Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats
<b>Objectives</b>: Recently, increased attention has been given to pumpkin due to its proved nutritional components, which include antioxidant, antifatigue, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the present work was to assess the impact of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. (<i&...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Pharmaceuticals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/7/1046 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850072000394952704 |
|---|---|
| author | Safa H. Qahl Hailah M. Almohaimeed Sami A. Algaidi Ashwaq H. Batawi Zuhair M. Mohammedsaleh Tarek Hamdy Abd-Elhamid Nawal H. Almohammadi Nasra N. Ayuob Amany Refaat Mahmoud |
| author_facet | Safa H. Qahl Hailah M. Almohaimeed Sami A. Algaidi Ashwaq H. Batawi Zuhair M. Mohammedsaleh Tarek Hamdy Abd-Elhamid Nawal H. Almohammadi Nasra N. Ayuob Amany Refaat Mahmoud |
| author_sort | Safa H. Qahl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Objectives</b>: Recently, increased attention has been given to pumpkin due to its proved nutritional components, which include antioxidant, antifatigue, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the present work was to assess the impact of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. (<i>CP</i>) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced changes in lymphoid organs through evaluating its effect on the histological structure of spleen, thymus gland, and lymph nodes compared to the antidepressant fluoxetine (FLU). <b>Materials and Methods</b>: Fifty male albino rats equally distributed into five groups that included control, control + <i>CP</i>, CUMS-exposed, FLU-treated, and <i>CP</i>-treated groups were used in this study. Rats were exposed to CUMS for 4 weeks, and treatment (either with FLU or <i>CP</i>) was started after 14 days of exposure. Behavior of the rats, serum corticosterone, oxidants/antioxidants profile, proinflammatory cytokines, and gene expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and β-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) were assessed after 28 days. Spleen, thymus gland, and lymph nodes were histopathologically assessed. <b>Results</b>: <i>CP</i> administration significantly reduced the CUMS-induced behavioural changes evident by the significant reduction in immobility time (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and corticosterone level (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Biochemically, <i>CP</i> reduced TNF-α and IL-6 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and markedly alleviated the changes in oxidants/antioxidants in the serum and lymphoid organs compared to fluoxetine. <i>CP</i> significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) reduced CUMS-induced changes in GR and (β2-AR). Histopathologically, <i>CP</i> alleviated changes observed in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus gland. It significantly reduced the number of CD4, CD8, CD68, CD20, and caspase-3 immunopositive cells in the studied organs. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study proved the potential efficacy of <i>CP</i> in alleviating depression-associated immunodysregulation either alone or in combination with antidepressant therapy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2eb69dcd8b264f099e35aa45129ebb2e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1424-8247 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceuticals |
| spelling | doaj-art-2eb69dcd8b264f099e35aa45129ebb2e2025-08-20T02:47:10ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-07-01187104610.3390/ph18071046Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in RatsSafa H. Qahl0Hailah M. Almohaimeed1Sami A. Algaidi2Ashwaq H. Batawi3Zuhair M. Mohammedsaleh4Tarek Hamdy Abd-Elhamid5Nawal H. Almohammadi6Nasra N. Ayuob7Amany Refaat Mahmoud8Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Basic Science, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, P.O. Box 344, Madinah 42353, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, EgyptDepartment of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, P.O. Box 344, Madinah 42353, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Medical Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Damietta University, Damietta 34511, EgyptDepartment of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt<b>Objectives</b>: Recently, increased attention has been given to pumpkin due to its proved nutritional components, which include antioxidant, antifatigue, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the present work was to assess the impact of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. (<i>CP</i>) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced changes in lymphoid organs through evaluating its effect on the histological structure of spleen, thymus gland, and lymph nodes compared to the antidepressant fluoxetine (FLU). <b>Materials and Methods</b>: Fifty male albino rats equally distributed into five groups that included control, control + <i>CP</i>, CUMS-exposed, FLU-treated, and <i>CP</i>-treated groups were used in this study. Rats were exposed to CUMS for 4 weeks, and treatment (either with FLU or <i>CP</i>) was started after 14 days of exposure. Behavior of the rats, serum corticosterone, oxidants/antioxidants profile, proinflammatory cytokines, and gene expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and β-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) were assessed after 28 days. Spleen, thymus gland, and lymph nodes were histopathologically assessed. <b>Results</b>: <i>CP</i> administration significantly reduced the CUMS-induced behavioural changes evident by the significant reduction in immobility time (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and corticosterone level (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Biochemically, <i>CP</i> reduced TNF-α and IL-6 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and markedly alleviated the changes in oxidants/antioxidants in the serum and lymphoid organs compared to fluoxetine. <i>CP</i> significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) reduced CUMS-induced changes in GR and (β2-AR). Histopathologically, <i>CP</i> alleviated changes observed in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus gland. It significantly reduced the number of CD4, CD8, CD68, CD20, and caspase-3 immunopositive cells in the studied organs. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study proved the potential efficacy of <i>CP</i> in alleviating depression-associated immunodysregulation either alone or in combination with antidepressant therapy.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/7/1046immunitychronic stressantioxidantpumpkinglucocorticoid receptoradrenergic receptor |
| spellingShingle | Safa H. Qahl Hailah M. Almohaimeed Sami A. Algaidi Ashwaq H. Batawi Zuhair M. Mohammedsaleh Tarek Hamdy Abd-Elhamid Nawal H. Almohammadi Nasra N. Ayuob Amany Refaat Mahmoud Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats Pharmaceuticals immunity chronic stress antioxidant pumpkin glucocorticoid receptor adrenergic receptor |
| title | Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats |
| title_full | Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats |
| title_fullStr | Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats |
| title_short | Immunomodulatory Effects of <i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L. Extract in Chronic Stress-Induced Dysregulation of Lymphoid Organs in Rats |
| title_sort | immunomodulatory effects of i cucurbita pepo i l extract in chronic stress induced dysregulation of lymphoid organs in rats |
| topic | immunity chronic stress antioxidant pumpkin glucocorticoid receptor adrenergic receptor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/7/1046 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT safahqahl immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT hailahmalmohaimeed immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT samiaalgaidi immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT ashwaqhbatawi immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT zuhairmmohammedsaleh immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT tarekhamdyabdelhamid immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT nawalhalmohammadi immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT nasranayuob immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats AT amanyrefaatmahmoud immunomodulatoryeffectsoficucurbitapepoilextractinchronicstressinduceddysregulationoflymphoidorgansinrats |