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Objectives: Apigenin and parthenolide as natural products have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory outcomes that could make them a perfect option for endometriosis therapy. This study aimed to determine the effects of apigenin and parthenolide on created endometrial implants in a rat model of endometriosis. Methods: Thirty-nine mature, female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly to six experimental groups four weeks after endometriosis induction. Group 1 (n = 5): Control (CTRL) that opened and closed the abdomen; Group 2 (n = 6): Peritoneal and ovarian endometriosis (POE) + drug-free; Group 3 (n = 7): POE+ Apigenin (APG) (50 mg/kg); Group 4 (n = 7): POE+ Parthenolide (PTL) (10 mg/kg); Group 5 (n = 7): POE+ Apigenin (APG) (50 mg/kg) + Parthenolide (PTL) (10 mg/kg); Group 6 (n = 7): POE+ DMSO. An endometriosis model was created, and histopathological analysis and biochemical evaluation were performed. Serum and peritoneal levels of pro-and-anti-inflammatory cytokine, and oxidative stress of implant tissue were measured. Results: Serum IL-37 levels decreased significantly in the APG-treated group compared to the drug-free group (p = 0.016). The peritoneum and ovary endometriosis histopathologic scores were significantly lower in APG-treated (p = 0.001) and PTL-treated (p = 0.001) groups in comparison to the drug-free group. The oxidative stress index (OSI) values were increased statistically significantly in ovary endometriosis tissue in the drug-free group, (p = 0.001). However, compared to the drug-free group, OSI values decreased statistically significantly in the APG-treated group (p = 0.003) Conclusions: The application of apigenin caused a decrease in oxidative stress and an improvement in histopathological grade. Apigenin may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Undescended testis is a congenital genitourinary system pathology characterized by the absence of testis in the scrotum. In this disease, the heat stress caused by the testes not being at the optimal temperature can trigger oxidative stress and inflammation. Our study investigated the status of oxidative stress and inflammation markers between patients with undescended testes and healthy infants. Materials and Methods: Fifty pediatric patients with undescended testes and a control group who applied to Pediatric Surgery Clinic were included in the study. From the blood samples, oxidative stress and inflammation status were examined. Interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels of inflammation parameters were measured by the ELISA method using commercial kits. Total oxidant status, total antioxidant status, total thiol, and native thiol levels were measured photometrically with commercial kits. Oxidative stress index and disulfide levels were calculated with a mathematical formula. Oxidative stress and inflammation marker levels of the patient and healthy groups were compared statistically. Results: Total antioxidant status, total thiol, and native thiol levels were statistically significantly lower in the patient group than the healthy group (p<0.05). Total antioxidant status, oxidative stress index, disulfide levels, and interleukin 1ß, interleukin 6 levels were also statistically significantly higher in the patient group (p<0.05). There was no difference in tumor necrosis factor-a levels between the groups. Conclusion: In our study, it was observed that oxidative stress and inflammation were higher in patients with undescended testes. Since this situation may lead to systemic diseases in the future, more extensive studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked with metabolic risk factors including body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), cholesterol levels, and triglycerides (TG). The extent to which these factors affect motor symptoms, depression, and sleep problems in PD, as well as their role in determining the success of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, is yet to be fully understood., Methods: This study delved into the effects of metabolic risk factors like BMI, FBG, cholesterol, and TG on the outcomes of DBS in treating PD-related depression and sleep disturbances, across both mouse models and human subjects., Results: DBS showcased noticeable betterment in depression and sleep perturbations in both PD-afflicted mice and patients. High-sugar-high-fat diet aggravates MPTP-induced depression and sleep disorders in mice. PD-afflicted individuals presenting with depressive and sleep disorders demonstrated elevated metrics of BMI, FBG, blood cholesterol, and TG. Remarkably, these metrics bore considerable adverse influences on the efficiency of DBS in ameliorating depression and sleep issues, yet spared motor symptoms. The favorable impacts of DBS persisted for approximately 6 years, post which a significant decline was noted. Importantly, our translational evidence from both murine controls and patient cohorts indicated that antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic therapies bolstered the efficacy of DBS in mitigating PD-related depression and sleep disturbances, without impinging upon motor functions in patients., Conclusion: In summary, this research emphasizes that DBS is a powerful treatment option for depression and sleep issues in PD, with its success influenced by metabolic risk factors. It further suggests that incorporating treatments for high blood sugar and cholesterol can enhance the efficacy of DBS in treating depression and sleep disturbances in PD, without impacting motor symptoms, highlighting the importance of metabolic risk management in PD patients receiving DBS., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Strong evidence supports the anticancer properties of natural plant product isolates. The cytotoxic, genotoxic, and apoptotic properties of an oxime derivative of thymoquinone (TQ) in melanoma cancer cells were investigated. The structure of TQ-Oxime was elucidated through nuclear magnetic resonance, and its effect on B16F10 and L929 cell lines was assessed using a luminometric adenosine triphosphate assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) were quantified via fluorometry, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed using flow cytometry, glutathione (GSH) levels were measured using a luminometric GSH/oxidized glutathione assay, DNA damage via comet assay, and apoptosis was detected using acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Concentrations (0.5-20 μM) of TQ-Oxime significantly increased cytotoxicity, DNA damage, apoptosis, and iROS, in a concentration-dependent manner compared ( p  < 0.001). In addition, MMP and GSH levels decreased significantly with increasing concentrations compared with the control ( p  < 0.001). Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the therapeutic potential of TQ and its derivatives in cancer treatment.