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Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is cultivated throughout the world as an important vegetable. This review offers an insight on the versatile use of cucumbers for cosmetic, culinary and therapeutic purposes. Epidemiological and nutritional studies have shown various benefits associated with the use of cucumber. As cosmetic, cucumber is popularly used for natural beautification and for skin treatments. As a vegetable, cucumber is the quintessential materials and indispensable for salads, soups and smoothie with diverse health benefits including weight loss, remedy for chronic constipation, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and cancerous diseases among others. The use including weight loss, cosmetic, culinary and therapeutic purposes.

Cardiovascular disease is a complex and multifactorial disease strongly associated with hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, reduced ?brinolysis, increased blood-clotting time and increased platelet aggregation. Among other confounding factors, oxidative damage is a major factor in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The use of garlic in folkloric medicine highlights the potential role in either preventing or delaying cardiovascular disease. Contemporary research reveals how garlic and bioactive components modulate the risk factors of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases thus tending towards validating a measure of folkloric claims concerning the functional efficacy of garlic. This review seeks to elucidate contemporary research attempt towards the validation of the role of garlic and bioactive components, mechanisms of action involved and to define its ultimate role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Some contradictory claims exist possibly due to the use of different experimental protocols/formulations/dosages of garlic. Overwhelming commonality of positive cardiovascular and cerebro-vascular responses reside among research studies thus offering compelling evidence in supports of the bene?cial health effects of garlic and components.

The hepatoprotective effect of onion and garlic extracts on cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative damage in rats is reported. Control group received double-distilled water alone. Cd group was challenged with 3CdSO(4).8H(2)O (as Cd; 1.5 mg/kg bw per day per oral) alone, while extract-treated groups were pretreated with varied doses of onion and/or garlic extract (0.5 and 1.0 ml/100 g bw per day per oral) for a week and thereafter co-treated with Cd (1.5 mg/kg bw per day per oral) for 3 weeks. Cd caused a marked (p < 0.001) increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation and glutathione S-transferase, whereas glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels were decreased in the liver. We also observed a decrease in hepatic activities of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase and a concomitant increase in the plasma activities of ALT and AST. Onion and garlic extracts significantly attenuated these adverse effects of Cd. Onion extract proffered a dose-dependent hepatoprotection. Our study showed that Cd-induced oxidative damage in rat liver is amenable to attenuation by high dose of onion and moderate dose of garlic extracts possibly via reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant defense system that is insufficient to prevent and protect Cd-induced hepatotoxicity.

Cadmium (Cd) is known to exert gonadotoxic and spermiotoxic effects. The present study was performed to assess the possible protective roles of onion (Allium cepa Linn) and garlic (Allium sativum Linn) extracts on Cd-induced testicular damage and spermiotoxicity. The control group received double distilled water; Cd group received Cd (1.5mg/100g BW/day) orally; extract-treated groups were pre-treated with varied doses of onion and/or garlic extract (0.5ml and 1.0ml/100g BW/day) orally for one week and then simultaneously challenged with Cd (1.5mg/100g BW/day) for additional three weeks. Testicular tissue oxidant/antioxidant status and sperm characteristics were determined. Cd caused a marked (p

The hepatoprotective effect of methanolic extract of the leaf of Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) against ethanol-induced oxidative damage was investigated in adult male Wistar albino rats. P. amarus (250 and 500 mg/kg/day) and ethanol (5 g/kg/day, 20% w/v) were administered orally to animals for 4 weeks and 3 weeks, respectively. Ethanol treatment markedly decreased the level of reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in the liver, which were significantly enhanced by P. amarus treatment. Glutathione-S transferase (GST), which was increased after chronic ethanol administration, was significantly reduced by P. amarus treatment in the liver. Also, P. amarus significantly increased the activities of hepatic alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) as well as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), with a concomitant marked reduction in the plasma activity of the transaminases in the ethanol-challenged rats. Lipid peroxidation level, which was increased after chronic ethanol administration, was significantly reduced in the liver by P. amarus co-treatment. Results show that P. amarus leaf extract could protect the liver against ethanol-induced oxidative damage by possibly reducing the rate of lipid peroxidation and increasing the antioxidant defence mechanism in rats.

