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Objectives. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin E on the oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant defense enzymes in the heart and aorta of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroid rats. Methods. The animals were divided into 4 experimental groups: Group 1 (Euthyroid) received tap water, Group 2 (Hypothyroid) received 0.05 % of PTU in dissolved in their drinking water, Group 3 (PTU+Vit E) hypothyroid rats treated with vitamin E, and Group 4 (Euthyroid+Vit E). Vitamin E was injected daily (20 mg/kg) to groups 3 and 4 via daily gavage for 6 weeks. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total thiol levels, and the activities of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were evaluated in the aortic and cardiac tissues. Results. A significant decrease of thyroxine (T4) serum levels confirmed hypothyroidism in rats, which received PTU. The MDA level increased and total thiol level decreased in the hypothyroid group compared to control group (p

Sulfamethoxazole is a commonly used antibiotic with the high potential for propagation of the antibiotic resistance genes in the environment which pose a serious health effect on human health. The present work deals with the treatment of sulfamethoxazole by employing photocatalytic degradation. TiO2 and WO3 nanoparticles were used as catalysts. The morphology and structure of catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of various operating parameters such as catalyst dosage, pH value, initial pollutant concentration, and irradiation source on the removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole was investigated. It was found out that acidic medium is better for degradation of sulfamethoxazole and hence optimum pH value for UV/TiO2 and UV/WO3 were 4 and 3, respectively. The optimum dosage of TiO2 and WO3 was 500 and 750 mg/l that resulted in removal efficiency of 61.28% and 43.3%, respectively. The effect of initial concentration was also studied: increasing the sulfamethoxazole concentration from 25 to 100 mg/l caused a reduction in removal efficiency. Moreover, it was found that the highest activation of TiO2 was in the presence of UVC irradiation and WO3 in the presence of halogen lamps. Also, the removal of sulfamethoxazole from actual hospital wastewater was studied. The results indicated that photocatalytic degradation was still effective even if the removal efficiency was lowered. TOC analysis proved that although sulfamethoxazole was completely removed from the synthetic solution, secondary photostability pollutants were generated. The obtained results revealed that pseudo-first-order model best fitted experimental data at various irradiation sources considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We investigated the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa (NS) on renal tissue oxidative damage associated with propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism during neonatal and juvenile growth in rats.

Background: The present study aims to assess the therapeutic potential of vitamin C (Vit C) on anxiety- and depressive-like behavior induced by abstinence from chronic nicotine-ethanol co-exposure in adolescent male rats., Materials and Methods: Adolescent male rats were divided into seven experimental groups with ten rats as follows: 1) vehicle, 2) Nicotine (Nic)-Ethanol (Eth): received Nic (2 mg/kg) and Eth (20%) in drinking water from 21 to 42 days of age, 3-5) Nic-Eth-Vit C 100/200/400: received Nic and Eth from 21 to 42 days of age and received Vit C 100/200/400 mg/kg from 43 to 63 days of age, 6) Nic-Eth-Bupropion (Bup)- Naloxone (Nal): received Nic and Eth from 21 to 42 days of age and received Bup and Nal from 43 to 63 days of age, and 7) Vit C 400 mg/kg: received Vit C 400 mg/kg from 43 to 63 days of age. Behavioral assessments were done by elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swimming test (FST), marble burring test (MBT), and open field tests (OFT). Furthermore, specific biochemical variables associated with oxidative, inflammatory, and serotonergic profiles were quantified., Results: According to the obtained results, Nic and Eth induced anxiety and depression in treated rats. We showed that two higher doses of Vit C increases the active struggling time in FST and decreases both the time spent in the peripheral zone of OFT and the time spent in the closed arms of EPM. In addition, animals treated by Vit C buried less number of marbles in MBT compared to their control counterparts. Nic and Eth induced oxidative stress and inflammation in cortical tissues of treated rats. Biochemical parameters were improved in the Nic-Eth group receiving Vit C 200/400 mg/kg and Bup-Nal through establishing a balance between oxidant/anti-oxidant and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory mediators. In addition, serotonin level was increased, while Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was notably decreased., Conclusion: The present findings support the beneficial effect of Vit C on anxiety- and depressive-like behavior induced by Nic-Eth withdrawal through various mechanisms such as the promotion of antioxidant defense, suppression of inflammatory mediators, and enhancement of serotoninergic function., (© 2024 International Society for Developmental Neuroscience.)

Purpose: Regarding a wide variety of researches conducted with various therapeutic effect of crocin, the main constituent of saffron, the current study aims to assess the efficacy of crocin to improve learning and memory impairment caused by withdrawal following concurrent usage of ethanol (Eth) and nicotine (Nic) in adolescent male rats., Methods: In order to test memory fucntion, Morris water maze and passive avoidance methods were applied in male Wistar rats undergone adolescent Nic-Eth withdrawal and the effect of crocin treatment was assessed at both behavioral and biochemical levels. The biochemical parameters included the inflammatory cytokines, indicators of oxidative stress and cholinergic metabolism within the hippocampla tissues. Animals were divided into 7 experimental groups as follows: 1) control (saline + saline), 2) nicotine + ethanol, 3-5) nicotine + ethanol + crocin (three doses), 6) nicotine + ethanol + bupropion + naloxone and 7) saline + crocin., Results: Results indicated that crocin treatment effectively prevented the Nic-Eth withdrawal induced behavioral manifestations of memory impairment when assessed by Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. In addition, the biochemical alterations (in inflammatory, oxidative and cholinergic parameters) induced by Nic-Eth withdrawal were also ameliorated in rats treated by crocin. Interestingly, the mentioned ameliorative effect of crocin was found to be dose-dependent in most experiments and almost equipotential to that of bupropion and naloxone co-administration, when administered at high doses., Conclusion: We would like to suggest the crocin treatment as an alternative medication for the management of Nic - Eth withdrawal, however, further studies are required to assess the unknown side effects and high dose tolerability of the drug in human subjects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Stress is an adaptive response to different events in daily life that could strain physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Adolescence is an important developmental period due to physical, psychological, and social maturation. The aim of our study is to state whether chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) during adolescence in male rats can cause anxiety and depression in adulthood and whether vitamin C (Vit C) can prevent this problem or not. Methods: For this purpose, we performed behavioral tests, including open field test, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming test. In addition, we investigated the metabolism of serotonin, the level of inflammation, oxidative stress and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain cortex tissue of animals. Results: Results indicated that CUMS exacerbates mood-related behaviors by affecting the brain oxidative stress balance, inflammatory response, and serotonin metabolism. Moreover, we found that CUMS-Vit C co-treatment could significantly reverse CUMS-induced complications by restoration of the mentioned biochemical parameters. Discussion: Taken together, we would like to suggest the use of Vit C supplementation as a safe, inexpensive, and effective strategy for the management of CUMS.

