Fariba Zarei; Susan Khosroyar
Abstract
Objectives In recent years, researchers tried to find new compounds with herbal origins to treat and prevent diseases. The current study aimed at investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Melilotus officinalis and Fraxinus excelsior alcoholic extracts, commonly used in traditional ...
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Objectives In recent years, researchers tried to find new compounds with herbal origins to treat and prevent diseases. The current study aimed at investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Melilotus officinalis and Fraxinus excelsior alcoholic extracts, commonly used in traditional medicines. Methods After preparing the ethanolic extracts of M. officinalis and F. excelsior by the maceration method, the antioxidant properties were investigated by the cupric ion reducing assay (cupric assay) and the anti-inflammatory effects were also investigated through the prevention test of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and its transformation potential.Results The obtained results showed that both mentioned plants had antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The antioxidant properties changed based on the concentration of extracts, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties increased along with the concentration increase. The highest amount of phenolic compound in F. excelsior was 0.04 mg/g of dry extract; this plant also showed the highest antioxidant effect (0.714±0.045). The highest amount of flavonoid compounds in M. officinalis was 9.23 mg; this plant showed the highest anti-inflammatory effects (0.21±0.033 ). Conclusion The employed screening methods were useful to find biological components with different properties.
Fatemeh Zihreh; Siam Nasri; Parisa Karishchi
Volume 22, Issue 2 , May and June 2015, , Pages 377-386
Abstract
Background and purpose: Antioxidants such as Quercetin protect sperm cells from free radical damage. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of Quercetin on spermatogenesis in male rats.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 50 male rats were used. Quercetin was injected daily ...
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Background and purpose: Antioxidants such as Quercetin protect sperm cells from free radical damage. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of Quercetin on spermatogenesis in male rats.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 50 male rats were used. Quercetin was injected daily at doses of 5, 10, 15, 20 (mg/kg) for two weeks intraperitoneally. One week after the last injection, blood samples were collected and the left testis of rats were removed and weighed. Epididymal sperm and testicular sections were also studied. Data were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA at the significant level of 0.05 in SPSS 19 software.
Results: No significant difference was found in serum level of gonadotropins, but testosterone has increased at dose of 20 mg/kg (6.52±0.50, P=0/0079).Significant difference in testicular weight wasn’t seen. The number of sperm (51.35±1.68, P=0.0251) and also sperm mobility (73.88±5.91, P= 0.0002) in the epididymis especially at dose of 20 mg/kg has increased. No significant difference was found between the groups in the number of spermatogonia cells. But the number of primary spermatocytes (118.25±7.04, P=0.0171), spermatids (106.75±6.28, P=0.0032) and Spermatozoa (101.75±6.30, P= 0.0008) were increased at dose of 20 mg/kg.
Conclusion: No significant change in gonadotropins was seen, which indicates that probably Quercetin has not affected PG axis. Quercetin is believed to improve the quality and quantity of germ cells with its antioxidant effects and increasing of testosterone.
Mahmood Baradaran; Manoochehr Ashrafpour; Hakimeh Rezaee; Aliasghar Sefidgar; Hamzeh Sharifi
Volume 21, Issue 4 , September and October 2014, , Pages 529-539
Abstract
Background: Plants are an important source of antioxidants that can help to cell’s normal metabolism via preventing accumulation of free radicals and so, prevent developing diseases associated with oxidative stress. Thus, the present study was performed to determine the antioxidant properties of Artemissia ...
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Background: Plants are an important source of antioxidants that can help to cell’s normal metabolism via preventing accumulation of free radicals and so, prevent developing diseases associated with oxidative stress. Thus, the present study was performed to determine the antioxidant properties of Artemissia Annua extracts (AA).
Methods and materials: at first, Artemisia Annua with a local name as Gandvash identified and then some parts of its leaves and flowers into powder. Extracting was done using water, ethanol and methanol solvent. FRAP assay was performed to determine the antioxidant properties. For this purpose, extract solutions with 20% concentration were added to FRAP solution and after incubation, the optical absorption values was measured. The ferrous sulfate and vitamin C were used as standard solutions.
Results: the Mean total antioxidant capacity (TAC) for methanolic leaves extract was 72.18 ± 4.18 micro mol ferrous sulfate and 90.31 ± 5.27 mg of vitamin C per gram of dry weight, which is considerably higher than other extracts (p0.05) while, the ethanol extract of the leaves and flowers were different significantly (p
V ZAROUSHANI; SB MORTAZAVI; A KHAVANIN; A REZAEI; R MIRZAEI
Volume 14, Issue 4 , January and February 2008, , Pages 238-245
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Application of 9/5 MHz microwaves in mobiles causes thermal and non-thermal effects. Due to occupational exposure to microwaves particularly in telecommunication operators, and due to the importance of antioxidants in immune system and prevention of diseases, this study was designed ...
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Background and Purpose: Application of 9/5 MHz microwaves in mobiles causes thermal and non-thermal effects. Due to occupational exposure to microwaves particularly in telecommunication operators, and due to the importance of antioxidants in immune system and prevention of diseases, this study was designed to investigate the biological effects of 915 MHz microwaves in mobiles on antioxidant changes and their eversibility to normal after disconnected exposure.
Methods and Materials: This experimental study was conducted on 14 white male rabbits (three month old/1400-1700 gr) of pure NewZealand race. They were randomly assigned into case and control groups. Case rabbits were exposed, for three weeks 8 hours a day, to simulated mobile microwaves of 915 MHz frequency and mean density of 0.6789 mW/cm2 in radiation chamber. In order to investigate the reversibility of antioxidant capacity to normal, the exposure was disconnected for two weeks. Blood samples by cardiac puncture were obtained from both groups in three intervals (after 3 weeks exposure, after one week rest, again after two weeks) and plasma antioxidant was measured by FRAP assay. The absorption rate of TPT2-Fe+2 was read in 593 nm by spectrophotometer. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using ANOVA and Tukey testes.
Results: The results of mean comparison of antioxidant concentration in control rabbits (890.61±104.555 mmol/lit) and case rabbits after threeweek exposure (630.61±151.08 mmol/lit) showed significant differences. The results of mean comparison of antioxidant concentration in control rabbits (870.28±104.55 mmol/lit) and case rabbits after a one-week disconnection (575.33±132.58 mmol/lit) and two weeks after disconnected exposure (526.66±20.66 mmol/lit) indicated that the induced effects were not reversible, and that they are statistically different from control rabbits' antioxidant mean.
Conclusion: Mobile-induced microwaves decreases plasma antioxidant capacity and it can be a harmful physical effect. Disconnection from exposure for two weeks is not sufficient for returning antioxidant capacity to normal due to occupational chronic exposure to mobile microwave radiation, chain reactions producing radicals and their persistence or stability or causing instability to parent molecules.