Adequate nutrition has been reported to increase the frame size and birth weight of neonates at term. These anthropometric measures have been used to predict foetal growth and well-being. It has been observed that the amounts of maternal serum and cord blood glucose influence these anthropometric parameters. Therefore, this study reports the relationship between maternal age and some biochemical indices of foetal nutrition (maternal serum and cord blood glucose, and birth weight at term). Pregnant subjects between 15 and 45 years, and who were about to be delivered were selected from the Labour room, Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. Cases of complications and disease conditions were excluded. Weight and age-matched, non-pregnant women in apparent good health were randomly recruited as control subjects. The results show that younger (15-19years)

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known nephrotoxicant inducing kidney damage via oxidative stress. Since kidney is the critical target organ of Cd toxicity, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of onion (Allium cepa L.) and garlic (Allium sativum L.) aqueous extracts on Cd-induced renal oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. The control group received double distilled water alone and Cd group was challenged with 3CdSO4 · 8H2O (as Cd) (1.5 mg/100 g bw/day per oral) alone. Extract-treated groups were pre-treated with varied doses (0.5 ml and 1.0 ml/100 g bw/day per oral) of onion and/or garlic extract for 1 week after which they were co-treated with Cd (1.5 mg/100 g bw/day per oral) for 3 weeks. The results showed that the levels of renal lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione-S transferase (GST) were significantly (P

Summary Cadmium (Cd) has been implicated in increased prostate gland malignancy risk in both wildlife and humans. This study examines the chemoprotective roles of onion and garlic extracts on Cd-induced biochemical alterations in the prostate glands of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups: control group received double distilled water; Cd group received Cd alone (1.5 mg/100 g bwt per day); extract-treated groups were pre-treated with varied doses of onion and/or garlic extract (0.5 ml and 1.0 ml/100 g bwt per day) for 1 week and then co-treated with Cd (1.5 mg/100 g bwt per day) for additional 3 weeks. Oxidant/antioxidant status and acid phosphatase (ACPtotal and ACPprostatic) activity were examined in prostate glands. Cd intoxication caused a marked (P

BACKGROUND Despite growing claims of functional health benefits in folkloric medicine, the safety of chronic/elevated intakes of onion and garlic cannot be assumed. Therefore, this study assesses oral administration of varied doses of onion and garlic on some biomarkers of hepatic and renal functions in rats. METHODS Animals were divided into five groups: control group received vehicle and extract-treated groups received varied doses of onion or garlic extract (0.5 mL and 1.0 mL/100 g bwt/day) for 6 weeks. RESULTS Both doses of onion caused marked (p

The presence of herpesvirus antigen and of antiherpesvirus antibodies was detected in 46% and in 36.3%, respectively, of the patients bearing parotid gland tumors. Very high titers of antiherpesvirus antibodies were found in 70.6% of the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The presence of complement fixing antibodies to the avian "gs" sarcoma-leukosis antigen is reported in the personnel of five different fowl farms. Seroconversion was observed in the workers from one of the farms, where the initial antibody incidence was very low.

DNA extracted from SV40-induced hamster sarcoma (SV40--HS DNA) increased the survival length of animals carrying the homologous tumor and--in some cases--inhibited the development of the tumor. The efficacy of the preparation was directly proportional to the number of administrations; it did not necessarily depend on the amount of SV40--HS DNA per dose. SV40 DNA had no favourable effect on the evolution of the SV40-induced tumor, which suggests that viral DNA does not represent the active component of the SV40--HS DNA preparations. Some possible mechanisms of the effect of homologous tumor preparations are discussed.

Anti-BK-virus hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies were revealed in 81.8% of the patients with parotid gland tumors. Results of the investigations conducted on oromaxillofacial tumors including the parotid gland ones are discussed from the point of view of the presence of viral antigens (herpes-, SV40 and BK-viruses) and of specific antibodies. Possible implication of the papova viruses in the etiopathogenesis of the parotid gland tumors in humans are also discussed.

