Avicenna Journal of Medical Biochemistry
Year:2020 | Volume:8 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

Objectives: Aluminum phosphide (AIP) is the commonly used pesticide in agriculture, which induces oxidative stress in almost all major body systems and organs. The aim of this study  was to evaluate the efficacy of nanocurcumin and curcumin on serum oxidative stress level in subacute toxicity with AIP. Materials and Methods: In this study 36 male Wistar rats (220-250 g) were randomly divided into six groups. Control (C) receiving normal saline; group AIPreceiving AIP (2 mg/kg daily); group Cur receiving curcumin (100 mg/kg daily); group Nano-cur receiving nanocurcumin (100 mg/kg daily); group AIP+ Cur receiving AIP (2 mg/kg daily) and curcumin (100 mg/kg daily); and group AIP and Nano-cur receiving AIP (2 mg/kg daily) and nanocurcumin (100 mg/kg daily). Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), lipid peroxidation (LPO), total thiol groups (TTG), and catalase (CAT) activity were measured. Results: AIP administration led to a significant increase in LPO, and decreased the CAT activity, TAC, and TTG compared to the control group (P < 0. 05). Curcumin and nanocurcumin caused a significant decrease in the levels of LPO compared to the AIP-exposed groups (P < 0. 05). Moreover, in the nanocurcumintreated groups, compared to a poisoned group, TAC and TTG increased significantly (P < 0. 01). There were no significant changes in CAT activity improvement. Conclusion: Nanocurcumin and curcumin improved the AIP-induced oxidative damage.

Background: It is shown that kiwifruit elevates serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and exhibits beneficial effects on human health due to its antioxidant potential. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of kiwifruit on the activity of the paraoxonase 1 (PON1) enzyme, as a main antioxidant enzyme in HDL functionality, in a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: To this end, 42 male Syrian hamsters were divided into 6 groups including hamsters receiving a normal diet (the control normal group), a regular diet supplemented with kiwifruit at two concentrations (i. e., 1. 86 g/kg and 3. 73 g/kg), a HFD comprised of 15% butterfat + 0. 05% cholesterol (the control highfat group), and a HFD supplemented with kiwifruit at two concentrations (i. e., 1. 86 and 3. 73 g/kg) for 8 weeks. Results: The results showed that supplementation of kiwifruit to the HFD increased the levels of HDL-C and remarkably reduced the concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with the control-HF group. In addition, the paraoxonase activity of PON1 significantly increased in HFD supplemented with kiwifruit (1. 86 g/kg), and finally, arylesterase (ARE) activity increased in all treated groups when compared with untreated groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that kiwifruit can improve the lipid profile and prevent oxidative stress-induced by lipid peroxidation in hamsters receiving HFD, thus increasing the ARE and paraoxonase activities of PON1.

Background: Maclura pomifera a member of Moraceae family, is a tropical plant with ethnobotanical uses. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate bioactive compounds, antioxidants, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of different extracts of Tunisia M. pomifera (Rafin. ) Schneid fruit in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Organic extracts in different polarities (chloroform, ethyl acetate, and acetone) were extracted from different parts of the fruit of M. pomifera (exocarp, mesocarp, and pips). Phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and anti-AChE activity were determined. The anti-amnesic effects of ethyl acetate extract of the exocarp of M. pomifera were measured in galactose-induced memory deficit mice by the Y maze. The levels of biomarkers and AChE activity were determined in brain tissues. Results: The obtained results showed that the ethyl acetate extract of exocarp contains the highest content of flavonoids and polyphenols 22. 3 mg quercetin equivalents per g of dry weight and 718. 6 mg gallic acid equivalents per g of dry weight. The evaluation of antioxidant activities highlighted that the ethyl acetate extract of exocarp was the most active element. The study of the AChE inhibitory power demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extract of the exocarp had the greatest inhibitory activity. The ethyl acetate extract from the exocarp ameliorated cognitive performance and reversed the oxidative damage as compared to galactose group. Conclusion: M. pomifera fruit is a good source of natural antioxidants, which might help prevent oxidative stress-related damage and memory impairment in such mental disorders as Alzheimer’ s disease (AD).

