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Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of digital cellular system (DCS) 1800-MHz radiation of a common digital mobile phone which has the highest specific absorption rate value of 1.79 W/kg on the urinary bladders of male rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Nigella sativa (NS) oil form on reducing the damage caused by indomethacin in the stomach and duodenum of rats owing to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. MATERIAL and METHODS The rats were divided into 4 groups: group 1, saline-treated control group; group 2, NS-treated control group; group 3, saline-treated ulcer group and ulcers caused by indomethacin (30 mg/kg) and administration of physiological serum; group 4, NS-treated ulcer group, which is the group receiving NS oil after administration of indomethacin. At the end of the study, blood samples collected from animals were examined for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO),and Na+/K+-ATPase activities in gastric and intestinal tissue samples. RESULTS Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in serum and MDA and MPO values in tissue were found to be higher in the saline-treated ulcer group than in the saline-treated control group. In addition, tissue GSH and Na+/K+-ATPase levels were found to be lower. These values were found to be reversed when comparing NS-treated ulcer group to saline-treated ulcer group. Histopathological findings showed epithelial regeneration and improvement instead of dense tissue damage. CONCLUSION The strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of NS against potential small intestine and gastric damage were shown using an experimental indomethacin-induced ulcer model in rats. Hence, our study suggests that NS used together with indomethacin can prevent gastrointestinal damage; thus, this agent can create a new clinical therapeutic principle.

Objective The present study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of resveratrol (RES) on isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial injury rat model. Methods Catecholamine-induced heart damage was induced by ISO treatment for 30 days. The rats were divided into four groups as follows: the control group received saline, the ISO group received 5.0 mg/kg ISO, the RES group received 10 mg/kg RES, and the ISO-RES group received 10 mg/kg RES and 5 mg/kg ISO treatments for 30 days. Following echocardiographic measurements and body weight recorded, the rats were decapitated. Plasma and cardiac tissue samples obtained by decapitation were analyzed using biochemical, histopathological, molecular and immunohistochemical methods. Results In the ISO group, Na+/K+ ATPase activity and ATP content, GSH, and caveolin-3 levels were low. LDH, CK and lysosomal enzyme activities, MDA level, and MPO activity were found to be high. It was determined that GSH and MDA levels and MPO, Na+/K+ ATPase activity, ATP content caveolin-3 levels changes that arose from ISO treatment were suppressed by RES treatment. Conclusion RES treatment has ameliorated all the functional and biochemical parameters. The results obtained in this study suggest that RES is a promising supplement against catecholamine exposure as it improves antioxidant defense mechanisms in the heart. In the light of above-mentioned data, RES can be assumed as a promising agent in ameliorating the oxidative injury of the myocardium.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate possible protective effects of St. John's wort in the hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. Material and Methods: The hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct were all clamped for 45 minutes to induce ischemia in rats, and after that reperfusion for 1 hour. SJW was administrated orally, once a day for 3 days before ischemia/reperfusion. The aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin levels were measured in the serum samples. Luminol chemiluminescence, lucigenin luminol chemiluminescence levels; myeloperoxidase. The sodium-potassium ATPase (Na+/K+ ATPase) activity was determined in the liver tissue, and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity with the bcl-2/bax ratio were measured by the western blot analysis. Results: The St. John's wort administration recovered the aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-1 beta levels serum parameters meaningfully, while ischemia/reperfusion caused an increase in luminol chemiluminescence, lucigenin luminol chemiluminescence, myeloperoxidase, caspase-3, and caspase-9 activity and led to a decrease in the B-cell lymphoma-2/bcl-2-associated X protein (bcl-2/bax) ratio and the Na+/K+ ATPase activity. Conclusion: The obtained results indicate protective effects of St. John's wort on the ischemia/reperfusion injury through various mechanisms, and we are able to suggest that St. John's wort can clinically create a new therapeutic principle.

The protective effects of ACE inhibitor, Captopril, and angiotensin receptor blocker, Valsartan, were evaluated in the treatment of chronic renal failure (CRF) with and without the presence of N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The renal mass of Wistar albino rats was reduced at a rate of 5/6. Captopril, Valsartan and NAC were applied intra-peritoneal alone or in combination. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored at weekly intervals over a period of six weeks. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6) concentrations, urinary volume, creatinine, and both serum and urinary electrolyte levels were measured. In addition, the apoptosis rate of white blood cells was analysed from plasma samples. Tissue samples from the brain, heart, aorta and kidneys were used for analysis of the collagen content besides tissue luminol, lucigenin, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. A significant difference was determined between the CRF group and the control group with regard to heart rate, blood pressure, serum creatinine, BUN, LDH, cytokines and urinary electrolyte levels. Furthermore, monocyte and neutrophil apoptosis, tissue luminol, lucigenin, malondialdehyde and collagen levels were found to increase. Tissue glutathione levels were found to decrease indicating oxidative damage. These results indicate that oxidative mechanisms induce tissue damage in CRF, and the angiotensin receptor blocker, Valsartan, improved oxidative tissue damage when used in combination with the ACE inhibitor, Captopril or NAC, yielded better results and could be a novel approach for the treatment of CRF when used in combination with anti-oxidants.

