Search

Febrile seizures (FS) are frequent convulsive disorders, occurring in infants and young children. The present study aims to assess and compare the serum levels of oxidative stress markers and some essential trace minerals in FS with normal or abnormal EEG and evaluate the effect of antioxidant therapy on the clinical outcome. This study has been carried out on 80 children with FS (40 with simple FS and 40 with complex FS) and 40 febrile children without seizures. Clinical and EEG findings were recorded for the included patients. Biochemical assays of serum nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), using colorimetric methods, were measured in the studied groups. The overall results showed an increased values of NO, MDA and Cu with decreased values of SOD, Zn and Se in patients with FS (simple and complex) in comparison with febrile children without seizures (p < 0.05 for all). Additionally, NO and MDA was increased in complex FS patients with EEG abnormalities in comparison with complex FS with normal EEG findings (p < 0.05); NO and MDA were also significantly decreased after valproate therapy in complex FS patients (p < 0.05 for all). In conclusions, oxidative stress, decreased Zn and Se with increased Cu may play a role in FS. Valproate improves the oxidative stress status in complex FS.

In the present study, 45 children in Upper Egypt (less than 16 years old) were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for scorpion envenomation (SE). They were compared with 30 apparently healthy children of matching age and sex as controls. Out of the studied victims, 35 children (78%) showed signs of severe envenomation, while 10 victims (22%) showed signs of mild envenomation. The case fatality was 33%. The serum levels of cardiac markers, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and I (cTnI), as well as the enzymatic activities of creatine kinase-MB (CPK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined for both victims and controls. In addition, the serum levels of oxidative stress markers, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and zinc (Zn) were measured. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were done. All the envenomed victims showed significantly higher mean values of cTnT, cTnI, CPK-MB and LDH than control group. These cardiac markers were elevated in severe cases and in non survivors in comparison with mild cases and survivors respectively. Furthermore, the serum levels of NO and MDA were significantly higher while the serum levels of SOD, GSH and Zn were significantly lower in all envenomed victims than the controls (p < 0.05 for all). There were no significant differences in the serum levels of oxidative stress markers among severe and mild cases or between survivors and non survivors victims. There were no significant correlations between the serum levels of cardiac markers and the oxidative stress markers in envenomed victims. In conclusions, oxidative stress occurs in scorpion envenomed children, but does not determine prognosis. Cardiac markers, but not the oxidative stress, remain the most important determining factor for the severity and the outcome of SE., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Improper glycemic control is associated with diabetic cognitive dysfunction. Several studies have confirmed the neuroprotective effects of metformin and insulin. This study aimed to investigate the effects of metformin and/or insulin therapy on neurocognitive functions in a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model. Methods: Fifty adult male Wistar rats were used in this study and had free access to water and a normal chow diet. After an acclimatization period, 10 rats were kept on a normal chow diet and considered as the control group. T2DM was induced in the other 40 rats by a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin method. Then, diabetic rats were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups: Non-treated diabetic group; Metformin-treated diabetic group (treated with metformin 250 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks); Insulin-treated diabetic group (treated with NPH insulin 40 U/kg for 6 weeks); and Metformin and insulin-treated diabetic group. Neurocognitive functions were assessed by footprint assay, Y-maze, open field test, and Morris water maze. Glycaemic profile, serum levels of amyloid A, interleukin-18, and nuclear factor-kappa B were analyzed. Brain malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity were measured. A histopathological examination of the frontal lobe was performed. Results: Treatment with metformin and/or insulin significantly improved the impaired neurocognitive dysfunction, brain oxidative stress, changes in biochemical parameters, and the associated histopathological changes in the frontal cortex of diabetic rats. The combined therapy showed a better effect than either monotherapy alone. Conclusion: Metformin and insulin therapy may be valuable for the prevention of neurocognitive dysfunction in T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Obesity is a significant public health problem that is characterized by an increase in oxidative stress and enhanced inflammatory responses associated with immune cell invasion of adipose tissues. This study assessed several biochemical abnormalities, apoptosis, oxidative stress status, and associated histological changes in the liver, duodenum, and heart brought on by high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats. It also assessed the mechanistic benefits of curcumin in reversing these inflammatory, metabolic, and histological impairments. Methods. Rats were assigned into three groups each including ten rats: the control group (CD), the high-fat diet group (HFD), and the high-fat diet + curcumin (HFDC) group. Serum glucose, insulin, and triglycerides (TAGs) were observed. In addition, apoptosis (indicated by hepatic DNA fragmentation) and oxidative stress status (indicated by hepatic MPO, GSH, and SOD) were assessed. Histopathological examinations included the GIT (liver and duodenum) and heart in addition to quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays of the adipose tissue genetic expressions for inflammatory signaling pathways (TLR4, IL-6, and TNF-α). Results. The overall findings showed that the HFD group exhibited significantly higher levels of glucose, TAGs, and insulin than the control group (P < 0.01). The histological abnormalities of the studied organs in the HFD group were paralleled by these biochemical abnormalities, which were strongly associated with increased apoptosis, increased oxidative stress, and increased expression of the inflammatory signaling markers. There were significant improvements in the HFDC group in terms of biochemical, inflammatory, and histological investigations. Conclusions. This study's findings concluded that obesity is significantly associated with biochemical and microscopic alterations in many organs. Curcumin exerted potent antitoxic, antioxidant, tissue-protective, and antiobesity effects. Curcumin is recommended to be added to various dietary regimens to prevent or delay the organs' dysfunction among obese people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare antioxidant versus interaction properties of grapefruit (GP) in reversal of prolonged metronidazole (MTZ)- induced hepatic and renal alterations at both biochemical and histopathological levels. A total 60 male albino Wister rats were included and were divided randomly into 4 groups (n=15 each). The first group (control) received 1% DMSO, the second group (GP) received grapefruit juice, the third group (MTZ) received MTZ and the last group (MTZ+ GP) received MTZ combined with grapefruit juice for 60 days. Biochemical analysis of serum liver enzymes (ALP, AST and ALT), urea and creatinine using colorimetric methods were performed. For both colorimetric assays of oxidative stress markers and for histopathological analyses, tissue samples including the liver and kidneys were used. Significantly higher serum liver enzymes in MTZ group and MTZ+GP groups compared to control and GP groups with higher levels in MTZ+GP, p0.05.Significantly higher serum levels of urea and creatinine among MTZ+GP group compared to other groups. Significantly higher oxidative stress index of liver and kidney tissue homogenates in both MTZ group and MTZ+GP groups compared to control and GP groups with higher levels in MTZ+GP, with significantly lower values in GP group compared to other groups, p0.05. Regressive histological changes in the liver and kidneys of MTZ have shown these effects and more significant in MTZ+GP group, with histological similarities between control and GP groups. Although GP has potent antioxidant effect but its interaction properties deteriorate MTZ- induced adverse liver and kidney changes at both biochemical and histological levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]