Olgu Enis Tok

Melatonin protects against ischemic heart failure in rats

Ischemic injury, which occurs as a result of sympathetic hyperactivity, plays an important role in heart failure. Melatonin is thought to have antiatherogenic, antioxidant, and vasodilatory effects. In this study, we investigated whether melatonin protects against ischemic heart failure (HF). In Wistar albino rats, HF was induced by left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation and rats were treated with either vehicle or melatonin (10 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. At the end of this period, echocardiographic measurements were recorded and the rats were decapitated to obtain plasma and cardiac tissue samples. Lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lysosomal enzymes (β‐D‐glucuronidase, β‐galactosidase, β‐D‐N‐acetyl‐glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin‐D) were studied in plasma samples, while malondialdehyde and glutathione levels and Na+, K+‐ATPase, caspase‐3 and myeloperoxidase activities were determined in the cardiac samples. Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) and caveolin‐3 levels in cardiac tissues were evaluated using Western blot analyses. Furthermore, caveolin‐3 levels were also determined by histological analyses. In the vehicle‐treated HF group, cardiotoxicity resulted in decreased cardiac Na+, K+‐ATPase and SERCA activities, GSH contents and caveolin‐3 levels, while plasma LDH, CK, and lysosomal enzyme activities and cardiac MDA and Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were found to be increased. On the other hand, melatonin treatment reversed all the functional and biochemical changes. The present results demonstrate that Mel ameliorates ischemic heart failure in rats. These observations highlight that melatonin is a promising supplement for improving defense mechanisms in the heart against oxidative stress caused by heart failure.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Curcumin Against Hepatorenal Oxidative Injury in the Experimental Sepsis Model Created in Rats

BACKGROUND To investigate the effects of curcumin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, on free oxygen radicals and lipid peroxidation in an experimental sepsis model, as well as to determine the role of curcumin in preventing hepatorenal tissue damage caused by sepsis. METHODS The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=8) as follows: control group (group 1); sepsis group (group 2); and sepsis + curcumin group (group 3). Sepsis was created using the cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) method. Curcumin was administered intraperitoneally (200 mg/kg) in two equal doses just after the perforation and at twelve hours post-perforation. RESULTS Serum TNF-a and IL-1ß, and tissue MDA and MPO values were higher, whereas tissue GSH and Na+/K+-ATPase values were lower, in group 2 as compared to group 1. These values in group 3 were the inverse of those in group 2. As compared to group 1, histopathological evaluation of group 2 showed damaged hepatocytes, glomeruli, and tubules, whereas the damage was significantly reduced in group 3 as compared to group 2. CONCLUSION The strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin against potential hepatorenal damage were shown using an experimental sepsis model in rats.

Protective Effect of Nicotine on Sepsis-Induced Oxidative Multiorgan Damage: Role of Neutrophils

Introduction Despite its adverse health consequences, tobacco smoking is associated with lower incidence of several neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. The present study is aimed to show the effects of nicotine, major tobacco constituent, on five organs targeted by sepsis. Methods Male Wistar albino rats received tap water with (5mg/kg) or without nicotine for 14 days. Under ketamine anesthesia, sepsis (n = 50) was induced by ligation and puncture of the cecum, while sham group (n = 8) had only laparotomy. In other rats, nicotine drink was withdrawn for 5 days before sepsis induction, while in acute nicotine group, rats were injected with nicotine (30mg/kg, i.p.) before sepsis, but had no oral intake. Rats were decapitated 24 hours after surgery to obtain lung, liver, ileum, heart, and kidney tissues to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey multiple comparison tests or Students t test. Results Chronic nicotine administration or its withdrawal reduced lipid peroxidation and MPO activity and prevented GSH depletion with some varying results in different target tissues. Nicotine injection prior to sepsis depressed MPO activity in all tissues and reduced MDA levels except for the lung, while GSH levels were elevated only in the hepatic and ileal tissues. Histologically observed injury was ameliorated by all nicotine treatments at varying degrees. Conclusions The findings of the present study indicate that long-term nicotine administration reduces sepsis-induced oxidative damage in several tissues, which appears to involve inhibition of neutrophil activity in the inflamed tissues. Implications Nicotine administration or its withdrawal reduced lipid peroxidation and neutrophil content and prevented GSH depletion with some varying results in different target tissues. A single injection prior to sepsis induction depressed MPO activity in all the tissues and reduced all tissue MDA levels except for the lung. When nicotine was withdrawn for 5 days, its inhibitory effect on MPO activity was still present in all the tissues except for the liver. Microscopically an improved inflammatory response was observed in all the tissues of rats that have received different nicotine pretreatment regimens.