The present study aimed to assess the potential effect of vitamin B 12 (Vit B 12 ) on cognition impairment caused by nicotine (Nic) cessation in adolescent male rats. Adolescent male rats were categorized into two main groups as vehicle (normal saline, intraperitoneally), and Nic group in which received Nic (2 mg/kg) from 21 to 42 days of ages and then the Nic group were divided into three groups as withdrawal (the animals returned to regular diet without treatment), second and third groups received bupropion (20 mg/kg), and Vit B 12 at three different doses including 0.5,1, and 1.5 mg/kg by oral gavage as treatments to attenuate Nic withdrawal symptoms. The last group including normal animals received the highest doses of Vit B 12 just in the Nic abstinence period to compare the effect of that with vehicle. In MWM, Vit B 12 and bupropion increased the time spent in the target quadrant that is strongly associated with spatial memory as well as the more time spent with the NORT. Vit B 12 and bupropion modulated both oxidant/antioxidant and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory balance, alongside inhibitory effect on AChE, and GFAP. However, BDNF and amyloid-B showed insignificant difference as compared to Vit B 12 and bupropion. Considering the present results and similar related studies, Vit B 12 can be introduced as a strong anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent by which probably improved memory impairment caused by Nic addiction accompanied by withdrawal. Further, other mechanisms including activity reduction of AChE, and GFAP should be considered; however, it needs further investigation and larger-scale evidences., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest There was no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a particle of Gram-negative bacteria is a main contributer in the pathogenesis of the male reproductive system infectious. Male infertility due to LPS is reported to be related to overproduction reactive oxygen species. This study aimed to investigate the effects of olibanum on oxidative stress and apoptosis in testes and sperm dysfunction induced by LPS., Methods: The male (n = 28) rats were allocated in four groups: control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p., 14 days), LPS + Olibanum 100 (100 mg/kg, i.p., 14 days), and LPS + Olibanum 200 (200 mg/kg, i.p., 14 days). Germ cell apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assays and computed using the stereological method. Additionally, semen samples of the animals were analyzed for sperm count and morphology. Oxidative stress indicators were also determined., Results: The count of TUNEL-positive germ cells in LPS-treated rats was more than that in the controls. Treatment of the animals with olibanum significantly attenuated the number of apoptotic cells compared to the LPS group. The sperm count and those with a normal morphology in LPS-treated rats was lower than that in the controls. Administration of olibanum significantly improved the sperms with normal morphology and sperm count. Olibanum treatment also improved superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total thiol in testicular tissue and decreased malondialdehyde., Conclusion: Administering both doses of olibanum in LPS-treated rats had potentially a therapeutic value in reducing germ cell apoptosis, as well as improving sperm parameters., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: Ethanol (Eth) intake is known to cause numerous detrimental effects on the structure and function of the brain, and it is commonly used as a psychostimulant drug by adolescents. Conversely, omega-3 (O 3 ) can reduce the risk of cognitive decline and promote the maintenance of neurophysiological functions. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of O 3 on behavioral alterations, oxidative stress, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels induced by chronic Eth intake during adolescence in rats., Materials and Methods: Adolescent male rats (21 days old) were divided as follows: (1) Vehicle, (2) Eth (Eth in drinking water [20%]), (3-5) Eth + O 3 (50/100/150 mg/kg), and (6) O 3 (150 mg/kg). After 5 weeks, Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tests were performed, and the hippocampal and cortical levels of oxidative stress markers and inflammatory indices were measured., Results: Adolescent Eth intake impairs learning and memory function in MWM and PA tests (groups × day, p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). It was shown that Eth induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. O 3 improved learning and impairment induced by Eth by reducing the adverse effects of Eth on the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the hippocampi (for malondialdehyde [MDA]/thiol: p < 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively) and for superoxide dismutase (SOD)/catalase (CAT): p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, we found that O 3 prevented the Eth-induced increase of hippocampal IL-6 (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: O 3 supplementation acts as an effective approach to prevent learning and memory impairments induced by chronic Eth consumption during adolescence. In this respect, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of O 3 seem to be the main underlying mechanisms of neuroprotection., (© 2024 International Society for Developmental Neuroscience.)

Background: Tolerance to the analgesic effects of opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is a major concern for relieving pain. Thus, it is highly valuable to find new pharmacological strategies for prolonged therapeutic procedures. Biguanide-type drugs such as metformin (MET) are effective for neuroprotection and can be beneficial for addressing opioid tolerance in the treatment of chronic pain. It has been proposed that analgesic tolerance to NSAIDs is mediated by the endogenous opioid system. According to the cross-tolerance between NSAIDs, especially sodium salicylate (SS), and opiates, especially morphine, the objective of this study was to investigate whether MET administration can reduce tolerance to the anti-nociceptive effects of SS., Methods: Fifty-six male Wistar rats were used in this research (weight 200-250 g). For induction of tolerance, SS (300 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally for 7 days. During the examination period, animals received MET at doses of 50, 75, or 100 mg/kg for 7 days to evaluate the development of tolerance to the analgesic effect of SS. The hot plate test was used to evaluate the drugs' anti-nociceptive properties., Results: Salicylate injection significantly increased hot plate latency as compared to the control group, but the total analgesic effect of co-treatment with SS + Met50 was stronger than the SS group. Furthermore, the effect of this combination undergoes less analgesic tolerance over time., Conclusions: It can be concluded that MET can reduce the analgesic tolerance that is induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of SS in Wister rats.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Ocimum basilicum L. (OB) extract on learning and memory impairment in aged rats. Male rats were divided into the following experimental groups: Group 1 (control): including 2 months old rats, Group 2 (aged) including 2 years old rats, Groups 3-5 (aged-OB): including 2 years old rats received 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg OB for 8 weeks by oral gavage. Aging increased the delay to find the platform but, however, decreased the time spent in the target quadrant when tested by Morris water maze (MWM). Aging also reduced the latency to enter the dark chamber in the passive avoidance (PA) test compared to the control group. Moreover, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were raised in the hippocampus and cortex of aged rats. In contrast, thiol levels and enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) significantly reduced. In addition, aging significantly reduced BDNF expression. Finally, OB administration reversed the mentioned effects. The current research showed that OB administration improves learning/memory impairment induced by aging. It also found that this plant extract protects the brain tissues from oxidative damage and neuroinflammation.

The present study was assumed that N‑acetylcysteine (AC) might improve cognitive function in adolescent rats with hypothyroidism through various mechanisms. Sixty adolescent rats were randomly divided into the following groups: Vehicle (received normal saline intraperitoneally (IP)); Propylthiouracil (PTU)‑induced hypothyroidism (0.05%, dissolved in drinking water); Hypothyroid rats were IP treated with different doses of AC (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day) for a period of six weeks; Normal rats treated with the highest doses of AC (150 mg/kg/day). Behavioral and biochemical analyses were studied for all groups. In the Morris water maze test, AC significantly reduced both the time to find the hidden platform and the distance travelled as compared to non‑treated hypothyroid rats. In the passive avoidance test, the latency of entering the dark chamber was significantly increased by AC, whereas decreased the time spent in the darkroom of the chamber compared to the hypothyroid rats. In biochemical results, AC reduced both malondialdehyde content and nitrite while increased the thiol content, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes activity in both the cortex and the hippocampus, and a notable improvement in brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in hippocampal tissues of the hypothyroid rats, while decreasing the level of interleukin‑6 in rat hippocampal region. Therefore, based on the results, the beneficial effects of AC on cognitive impairment in adolescent hypothyroid rats are probably related to its anti‑oxidant properties and notable improvement in BDNF levels.

