Fig 1.
HPLC chromatogram of n-hexane of S. obliquus (A), and the yellow band containing β-carotene F1 (B).
Fig 2.
Chemical structure of β-carotene.
Fig 3.
The 1H NMR spectrum of β-carotene isolated from S. obliquus microalgae.
(500 MHz, CDCl3).
Table 1.
The 1H- NMR spectroscopic data of β-carotene isolated from S. obliquus microalgae.
Fig 4.
Effect of treatment with β-carotene on wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratio.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.
Fig 5.
Effect of β-carotene on NF-κB and IKBKB lung contents.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.
Fig 6.
Effect of β-carotene on TNF-α, COX 2, and PKC lung contents.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.
Fig 7.
Effect of β-carotene on SIRT1 and PPARγ lung contents.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.
Fig 8.
Effect of β-carotene on the IL-17 lung content.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.
Fig 9.
Effect of β-carotene on lung histopathology.
Representative light microphotographs from the lung. There were no histopathological changes and the regular histological pattern of the blood vessels (black arrow) with normal alveolar septa (red arrow) and the surrounding air alveoli in the parenchyma were recorded in the control group (A). In the β-carotene 40 mg/ kg control group there were no histopathological changes and the regular histological pattern of the blood vessels (black arrow) with normal alveolar septa (green arrow) (B). However, in CP-group, there are thickened interalveolar septa (star), narrow alveoli (red arrow), and diffuse hemorrhages (blue arrow) were impacted the air associated with emphysema of some other air alveoli in some lobules of the parenchyma. There was multiple focal inflammatory cell aggregation in the parenchyma. The main inflammatory cells aggregation in the parenchyma were macrophages, lymphocytes, and eosinophils (arrow with two heads) (C). In β-carotene 20 mg/ kg groups, focal hemorrhages were detected in the air alveoli (blue arrow), associated with perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration (red arrow), and emphysema in the air alveoli (D). In β-carotene 40 mg/ kg groups, there was congestion in the blood vessels (blue arrow) of the parenchyma associated with mild inflammatory cells infiltration (yellow arrow) mainly lymphocytes and macrophages in between the ail alveoli (E) (H&E X 200).
Fig 10.
Effect of β-carotene on histomorphometric analysis.
aSignificantly different from the control group. bSignificantly different from the CP group. cSignificantly different from the CP + β-carotene 20 mg/kg group at P<0.05.