blood metabolites

The effects of Leech Salivary Extract (LSE) on some haematological, immunological and organ weight parameters in rats, during a twenty eight days oral administration of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight doses, was investigated. LD50 and sub chronic toxicity was determined using standard methods. The oral LD50 was above 5000mg/kgbw. Oral administration of LSE (25mg/kgbw, 50mg/kgbw, 100mg/kgbw) for 28days had no significant (p>0.05) effect on the differential white blood cells (lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, neutrophils, eosinophils), red blood cell indices (RBC count, PCV, HB, platelets, MCHC and MCH), feed intake, body weight gain and relative organ weight of lung, heart, liver, kidney, spleen and stomach of rats. However, the LSE evoked a significant (p>0.05) increase in the level of MCV in treated rats compared to the control. These results, indicating low toxicity and no negative significant effects of LSE on haemato-immunological indices in rats, suggest that the extract is safe for development and use as therapeutic for managing clinical conditions.

Background: Asthma, a chronic inflammatory respiratory ailment, is characterized by variable airflow obstruction and heightened bronchial reactivity. Despite therapeutic advancements, a comprehensive comprehension of its underlying metabolic mechanisms remains elusive. Metabolomics has emerged as a powerful approach to investigating the complex connections between serum metabolites and disease pathogenesis. However, exploring the causal relationship between serum metabolites and asthma susceptibility demands meticulous examination to unveil potential therapeutic targets.Methods: Mendelian randomization (MR) approach was explored to investigate the potential causal associations between serum metabolites and asthma risk. The main analysis employed the inverse variance weighted method, supported by supplementary approaches such as MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and sample mode. To enhance the strength and credibility of our results, we conducted sensitivity analyses encompassing heterogeneity testing, assessment of horizontal pleiotropy, and leave-one-out analysis. Additionally, pathway enrichment analysis was performed to further elucidate the results.Results: We identified 18 known and 12 unknown metabolites with potential associations with asthma risk. Among known metabolites, seven exhibited protective effects (e.g., 4-acetamidobutanoate, allantoin, kynurenine, oxidized bilirubin*), while eleven were considered risk factors (e.g., ornithine, N-acetylornithine, alanine). Through the integration of four additional MR models and sensitivity analyses, we revealed a connection between 4-acetamidobutanoate and approximately 6% lower asthma risk (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90–0.98).Conclusions: Our MR analysis uncovered protective and risk-associated metabolites, alongside 12 unknown metabolites linked to asthma. Notably, 4-acetamidobutanoate demonstrated a nominal 6% reduction in asthma risk, highlighting its potential significance.