The present research study aimed to investigate the role of Ascorbic acid (AA) on synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory impairment induced by unpredicted chronic mild stress (CUMS) in adolescent male rats. Adolescent male rats were divided into: 1) vehicle, 2) CUMS, 3-5) CUMS plus various doses of AA by oral gavage (CUMS-10/100/400 mg/kg), and 6) AA400 mg/kg by oral gavage. In Morris Water Maze, the time latency decreased, while the time spent in the target quadrant increased in CUMS group treated with AA at the dose of 400 mg/kg. In passive avoidance, the latency of entering into the dark chamber decreased in CUMS group treated with AA (400 mg/kg). In biochemical test results, nitrite and MDA significantly decreased, while thiol content, SOD, and catalase activity in CUMS group that received AA400mg/kg was increased. IL-10, BDNF and Ki67 increased, while TNF-a and AChE activity were decreased in CUMS group treated with AA simultaneously. The results of our study showed that chronic stress during adolescence could cause learning and memory disorders as well as synaptic plasticity. In addition, we showed that AA can prevent this problem by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, increasing the amount of BDNF, and neurogenesis., (Copyright © 2024 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Inflammation and oxidative stress upset memory. We explored influence of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on memory deficits resulted from lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Groups include control, LPS, LPS + SNP 1 mg/kg, LPS + SNP 2 mg/kg, and LPS + SNP 3 mg/kg. Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests and biochemical measurements were carried out.In Morris water maze, LPS prolonged time and distance for finding the platform. In probe trial, it diminished time spent and traveled distance in the target zone. Injection of 2 and 3 mg/kg of SNP overturned the effect of LPS. In passive avoidance task, LPS postponed entrance into darkroom and reduced time spent in light room and incremented time spent in darkroom in 3, 24, and 72 h after electrical shock. All three doses of SNP restored the effects of LPS. Biochemical experiments confirmed that LPS elevated interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde concentration and declined total thiol content and superoxide dismutase and catalase activity in the hippocampus and cortex tissues. SNP particularly at a 3 mg/kg dose ameliorated LPS effects on these parameters.SNP attenuated memory disabilities resulting from LPS through modifying inflammation and boosting antioxidant defense., (© 2024 The Author(s). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

Background: The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of folic acid (FA) on withdrawal following nicotine (Nic) administration in adolescent male rats., Aims and Methods: Adolescent male rats were divided into two groups: (1) vehicle and (2) Nic (Nic-2 mg/kg), and were under treatment from 21 to 42 days of age. After that, they continued the experiment without treatment and returned to a regular diet, except for one of those who received Nic. The rats were divided into four groups where they were treated with different doses of FA (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) and bupropion (Bup) by oral gavage, and the final group included normal rats that received only FA (15 mg/kg) from 42 days of age for three weeks during which withdrawal occurred., Results: Results showed that adolescent Nic exposure exacerbated the behavioral indices of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, while FA attenuated the effects of Nic withdrawal on anxiety and depression as well as Bup. In support, the biochemical results demonstrated a balance between oxidant and antioxidant mediators in addition to the increase and decrease of serotonin and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in cortical tissue. TNF-α as an inflammatory agent was decreased, whereas IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory parameter was increased., Conclusions: The present findings suggest anxiety and depression caused by Nic withdrawal were attenuated by FA more likely through the reduction activity of MAO, the important enzyme responsible for serotonin metabolism along with balance between oxidant/antioxidant and pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory mediators. However, various mechanisms might be involved, which requires further investigation., Implications: Nic withdrawal-induced depression and anxiety like behavior in rats followed by neuro-oxidative damage and neuro-inflammation. FA supplementation as well as Bup improved cognitive disorders induced by Nic withdrawal by increasing neuro-inflammation and neuro-oxidative damage., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Substance abuse among adolescents has become a growing issue throughout the world. The significance of research on this life period is based on the occurrence of neurobiological changes in adolescent brain which makes the individual more susceptible for risk-taking and impulsive behaviors. Alcohol and nicotine are among the most available drugs of abuse in adolescents. Prolonged consumption of nicotine and alcohol leads to drug dependence and withdrawal which induce various dysfunctions such as memory loss. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10) is known to improve learning and memory deficits induced by various pathological conditions such as Diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease. In the present study we investigated whether CoQ 10 treatment ameliorates memory loss following a nicotine-ethanol abstinence. Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests were done in male Wistar rats undergone nicotine-ethanol abstinence and the effect of CoQ10 was assessed on at behavioral and biochemical levels. Results indicated that nicotine-ethanol abstinence induces memory dysfunction which is associated with increased oxidative and inflammatory response, reduced cholinergic and neurotrophic function plus elevated Amyloid-B levels in hippocampi. CoQ 10 treatment prevented memory deficits and biochemical alterations. Interestingly, this ameliorative effect of CoQ 10 was found to be dose-dependent in most experiments and almost equipotential to that of bupropion and naloxone co-administration. CoQ 10 treatment could effectively improve memory defects induced by nicotine-ethanol consumption through attenuation of oxidative damage, inflammation, amyloid-B level and enhancement of cholinergic and neurotrophic drive. Further studies are required to assess the unknown side effects and high dose tolerability of the drug in human subjects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