Background: Growing evidence has shown that the apoptosis of cells plays an important role in the advancement of the Diabetic nephropathy (DN). Objectives: This study attempted to discover the therapeutic potential of Peganum harmala leaf extract in the apoptosis of diabetic kidney disease. Methods: In the present experimental research, 32 male Wistar rats were studied, and diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg). The animals were randomly divided into four groups (n=8, in each group) as follows: control, diabetic, control+leaf extract, diabetic+leaf extract. For our purposes, the methanolic extract of P. harmala leaves (150 mg/kg) was given by gavage for 28 days. Flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were utilized to determine the percentages of apoptotic cells. Also, histological alterations and blood biochemical parameters were evaluated. Results: The P. harmala leaf extract has a high amount of flavonoids (25. 84%), a lower percentage of alkaloids (0. 14%), and some antioxidant properties. Serum urea (P < 0. 001) and apoptosis (P < 0. 05) significantly elevated in diabetic rats relative to the control ones. The mean of fasting blood creatinine, urea, and albumin level was not significantly changed in diabetic+leaf extract rats as compared to the diabetic ones. Histopathological results also displayed that diabetic complications in the kidney could not be improved following treatment by the leaf extract of P. harmala. In addition, the leaf extract could not significantly reduce the apoptosis and caspase-3 expression compared to  diabetics in renal cells. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the leaf extract of P. harmala is unable to inhibit apoptosis in the diabetic kidney model.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a serious global health crisis leads to high mortality and morbidity. However, currently, there are no effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. Main protease (M pro ) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are the best therapeutic targets of COVID-19. Objectives: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the most appropriate drug and candidate compound for proper interaction with M pro and ACE2 to inhibit the activity of COVID-19. Methods: In this study, repurposing of approved drugs and screening of candidate compounds using molecular docking and fragment-based QSAR method were performed to discover the potential inhibitors of M pro and ACE2. QSAR and docking calculations were performed based on the prediction of the inhibitory activities of 5-hydroxy indanone derivatives. Based on the results, an optimal structure was proposed to inhibit the activity of COVID-19. Results: Among 2629 DrugBank approved drugs, 118 were selected considering the LibDock score and absolute energy for possible drug-M pro interactions. Furthermore, the top 40 drugs were selected based on screening the results for possible drug-M pro interactions with AutoDock Vina. Conclusion: Finally, evaluation of the top 40 selected drugs for possible drug-ACE2 interactions with AutoDock Vina indicated that deslanoside (DB01078) can interact effectively with both M pro and ACE2. However, prior to conducting clinical trials, further experimental validation is needed.

Background: Several studies have indicated that polymorphism in vitamin D pathway genes is associated with breast cancer (BC) risk. Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) is a vital element in the metabolism of the vitamin D. VDBP carries the serum 25(OH) D3 to cells to promote vitamin D biological functions, such as cell proliferation and apoptosis. Missense SNP (rs. 7041) is a common polymorphism in VDBP gene, which shows ethnic-specific allele frequencies. Objectives: This study presents the correlation of the rs7041 (Asp432Glu) gene polymorphism and plasma concentrations of VDBP in Kurdish patients with BC in Sanandaj, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 44 premenopausal BC patients and 44 healthy subjects. Plasma VDBP concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The VDBP (rs7041) was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction– restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP). Results: VDBP level was associated with a non-significant risk of BC (P=0. 397). Frequencies of individuals with VDBP (rs7041) TT, TG, and GG genotypes were 13. 6%, 52. 2%, and 34. 09% in case group and 11. 3%, 79. 5%, and 9. 9% in control group, respectively. Genotype GG associated with increased susceptibility to developing BC (odds ratio [OR]=5. 172, CI: 1. 555-17. 2, P=0. 007). There was a significant reverse correlation between GT genotype and BC (OR=0. 282, 95% CI: 0. 110-0. 722, P=0. 008) Conclusion: The changes in the vitamin D pathway may increase susceptibility to develop BC in the Iranian Kurdish population.

