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Objective: The aim of this study was to reveal the effect of apocynin (APO) on the factors involved in obesity-related endothelial dysfunction (ED) and atherosclerosis (AS). Materials and Methods: Male Wistar albino rats were divided into control (CNT), high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD+APO groups. HFD and HFD+APO groups were fed HFD for sixteen weeks. APO (25 mg/kg) was administered to the HFD+APO group for the last four weeks. The effects of APO on: AS-related metabolic parameters (triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, insulin and leptin), oxidative stress (OS), [ malondialdehyde, glutathione, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-oxidase-2, oxidised-low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine], low-density lipoprotein and ox-LDL uptake potential (activin receptor-like kinase-1 and lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1, respectively), tissue inflammation (myeloperoxidase, monocyte-chemoattractant-protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha), ED (endothelial-nitric oxide synthase, inducible-nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide), programmed cell death (terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-dUTP-nick-end labeling, cleaved-poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase, gasdermin-D N-terminal fragment, caspase-1), smooth muscle cell transformation (alpha-smooth muscle actin), histology and ultrastructure of thoracic aorta were evaluated. Results: In obesity, APO had an ameliorative effect on metabolic parameters, OS, inflammation, ED, programmed cell death and ox-LDL uptake potential, but not on foam cell formation and LDL uptake potential. Conclusion: Apocynin may improve ED and AS in obesity by suppressing OS-linked factors involved in the early stage of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: To analyze the potential therapeutic effects of chard against streptozotocin (STZ) -induced erectile dysfunction (ED) and oxidative damage in the corpus cavernousum in rats. Materials and Methods: In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300g) were allocated into groups as follows: control, diabetic, diabetic + chard, and diabetic + insulin. In order to induce diabetes, rats were given 65 mg/kg intraperitoneal streptozotocin. Chard extract was given orally at a dose 2 g/kg for 45 days beginning on 15th days. Sixty days after STZ injection, intracavernosal pressure (ICP) was measured and rats were decapitated. Blood samples were obtained for glucose, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA)levels, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity while cavernous tissues were taken to analyze luminol and lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL), malondialdehyde and glutathione and along with histological analysis. Results: The results revealed that diabetes caused significant decreases in cavernosal tissue glutathione levels, while luminol and lucigenin CL, and malondialdehyde levels were significantly elevated. Plasma glucose, ADMA levels, and LDH activity were also found to be increased in diabetic group. On the other hand, both chard extract and insulin treatment reversed these biochemical parameters significantly. Furthermore, it was found that the ICP value examined for evaluating erectile functions were lower in the diabetic group, but increased in both treatment groups which were similar to the control values. Conclusion: According to our results, chard extract, similar to insulin, reduced diabetes-induced oxidative damage in cavernosal tissue and protected erectile functions. This effects may be attributed its hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methotrexate (MTX) is a cytotoxic immunosuppressant that is widely used in the treatment of tumours, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. This study aims to evaluate the effects of whey proteins on MTX-induced liver and kidney damage by focusing on oxidant–antioxidant systems and eating habits. The study was conducted in four groups of thirty Sprague–Dawley rats (control, control + whey protein concentrate (WPC), MTX, MTX + WPC). A single dose of 20 mg/kg MTX was administered intraperitoneally to the MTX groups. Control and MTX groups were given 2 g/kg WPC by oral gavage every day for 10 d. At the end of day 10, blood samples were drawn and liver and kidney tissues were removed. MTX administration increased the lipid peroxidation level and decreased glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in the liver and kidney. Administration of WPC significantly reduced the damage caused by MTX in the liver and kidney. While a decrease in serum urea level and an increase in serum creatinine level were detected in the MTX group, WPC administration reversed these results up to control group levels. Administration of WPC to the MTX group significantly reversed the histopathological damage scores of the liver and kidney. WPC administration ameliorated the MTX-induced oxidative damage in the liver and kidney tissues due to its antioxidant properties. Liver and kidney damage can be prevented by using whey proteins as a nutraceutical in MTX therapy. In conclusion, whey proteins demonstrated a protective effect against MTX-induced liver and kidney damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy, which is routinely used to treat a wide range of oncological disorders, primarily affects the malignant tissue in the targeted area, but also have negative effects in the surrounding tissues. Pelvic radiotherapy causes early and late effects on the colon and rectum. Resveratrol (RVT) has been revealed to have a number of pharmacological effects in a variety of experimental models and clinical circumstances, therefore it has piqued the interest of scientists in recent years. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of resveratrol (RVT), a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic agent, against toxicity of colonic and rectal tissues seen in the early and late stages after pelvic radiation. The treatment durations of the current study were designed as one week and ten weeks interval by following radiation exposure. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups (8 animals/group) as the control, radiation-early effects (Rd-E), radiation-late effects (Rd-L), and RVT-treated Rd-E (Rd-E+RVT) and RVT-treated Rd-L (Rd-L+RVT) groups. İonizing radiation was performed to the pelvic area that covers colon and rectum in single fraction of 20 Gy in a linear accelerator using with 6 MV photon energy. RVT was orally administered (10 mg/kg/day) immediately following the radiation exposure and continued daily for 1 and 10 weeks for early and late groups, respectively. Pelvic radiation caused a significant decrease in glutathione level, while malondialdehyde levels, myeloperoxidase activity and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were increased in both Rd-E and Rd-L groups in the colon and rectum tissues. Additionally, light microscopic evaluations (H&E staining) revealed degeneration of epithelium and inflammatory cell infiltration in the colonic and rectal tissues in radiation groups. RVT treatment reversed all conducted biochemical parameters and ameliorated histomorphological changes following early and late effects of pelvic radiation in tissues. In conclusion, resveratrol may be a candidate as a radioprotector for normal tissues during and after radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the possible protective and therapeutic effects of Myrtus communis subsp. communis ethanol extract (MC) in aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and D-galactose (D-Gal) induced Alzheimer's disease in rats. MC was orally given to rats as a protective treatment for 90 days and, in other two groups starting from the 60th day MC (100-200 mg/kg) was administered, concomitantly with AlCl3 and D-Gal. Learning and memory functions were evaluated by the behavioral tests. Biological activities of MC treatment were examined in hippocampal tissues by ELISA tests. D-Gal and AlCl3-treated rats showed increased amyloid beta (Aβ) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8- OHdG) levels, acetylcholinesterase activity and decreased neprilysin, Na+-K+ATPase and SOD levels in parallel with a decrease in Novel Object Recognition Test, Morris Water Maze and Passive Avoidance Test scores. On the other hand, MC administration reversed the behavioral impairments and improved learning and memory. Moreover, MC treatment decreased Aβ and 8-OHdG levels and acetylcholinesterase activity and increased neprilysin levels, Na+-K+ATPase and SOD levels. Our results suggest that MC has beneficial effects on cognitive and neuronal functions through its anticholinesterase and antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]