Department of Biological Sciences

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    Favourable influence of low molecular weight heparin in mitigating the peroxidative membrane damage induced by a cytotoxic agent and an atherogenic diet
    (Sage, 2003) Deepa, P.R.
    The present study is aimed to demonstrate the protective effect of a heparin derivative, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) against erythrocyte membrane injury. Two models serve to induce membrane lipid peroxidative damage, namely a potent cytotoxic agent, adriamycin and a hypercholesterolemic atherogenic diet. Two groups of male Wistar rats (1409-10 g) received a single intravenous injection of adriamycin (ADR, 7.5 mg/kg), while two other groups were fed an atherogenic diet comprising a supplementation of 4% cholesterol, 1% cholic acid and 0.5% thiouracil (CCT diet) for 2 weeks. For each of the above two groups, LMWH (Troparin; 300 mg/day per rat subcutaneously) treatment commenced on day 8 and continued for a week. One group was maintained as the normal control group, and another group that received only LMWH treatment was designated as the LMWH drug control group. Erythrocyte membrane was isolated and assayed for its cholesterol levels, lipid peroxidation and ATPases activity. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were assessed in the haemolysate. The findings of the study were that both adriamycin and the atherogenic diet produced elevated membrane cholesterol levels and lipid peroxidation. The membrane ATPases suffered loss in activity. Accentuated oxidative stress was marked by rise in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase and GPx). LMWH intervention reverted these changes thereby normalizing the membrane composition and function. The membrane protective effect of LMWH is illuminated by this work.
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    Protective effect of low molecular weight heparin on oxidative injury and cellular abnormalities in adriamycin-induced cardiac and hepatic toxicity
    (Elsiever, 2003) Deepa, P.R.
    The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effect of a heparin derivative, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) on the biochemical changes, tissue peroxidative damage and abnormal antioxidant levels in adriamycin (ADR) induced cardiac and hepatic toxicity. Male Wistar rats (140±10 g) were divided into four groups: untreated control (group I), ADR group (a single dose intravenous injection of 7.5 mg/kg ADR—group II), LMWH control (300 μg/day per rat s.c. for 1 week—group III) and ADR plus LMWH group (7.5 mg/kg ADR on day 1 of study period followed by LMWH treatment, 300 μg/day per rat commencing on day 8 and continued for a week. At the end of the 2-week experimental period, all animals were terminated. Cellular damage was assessed in terms of serum and tissue lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was assessed in the serum and heart tissue. The role of LMWH in altering the oxidative stress in ADR-induced toxicity was evaluated on the basis of its influence on cardiac and hepatic lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status (enzymatic and non-enzymatic)—superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), α-tocopherol (Vitamin E) and ascorbate (Vitamin C). LMWH administration to ADR-induced rats prevented the rise in serum and tissue levels of LDH, aminotransferases and ALP, while these parameters were significantly elevated in the ADR group in comparison with the control group. Cardiotoxicity indicated by rise in serum CPK in the ADR group was attenuated by LMWH treatment in group IV. LMWH decreased the cardiac and hepatic lipid peroxidation induced by ADR. Histologic examination revealed that the ADR-induced deleterious changes in the heart and liver tissues were offset by LMWH treatment. Restoration of cellular normalcy accredits LMWH with cytoprotective role in adriamycin-induced cardiac and hepatic toxicity.
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    Beneficial cardio-renovascular effects of a low-molecular-weight heparin-derivative on adriamycin-induced glycosaminoglycanuria and tissue lipid abnormalities
    (Elsiever, 2005) Deepa, P.R.
