teferrol and Disease-Models--Animal

Hemomine (HM) is an herbal mixture consisting of 5 varieties of the hematopoietic herbal extracts (Angelica gigas Nakai, Cnidium officinale Makino, Paeonia lactiflora Pall., Rehmannia glutinosa Liboschitz ex Stueudel, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer).. Anemia has been treated with iron supplements, whereas it could cause adverse side effects such as digestive discomfort. In the present study, HM was applied to SHA rats to test for several activities so as to verify its therapeutic potentials on anemia and digestive discomfort.. Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to seven groups: (Two controls, two references (ferric hydroxide polymatose (FM) and ferritin extract glycerin hydrate (FA)), three different concentrations of HM, n=8 per groups), and induced subacute hemorrhagic anemia (SHA) through blood exsanguinations once a day for 7 days.. The SHA animal model showed changes in the markers related to classic iron-deficient and regenerative anemia in this experiment. However, the SHA related anemic signs were dose-dependently inhibited by the administration of HM 2, 1, and 0.5ml/kg for 7 days, and more favorably than the equal dosages of FM and FA. In addition, FM and FA showed the typical constipation signs, including reduction of in thickness of the colonic mucosa, in contrast, HM 2, 1, and 0.5ml/kg groups had no effects on the gastrointestinal motilities and the colonic mucous components when compared to the controls. The results suggested that the HM significantly showed to have therapeutic effects in the experimental SHA in rats, and is more potent than the commercial iron supplement through the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells with reduced digestive discomfort.. Therefore, Hemomine may prove to be a promising hematopoietic and therapeutic agent for anemia.

Topics: Anemia; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ferric Compounds; Ferritins; Hematinics; Hemorrhage; Male; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Iron deficiency is common in inflammatory bowel disease, yet oral iron therapy may worsen the disease symptoms and increase systemic and local oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of oral ferrous sulfate and iron polymaltose complex on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in colitic rats.. Animals were divided into four groups with ten animals each. Rats of three groups received dextran sodium sulfate to induce colitis and animals of two of these groups received 5 mg iron/kg of body weight a day, as ferrous sulfate or iron polymaltose complex, for 7 days. Gross colon anatomy, histology of colon and liver, stainings of L-ferritin, Prussian blue, hepcidin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6, as well serum levels of liver enzymes, inflammatory markers, and iron markers, were assessed.. Body weight, gross anatomy, crypt injury and inflammation scores, inflammatory parameters in liver and colon, as well as serum and liver hepcidin levels were not significantly different between colitic animals without iron treatment and colitic animals treated with iron polymaltose complex. In contrast, ferrous sulfate treatment caused significant worsening of these parameters. As opposed to ferrous sulfate, iron polymaltose complex caused less or no additional oxidative stress in the colon and liver compared to colitic animals without iron treatment.. Iron polymaltose complex had negligible effects on colonic tissue erosion, local or systemic oxidative stress, and local or systemic inflammation, even at high therapeutic doses, and may thus represent a valuable oral treatment of iron deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Colitis; Dextran Sulfate; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Ferric Compounds; Ferrous Compounds; Hematinics; Inflammation; Male; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Although oral iron preparations are widely prescribed to prevent and to treat iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, comparative data on their effects to the mother, fetus and placenta are limited. In this study, the effects of oral iron polymaltose complex (IPC), ferrous fumarate (FF) and ferrous sulfate (FS) were compared in anemic pregnant rats, their fetuses and placentas. Hematological variables and oxidative stress markers in the liver, heart and kidneys of the dams and fetuses as well as the markers for oxidative stress, inflammation and hypoxia in placentas were assessed. Pregnancy outcome was measured by number of fetuses, and by neonate and placental weight. All therapies were comparably effective in correcting anemia. FS and FF, but not IPC, resulted in liver damage in dams and oxidative stress in dams, fetuses and placentas. FS group presented the highest catalase and GPx levels in dams, fetuses and placentas. IPC, but not FF or FS, restored normal TNF-α and IL6 expression levels in placentas whereas FS-treated animals presented the highest cytokine levels, suggesting a local inflammatory reaction. Anemia-induced high levels of HIF-1α were partially lowered by IPC and FF but further elevated by FS. Most of the negative effects associated with IDA were resolved by IPC treatment. Especially FS treatment was found to elicit hepatic damage in the dams, oxidative stress in the dams, fetuses and placenta as well as inflammation and high levels of HIF-1α in the placenta. Pregnancy outcome of FFand FS-treated animals was worse than that of IPC-treated animals.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Ferric Compounds; Ferrous Compounds; Humans; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-6; Oxidative Stress; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Infants rats, a well known model for the experimental reproduction of bacterial meningitis, were used by us to test the protective potential of antibodies developed in humans who had been vaccinated with the Cuban antimeningitis vaccine (VA-MENGOCBC). Newborn rats were inoculated by the intraperitoneal and intranasal routes with suspensions of Neisseria meningitidis group B bacteria. Bacteremia kinetics were evaluated from blood and brain-spinal fluid cultures. Samples of the central nervous system were taken and smears of backbone fluids prepared for histopathologic evaluations. Characterization of bacteremia evolution, as well as the mean lethal dose of germs and histopathologic features, were determined. After standardization of the model, therapeutic schemes were applied using passive immunization pre- and post-infection with N. meningitidis. A significant level of protection was obtained in relation to control animals that received the same challenge doses.

Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Bacteremia; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Ferric Compounds; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Male; Meningitis, Meningococcal; Neisseria meningitidis; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Virulence

Four baboons receiving intramuscular iron for 15 months were compared with two control baboons. From the overall two-year observation period the following data emerge: (1) The baboon is a suitable animal for obtaining a massive and chronic iron overload. Liver iron concentrations reached very high levels (ranging from 41.3 to 180.6 mumol/100 mg dry weight vs 1.7 +/- 0.5, mean +/- SEM, in controls), and a major liver iron overload (ie, with concentration values greater than or equal to 18) was present in all four animals for an average period of 16.5 months (range 14-19). (2) When compared with human hepatic iron-overload disorders, iron distribution was similar to that observed in secondary (transfusional) hepatic siderosis since iron deposits were found primarily in sinusoidal cells. However, a marked parenchymal siderosis was also obtained close to that observed in primary (genetic) siderosis. Iron toxicity was present biologically as indicated by an increase in serum transaminases. Histologically, a slight fibrosis was observed in the most heavily iron-overloaded baboon. On the whole, this study of subhuman primates brings new evidence that iron per se has only a minor hepatic damaging effect. It also suggests that the iron-overloaded baboon liver provides a promising tool for the study of liver cell disturbances in human iron overload.

Topics: Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Body Weight; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Ferric Compounds; Injections, Intramuscular; Iron; Liver; Male; Papio; Time Factors; Tissue Distribution