There are numerous evidence supporting the association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and the occurrence of cognitive deficits in humans. In this regard, treatment of H. pylori infection has been suggested as an effective strategy to decelerate the neurodegenerative processes of memory deficits in AD patients. Numerous studies support the beneficial effects of probiotics on various pathological conditions, particularly cognitive deficits, however, this concern has not been addressed in relation to the memory impairment induced by H. pylori infection. In the present study, we aimed to reveal whether oral administration of two bacterial probiotics (including Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum), could ameliorate H. pylori-induced memory deficits at behavioral level in rats. Besides, cellular mechanisms were investigated by biochemical methods to find out how probiotic effects are mediated in hippocampal circuitry. Male Wistar rats were infected by H. pylori for 3 consecutive days, then probiotic treatment was done for the next 3 days and after a drug-free period (12 days), animals were assessed by Morris Water Maze and Novel Object Recognition tests. Finally, rats were euthanized by CO 2 and hippocampal tissues were excised for biochemical measurements. Results indicated that H. pylori infection markedly impairs memory function in rats which is associated with alterations of oxidative, inflammatory, neurotrophic, and cholinergic markers. Interestingly, treatment with either of the probiotics alone or in combination, significantly improved the H. pylori-induced memory deficits and this was associated with restoration of balance in biochemical factors within the hippocampal neurons., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Many clinical evidences have reported the higher risk of seizure in young children and infants after exposure to hyperthermia, which more likely can cause brain damage and affect cognitive function, so, many researches were focused on prevention or treatment of febrile seizure (FS) with minimal adverse effects. Considering the potential effects of oxidative stress as a prominent trigger in FS, and demonstrating the anti-oxidant effects of metformin, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of metformin administration in prenatal and lactation periods in rat pups exposed to hyperthermia by which induced seizure., Method and Materials: Pregnant rats were divided into six groups: (1) vehicle: pregnant rats received normal saline during pregnancy and lactation; (2) FS: pregnant rats received normal saline during pregnancy and lactation; (3-5) FS-Met50/100/150 mg/kg: pregnant rats received different doses of metformin including 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg during pregnancy and lactation; (6) Met150 mg/kg: pregnant rats received Met150 mg/kg during pregnancy and lactation. The male pups born to mothers received in all FS groups exposed to hyperthermia. All experimental groups were allowed to grow up, and after the lactation period, they were subjected for behavioural tests and biochemical analysis., Results: According to the present findings, the prenatal and lactation exposure to the highest dose of metformin demonstrated significant difference with FS group in both behavioural and biochemical test analyses. Although the remaining doses of metformin were also effective, the much better results were reported with the highest dose of metformin (150 mg/kg). Interestingly, the highest dose of metformin administered alone demonstrated better result than vehicle in probe trial test., Conclusion: Considering the present research and related study in relation to metformin in ameliorating the epilepsy symptoms, there are numerous evidences on positive effect of metformin on seizure. Although the exact mechanism is unclear, the anti-oxidant effect of metformin is strongly supported., (© 2024 International Society for Developmental Neuroscience.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant effect of rosiglitazone (ROG) and pioglitazone (POG) on oxidative damage and dysfunction of hepatic tissue in hypothyroid rats., Methods: The male rats were classified into six groups: (1) Control; (2) Hypothyroid, (3) Hypothyroid-POG 10, (4) Hypothyroid-POG 20, (5) Hypothyroid-ROG 2, and (6) Hypothyroid-ROG 4. To induction hypothyroidism in rats, propylthiouracil (PTU) (0.05 %w/v) was added to drinking water. In groups 2-6, besides PTU, the rats were also intraperitoneal administrated with 10 or 20 mg/kg POG or 2 or 4 mg/kg ROG for six weeks. Finally, after deep anesthesia, the blood was collected to measure the serum biochemical markers and hepatic tissue was separated for biochemical oxidative stress markers., Results: Administration of PTU significantly reduced serum thyroxin concentration, total thiol levels, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes, and increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (Alk-P) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver. Additionally, our results showed that prescription of POG or ROG for six weeks to hypothyroid rats resulted in an improvement in liver dysfunction (decrease in serum levels of AST, ALT, and ALK-P) through reducing oxidative damage in hepatic tissue (increase in CAT, SOD, or total thiols and decrease in MDA levels)., Conclusions: The findings of the present study presented that the IP administration of POG and ROG for six weeks improves liver dysfunction induced by hypothyroidism in juvenile rats by reducing oxidative damage., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Background: Inflammation is considered to be a link between diabetes and central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including depression and anxiety. Metformin is suggested to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mood-improving effects. The aim of the current research was to investigate the effects of the antidiabetic drug metformin on depressive- and anxiety- like behaviors and oxidative stress in the brain in a rodent model of inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male rats., Materials and Methods: The rats were treated as follows: (1) Vehicle instead of metformin and lipopolysaccharide, (2) Lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/ kg) + vehicle instead of metformin, (3-5) Lipopolysaccharide + 50, 100, or 150 mg/ kg of metformin. After the behavioral tests, including open field (OF), elevated pulse maze (EPM), and force swimming (FS) tests, the brains were removed, and malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total thiol, catalase (CAT) activity, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were determined., Results: In the EPM, metformin increased the open arm time and entry and decreased closed arm time and entry. In the FS test, metformin lowered the immobility and increased active time compared to lipopolysaccharide. In the OF test, metformin increased total crossing and total distance, time spent, traveled distance, and crossing number in the central zone. As a result of metformin administration, IL-6, MDA, and NO metabolites were decreased while thiol content, SOD, and CAT activity were increased., Conclusion: The results indicated that the well-known antidiabetic drug metformin attenuated depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors induced by inflammation in rats. These beneficial effects are suggested to be due to their attenuating effects on neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and NO in the brain., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction: Evidence declared lipopolysaccharide (LPS) initiates inflammatory responses by stimulating the abandon of cytokines, which may perturb organ function. On the other side, it has been suggested Cedrol has potential properties, including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. Herein, this study was done to assess the protective effect of Cedrol against LPS-associated heart damage., Methods: Thirty-five rats (200-250 g) were sorted into five groups, including control, LPS, LPS-Cedrol 7.5 mg/kg, LPS-Cedrol 15 mg/kg, and LPS-Cedrol 30 mg/kg groups. Cedrol was administrated through injected intra-peritoneally for two weeks. The heart tissues were removed and malondialdehyde (MDA) as a lipid peroxidation marker, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) as antioxidant markers were assessed. Furthermore, the interleukin (IL)-6 level in cardiac tissue was measured and Masson's trichrome methods were employed to appraise cardiac inflammation and fibrosis, respectively., Results: Inflammation induced by LPS was significantly accompanied by myocardial fibrosis which was shown by Masson's trichrome staining ( P <0.001). In addition, LPS administration enhanced the MDA level while it diminished the activity of anti-oxidant markers such as CAT and SOD ( P <0.001 for all cases). In the histological results, Cedrol improved LPS-induced inflammation and cardiac fibrosis ( P <0.01 to P <0.001). Cedrol also enhanced CAT and SOD activities, whereas declined MDA level in the cardiac tissue ( P <0.01 to P <0.001)., Conclusion: The current findings proposed that the administration of Cedrol exerted a protective role in LPS-associated heart damage by reducing inflammation, cardiac fibrosis, and oxidative stress., Competing Interests: The authors asserted no conflicts of interest relating to the research and/or publication of this work., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) is a major component of the oleo-gum resin of B. serrata with multiple pharmacological activities. The objective of this study was to explore the underlying mechanisms of neuroprotective potential of AKBA against scopolamine-mediated cholinergic dysfunction and memory deficits in rats., Methods: The rats received AKBA (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, oral) for 21 days. In the third week, scopolamine was administered 30 min before the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. In order to perform biochemical assessments, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were extracted from the rats euthanized under deep anesthesia., Results: In the MWM test, treatment with AKBA (5 and 10 mg/kg) decreased the latency and distance to find the platform. Moreover, in the PA test, AKBA remarkably increased latency to darkness and stayed time in lightness while decreasing the frequency of entry and time in the darkness. According to the biochemical assessments, AKBA decreased acetylcholinesterase activity and malondialdehyde levels while increasing antioxidant enzymes and total thiol content. Furthermore, AKBA administration restored the hippocampal mRNA and protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)- 2 and Bcl-2- associated X genes in brain tissue of scopolamine-injured rats., Conclusion: The results suggested the effectiveness of AKBA in preventing learning and memory dysfunction induced by scopolamine. Accordingly, these protective effects might be produced by modulating BDNF, cholinergic system function, oxidative stress, and apoptotic markers., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objectives: Kidney diseases are one of the common diseases, which are one of the main causes of death in society and impose costs on the health system of the society. A growing body of evidence has well documented that inflammatory responses and oxidative damage play a significant role in the progress of various kidney diseases., Methods: This study examined whether selenium (Sel) could prevent the detrimental influences of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rats. Four groups of Wistar rats were considered: control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p., for 14 days), LPS-Sel 1 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p., for 14 days), and LPS-Sel 2 (0.2 mg/kg, i.p., for 14 days)., Results: Sel treatment markedly attenuated oxidative stress damage in the kidney tissue in LPS-induced renal toxicity. Generally, the administration of Sel resulted in improved antioxidant indicators such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, or total thiol content, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) in the kidney tissue. It also decreased interleukin-6 in kidney homogenates. Furthermore, Se treatment significantly inhibited the elevation of serum biochemical markers of kidney function including serum, BUN, and creatinine., Conclusions: Based on the findings of the current study, it seems that the administration of Sel to LPS-treated rats improves renal function by reducing oxidative damage and inflammation in kidney tissue. However, more research is needed to reveal the accurate mechanisms for the effect of Sel on renal outcomes of LPS in human subjects., (© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

The present study focused on examining the impact of vitamin C (Vit C) administration on the function of memory and the status of oxidative stress (OS) in the hippocampal area of the brain using an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model in rats. To this end, 50 male Wistar rats (11-12 weeks of age at the start of the study) were assigned to five groups of six animals, including control, UCMS, UCMS + Vit C 50 mg/Kg, UCMS + Vit C 100 mg/Kg, and UCMS + Vit C 400 mg/Kg. The animals received daily intraperitoneal injections of Vit C at a certain time (9 am) before the initiation of a stressor. UCMS, including a progression of typical stressors, was applied for four weeks. Subsequently, using the passive avoidance (PA) and Morris water maze (MWM) tests were performed to investigate learning and memory. Eventually, hippocampal tissues were evaluated in terms of OS criteria. The results revealed that the latency to enter the dark chamber ( P  < 0. 01 and P  < 0.05, PA test) and the time spent in the target quadrant ( P  < 0.0001, MWM test) were shorter in the UCMS group, while latency to discover the platform was longer ( P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.001, MWM test) compared to the control group. However, UCMS decreased the content of thiol ( P  < 0.0001), as well as the activities of catalase ( P  < 0.0001) and superoxide dismutase ( P  < 0.0001), whereas the concentration of malondialdehyde ( P  < 0.01) increased in the hippocampal region of the brain in comparison to the control group. Interestingly, Vit C treatment reversed the mentioned effects of UCMS. Therefore, the latency to enter the dark chamber ( P  < 0. 05 and P  < 0.01,1 and 24 h after the shock, PA test, UCMS + Vit C 400) and the time spent in the target quadrant ( P  < 0. 01 and P  < 0.05, MWM test, UCMS + Vit C 400 and UCMS + Vit C 100, respectively) were longer in the UCMS + Vit C groups. Moreover, Vit C increased the content of thiol ( P  < 0.05, UCMS + Vit C 400), as well as the activity of catalase ( P  < 0.001, UCMS + Vit C 400) and superoxide dismutase ( P  < 0.0001, UCMS + Vit C 400, UCMS + Vit C 100), whereas the concentration of malondialdehyde ( P  < 0. 05 and P  < 0.01, UCMS + Vit C 100, UCMS + Vit C 400) decreased in the hippocampal region of the brain in comparison to the UCMS group. Overall, these results suggest that Vit C could reverse UCMS-induced learning and memory impairment possibly through the modulation of brain OS. Key points Memory and learning impairments were induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS)Vitamin C could prevent cognitive impairments caused by UCMS in rats by attenuation of oxidative stress in the brain.

In the present study, the main objective was to reveal whether treatment by Omega-3 fatty acids could prevent the adverse effects of adolescent nicotine withdrawal on spatial and avoidance memory in male rats. For this purpose, Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests were performed on male Wistar rats and the hippocampal levels of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory indices, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nitrite, amyloid-B and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were measured. Moreover, density of dark neurons were assessed in CA 1 and CA 3 regions. Results showed that adolescent nicotine exposure followed by a period of drug cessation exacerbates the behavioral indices of learning and memory through affecting a variety of biochemical markers within the hippocampal tissues. These changes lead to elevation of oxidative and inflammatory markers, reduction of neurotrophic capacity and increased AChE activity in hippocampal tissues. In addition, it was observed that co-administration of nicotine with Omega-3 fatty acids significantly prevents nicotine withdrawal-induced adverse effects through restoration of the mentioned biochemical disturbances. Therefore, we suggest administration of Omega-3 fatty acids as a safe, inexpensive and effective therapeutic strategy for prevention of memory dysfunctions associated with nicotine abstinence during adolescence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The present study aims to assess the effect of vitamin B 12 (Vit B 12 ) on depression-like behavior caused by nicotine (Nic) withdrawal, which is more likely due to the anxiogenic effect of Nic in adolescent male rats, through assessing behavioral and biochemical analysis., Methods: Adolescent male rats were divided into vehicle (received normal saline), and experimental groups that received Nic (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) for three consecutive weeks and after that, the group that received normal saline was divided into two groups, one of which returned to a regular diet, and the second one received Vit B 12 (1.5 mg/kg). The Nic group was divided into five groups, one of which received bupropion (Bup, 20 mg/kg), three of which received different doses of Vit B 12 (0.5, 1, and 1.5 mg/kg), and the last one returned to a normal diet without treatment, which was considered as the withdrawal period., Results: Behavioral analysis showed that Nic withdrawal induced anxiety and depression. Vit B 12 and Bup reduced anxiety and depression induced by Nic withdrawal. The biochemical analysis demonstrated the more activity of oxidative stress factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines in which Nic was administered, whereas both Vit B 12 and Bup reversed the results and improved the activity of both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters. Furthermore, both serum and cortical Vit B 12 levels dramatically decreased in nicotine group, whereas treatment with both Vit B 12 and Bup as desirable treatments corrected Vit B 12 levels., Conclusion: According to the present findings, the results revealed that Vit B 12 is comparable with Bup in attenuation of Nic withdrawal symptoms. In addition, both Bup and Vit B 12 improved the decreased serum and cortical levels of Vit B 12 , which caused by nicotine. Administration of Vit B 12 in normal animals demonstrated better results in reducing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters, which explores new hope to introduce Vit B 12 as a novel antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to treat not only withdrawal, but also other diseases related to the prominent role of oxidative stress or inflammatory pathways, such as Alzheimer's disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The present study aimed to analyse both neurobehavioural and biochemical results of neonates born of mothers exposed to different doses of lithium along with the groups that received lithium at the highest dose with folic acid as a preventive treatment., Materials and Methods: Male and female rats were mated in separate cages, and pregnant rats were divided into eight first group as (1) vehicle; (2) propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism; (3-4) received two different doses of lithium carbonate (15 and 30 mg/kg); (5-7) the highest doses of lithium (30 mg/kg) plus three different doses of folic acid (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg); and (8) received just folic acid (15 mg/kg). All treatments were dissolved in drinking water and continued until delivery, followed by returning to a regular diet without treatment., Results: Lithium (30 mg/kg) disrupts both behavioural and biochemical markers, including TSH, T3 and T4 as measuring indicators to assess thyroid function, IL-10 and TNF-α as anti-inflammatory and inflammatory agents, respectively, malondialdehyde as an oxidative stress marker, alongside SOD, and catalase activity as antioxidant indicators. Besides, folic acid, almost at the highest dose (15 mg/kg), attenuated memory impairement and anxiety-like behaviour caused by lithium. Moreover, the groups treated with folic acid alone in comparison with vehicles demonstrated higher levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory indicators., Conclusion: According to the results, prenatal exposure to a high dose of lithium (30 mg/kg) leads to foetal neurodevelopmental disorder and growth restriction through various mechanisms more likely attributed to hypothyroidism, which means it should be either prohibited or prescribed cautiously during pregnancy., (© 2023 International Society for Developmental Neuroscience.)