Objective: In the present study, it was aimed to study the antioxidant effects of spironolactone (SPL) to determine its possible protective effects in hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury. Material and Methods: Hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct of Wistar albino rats were clamped for 45 minutes under anesthesia to form an ischemia period. Then reperfusion was allowed and the rats were decapitated 60 minutes later. SPL (20 mg/kg, p.o.) or SF was orally administered for 30 minutes before ischemia. Rats in the control arm underwent sham surgery and were administered isotonic saline. Liver function was studied by measuring aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin 1beta (IL-1 beta) levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), luminol, and lucigenin levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Na+-K+- ATPase enzyme activities were analyzed to study tissue injury under light microscope. Results: While IR increased AST, ALT, TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta levels and MDA, luminol, and lusigenin levels and MPO activities, it caused a decrease in GSH levels and Na+K+-ATPase activity. Spironolactone administration significantly improved these values. Conclusion: Protective effects of SPL against ischemia/reperfusion injury via various mechanisms suggest that this agent may become a novel treatment agent in clinical practice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effect of spironolactone (SPL) and role of the Na-K ATPase pump on intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury. In our study, the period of ischemia was established by clamping the mesenteric artery for 45 minunder anesthesia in Wistar albino rats and the animals left for reperfusion at the end of this period were decapitated after one hour. Spironolactone (20 mg kg(-1)) was administered orally for three days before ischemia, 30 minbefore ischemia. The control group rats were subjected to the Sham operation and administered saline solution. TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta levels were measured in the serum samples. Ileal Na+/K+-ATPase, myeloperoxidase (MPO) analysis were performed. Structural injury was assessed histopathologically. Ischemia/reperfusion increased serum TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta levels together with MPO activity, whereas these values were maintained at the control group levels through SPL activation. However, ischemia/reperfusion decreased Na+/K+-ATPase activity in ileal tissues; however, these parameters were found to be significantly increased with SPL activation. The protective effect of SPL against ischemia/reperfusion injury by different mechanisms, mainly the activity of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump, suggests that this nontoxic agent may constitute a new clinical therapeutic principle.

Objective: Agmatine, the decarboxylation product of arginine produced by arginine decarboxylase, is a novel neurotransmitter and exists in the mammalian brain. Agmatine has been reported to modulate cognitive functions, including learning and memory. Methods: In the present study, we evaluated the effects of agmatine on cognitive performance and oxidative damage in intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) streptozotocin (STZ) model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected STZ (3mg/kg, i.c.v, bilaterally) on days 1 and 3. The learning and memory patterns were assessed by using passive avoidance, Morris water maze, and closed field activity tests. Also, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity have been determined as the parameters of oxidative damage. The behavioral tests were performed after 14 days from the first injection of STZ. Rats with impaired learning and memory performance were treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) agmatine (40 mg/kg) twice daily for 7 days. After agmatine treatment, rats were subjected to the aforementioned behavioral tests again. Immediately after decapitation of the rats, the brains were collected and analyzed for oxidative damage parameters. Results: Agmatine improved the STZ-induced both spatial and emotinal memory impairment and oxidative damage. Findings of the study demonstrated the effectiveness of agmatine in reversing the cognitive deficits as well as the oxidative damage caused by i.c.v STZ. Conclusion: Taken together, our results have provided experimental evidence suggesting a possible therapeutic potential of agmatine as a regulator in etiopathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine possible protective effect of betaine treatment against oxidative injury in pulmonary tissue induced with thermal trauma. METHODS: Under ether anesthesia, shaved dorsum of Wistar albino rats was exposed to a 90 degrees C water bath for 10 seconds to induce burn injury. Betaine was administered orally (250 mg/kg) for a period of 21 days before burn injury, and single dose of betaine was administered after thermal injury. Control group rats were exposed to 25 degrees C water bath for 10 seconds. Upon conclusion of experiment, rats were decapitated and blood was collected for analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Lung tissue samples were taken to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and Na+/K+-ATPase activity, in addition to histological analysis. RESULTS: Burn injury caused significant increase in both cytokine levels and LDH activity. In lung samples, raised MDA levels, MPO activity, and reduced GSH levels and Na+/K+-ATPase activity were found due to burn injury. CONCLUSION: Treatment of rats with betaine significantly restored GSH level and Na+/K+-ATPase activity, and decreased MDA level and MPO activity. According to the findings of the present study, betaine significantly diminishes burn-induced damage in tissue.