effects of l-arginine on the hippocampus of male rat fetuses under maternal stress

Introduction: Prenatal stress has deleterious effects on the development of the brain and is associated with behavioral and psychosocial problems in childhood and adulthood. This study aimed to determine the protective effect of L-arginine on fetal brain under maternal stress

Methods: Twenty pregnant Wistar rats [weighting 200-230 g] were randomly divided into 4 groups [n=5 for each group]. The first nonstress and stress groups received 2 mL of normal saline and the other nonstress and stress two groups received L-arginine [200 mg/kg, IP] from their 5[th] to 20[th] days of pregnancy. The pregnant rats were killed on 20[th] day and the brain fetuses removed and prefrontal cortical thickness, total neurons in the prefrontal cortex and in the areas of CA1, CA2, and CA3 of the hippocampus were measured and counted. Nitrite levels in the brain were measured as an indicator for nitric oxide [NO] level

Results: There was a significant decrease of mean number of pyramidal cells in the CA1 in prenatal stress group compared to nonstress and nonstress plus arginine groups. The NO level in brain tissue increased significantly in the stress plus arginine [3.8 +/- 0.4 nmol/mg] and in nonstress rats [2.9 +/- 0.3 nmol/mg] compared to the stress group [1.8 +/- 0.1 nmol/mg]. Prefrontal cortical thickness decreased significantly in stress rats [1.2 +/- 0.09 mm] compared to the nonstress plus arginine [1.7 +/- 0.15 mm] and nonstress [1.6 +/- 0.13 mm] groups

Discussion: Results indicated that prenatal stress could lead to neurodegeneration of hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rat fetuses. L-arginine as a precursor of NO synthesis had neuroprotective effect during prenatal stress and could be used an effective treatment for stress

Functional treatment comparing with immobilization after acute ankle sprain

Ankle injuries are among the most prevalent injuries with which a physician may encounter. In this study, the efficiency of the functional treatment was compared with the immobilization treatment in healing the acute ankle sprain. This clinical trial study was carried out on 100 male patients whose ankle sprain had been diagnosed by Yasuj Shahid Beheshti Hospital. Using block allocation randomization method and regardless of damage degree, patients were divided into two groups, functional method [1st group] or immobilization with plaster [2nd group], for treatment. Several variables such as range of motion, pain intensity, inflammation, joint tenderness and returning to work after 2, 6 and 12 weeks were examined. After two weeks, the average pain intensity in the first group [33.2 +/- 3.2] has been decreased compared to the second group [55 +/- 1.2], which showed a significant difference between the two groups [p<0.05]. The average ankle range of motion in the first and second groups was 29.08 +/- 1.2 degrees and 20.4 +/- 2.2 degrees, respectively which had been increased significantly in the first group compared to the second group [p<0.03]. Similarly, a considerable difference was observed in decreased inflammation and tenderness in the first group compared to the second one. In acute ankle sprains, the functional treatment is better than the immobilization treatment in alleviating pain, inflammation and improving the range of joint motion

effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Juglans regia leaves in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic rats

Phytotherapy has been achieved to maintain glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antihyperglycemic properties of the Juglans regia leaf extract in streptozotocinnicotinamide induced diabetic rats. Nicotinamide was injected intraperitonealy [i.p.] 15 min before the injection of Streptozotocin [i.p.]. One week after induction of diabetes, oral treatment started with extract of Juglans regia and Metformin and continued for 4 weeks. Fasting blood sugar, body weight, serum lipids and insulin level were measured in different groups. A significant reduction of glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol and serum triglycerides were detected after 4 weeks in rats treated with Juglans regia leaves compared to the control groups. Thus, Juglans regia extract treatment showed potential hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in type 2 diabetic rats

effects of cyclosporin-A on functional outcome and axonal regrowth following spinal cord injury in adult rats

