title: The Beneficial Effect of Cape Gooseberry Juice on Carbon Tetrachloride- Induced Neuronal Damage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) belongs to the Solanaceae family. Physalis has many medicinal properties however, the beneficial effect of physalis in protecting against neurotoxins has not yet been evaluated. This experimental study investigated the protective effect of physalis juice against the oxidative damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in the rat brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The degrees of protection by physalis in brain tissues were evaluated by determining the brain levels of lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase), after CCl4) induction in the presence or absence of physalis. Adult male albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, Group I served as the control group, Group II was intraperitoneally treated with 2 ml CCl4)/kg bwt for 12 weeks, Group III was supplemented with physalis juice via the drinking water for 12 weeks, Group IV was supplemented with physalis juice and was intraperitoneally injected weekly with CCl4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with CCl4) was significantly associated with a disturbance in the oxidative status in the brain tissues; this was marked by a significant (p<0.05) elevation in the lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels with a concomitant reduction in glutathione content compared to the control, along with a remarkable reduction in antioxidant enzymes. The administration of physalis along with CCl4) juice significantly (p<0.05) alleviated the changes in enzymatic antioxidant activity when compared to the CCl4) treated group. Furthermore, physalis juice supplemention inhibited apoptosis, as indicated by the increase of Bcl-2 immunoreactivity in brain tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that physalis juice could be effective in preventing neurotoxicity and the neuroprotective effect of physalis might be mediated via antioxidant and anti-apoptosis activities.
authors: Ebtesam M
authors: EM
authors: Al-Olayan
authors: Manal F
authors: MF
authors: El-Khadragy
authors: Sawsan A
authors: SA
authors: Omer
authors: Mohamed T M
authors: MT
authors: Shata
authors: Rami B
authors: RB
authors: Kassab
authors: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. aest1977@hotmail.com.
authors: Ahmed E
authors: AE
authors: Abdel Moneim
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031965:Ribes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019938:Cyclin D1; C000820:semidehydroascorbic acid; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid