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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-1ß 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND & AIM Alpha lipoic acid (LA) was shown to exert neuroprotection in trauma-induced spinal cord injury (SCI), which is frequently associated with urinary bladder complaints in patients with SCI. Accordingly, the protective effects of LA on biochemical and histological changes in bladder as well as functional studies were assessed. METHODS Wistar albino rats were divided as control, SCI, and LA (50 mg/kg/day, ip) treated SCI groups (SCI+LA). The standard weight-drop (100 g/cm force at T10) method was used to induce a moderately severe SCI. One week after the injury, neurological examination was performed and the rats were decapitated. Bladder samples were taken for histological examination, functional (isolated tissue bath) studies, and for the measurement of biochemical parameters (malondialdehyde, MDA; gluthathione, GSH; nerve growth factor, NGF; caspase-3, luminol and lucigenin chemiluminescences). RESULTS SCI caused a significant ( P < 0.001) increase in the detrusor muscle thickness. It increased the contractility responses to carbachol and relaxation responses to papaverine ( P < 0.05-0.001). There were also significant alterations in MDA, caspase-3, luminol, and lucigenin chemiluminescences with concomitant decreases in NGF and GSH ( P < 0.05). LA treatment reversed histological and functional (contraction and relaxation responses) changes induced by SCI ( P < 0.05-0.001), but no significant recovery was observed in the impaired neurological functions. CONCLUSION These results indicate that LA have a beneficial effect in improving the bladder tonus via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions following SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition, alone and with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, on inflammatory parameters and apoptosis in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial damage in rats. For this purpose, zileuton, a selective and potent inhibitor of 5-LOX, resulting in suppression leukotriene production, was used. Methods: Male Wistar rats (200-250 g; n=12 per group) were used in the study. I/R was performed by occluding the left coronary artery for 30 minutes and 2 hours of reperfusion of the heart. Experimental groups were I/R group, sham I/R group, zileuton (5 mg/kg orally, twice daily)+I/R group, zileuton+indomethacin (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally)+I/R group, zileuton+ketorolac (10 mg/kg subcutaneously)+I/R group, and zileuton+nimesulide (5 mg/kg subcutaneously)+I/R group. Following I/R, blood samples were collected to measure tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and left ventricles were excised for evaluation of microscopic damage; malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione, nuclear factor (NF)-κB assays; and evaluation of apoptosis. Results: Left ventricle MDA in I/R group was higher compared to sham group; however, it did not show significant change with zileuton. Although tissue injury in I/R group was less severe in all treatment groups, it was not statistically significant. NF-κB H-score and apoptotic index, which were higher in I/R group compared to sham I/R, were decreased with application of zileuton (H-score: p<0.01; apoptotic index: p<0.001). Zileuton had no significant effect on increased serum TNF-α levels in I/R group. Conclusion: 5-LOX inhibition in rat myocardial infarction model attenuated increased left ventricle NF-κB expression and apoptosis and these actions were not modulated by COX inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green tea has multiple effects on human health while whey proteins exhibit antioxidantive and supporting effects on immunity. In this present study, preventive and curative effects of green tea and whey proteins were investigated on rat gastric ulcer model. To determine their effects, experiments were planned at two stages involving 10-dayadministration. Lipid peroxidation, glutathione, myeloperoxidase, reactive oxygen species, levels of TNF-a and IL-1 p and histological evaluations were determined in collected tissues. As a result, combined consumption of these foods reduced the production of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, and this type of consumption had a synergistic effect for the prevention of gastric ulcer in a rat model. Biochemical and histological data in assessed tissue damages were also compatible. In conclusion, although their curative and preventive properties for gastric ulcer were significant, combined consumption of green tea and whey proteins can be considered as ''functional food alternative" to support clinical therapy; however, they should not replace drug therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adipokines are markers of insulin resistance and play a role in the atherosclerotic process. The association of adipokines with the macrovascular complications of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) needs to be determined. The aim of this study was to measure serum adiponectin, leptin, and resistin levels in type 1 DM patients and investigate their relationship with carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), a clinical marker of atherosclerosis. Methods: Seventy-five type 1 DM patients and 115 sex and age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Serum adiponectin, leptin, and resistin levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA method). CIMT was assessed by Doppler ultrasonography Results: Adiponectin levels in diabetics were higher (25.8±14.8 μg/mL vs. 5.5±7.3 μg/mL; P<0.0001) and leptin levels were lower than controls (9.4±6.2 ng/mL vs. 12.8±8.6 ng/mL; P=0.01). Resistin levels were also higher in the diabetic group compared to controls (2.1±1.4 ng/mL vs. 1.6±0.8 ng/mL; P=0.04). Adiponectin was correlated negatively with CIMT ( r=−0.24, P=0.03), age ( r=−0.30, P=0.02), BMI (r=−0.33, P=0.02), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) ( r=−0.38, P=0.01) and positively with creatinine ( r=0.44, P=0.004). Leptin levels were correlated with total cholesterol ( r=0.53, P=0.01) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ( r=0.67, P=0.001). Resistin was correlated with CIMT ( r=0.24, P=0.03) and systolic blood pressure ( r=0.48, P=0.009). Multivariate analysis revealed resistin and creatinine to be independent predictors of CIMT among adiponectin, leptin, resistin, WHR, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and creatinine. Conclusions: Increased adiponectin correlates negatively and resistin positively with CIMT in type 1 diabetic patients, but adjusting for other known predictors reveals only resistin to be associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whey is the liquid part which is responsible for the therapeutic effects of milk. Whey is a product of cheese manufacture and is rich in milk serum proteins. This by-product is powdered and used in the nutritonal industry. In recent years, increasing number of studies clarifying the multiple therapeutic effects of whey have appeared. Its protective effects on free radical damage and anticarcinogenic effects are the major ones among other beneficial effects. In this study, we have investigated preventive effects of whey proteins against lipid and protein oxidation of serum in vitro. We have used whey powder and raw liquid whey in our experiments. We determined their antioxidant effects against lipid and protein oxidation in human serum samples oxidized by CuSO4. Sulfhydryl (-SH) groups of heated and non-heated whey proteins was measured using a modification of the Ellman assay, lipid peroxidation by TBARS and Diene Conjugation methods and protein oxidation by protein carbonly method. Bradford Method was used in protein measurements of samples. In our in vitro experiments, we observed that the reactive sulphydryl group content is related to the antioxidant effects of whey proteins and -SH content of whey powder is higher than in raw milk serum. Therefore, whey powder has a stronger antioxidant effect than raw milk serum [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]