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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

Abstract 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 (CoQ10) 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 CoQ10 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. CoQ10 treatment prevented memory deficits and biochemical alterations. Interestingly, this ameliorative effect of CoQ10 was found to be dose-dependent in most experiments and almost equipotential to that of bupropion and naloxone co-administration. CoQ10 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.

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.

Background: Studies indicate that phytoestrogens and phytosterols have adverse effects on the male reproductive system. To our knowledge, the effects of Tanacetum parthenium on testicular tissue, spermatozoa chromatin integrity and free radical damage have not yet been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of T. parthenium administration on sperm parameters, testis histology, sperm DNA integrity and oxidative damage in adult male mice. Methods: Eighteen adult male mice (2-3 months old) were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, TP1 and TP2. TP1 and TP2 groups were separately gavaged with 50 and 100 mg/kg T. parthenium. After harvesting the epididymis, sperm analysis was performed according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). The testicular tissue also passaged through the tissue routine process after being placed in a formalin fixative solution. To check the quality of sperm chromatin, a sperm smear was prepared and then stained with acridine orange dye and was examined with a fluorescent microscope. Biochemical parameters, including malondialdehyde (MDA), thiol, catalase enzyme, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were measured in testicular tissue. Finally, data were analyzed by the analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 16. Results: A significant reduction was seen in sperm count and sperm morphology percentage and the germinal epithelium thickness in the TP1 and TP2 groups versus the control group. The spermatozoa with DNA damage in percentage were higher in the TP1 group (21.22±3.70) and TP2 group (42.60±3.73) compared to the control group (2.40±4.3). There were remarkable differences between the three groups in MDA (P≤0.001) and thiol (P≤0.001) levels. Catalase level (P≤0.001) was lower in the TP1 and TP2 groups than in the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that T. parthenium caused a significant decrease in sperm chromatin quality, MDA level and germinal epithelium thickness at both doses. A reduction was found in the antioxidant enzyme level in the mice administrated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of T. parthenium.

Abstract 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.