Objective: The current study aimed to investigate whether Cocos nucifera L. oil (CO) is effective on menopause-related memory dysfunction in ovariectomized (OVX) rats., Materials and Methods: Fifty healthy female Wistar rats were randomly selected and classified into five groups as control, OVX rats, and three OVX groups of rats which received three different doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day) of CO for five consecutive weeks by gavage. To assess the effect of CO, neurobehavioral tests such as Morris water maze (MWM) and Passive avoidance (PA) were done and then the animals were sacrificed to remove cortical and hippocampal tissues for biochemical analysis., Results: In both behavioral tests including MWM and PA, treatment with CO particularly two higher doses of 200, and 400 mg/kg demonstrated significant improvement in comparison with OVX group. Furthermore, antioxidant biomarkers such as total thiol content, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly higher in the OVX-CO groups versus the OVX group. On the contrary, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration as an oxidative stress biomarker was remarkably lower in the OVX-CO200 and 400 mg groups than the OVX group., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the significant improvement of CO on learning and memory impairment induced by ovariectomy. Although the exact mechanism needs further investigation, it might have occurred due to the anti-oxidative effect of CO., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there is no conflict of interest.

Background: The present study aimed to assess whether folic acid (FA) have potential to prevent memory impairment caused by nicotine (Nico) withdrawal in adolescent male rats., Methods and Materials: The experiments were divided into 7 groups: 1) vehicle, 2) Nico (Nico 2 mg/kg injection from 21 to 42 days of ages), 3-5) Nico FA5/10/15 mg/kg (received Nico from 21 to 42 days of ages and received FA at three doses 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg 43-63 days of ages), and 6) received normal saline from 21 to 42 days of age after that received FA 15 mg/kg by oral gavage from 43 to 63 days of age. At 64-69 days of ages, behavioral tests related to memory including Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Object Recognition Test (ORT) were performed and related biochemical analysis including the hippocampal levels of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory indices, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nitrite, amyloid-B and acetylcholinesterase [1] were measured., Results: Results showed that nicotine exposure in adolescence followed by withdrawal dramatically impaired learning and memory performance along with affecting a variety of biochemical markers in the hippocampal tissues. In addition, it was observed that administration of FA significantly ameliorated Nico withdrawal-induced adverse effects through restoration of the mentioned biochemical disturbances., Conclusion: The present study and other relevant researches demonstrated that FA as a well-known, inexpensive, and safe supplement has strong potential to either prevent or ameliorate the detrimental effect of Nico withdrawal. However, further investigation is required to be more elucidated the precise mechanisms underlying memory impairment-induced by Nico withdrawal., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oxidative stress is an important contributor to Alzheimer's disease. Olibanum has therapeutic effects on various diseases. The effect of Olibanum on memory deficit induced by scopolamine (Sco) was challenged., Methods: Four groups were considered as (1) control (2) Sco, (3-4) Sco - Olib 100 and 200 mg/kg. Treatment by Olib or vehicle was done for two weeks. The third week was accompanied by the Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) with Sco injection. On the last day, the brain and hippocampus were used for evaluation of the malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and a total thiol group., Results: Sco increased the traveled time and distance to reach the hidden platform during five days of learning (p<0.01 - p<0.001) whereas it decreased the traveled time and distance (p<0.05- p<0.01) in the target area during the probe test of MWM. Sco also decreased delay time in the PA test (P<0.05 - P<0.001). Sco also decreased CAT, SOD, and thiol, whereas it, increased MDA in both the cortex and hippocampus (p<0.01 - p<0.001). Olib attenuated the impaired performance of the rats induced by Sco in MWM and PA tests. Olib reversed the increasing effects of Sco on MDA in both cortex and hippocampus and also reversed the attenuating effects of Sco on CAT, SOD, and thiol., Conclusion: Olib had an inhibitory effect on memory deficit induced by Sco probably through its anti-oxidant property., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: Liver is an important player in regulation of body homeostasis. Study investigated the effects of hydro-alcohol extract of Zataria multiflora (ZM) on oxidative damage, level of IL-6 and enzymes of liver in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rats., Materials and Methods: The rats were distributed into 5 groups: 1) Control; 2) LPS; and 3-5) ZM-Extract (Ext) 50, ZM-Ext 100, and ZM-Ext 200. ZM-Ext groups received 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of extract 30 min before LPS. Drugs were injected intraperitoneally. The entire period of this project was 17 days. In first three days, only extract was injected and then, ZM was injected along with LPS., Results: LPS increased the level of ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), AST (Aspartate aminotransferase ), ALK-P (Alkaline Phosphatase), IL-6, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and lowered thiol, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) concentration. ZM extract not only reduced ALT, AST, ALK-P, IL-6, MDA, and NO metabolites concentrations but also increased thiol content, and SOD and CAT levels., Conclusion: Extract of ZM prevented LPS-induced hepatotoxicity. This protective effect was associated with reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there is no conflict of interest.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to investigate the beneficial effects of rosiglitazone (Rosi) on amyloid beta(Aβ) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the hippocampus and neuroinflammation-associated learning and memory impairments in rats., Materials and Methods: The rats were grouped and treated as follows: (1) Control in which saline and vehicle were administered instead of LPS and Rosi respectively. (2) Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group in which LPS was dissolved in saline and injected (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Vehicle was administered instead of Rosi in this group. (3-5) LPS+ Rosi 1, LPS+ Rosi 3, and LPS+ Rosi 5 groups in them 1, 3, or 5 mg/kg of Rosi respectively was administered 30 min before LPS. The treatments were done for two weeks. In the first week, Rosi or its vehicle was injected 30 min before LPS. In the second week, the treatments were the same as the first week and behavioral tests were also carried out in the second week. The hippocampal tissues were finally detached for biochemical assessment., Results: The results showed that Rosi reversed increased levels of Aβ, GFAP, interleukin (IL)- 6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, and malondialdehyde (MDA) due to LPS injection. Rosi also reversed attenuating effects of LPS on IL-10 and thiol concentration and activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In the Morris water maze test, the LPS group had a longer latency to find the platform while spent a shorter time spent in the target quadrant in the probe trial than the control group. In the passive avoidance test, the animals of the LPS group had a shorter delay to enter the dark chamber than the animals of the control group. Treatment with Rosi reversed these parameters., Conclusion: The findings showed Rosi attenuated Aβ, GFAP, and oxidative stress in the hippocampus and neuroinflammation-associated learning and memory impairments in rats., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to investigate the probable mechanism and effect of crocin on brain oxidative damage and memory deficits induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS)., Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups consisting of one vehicle group (received normal saline), four groups included rats who received UCMS 4 weeks out of which three groups were pretreated with different doses of crocin (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg/day) concomitantly. To assess the pure effect of crocin, the last experimental group received a high dose of crocin (30 mg/kg/day) without exposure to the UCMS procedure. The behavioral tests including Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) were performed and eventually they were sacrificed for the estimation of biochemical parameters., Results: The increase in Malondialdehyde (MDA) as an oxidative stress indicator and nitrite levels in the hippocampus were observed in UCMS rats, along with memory deficits in behavioral tests including passive avoidance and Morris water maze (MWM) test. Moreover, treatment with crocin decreased MDA, nitrite, pro-inflammatory cytokine such as TNF-α, and pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease including amyloid-β (Aβ), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the hippocampus, whereas antioxidant agents including total thiol content, SOD, and catalase activity were increased. Also behavioral test demonstrated a positive effect of crocin on memory deficit induced by UCMS. Interlukin-10 as an important anti-inflammatory agent was increased as well. Interestingly, in some behavioral and biochemical findings, treatment with 30 mg/kg of crocin has given better results compared to vehicle group, which means the administration of crocin could have preventive effects on learning and memory impairment., Conclusion: The present study strongly confirmed the positive effect of crocin and has the potential as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that could improve memory impairment induced by UCMS., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Aims: Long-term neuroinflammation and brain dysfunction have frequently been reported in sepsis survivors. In this study, the protective effect of memantine (an NMDA receptor antagonist) on the long-term consequences of sepsis on the brain was investigated in mice., Materials and Methods: Eighty-five male C57 mice were included. Memantine was administrated through gavage at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg three days before sepsis and continued for three days after sepsis induction. Sepsis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg LPS. A cohort of mice was sacrificed on the 4th day post sepsis to measure NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β mRNA expression and oxidative stress markers in the brain. The second cohort was used for behavioral tests one month after sepsis induction and then sacrificed for oxidative stress markers and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity measurement., Key Findings: MDA levels and mRNA expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β ameliorated by memantine at the early days of sepsis induction, and total thiol content and SOD activity were increased. Post-septic mice showed significant disruption of recognition memory in novel object recognition (NOR) and depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in tail suspension test, elevated plus maze (EPM), and open field tests one month after sepsis. Memantine at 10 and 20 mg/kg dose-dependently ameliorated behavioral abnormalities, reduced AChE activity and MDA levels, and enhanced SOD activity and thiol content one month after sepsis., Significance: These findings suggest that early treatment of septic mice with memantine could ameliorate brain inflammation and oxidative damage and prevent long-term behavioral consequences of sepsis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Zataria multiflora and carvacrol showed various pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. However, up to now no studies have explored its potential benefits in ameliorating sepsis-induced aortic and cardiac injury. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Z. multiflora and carvacrol on nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress indicators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced aortic and cardiac injury., Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were assigned to: Control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)), and Z. multiflora hydro-ethanolic extract (ZME, 50-200 mg/kg, oral)- and carvacrol (25-100 mg/kg, oral)-treated groups. LPS was injected daily for 14 days. Treatment with ZME and carvacrol started 3 days before LPS administration and treatment continued during LPS administration. At the end of the study, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, thiols, and antioxidant enzymes were evaluated., Results: Our findings showed a significant reduction in the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and thiols in the LPS group, which were restored by ZME and carvacrol. Furthermore, ZME and carvacrol decreased MDA and NO in cardiac and aortic tissues of LPS-injected rats., Conclusions: The results suggest protective effects of ZME and carvacrol on LPS-induced cardiovascular injury via improved redox hemostasis and attenuated NO production. However, additional studies are needed to elucidate the effects of ZME and its constituents on inflammatory responses mediated by LPS., (© 2023 The Authors. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.)

