Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
 26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) continues to function as a flavor enhancer in West African and Asian diets. The present study examines the modulatory effects of dietary antioxidant vitamin C (VIT C), vitamin E (VIT E) and quercetin on MSG-induced oxidative damage in the liver, kidney and brain of rats. In addition, the effect of these antioxidants on the possible genotoxicity of MSG was investigated in a rat bone marrow micronuclei model. MSG administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 4 mg/g body wt markedly increase malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in the liver, the kidney and brain of rats. Simultaneous administration of VIT C, VIT E and quercetin to MSG-treated rats significantly reduced this increase in MDA induced by MSG. VIT E reduced lipid peroxidation most in the liver followed by VIT C and then quercetin, while VIT C and quercetin showed a greater ability to protect the brain from membrane damage than VIT E. The decreased glutathione (GSH) level elicited by MSG in the three organs corresponded with marked increase in the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST). While MSG increased (P < 0.001) the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the liver, it decreased significantly the activities of these enzymes in the kidney and the brain. The three antioxidants were effective at ameliorating the effects of MSG on GSH levels and the enzymes in the three organs examined. While MSG increased the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver and kidneys of rats (P < 0.001), the activity of the enzyme was abysmally low in the brain. There were marked increases in the activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in rats treated with MSG. The antioxidants tested protected against MSG-induced liver toxicity significantly. MSG at a dose of 4 mg/g significantly (P < 0.01) induced the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs). Co-treatment of rats with VIT C and quercetin inhibited the induction of MNPCEs by MSG (P < 0.001). VIT E failed to protect against MSG-induced genotoxicity. The results indicate that dietary antioxidants have protective potential against oxidative stress induced by MSG and, in addition, suggest that active oxygen species may play an important role in its genotoxicity.
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PMID:Monosodium glutamate-induced oxidative damage and genotoxicity in the rat: modulatory role of vitamin C, vitamin E and quercetin. 1802 56

The radioprotective efficacy of methanolic extracts of leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS), and vitamin C (VIT C) against gamma radiation (4 Gy) induced liver damage was studied in male Wistar albino rats. VIT C was administered at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight, while VA and HS were administered at doses; 200, 400 and 800-mg/kg body weight, orally for 4 weeks prior to radiation and 5 weeks after irradiation. The rats were sacrificed at 24 hours and 5 weeks after irradiation. Treatment with VIT C and VA (800 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the gamma radiation-induced increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities at 24 hours after irradiation, whereas, HS (400 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the serum ALT activity only. Similarly, treatment with VIT C and VA (800 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the serum conjugated bilirubin levels by 56% and 29%, respectively at 24 hours. Furthermore, VIT C, VA and HS significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the levels of serum lipid peroxidation (LPO) and increased the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities at 24 hours. Treatment for 5 weeks after irradiation with VITC, VA and HS significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the levels of unconjugated bilirubin, while VIT C and VA alone decreased the levels of conjugated bilirubin. Furthermore, treatment with VA (400 and 800 mg/kg) decreased the serum ALT activities by 25% and 34%, respectively, at 5 weeks after irradiation. Similarly, alkaline phosphatase and LPO levels were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated following treatment with VIT C and VA (400 and 800 mg/kg) at 5 weeks after irradiation. In addition, treatment with VIT C, VA (800 mg/kg) and HS (400 and 800 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) elevated the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) by 61%, 56%, 41% and 44%, respectively, at 5 weeks. Similar elevation of antioxidant enzymes; SOD, glutathione-s-transferase and catalase were obtained in animals treated with VIT C and extracts at 5 weeks. Taken together, the results suggest that the extracts of VA and HS, and VIT C could increase the antioxidant defense systems and may probably protect animals from radiation-induced liver damage.
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PMID:Protective effects of extracts of Vernonia amygdalina, Hibiscus sabdariffa and vitamin C against radiation-induced liver damage in rats. 1825 May 64

The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis postulating that the supplementation of turkey diets with Cu nanoparticles can lower dietary inclusion levels of Cu without compromising the growth rate and antioxidant status of turkeys. The experiment was carried out on 648 one-day-old Hybrid Converter turkeys divided into 6 groups with 6 replicates per group, in a two-factorial design with 3 dietary inclusion levels of Cu (20, 10 and 2 mg/kg) and 2 dietary sources of Cu - copper sulfate (Cu-SUL) and Cu nanoparticles (Cu-NP). At 42 days of age, blood samples were collected from 2 birds per replicate (12 birds per group), after slaughter livers were collected for analyses. Blood and liver samples were assayed for: Cu, Zn, Ca, P, Mg, GLU, TP, ALB, UREA, TAG, TC, UA, ALT, AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, SOD, GPx, CAT, VIT C, FRAP, GSH+GSSG, LOOH, MDA. The results of this experiment demonstrate that a decrease in the dietary inclusion levels of Cu from 10 mg/kg to 2 mg/kg does not compromise the growth performance of turkeys, but weakens antioxidant defense mechanisms. A Cu dose of 20 mg/kg induces oxidation reactions and has a much more inhibitory effect on the antioxidant defense system than dietary Cu content of 2 mg/kg. In turkeys, dietary supplementation with Cu-NP has a more beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant status compared with Cu-SUL. The results of analyses examining the antioxidant and metabolic status of young turkeys indicate that 10 mg/kg is the optimal dietary inclusion level of Cu.
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PMID:Metabolic parameters in young turkeys fed diets with different inclusion levels of copper nanoparticles. 3045 Aug 62