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Abstract
The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of pumpkin oil, ginger oil alone or in combination with vitamins (B12, B6 and folic acid) administration on different biochemical parameters in methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemic rats. After 15 days of methionine administration at dose level of 1g/kg b.w./day, the methionine administered rats were divided to 6 groups; the first group was given methionine for another 4 weeks and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%) as a vehicle by gastric intubation, the second group was given methionine (1g/kg b.w.) and was treated with vitamins (folic acid, B6 and B12) mixed with the diet at the dose of 20 mg/kg diet/day, 30 mg/kg diet/day and 80 μg/kg diet/day respectively for 4 weeks and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%) as a vehicle by gastric intubation, the third group was given methionine (1g/kg b.w.) and was treated for 4 weeks with pumpkin oil (50 mg/kg body weight/day dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%) by gastric intubation, the forth group was given methionine (1g/kg b.w.) and was treated for 4 weeks with pumpkin oil (50 mg / kg body weight/day dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%) by gastric intubation in addition to vitamins mixed with diet as the second group, the fifth group was given methionine (1g/kg b.w.) and was orally treated for 4 weeks with ginger oil (50 mg/kg body weight/day dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%) by gastric intubation and the sixth group was given methionine (1g/kg b.w.) and was treated with ginger oil (50 mg/kg body weight/day dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (10%)) in addition to vitamins mixed with diet as in the second group. Another group of normal animals was kept under the same laboratory conditions and regarded as control for the hyperhomocysteinemic rats and was given distal water and DMSO (10%) as ehicles. After 4 weeks of treatment with oils and/ or vitamins, kidney and part of the liver were taken for studying the histopathological change and blood samples were obtained for the quantitative determination of plasma hcy, lipid profile (serum total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and vLDL-cholesterol concentrations), serum urea, uric acid and uric acid concentrations, and serum CK-MB, LDH and AST activities. Moreover, heart, kidney and liver were taken for quantitative determination of various parameters of oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system.
The obtained data of the above mentioned investigations revealed the following:
(1) Plasma total homocysteine was increased in the hyperhomocysteinemic rats and treatment with ginger oil or pumpkin oil and/or vitamins caused improvement in the elevated value of the homocysteine. The treatment with vitamins alone or in combination with pumpkin and ginger oils seemed to be more efficient in reducing elevated homocysteine than pumpkin oil or ginger oil alone.
(2) In the hyperhomocysteinemic rats, marked increases of serum total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and vLDL- cholesterol concentrations while the concentration of HDL-cholesterol was decreased. The treatment of the hyperhomocysteinemic rats with ginger oil or pumpkin oil and/or vitamins induced potential alleviation of the disrupted lipid profile.
(3) In the hyperhomocysteinemic rats, there were increases in the urea, uric acid and creatinine concentrations and the treatment with pumpkin oil or ginger oil and/or vitamins showed profound improvement in the elevated value of these
oil parameters.
(4) Regarding the activities of serum CK-MB, LDH and AST, the recorded activities were increased markedly in the hyperhomocysteinemic rats and decreased in the treated rats except the treatment with vitamins alone or in combination with ginger oil which didn´t show a significant decrease in the elevated value of the CK-MB activity.
(5) With regard to the oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system, the hyperhomocysteinemic rats showed a marked decrease in the liver, kidney and heart antioxidants and an elevation in the lipid peroxidation. On the other hand, the treatment with pumpkin oil or ginger oil and/or vitamins showed marked improvement of the decreased value of the antioxidants. The treatment also produced a detectable alleviation of the increased value of lipid peroxidation.
(6) Regarding the clotting time, the recorded times were decreased in the hyperhomocysteinemic rats and improved by the treatment with oils and vitamins.
(7) Methionine administration impairs the histological structures of both liver and kidney, on the other hand the treatment with oils and vitamins improved the altered histological changes. .
In conclusion, the treatment with pumpkin oil or ginger oil and/ or vitamins can be used not only for reducing homocysteine concentration and amelioration in the lipid profile and the antioxidant defense system but also for improvement in the heart and kidney functions impaired in the hyperhomocysteinemic rats.