Adolescents are known to be more vulnerable than adults to the adverse effects of nicotine dependence. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether adolescent nicotine exposure, followed by a period of abstinence, could affect the anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in rats. For this purpose, behavioral assessments were carried out using open field test, elevated plus maze and forced swimming test in male rats received chronic nicotine intake during adolescence followed by a period of abstinence in adulthood, compared to their control counterparts. In addition, O3 pre-treatment was done at three different doses to reveal whether it could prevent nicotine withdrawal effects. Then, animals were euthanized and the cortical concentrations of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory indices, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, serotonin and the enzymatic activity of monoamine oxidase-A were measured. Results indicated that nicotine withdrawal exacerbates the behavioral signs of anxiety through alteration of the brain oxidative stress balance, inflammatory response and serotonin metabolism. Moreover, we found that omega 3 pre-treatment significantly prevents the nicotine withdrawal-induced complications by restoration of changes in the mentioned biochemical indices. Moreover, the improving effects of O3 fatty acids were found to be dose-dependent in all experiments. Taken together, we would like to suggest the O3 fatty acids supplementation as a safe, inexpensive and effective strategy for prevention or amelioration of detrimental effects induced by nicotine withdrawal at cellular and behavioral levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Adolescence is a critical life period during which significant neurodevelopmental changes occur within the central nervous system. Consistently, substance abuse in this stage has been found to induce persistent changes in brain responsiveness to future drug challenges. Nowadays, heavy episodic alcohol consumption during adolescence, also known as binge-drinking behavior, is a growing concern in modern societies. On the other hand, alcohol is well known to act as a gateway drug, that is, it promotes the individual's craving for consumption of other drugs of abuse. With this in mind, we aimed to assess whether adolescent ethanol exposure could alter the development of tolerance and dependence to morphine, as an available common opioid drug. Tail flick test was used to measure thermal nociceptive changes in adult male Wistar rats undergone ethanol/vehicle exposure during adolescence. Furthermore, morphine withdrawal syndrome was induced by naloxone injection, and behavioral signs were recorded for 20 min. It was found that adolescent ethanol intake facilitates morphine analgesic tolerance and decreases baseline latency; however, the severity of dependence is not significantly altered. Moreover, we found that 15 days of treatment with omega-3 fatty acids (O3) prevents the mentioned ethanol-induced changes suggesting a therapeutic potential for this compound. O3 supplementation, as an inexpensive and noninvasive method, may assist the clinicians to reverse the adverse effect of alcohol binge drinking on adolescents' brains and to reduce the vulnerability to drug exposure in adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The effect of carvacrol (CAR) on oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver dysfunction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was explored. The rats (n=40) were daily injected (2 weeks) by saline as control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg CAR (i.p.) before LPS. LPS increased aspartate transaminase (AST: 162±13 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 74.6±2.15 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (ALK-P: 811±51 U/L), interlukine-1β (IL-1β: 1254±51 pg/g tissue), malondialdehyde (MDA: 32±1.09 nM/g tissue), and nitric oxide (NO: 224±13.5 nM/g tissue) (P<0.01-P<0.001) while, decreased total protein(4.08±0.38 g/dl), albumin(2.79±0.16 g/dl), thiol (5.16±0.19 μM/g tissue), superoxide dismutase (SOD: 10.57±0.13 U/g tissue), and catalase (CAT: 0.78±0.02 U/g tissue) compared to control (P<0.001). CAR reversed the effects of LPS (P<0.05-P<0.001). In the rats treated by 100 mg/kg CAR, the indicators were as follows: AST: 118±10.1 U/L, ALT: 42.5±4.13 U/L, ALK-P: 597±39.91 U/L, IL-1β: 494±15 pg/g tissue, and NO: 141±5.35 nM/g tissue. Both 50 and 100 mg/kg CAR corrected oxidative stress indicators and in the group treated by 100 mg/kg CAR, they were: MDA: 23.4±0.91 nM/g tissue, thiol: 7.98±0.18 μM/g tissue, SOD: 21±0.8 U/g tissue, and CAT: 1.12±0.02 U/g tissue(P<0.05-P<0.001). In conclusion, CAR improved liver function, accompanied with antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects.

