Iranian Journal of Toxicology
Volume:15 Issue: 1, Jan 2021

Hydatidosis is a common disease of both humans and animals, resulting from infection with the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiparasitic (protoscolicidal) activities of three essential oils in vitro.

This study was designed to evaluate the biochemical composition and in vitro antiparasitic effects of Zataria multiflora, Origanum vulgare and Mentha pulegium essential oils. Gas chromatography was performed to identify the main components of the herbal oils. To determine the antiparasitic properties of the essential oils, live protoscoleces from hydatid cysts were exposed to three concentrations of the herbal oils and were incubated at 37°C for 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 minutes. 

The biochemical analysis of these oils indicated that carvacrol and thymol were the major compounds of the Zataria oil. Further, carvacrol and thymol in Origanum essential oil and pulegone and piperitone in Mentha oil were the major compounds. The quickest and slowest antiparasitic effect was achieved from Zataria and Origanum (10%) or from Zataria (0.6%), respectively. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the mortality rate of protoscoleces exposed to 0.6% and 1% concentrations, respectively, of Zataria and Origanum at the predetermined exposure times (P<0.05). The three concentrations of Mentha had the same significant statistical differences (P<0.05).

Essential oils, Zataria multiflora, Origanum vulgare and Mentha pulegium had significant protoscolicidal activities that were dependent on the concentration of the oils and the exposure times.

This study aimed to investigate changes in Calcitonin Cells (C cells) and Parathyroid Glands (PTG) induced by cypermethrin exposure in rats and evaluate the protective effects of Jamun Seeds (Syzygium cumini; JSE) and orange peels (Citrus sinensis; OPE) extracts.

Wistar rats (N=120) were treated in groups of 20 each as: A. Controls; B. Cypermethrin (CY); C. Cypermethrin and JSE; D. Cypermethrin and OPE; E. OPE; F. JSE. Thyro-parathyroid tissue samples were fixed on days 15 or 30 following each treatment. 

Cypermethrin treatment in rats either alone or combined with JSE or OPE caused degranulation of calcitonin cells and mitochondrial enlargement on day 15 of exposure. Nuclear volume of C cells in groups B, C and D remained unchanged. On day 30, we found increased nuclear volumes, accumulation of secretory granules and degeneration of C cells.  In groups E and F no changes in the morphology of C cells were observed. The PTG cells treated with cypermethrin or CY+JSE or CY+OPE over 15 days exhibited hyperchromatic, elongated and increased in volume of the nuclei. The nuclei of PTG cells treated with cypermethrin, CY+JSE or CY+OPE were hyperchromatic and elongated on day 30. Degenerate nuclei were detected after cypermethrin treatment, and the nuclear volumes were increased on day 30. In groups E and F there were no changes in PTG cells on days 15 and 30 post treatment.

Cypermethrin provoked alterations in the calcitonin and PTG cells, with microscopic evidence of protection after treatment with JSE and OPE.

Highly-concentrated phosphate and nitrate anions from sugarcane wastewater are often discharged into public waters without standardized treatments. This study assessed the effects of electrical coagulation, initial pH and reaction time in the removal of phosphate and nitrate pollutants.

We used aluminum electrodes to remove the pollutants at Hakhim Farabi Agricultural and Industrial complex, Khuzestan Province, Iran. A septic tank was used for collecting water samples followed by measuring the pH, and the concentrations of phosphate and nitrate in the samples. The pH was set at 5, 7, 9 or 11. Six aluminum electrodes were placed perpendicular to the water flow and were connected to power in a single-polar method. They were used to assess the effects of pH changes, electrical power at 10 and 30 volts and the water retention time at 15, 30, 45 or 60 min. on the efficiency of the pollutants’ removal. 

The results indicated that under equal retention time and varying pH values, as voltage increased from 10 to 30, the phosphate and nitrate removal increased progressively. It was further demonstrated that the maximum phosphate removal efficiency was achieved at pH7, while it declined at higher pH levels. The highest possible nitrate removal efficiency was achieved under alkaline pH levels. The overall results showed that at every pH and voltage, the percentage of phosphate and nitrate removal increased over time.

This study demonstrated that electro-coagulation process is an appropriate and efficient method to remove phosphate and nitrate pollutants from sugarcane wastewaters.

Scorpion stings are responsible for many deaths in humans; however, the toxicity mechanisms of the venoms from many species are not well studied. We investigated the cardiotoxicity of the crude venom from H. lepturus scorpion and its isolated fractions, F-I to F-VI. 

The scorpion’s venom was extracted into six fractions by chromotagraphy. Healthy male Wistar rats (N=72) were equally divided into eight groups of nine: G1: Controls (0.5ml. normal saline), G2: Crude venom (1000µg/kg), G3: F-I (120µg/kg), G4: F-II (430µg/kg), G5: F-III (80 µg/kg), G6: F-IV (180µg/kg), G7: F-V (60µg/kg), and G8: F-VI (130µg/kg). Blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture at 1, 3 and 24 hours after the venom injection. The serum levels of AST, LDH, CPK, CK-MB and troponin-I were determined. Upon euthanasia, the hearts were removed from the rats and examined microscopically for histopathology. 

In groups receiving crude venom and F-VI, we observed multifocal fragmentation of myocardial fibers, hemorrhage, degeneration and disappearance of striations in cardiac muscles as compared to the controls. The findings showed that AST and LDH activity in groups 2, 4 and 8, CPK activity in groups 2, 4, 6 and 8 and CK-MB activity and troponin-I levels in groups 2 and 8 increased significantly compared to those in the control group. 