Background: Plants comprise great antioxidant sources as a result of their redox and biochemical components, which are rich in secondary metabolites such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and other constituents. Haplophyllum obtusifolium from polygonaceae is widely used for preventing and managing diabetes. This study investigated the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized by H. obtusifolium. Methods: The aerial parts of H. obtusifolium were gathered from the north of Khorasan Razavi province, Iran and desiccated at the chamber temperature. The shoots were powdered by grinding, 5 g of the powder was mixed with 250 mL of deionized water, and the resultant blend was then filtered. Bactericidal properties and antioxidant activity of the nanoparticles were assessed using disk diffusion and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) tests, respectively. Results: The results of this study showed that the biosynthesized nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against a gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacterium, but they had no effects on grampositive Staphylococcus epidermidis. Antioxidant test results showed that these nanoparticles were capable of eliminating DPPH radicals in a concentration-dependent manner so that a more potent antioxidant activity was seen in higher concentrations of the nanoparticles. Conclusion: Our results suggested that H. obtusifolium can be used as a key source of antioxidants/ antimicrobial agents in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent causes of gastrointestinal tumors. Due to the invasiveness of the current diagnostic methods, there is an urgent need to develop non-invasive diagnostic approaches for CRC. The exact mechanisms and the most important genes associated with the development of CRC are not fully demonstrated. Objectives: This study aimed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), key genes, and their regulators associated with the pathogenesis of CRC. The signaling pathways and biological processes (BPs) that were significantly affected in CRC were also indicated. Moreover, two non-invasive models were constructed for CRC diagnosis. Methods: The miRNA dataset GSE59856 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed to identify DEMs in CRC patients compared with healthy controls (HCs). A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built and analyzed. Significant clusters in the PPI networks were identified, and the BPs and pathways associated with these clusters were studied. The hub genes in the PPI network, as well as their regulators were identified. Results: A total of 569 DEMs were demonstrated with the criteria of P value <0. 001. A total of 110 essential genes and 30 modules were identified in the PPI network. Functional analysis revealed that 1005 BPs, 9 molecular functions (MFs), 14 cellular components (CCs), and 887 pathways were significantly affected in CRC. A total of 22 transcription factors (TFs) were demonstrated as the regulators of the hubs. Conclusion: Our results may provide new insight into the pathogenesis of CRC and advance the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of the disease. However, confirmation is required in the future.

Cancer is considered as one of the major health problems worldwide. So far, no completely effective method has been found for cancer treatment. Therefore, the rise of using natural products has been proposed as an alternative therapy in this regard. For many years, the seaweed has been a source of many functional bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, polyphenols, pigments, terpenes, and many others. These compounds have shown many bioactivities including anticancer activity against different kinds of cancer. Bioactive compounds obtained from the seaweed have been demonstrated to cause apoptosis in cancer cells and trigger cell cycle arrest with low cytotoxicity against normal cells. In this review, it was attempted to shed light on the anticancer activity of some seaweed-derived bioactive compounds.

Background: In this study, the artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used for the detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the chest x-ray were reviewed. Methods: PubMed, arXiv, and Google Scholar were used to search for AI studies. Results: A total of 20 papers were extracted from Google Scholar, 14 from arXiv, and 5 from PubMed. In 17 papers, publicly available datasets and in 3 papers, independent datasets were used. 10 papers disclosed source codes. Nine papers were about creating a novel AI software, 8 papers reported the modification of the existing AI models, and 3 compared the performance of the existing AI software programs. All papers have used deep learning as AI technique. Most papers reported accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the models, and also the area under the curve (AUC) for investigation of the model performance for the prediction of COVID-19. Nine papers reported accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The number of datasets used in the studies ranged from 50 to 94323. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the models ranged from 0. 88 to 0. 98, 0. 80 to 1. 00, and 0. 70 to 1. 00, respectively. Conclusion: The studies revealed that AI can help human in fighting the new Coronavirus.

Background: Estrogen deficiency following menopause creates an imbalance in plasma micronutrient resulting in several degenerative pathological conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc. Objectives: The present study was designed to compare zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and selenium (Se) concentrations between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods: In this descriptive study a total of 200 participants were classified into two groups of postmenopausal (age range: 46-75 years, served as experimental) and premenopausal (age range: 30-45 years, served as control). Each group consisted of 100 subjects. After obtaining informed consent from all participants, blood samples were collected from the antecubital fossa vein of each participant by venipuncture. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, and Se in each blood sample were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Results: No significant difference (P > 0. 05) was observed in serum Fe (114. 24 ± 26. 79 µ g/dL), Zn (83. 11 ± 20. 45 µ g/dL), and Se (41. 99 ± 9. 78 µ g/dL) levels between the control and experimental groups. However, serum Fe and Zn showed progressive significant (P = 0. 04, 0. 03, respectively) increase with increasing postmenopausal age. Conversely, serum Se concentration decreased significantly (P = 0. 03) with increasing menopausal age. Conclusion: Although no significant difference was observed in serum levels of Fe, Zn, and Se between pre-and post-menopausal women, the progressive significant increase in the serum Fe and Zn levels as well as significant decrease in serum Se level with advancing post-menopausal age portend a great risk.

Dear Editor: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, first emerged in late 2019 with rapid global spread (1, 2). Anti-inflammatory and antiviral treatments (e. g., tocilizumab and remdesivir) were found useful for ameliorating disease symptoms (2). Some days before the announcement of the World Health Organization (who) regarding the introduction of COVID-19, a pandemic disease, the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) study in Iran had been approved (https: //www. irct. ir/trial/46790) on March 30, 2020. . .