Background: Considering antioxidant effects of vitamin E (Vit E), in the present study, the effect of Vit E on liver and kidney functions and oxidative stress parameters in tissues of these organs of hypothyroid (Hypo) rats were reported., Materials and Methods: The animals were included in three groups:(1) control, (2) hypo, and (3) hypo-hypo-Vit E. Hypothyroidism was induced in rats by giving 0.05% propylthiouracil (PTU) in drinking water. Besides PTU, the rats in group 3 were daily injected with Vit E (20 mg/kg) for 42 days. The animals were deeply anesthetized and sacrificed, and the serum of the rats was immediately removed to measure thyroxin level and subsequent analysis. The liver and kidney tissues were also immediately removed for biochemical oxidative stress criteria., Results: PTU administration reduced serum thyroxin level and also thiol content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities in the liver and kidney tissues while increasing malondialdehyde (MDA). Hypothyroidism also increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine while decreasing albumin. Vit E increased thiol, SOD, and CAT in the liver and kidney tissues while diminished MDA. Vit E also decreased ALT, BUN, and creatinine while increased albumin., Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Vit E prevented liver and renal tissue damage in hypothyroid rats., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Advanced Biomedical Research.)

There are growing evidence indicating that the adolescent brain is persistently affected by the use of psychostimulant agents. In this regard, alcohol drinking has become rather common among the adolescents in many societies during the last decade. It is currently well known that long-term ethanol exposure deteriorates various cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Mechanistically, these adverse effects have been shown to be mediated by oxidative damage to central nervous system. On the other hand, Vit-B12 is known to improve cognitive performance by suppression of oxidative parameters. Thus, in the present study we aimed to test whether treatment by Vit-B12 could prevent ethanol-induced complications in mice using behavioral and biochemical methods. Different groups of male Syrian mice received ethanol, ethanol+Vit-B12, Vit-B12 alone, or saline during adolescence and then learning and memory functions were assessed by Morris water maze (MWM) and Passive Avoidance (PA) tests. Finally, mice were sacrificed for measurement of biochemical factors. Results indicated that, adolescent ethanol intake impairs learning and memory function through exacerbation of oxidative stress and Vit-B12 treatment improves these complications by re-establishment of oxidant/anti-oxidant balance in CNS. Moreover, we found that Vit-B12 prevents ethanol-induced reduction of BDNF and enhancement of GFAP and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. In conclusion, it seems that Vit-B12 supplementation could be used as an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent learning and memory defects induced by chronic alcohol intake during adolescence., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nowadays various analgesic medications are used for the management of acute and chronic pain. Among these opioid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs stand in the first line of therapy, however, prolonged administration of these substance is generally challenged by development of analgesic tolerance in patients. Therefore, it is highly valuable to find new pharmacological strategies for prolonged therapeutic procedures. In this respect, Taurine, a free amino acid, has been shown to induce significant analgesia at both spinal and peripheral levels through cholinergic mechanisms. In the present study, we used hot-plate analgesic test to investigate how taurine either as a single medication or in combination with sodium salicylate and morphine may affect both acute response to pain and development of analgesic tolerance. The effect of taurine was also tested on morphine withdrawal syndrome. Hyoscine butyl bromide was used to assess the role of muscarinic receptors in taurine-mediated effects. Finally, biochemical assay was done to reveal how the activity of brain acetylcholinesterase may change in relation with muscarinic receptor activity. Results indicated that acute administration of taurine-sodium salicylate combination causes more potent analgesia compared to the use of tau (but not SS alone) and this seems to be mediated via activity of muscarinic receptors in peripheral nervous system. Furthermore, the effect of this combination undergoes less analgesic tolerance during time. Combination of taurine and morphine is an effective strategy to attenuate both morphine analgesic tolerance and dependence and this also seems to depend on activity of muscarinic receptors, however through differential cellular mechanisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The present study examined the effects of Artemisia absinthium L. on scopolamine-induced memory dysfunction and brain tissue oxidative damage in rats., Materials and Methods: Fifty rats were used in five groups: Control: received dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/saline, Scopolamine: scopolamine (2 mg/kg) was administered along with DMSO/saline, and Scopolamine-Ext 50, Scopolamine-Ext 100, and Scopolamine-Ext 200 groups: A. absinthium hydroalcoholic extract 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg were administered before scopolamine. The Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tasks were used for assessment of behavioral parameters. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total thiol, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in the cortex and hippocampus., Results: A. absinthium decreased the delay time and distance traveled to reach the platform in the MWM test (p<0.05-p<0.001). Besides, the extract increased the delay time to pass in the dark and the light time while decreasing the number of entrances and the dark time in the PA task (p<0.05-p<0.001). In biochemical assessments, A. absinthium attenuated NO metabolites (p<0.001) and MDA (p<0.05- p<0.001) while enhanced total thiol (p<0.001), CAT and SOD (both p<0.05-p<0.001)., Conclusion: This study revealed that A. absinthium improved memory and learning impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage in scopolamine-treated rats., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there is no conflict of interest.

Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of some known extracts on learning and memory impairment induced by streptozocin (STZ) in male rats., Materials and Methods: Eighty male rats were randomly divided: 1) control, 2) STZ (50 mg/kg), 3) STZ+ Trigonella foenum-graecum (200 mg/kg), 4) STZ+ Ribes rubrum (500 mg/kg), 5) STZ+ Lavandula angustifolia (400 mg/kg), 6) STZ+ Arctium Lappa (200 mg/kg), 7) STZ+mix of extracts (quarter dose of each extract), and 8) STZ+metformin (100 mg/kg). Treatment was continued for 8 weeks and the after that, the behavioral tests related to learning and memory including Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) were performed along with biochemical analysis associated with oxidative stress pathway and other related indicators., Results: According to the results, all extracts demonstrated potential effect to ameliorate cognitive impairment caused by STZ in both MWM and PA tests along with attenuating oxidative stress indicators like malondialdehyde (MDA), while total thiol content and anti-oxidant enzyme activity like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) remarkably increased in biochemical test results. Interestingly, the mixture of extracts illustrated much better results in ameliorating the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), while attenuating the amyloid-B and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated these extracts alone or in combination with a minimum dose have a strong potential to ameliorate learning and memory impairment induced by STZ along with lowering glucose levels by which they prevent or manage diabetes. It is noteworthy that the results matched those of metformin a well-known anti-diabetic drug., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.