    The present work includes a study on the glycosaminoglycanuric condition induced by adriamycin (ADR, a chemotherapeutic agent) and the accompanying secondary hyperlipidemia, wherein the treatment with a low-molecular-weight heparin-derivative (LMWH), certoparin, is evaluated for its protective role (if any) on these parameters. Two groups of male albino rats of the Wistar strain (140 ± 10 g) received a single intravenous injection of adriamycin (7.5 mg/kg), and one of these groups was treated with a low-molecular-weight heparin-derivative (Certoparin Sodium, Troparin®; 300 μg/day/rat s.c.), commencing on day 8, for a week. Urinary total glycosaminoglycans excretion of the untreated ADR-induced group was found to increase on the 8th and the 15th days of observation, when compared with the controls. The LMWH treatment commencing on day 8 resulted in minimising the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) excretion by day 15 (p < 0.001). Plasma, cardiac, hepatic and renal lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids) showed a sharp increase in the pathologic group, along with a rise in plasma LDL and VLDL cholesterol and drop in HDL cholesterol levels, paralleled by abnormal activities of the enzymes involved in lipid metabolism. LMWH treated group showed a normalised lipid profile and the activities of the lipid-metabolising enzymes was close to that of controls. It is concluded herein that adriamycin administration resulted in severe nephropathy manifested by increased glycosaminoglycanuria and abnormal lipid metabolism, and that LMWH treatment afforded substantial protection by restoring glomerular structure and function, and normalised the plasma and tissue lipid levels, lipoprotein profile and the activities of lipid-metabolising enzymes.
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    Biochemical evaluation of the inflammatory changes in cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues of adriamycin-administered rats and the modulatory role of exogenous heparin-derivative treatment
    (Elsiever, 2005) Deepa, P.R.
    The aim of the present work is to evaluate the role of a heparin derivative, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), certoparin on the inflammatory changes in adriamycin (ADR) cytotoxicity on a biochemical basis. Male Wistar rats (140 ± 10 g) were divided into four groups: untreated control, ADR group (a single dose intravenous injection of 7.5 mg/kg ADR), LMWH control (300 μg/(day rat) s.c. for 1 week) and ADR plus LMWH group (7.5 mg/kg ADR on day 1 of study period followed by LMWH treatment, 300 μg/(day rat) commencing on day 8 and continued for 1 week). At the end of the 2-week experimental period, biochemical assessment of the inflammatory status was carried out in the plasma, cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues. Increased concentrations of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen indicated severe inflammation in the ADR cytotoxic rats. These acute-phase inflammatory markers diminished significantly in the LMWH treated group, when compared with the cytotoxic group (p < 0.001). Tissue damage was marked by elevated levels of plasma and tissue hexose, hexosamine, hexuronic acid and sialic acid, which were reversed on LMWH administration (p < 0.001). The activities of lysosomal enzymes was measured in the experimental groups, and it was observed that the ADR induced rats showed a marked increase in the enzymic activities, while LMWH treated rats revealed normal activities. The present study throws light on the inflammatory changes in the ADR-challenged heart, liver and kidney tissues, and projects the biochemical basis for the anti-inflammatory property of the LMWH, certoparin.
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    Influence of a low-molecular-weight heparin derivative on the nitric oxide levels and apoptotic DNA damage in adriamycin-induced cardiac and renal toxicity
    (Elsiever, 2006) Deepa, P.R.
    The spectrum of the anti-apoptotic potential of heparin is currently under scrutiny in various tissues and under various pathological situations. In this study, the role of a low-molecular-weight heparin derivative (LMWH), certoparin in adriamycin-induced oxidative DNA damage has been evaluated in the cardiac and renal tissues. Two groups of male albino rats of the Wistar strain (140 ± 10 g) received a single intravenous injection of adriamycin (7.5 mg/kg), and one of them received low-molecular-weight heparin (Certoparin Sodium, 300 μg/day/rat s.c.) treatment, commencing on day 8, continued for a week. The nitrosative stress in ADR cytotoxicity is indicated by the 1.51-fold cardiac and 2.36-fold renal increase in reactive nitrogen species (RNS), while LMWH treatment restores normalcy (p < 0.001). The influence of LMWH on the pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic cytokine, TNF-α was studied. Renal and cardiac levels of TNF-α showed a significant rise (p < 0.001) in the ADR cytotoxic group, while the TNF-α values departed towards control levels in the LMWH treated group (p < 0.001). DNA damage indicated by the fragmentation pattern (agarose gel electrophoresis) and the significantly increased comet tail length (p < 0.001) observed after alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis confirmed the toxicity induced by ADR on DNA in the untreated group. In the LMWH-treated group, the observation of intact DNA band after agarose gel electrophoresis, and the finding of comet tail length being comparable with that of the control substantiated the protection rendered by the LMWH, certoparin. In short, the results suggest that the low-molecular-weight heparin derivative, certoparin exerts beneficial effects on the nitrosative status, and on the biological macromolecules as DNA and curtails the rise of the pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α in the cardiac and renal tissues.