Neutralizing antibodies to SV-40 were detected in cerebrospinal fluid samples from 16 out of 43 patients with brain tumors and in 6 out of 20 patients with different nonmalignant chronic neurological diseases. The patients' age excluded the correlation with a vaccine-associated or occupational contact with SV-40. The results ascertain the occurrence of SV-40 or of an antigenically related virus in the population of Romania.

Two serially transmissible tumors (metastatic lymphosarcomas) were induced in the hamster by inoculation of human brain tumor material--tissue homogenate from a malignized fibroma or DNA extracted from a meningioma. SV40 V antigen was made evident by indirect immunofluorescence in 4 out of 18 human tumors, while SV40 T antigen could only be demonstrated in the tumors experimentally induced in hamsters. Antibodies to SV40 T antigen were detected in 12 out of 60 patients with different tumors, in 1 out of 40 blood donors and in 7 out of 18 hamsters carrying experimentally induced tumors.

SV40 antigen was detected in 7 of 13 malignant tumors developed in the head and neck region. Specific complement fixing antibodies were found in all the patients with the SV40 antigen present in the parotid gland tumoral cells. Incidence of the anti-SV40 complement fixing antibodies in parotid gland tumor bearing patients was of 69.6%.

Herpes virus type 1 and 2 antigens were detected in cells originating from malignant tumors with oromaxillofacial localization. A higher incidence of type 1 antigens was noted, as compared to the type 2. Investigated antigens were detected more frequently in the tumors of ectodermal origin. Antiherpesvirus FC antibodies were found in 74.5% of the tumor bearing subjects, but only in 22.3% of the controls.

SV40 antigen was detected on sections through malignant oromaxillofacial tumors in 47.8% of the cases, with a higher incidence among the epithelium originating tumors. Anti-SV40 CF antibodies were detected in 83.6% of the examined subjects with cancer, but only in 57.9% of the blood donors. The titers were quite low in general. The results are discussed from the point of view of the immunologic status of the patients.

Co-infection of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice with Sendai virus and Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) did not result in the formation of complete RSV. Sendai virus could be, however, propagated in this system over 8 serial passages. As demonstrated by immunofluorescence and complement fixation reactions, antigens specific to each virus were synthesized in EAC cells following either single or mixed virus infection. The virus progens also contained antigenic fractions incorporated from the host cell. The incomplete progens synthesized when RSV inoculation preceded that of Sendai virus possessed three polypeptide fractions characteristic of Sendai virus and one RSV-specific fraction.

Inoculation of ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated adenovirus type 4 (Ad4) led to in vitro transformation of human diploid cells (HDC). Two transformed cell lines could be established: cell line H 1418, from HDC inoculated with the 10(-3) dilution of Ad4 UV-irradiated for 20 min at a distance of 20 cm, co-cultivated with uninfected HDC, and cell line H 1557, from HDC inoculated with the 10(-2) dilution of Ad4 irradiated at the same distance for 12 min. Both transformed cell lines were resistant to superinfection with homologous virus. Virus-specific antigen could be made evident by the indirect immunofluorescence technique in the nuclei of both H 1418 and H 1557 cells.

Mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells proved to be a semipermissive substrate for in vivo cultivation of adenovirus 5 (Ad5) and SV40. The multiplication of SV40 in EAC cells was facilitated by the coinfection with Ad5. As demonstrated by ID and EID reactions, the virus progens isolated at the first passage after the mixed infection of EAC cells with Ad5 and SV40 possess an antigenic mosaic with fractions characteristic of the parental viruses and of the cell substrate in which they had cultivated in vitro and in vivo. The progens gave positive seroneutralization and complement fixation reactions only with antiserum to SV40.

Antibodies to the avian group-specific "gs" sarcoma-leukosis antigen were made evident by complement fixation reaction in human sera collected from apparently healthy subjects and from patients with different forms of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases. The number of sera investigated was of 2,123. The possible mechanisms that might account for this paraimmune response of the human organism and the prospects of developing prophylactic steps against cancer are discussed.