Effect of sildenafil citrate in testosterone induced benign prostate hyperplasia rat model

Objective Efficacy of treatments for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is limited because the disease has complex etiopathogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) receptors in prostate tissue. We investigated efficacy of sildenafil citrate in testosteron - induced BPH in rats. Material and methods The rats were divided into three groups. Each groups had 7 rats. Group 1 was control group. Testosteron propionate 3 mg/kg/day was injected subcutaneously for two weeks in Group 2. The same procedure was done for Group 3 and sildenafil citrate was added to water at daily doses of 2 mg/kg for two weeks. The rats were euthanized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital. The body weights were measured and the prostates were removed. Results The mean weights of rats were 288±31.93, 345±23.23 and 294±32.86 g in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The mean prostate weights of rats were 0.74±0.18, 1.3±0.13 and 0.72±0.24 g in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Group 2 had statistically significantly higher prostate weights than the other groups (p<0.01). Relative prostate weight is calculated with ratio of prostate weight to body weight. BPH group showed an increase in relative prostate weight compared with other groups with significant difference (p=0.036 and p=0.040). There was statistical difference for acinar area between Group 2 and the others, no significant difference of number of acini, interstitial space and epithelial thickness. Group 2 has more papillary projections per acini than the other groups. Conclusion Favourable effect of sildenafil citrate on dimensions of prostate but not all on histological parameters was observed. We expect that PDE-5 inhibitors might be a treatment option for BPH patients if the studies support our findings in the future.

The morphological and biochemical investigation of prenatal electromagnetic wave effects on urinary bladder in rats

Amaclar: Bu calismanin amaci, dijital mobil telefonlarindan gelen ve en yuksek spesifik absorbsiyon orani (Specific Absorbtion Rate-SAR) degeri 1,79W/kg olan dijital seluler sistem (DSS) 1800-MHz radyasyonunun erkek sican mesanesi uzerine etkilerini arastirmaktir. Gerec ve Yontem: Sicanlara mobil telefondan stand-by (Stand-by Fetal grup) ya da kesintisiz iletim modunda yayilan elektromagnetik dalga (EMD Fetal grup), gunde 2 saat, embriyonik 14. gunden doguma kadar ya da dogumdan sonraki 60. gune kadar (Stand-by ve EMD gruplari) uygulanmistir. Deney gruplarindaki tum hayvanlarin mesaneleri postnatal 60. gunde eter anestezisi altinda alinmis ve isik ve elektron mikroskopik degerlendirmeler icin hazirlanmistir. Urotelyumun bariyer fonkisyonu zonula okludens 1 ve E-kaderin immunhistokimyasi ve transmisyon elektron mikroskobik inceleme icin rutenyum kirmizisi boyamasi ile degerlendirilmistir. Oksidatif hasar biyokimyasal teknikler ile degerlendirilmistir. Bulgular: Elektromagnetik dalga grubunda, urotelyum dokulmeleri, mast hucre sayisinda artis, siki baglantilarda hasar ve interseluler alanda genislemeler gozlenmistir. Son olarak, kontrol grubu ile kiyaslandiginda, tum gruplarda malondialdehit seviyesinde yukselme ve glutatyon seviyesinde dusus gozlenmistir. Sonuc: Elektromagnetik dalga, maruz kalinan yogunluk ve sureye paralel olarak, gelisim surecindeki mesane uzerine olumsuz etki yapmaktadir. Bu degisiklikler mesanede enflamatuvar hastaliklara sebep olabilir.