الفهرس 
1. IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The immune system is considered one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon our bodies by God Almighty, as it is an impenetrable fortress against any danger that may afflict the human body. The immune system is a network of tissues, organs, and cells distributed throughout the body, and through it a person can defend against any external factors that may attack him and cause him damage or various diseases, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, cancer cells, or anything else that can attack the body. In order to achieve the perfect and good functioning of the immune system, there must be coordinated communication with the cells of this system and with the tissues of the body’s organs. The immune system consists of many lymphocytes found in lymphoid organs such as bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes.
Fenugreek is an annual medicinal plant. It is a dicotyledonous angiosperm plant belonging to the family Leguminosae and the order Fabales. It is known for its nutritional value and medicinal effects as well. Fenugreek is also known as a forage crop.
Fenugreek contains many different compounds, including protein, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, alkaloids (trigonelline), moisture, minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium), and amino acid, as well as vitamins (particularly vitamin A), coumarins, and polyphenols.
Fenugreek is a recommended plant for many diseases, as it has been recorded in Ayurvedic history as it is rich in photochemical such as phenols, alkaloids and flavonoids. Fenugreek has been classified as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-microbial and also helps in lowering cholesterol, lowering blood sugar, laxative for the digestive system, bronchitis, improving lactation, gastritis, arthritis, and atherosclerosis. Fenugreek seeds were used in the germination process, as they showed significantly beneficial properties over non-germinated fenugreek seeds. The germination process helped in raising the nutritional value as well as the high percentage of the chemical components present in it. Fenugreek seeds are a great source of essential amino acids, especially leucine, lysine, and tryptophan. In addition, the cultivation process increased the amount of proteins, vitamins and mineral salts present in them and improved their quality. The fenugreek cultivation process also improves the taste of fenugreek and makes it more digestible and absorbable. It also stores vitamins in large quantities, especially vitamin (A, E, B, and C), activates digestive enzymes, and multiplies the beneficial bacteria in the human body.
Therefore, the study was carried out on germinated fenugreek seeds to enhance and strengthen our immune system due to its high nutritional value. And it is one of the best natural sources of antioxidants that protect the body’s cells from being damaged and already destroyed by free radicals.
Thirty (30) male albino rats weighing 160 ± 10 g which were obtained from the Vaccine and Immunology Organization, Ministry of Health, Helwan Farm, Cairo, Egypt, and were divided into two main groups (5 rats each), the first group was feed on basal diet as a negative control group, while the second group (25 rats) was infected with Cyclosporine (50 mg/kg/day) dissolved in olive oil subcutaneously. for ten consecutive days to induce immune deficiency, then divided into five groups, one of which kept a positive control group, while the other four groups were given 5% and 7.5% of germinated and non-germinated fenugreek seeds for 28 days.
The two groups were divided into the following subgroups:
• group (1): Control negative group, in which normal rats were feed on basal diet.
• group (2): Positive control group, in which rats were treated by Cyclosporine (50 mg/kg/day), and fed on basal diet.
• group (3): Rats were infected with Cyclosporine and feed on basal diet with the addition of 5% fenugreek seeds.
• group (4): Rats were infected with Cyclosporine and feed on basal diet with the addition of 5% germinated fenugreek.
• group (5): Rats were infected with Cyclosporine and feed on basal diet with the addition of 7.5% fenugreek seeds.
• group (6): Rats were infected with Cyclosporine and feed on basal diet with the addition of 7.5% germinated fenugreek.
At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected in clean and dry centrifuge tubes and left to coagulate at room temperature (37°C) for half an hour. The blood was centrifuged for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm to separate the serum in a clean, airtight glass and then stored at a temperature (-20°C) until analysis. Organs (liver and kidney) were also extracted, washed in saline solution, weighed and kept in Formalin solution (10%).
During the experiment period over the course of four weeks, the body weight was recorded weekly, the weight of feed intake daily, the amount of feed through the daily consumption of the diet, and the feed efficiency ratio (FER) in relation to the weight of the members.
The biochemical evaluation includes the following:
Estimation of body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed efficiency ratio (FER), weight of some organs (liver and kidney), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), white blood cells, lymphocytes and killer cells, and immunoglobulins (IgA-IgM). The chemical composition of the fenugreek product was determined.
The obtained results were summarized as follows:
A. Chemical composition of fenugreek seeds and germinated fenugreek
Fenugreek seeds were analyzed in terms of protein, fat, fiber, moisture, carbohydrates, ash, vitamin C, antioxidants, total phenols, carotene, as well as some minerals such as Cu , P , K ,Ma ,Fe , Zn and Na.
B. Biological results
1. Effect of fenugreek on weight gain (BWG%), feed intake (FI), feed efficiency ratio (FER).
• The data showed that the effect of fenugreek on the effect of feed intake (FI) for a period of 28 days, a significant increase was observed in the group that was fed on the sprouted fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, followed by 5% sprouted fenugreek.
• As for the increase in body weight (BWG), the positive control group gained 10.21 ± 1.45 gm during the experimental period, which decreased significantly compared to other groups, and the best treatments were at a concentration of 7.5%, followed by 5% germinated fenugreek.
