (1mg kg-1) and /or COS (600 mg kg-1) may have positive effects on hematological and biochemical indices in fish exposed to malathion stress.

The aim of this study was to characterize drought tolerance of 20 common bean genotypes using some biochemical markers for oxidative stress. 10 common bean cultivars (9 Bulgarian and a Mexican- BAT 477) and 10 mutant lines M(19–20), previously obtained by us after the treatment of seeds from Dobroudjanski 2 and Dobroudjanski 7 cultivars with ethyl methan sulphonate (EMS) and N-nithroso-N-ethyl urea (NEU) were used in this investigation. BAT 477 was chosen as a control and it was presented in unique cluster group. Three biochemical markers – malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and proline were analyzed. The results were statistically elaborated by mono-, bifactorial ANOVA and cluster analyses. Our preliminary results demonstrated that to obtain more valuable information, concerning drought tolerance of both common bean cultivars and mutant lines, MDA, H2O2 and proline should be used as early warning markers. Genotypes studied could be of interest in future investigations ...