It has been shown that the immunophilin ligands have the special advantage in spinal cord repair. In this study, the effects of cyclosporine A [CsA] on functional recovery and histological outcome were evaluated following spinal cord injury in rats. After spinal cord hemisection in thirty six adult female Sprague-Dawley rats [200- 250 g], treatment groups received CsA [2.5 mg/kg i.p.] at 15min and 24h after lesion [CsA 15min group and CsA 24h group] daily, for 8 weeks. Control and sham groups received normal saline and in sham operated animals the spinal cord was exposed in the same manner as treatment groups, but was not hemisected. Hindlimb motor function was assessed in 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks after lesion, using locomotive rating scale developed by Basso, Bresnahan and Beattie [BBB]. Motor neurons were counted within the lamina IX of ventral horn and lesion size was measured in 5 mm of spinal lumbar segment with the epicenter of the lesion site. The mean number of motor neurons and the mean BBB scale in 3, 5 and 7 weeks in CsA 15min groups significantly increased compared to the control group. Although, the lesion size reduced in rats with CsA treatment compared to the control group, no significant difference was observed. Thus, it can be concluded that CsA can improve locomotor function and histological outcome in the partial spinal cord injury

Repair of peripheral nerve defects using a polyvinylidene fluoride channel containing nerve growth factor and collagen gel in adult rats

As effectiveness of the autologous graft in the repair of long nerve defects is very limited an effective substitute is needed. This study was conducted to determine the poled polyvinylidene fluoride [PVDF] tube as an alternative to nerve autograft. The left sciatic nerve was transected in 45 male Wistar rats. The animals were then divided randomly into three groups: in an epineural group the nerve was sutured end to end; in an autograft group a 10 mm piece of sciatic nerve was cut, rotated 180[degree sign] and sutured in the nerve gap; and in a nerve guidance channel group [NGC], PVDF, tube containing nerve growth factor [NGF] and collagen gel was placed in the gap. In a control [n=15] group the sciatic nerve was exposed but not transected. To determine axonal regeneration, retrograde DiI tracer was injected into the gastrocnemius muscle. One week later, retrograde-labeled neurons were counted in the L4-L6 spinal segments and one way ANOVA analysis was performed to compare groups. Neuronal morphology changes were studied by electron microscopy. Significant statistical decreases in the mean number of labeled motoneurons were observed in all surgical groups compared to the control group; and in the autograft and the NGC groups compared to epinural suture group [p<0.01]. No significant difference in the mean number of motoneurons was observed between the autograft and NGC groups. Chromatin condensation, dilated endoplasmic reticulum and large vacuoles were observed in the autograft and NGC groups. Regarding the positive effects of PVDF tube containing NGF and Collagen gel on the sciatic nerve regeneration, authors suggest that it may be useful in peripheral nerve repair

Transplantation of olfactory mucosa improve functional recovery and axonal regeneration following sciatic nerve repair in rats

Olfactory ensheathing glia [OEG] has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect after being transplanted in rats with spinal cord injury. This study was conducted to determine the possible beneficial results of olfactory mucosa transplantation [OMT] which is a source of OEG on functional recovery and axonal regeneration after transection of the sciatic nerve. In this study, 36 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The sciatic nerve was transected in 24 rats and immediately repaired by sciatic-sciatic anastomosis, and randomly divided equally into two groups. The experimental group received the OMT at the transected site and the control group received the respiratory mucosa transplant. In another twelve rats as sham-operated animals, the sciatic nerve was exposed but no transection was made. DiI retrograde tracing was injected in the gastrocnemius muscle two months after surgery to allow visualization of the extent of axonal regeneration. Functional recovery was also assessed at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after surgery using walking track analysis and sciatic function index [SFI] calculations. The total number of DiI labeled motorneurones in the ventral horn [L4-L6] and the SFI scores were significantly higher in the group of rats that received olfactory mucosa rather than respiratory mucosa. The outcome indicates that olfactory mucosa is a useful treatment to improve nerve regeneration in mammals with peripheral nerve injury