• As for the feed efficiency ratio (FER), the data showed that the positive control group gave 0.074 ± 0.03, which is lower than all other treated groups. The best treatments were 7.5% germinated fenugreek, followed by 5% germinated fenugreek.
2. Effect of fenugreek on relative organs weight
• the data showed that the best result recorded for liver weight was the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 5%.
• The best results were recorded in terms of the relative weight of the heart, the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by fenugreek seeds with a concentration of 5%.
• With regard to the relative weight of the kidneys, the best result was recorded for the sixth group, which was fed on germinating fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, followed by the group that was fed on fenugreek seeds at a concentration of 7.5%.
• As for the relative weight of spleen, the best result was recorded for germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by fenugreek seeds with a concentration of 7.5%.
• With regard to the relative weight of the lungs, the best result was recorded for the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, as compared to the control group, followed by the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 5%.
3. The effect of fenugreek on immune globulins IgA and IgM
IgA-IgM recorded the highest levels of the negative control group, while the positive control group recorded the lowest value as a result of Cyclosporin injection. The best treatments were for germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by 5% germinated fenugreek.
4. Effect of fenugreek on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
The data showed that the positive control group gave 172.30 ± 0.14, which is higher than all treated groups. The best treatments were for germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, followed by fenugreek seeds at 5%.
5. The effect of fenugreek on blood components
The groups fed on fenugreek showed an increase in the level of hemoglobin compared to the positive control group, and the best treatments were for the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%. As for red blood cells, the negative control group showed the highest level of 4.75 ± 0.08, and despite the decrease in red blood cell levels when compared to the negative control group, the differences between the other groups and the negative control group are not significant.
• As for the white blood cells, the best treatments were for the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by the 5% germinated fenugreek.
• The results of lymphocytes showed that the germinated ring at a concentration of 7.5% was higher than the negative control groups, and the positive control group had a lower value.
• As for the platelets, the cultured fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5% was the lowest levels compared to the other treated groups.
• The MCV showed the best result in the sixth group, which is the group that was fed on the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, compared to the negative control group.
• While MCH was the highest value in the positive control group, and the best result compared to the negative control group was the cultured fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%.
• As for the MCHC, the negative control group had the highest values, and the best value was for the sixth group, which was fed on the germinating fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%.
6. The effect of fenugreek on glucose
The results showed that the positive control group had the highest value of 260.20 ± 0.90 mg/dl, and the best results compared to the negative group were the sixth group, which was fed the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%.
7. The effect of fenugreek on liver function
• Regarding the level of AST as one of the liver functions, it was shown that the negative control group had the lowest value of 35.56 ± 4.87 U/L, and the best levels of AST were 7.5% of the germinated fenugreek, and with regard to ALT, the negative control group was much lower than the other groups, and the best value was recorded for the sixth group that was fed on the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5% with a value of 42.66 ± 1.03 units / L.
• As for ALP, it was the best result for the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, which was the closest level as compared to the negative control group.
8. The effect of fenugreek on kidney functions
• The data showed that the best result recorded for the urea index was for the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5%, followed by the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 5%.
• As for the uric acid index, the group that was fed the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 7.5% had the best result, followed by the two groups that were fed the germinated fenugreek with a concentration of 5% and those fed the fenugreek seeds with a concentration of 7.5%.
• As for creatinine, the best result was recorded for the group that fed on the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 7.5%, followed by the group that was fed on the germinated fenugreek at a concentration of 5%.
c-Histopathological results.
Microscopically, kidneys of rats from group 1 revealed the normal histological structure of renal parenchyma. On contrary, kidneys of rats from group 2 exhibited marked vacuolar degeneration of epithelial lining renal tubules, focal necrosis of renal tubules, focal inflammatory cells infiltration and thickening of the parietal layer of Bowman’s capsule. Meanwhile, kidneys of rats from group 3 described vacuolar degeneration of epithelial lining some renal tubules and intertubular few inflammatory cells infiltration Otherwise, some sections from group 4 revealed apparent normal renal parenchyma, whereas, other sections showed congestion of glomerular tuft and renal blood vessel as well as focal interstitial nephritis. However, kidneys of rats from group 5 exhibited no histopathological alterations except vacuolar degeneration of epithelial lining some renal tubules. Likewise, kidneys from group 6 showed slight vacuolar degeneration of epithelial lining some renal tubules and slight congestion of glomerular tuft.
For kidney structure showed that the control group showed normal histological structure of hepatic lobule, from central vein and hepatocytes. On contrary, liver of rats from group 2 showed Kupffer cells activation, focal hepatocellular necrosis associated with inflammatory cells infiltration and portal infiltration with massive inflammatory cells. Meanwhile, liver of rats from group 3 showed Kupffer cells activation and small focal hepatocellular necrosis. Otherwise, some sections from group 4 described dilatation and congestion of hepatic sinusoids, Kupffer cells activation and slight congestion of central vein, whereas, other sections revealed no histopathological alterations. Furthermore, liver of rats from group 5 exhibited Kupffer cells activation, slight congestion of hepatic sinusoids and central vein as well as slight vacuolar degeneration of centrilobular hepatocytes. on the other hand, liver of rats from group 6 manifested Kupffer cells activation, congestion of central vein and vacuolar degeneration of some hepatocytes.