Uğur Koltuksuz

The effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of spinal cord neuronal injury after both trauma and ischemia-reperfusion. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, exhibits antioxidant properties. This experimental study was designed to determine the effect of CAPE on ischemia-reperfusion of spinal cord in rabbits. METHODS Forty-one New Zealand white rabbits were used in the study. The animals undergone aortic occlusion were divided into three groups each consisting of 11 rabbits: methylprednisolone (MP), CAPE, and control. CAPE 10 micromol/kg, methyl prednisolone (MP) 30 mg/kg or similar dose saline were injected intraperitoneally before surgical intervention. Animals were subjected to 21 min of cross-clamp time. At the end of occlusion time, the clamps were removed and restoration of the blood flow was verified visually. Animals in sham group (n = 8) underwent a surgical procedure similar to the other groups but the aorta was not occluded. Neurological status was scored by assessment of hindlimb motor function deficit. RESULTS The scores in CAPE group was different from control groups at 48 h (3.91+/-0.5 vs. 2.91+/-0.7; P = 0.0013). Spinal cord specimens were obtained to determine the tissue levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and histological changes. Malondialdehyde levels in control group were increased significantly when compared to sham group (124.22+/-24.36 and 41.92+/-10.08 nmol/g wet tissue, P = 0.0003). MDA levels in the CAPE group were lower than MP group and differences between the two groups were statistically significant (56.77+/-15.265 and 107.74+/-19.31 nmol/g wet tissue, P = 0.0001). We did not observe additional tissue injury in CAPE group when compared to control group. SOD and CAT activities were not concordant in all the groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that CAPE may be an available agent to protect the spinal cord from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on ischemia-reperfusion injury in comparison with α-tocopherol in rat kidneys

Abstract Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of renal injury after ischemia-reperfusion. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To determine whether CAPE offers any advantage over α-tocopherol, we compared their effects on an in vivo model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. CAPE at 10 μmol/kg or α-tocopherol at 10 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally before reperfusion. Acute administration of CAPE suppressed ischemia-reperfusion induced renal lipid peroxidation and tissue injury more than α-tocopherol. CAPE may therefore offer a therapeutic advantage in acute injury settings.

Testicular nitric oxide levels after unilateral testicular torsion/detorsion in rats pretreated with caffeic acid phenethyl ester

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in modulating blood flow in normal and in several pathological conditions, and its levels seem to change with ischemia–reperfusion injuries. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis, exhibits antioxidant properties. This experimental study was designed to determine the changes in NO levels and the effect of CAPE on NO levels after testicular torsion/detorsion in rats. Thirty-five adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: sham operation (n=8), torsion (n=9), saline/detorsion (n=9), and CAPE/detorsion (n=9). Rats in the sham operation group were killed after the testes were handled without torsion. Rats in the torsion group were killed after 720° clockwise testicular torsion for 2 h. CAPE was administered 30 min before detorsion in the CAPE/detorsion group and saline was administered in the saline/detorsion group. After 4 h of testicular detorsion in both of these groups, the rats were killed and bilateral orchiectomy was performed to determine the tissue levels of NO. The level of NO in the torsion group (113.77 ± 33.18 nmol/g protein) was significantly higher than that of the sham operation group (64.53 ± 29.64 nmol/g protein). In the saline/detorsion group, the NO level (31.26 ± 12.58 nmol/g protein) was significantly lower than in the torsion and sham operation groups. CAPE administration in the CAPE/detorsion group seemed to raise the NO level (72.63 ± 23.87 nmol/g protein) above the level of the sham operation group. Contralateral testes were not affected by the torsion/detorsion processes performed on the ipsilateral testes. These results show that NO levels increase with torsion and decrease with detorsion. CAPE administration seems to increase tissue NO levels and this may be important for protecting the testes from torsion/detorsion injuries.

Supernumerary breast tissue: A case of pseudomamma on the face

Supernumerary breast tissue usually develops along the milk line. But occasionally, it may be seen outside the milk line. In this article, the authors describe a case of pseudomamma on the face, one of the rarest locations for supernumerary breast tissue. The lesion was removed for cosmetic reasons. There was no associated anomaly.

Plasma superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde level correlate with the extent of acute appendicitis

Abstract Although the mechanism of acute appendicitis (AA) is partly understood, the progression following the onset of inflammation has not yet been clarified. To determine oxidative activities in the plasma of patients with AA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in samples from 31 patients diagnosed as having AA and 10 otherwise healthy children with inguinal pathologies. The patients with AA were divided into three subgroups: acute focal (AFA) (n=8), acute suppurative (ASA) (n=9), and acute perforated appendicitis (APA) (n=14), according to the intraoperative findings and histopathologic examination. SOD and MDA were compared statistically between these subgroups and between them and the control group. Additionally, mean leukocyte counts of each group were determined and the differences between the groups were evaluated. Both SOD and MDA were significantly higher in the ASA and APA groups compared to controls and AFA group. The mean leukocyte numbers of the ASA and APA groups were significantly higher compared to the AFA group. Based to these results, it may be speculated that oxygen free radicals (OFR) may play an important role in the extent of AA. To prevent the hazardous effects of OFR, the organism may increase SOD and other antioxidant enzyme levels and/or activities.