There was evidence of significant cardiotoxicity in the group receiving crude venom and F-VI. Although alterations in the enzymatic and troponin-I levels were observed in other groups, the greatest cardiotoxicity of H. lepturus venom was caused by fraction VI.

Solanum erianthum leaves extract has been used to treat sexually-transmitted diseases, malaria, and leprosy. This study assessed the toxicity and safety of S. erianthum extract in rats.

Treatment with 250, 500 or 750 mg/kg of the aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts in the rats had different effects on the biochemical activities of the liver, heart and kidneys, and based on the hematological and histopathological changes observed after short-term (30 days) and long-term (60 days) exposure.

The serum biochemical parameters examined were AST, ALT, and ALP concentrations in the albino rats treated with the extracts of S. Erianthum at various concentrations. The extract showed significantly different effects in the treated versus untreated rats (P<0.05). The ALT level significantly decreased after the administration of 250, 500, or 750 mg/kg of the aqueous extract of S. Erianthum. There were significant differences in the hematological profile of the rats for all doses of the methanolic extracts (P<0.05). Histopathological examinations detected Kupffer cells activation in the liver, otherwise normal histology of the kidneys with respect to the glomeruli and tubules. Also, mild coronary vascular congestion was detected in the animals’ heart.

The S. erianthum extracts were safe and without exerting toxic effect on the rat’s heart or kidneys, as demonstrated for the doses up to 750 mg/kg given over 30 or 60 days. However, the congestion in the rats’ spleens could be a cause for concern if the extract were to be used in humans for long-term.

Excitotoxicity is a common pathological process in neurodegenerative diseases associated with overactivity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and P/Q type voltage-gated calcium (Cav2.1) channels. Omega-lycotoxin-Gsp2671g is a therapeutic tool to modulate overactive Cav2.1 (P/Q type) channels. Omega-lycotoxin binds to Cav2.1 channels with high affinity and selectivity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Omega-lycotoxin on the cognitive impairment induced by kainic acid in rats.

The effect of pre-treatment and post-treatment trials of intra-hippocampal Cornu Ammonis-3 administration of omega-lycotoxin (0.5, 1 or 2µg) was studied on the cognitive impairment induced by kainic acid in rats. The rats’ learning and memory were assessed by the passive avoidance and a single-day testing version of the Morris water maze method.

Omega-lycotoxin caused a significant increase in the latency of the passive avoidance test and the duration of their presence in the target area of the Morris water maze test compared to the groups treated with kainic acid (P<0.0001). There were statistically significant differences for the effects of various doses of omega-lycotoxin. The post-treatment groups showed a greater improvement than those in the pretreatment groups.

The findings demonstrated that a single dose of omega-lycotoxin can prevent or revert the memory impairment caused by kainic acid in rats.

Chemotherapy agents can cause ovarian dysfunction and eventually lead to infertility. This study investigated the effect of nasturtium officinale extract on the ovarian function following the toxicity induced by doxorubicin in female rats.

Forty eight female Wistar rats (180-210g) were randomly divided in six groups as follows: Group I, normal rats receiving 1ml normal saline; Group II and III receiving 25 and 75 mg/kg of the extract daily by gavage for 21 days. Groups IV, V and VI receiving 10 mg/kg doxorubicin intraperitoneally on the first day. In addition, Group IV and V received 25 and 75 mg/kg of the extract, respectively. The serum levels of estrogen, progesterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and ovarian Malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined after 21 days of treatment. The mean numbers of various graafian follicles and corpus lutea were recorded after treatment.

The mean serum FSH level in Group VI (0.11±0.01) significantly reduced compared to those in Groups II (0.21±0.05) and III (0.23±0.01), (P<0.05). The mean serum LH and estrogen levels in Group VI (0.16±0.08) reduced insignificantly compared to those in the controls (0.21±0.02), and in Groups II (0.23±0.03) and III (0.22±0.09). A significant reduction in the number of primary, secondary and graafian follicles were observed in Group VI compared to the control group (P<0.05). The serum MDA level significantly declined in Group V compared to that in Group VI (P<0.05).

The nasturtium officinale extract attenuated the toxic effect of doxorubicin on the rat ovaries and protected the cell division in the follicles and the oocytes maturation.

Traditional medicine is inspiring in drug development research. Epilobium parviflorum extracts have shown promising therapeutic effects on prostate cancer cells. The similarities between breast and prostate cancers at molecular and metabolic levels prompted us to explore its effects on human breast cancer.

The root, aerial parts and flowers of the plant were, collected and dried separately at ambient temperature and away from direct sunlight. The aquatic and methanolic extracts of each part was prepared. The effect of each extract on the growth of MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells and HEK293 normal cell line was evaluated, using MTT assay. Each experiment was repeated at least three times independently. The IC50 values for each treatment time point were analyzed, using ANOVA at P<0.05.

While none of the extracts had considerable toxicity on normal HEK293 cells, some of them showed varying levels of toxicity on the MCF-7 cells. The methanolic extracts were more cytotoxic than the aqueous counterpart. The roots’ methanolic extract showed the strongest cytotoxicity on the MCF-7 cells in a dose and exposure time dependent manner. The IC50 after 48 hours of treatment was determined at 73µg/ml.  

This study is the first to demonstrate that Epilobium parviflorum had a strong growth inhibiting property on MCF-7 cell line, as a potential model to treat human breast cancer cells. The most cytotoxic effect was noted for the methanolic root extract. Determination of the effective biochemical constituents of the extract against cancer cells is the focus of our future research.