Antinociceptive effect of the aqueous extract obtained from Foeniculum vulgare in mice: the role of histamine H[1]] and H[2] receptors

Foeniculum vulgare [fennel] has been widely used in traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases including pediatric colic. This study was designed to assess the antinociceptive effects of aqueous extract of F. vulgare on visceral pain and possible involvement of opioidergic, serotonergic, adrenergic and histaminergic systems

The results of this study showed that aqueous extract of F. vulgare [50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, IP] induces antinociceptive effects [P<0.001] and that the pretreatment with chlorpheniramine and cimetidine significantly attenuate this effect [from 71.9% to 21.6%, P<0.001 and from 71.4% to 35.9%, P=0.003, respectively]

Furthermore, chlorpheniramine and cimetidine significantly decreased onset of first abdominal writhing [latency] in comparison with extract [P<0.05], however naloxone, cyproheptadine and phentolamine had no effect on antinociception and the latency induced by F. vulgare. The ED[50] value for antinociceptive effects of extract was 87.6 mg/kg. These results suggest that antinociceptive effects of F. vulgare are partially mediated by histamine H[1] and H[2] receptors?

Effects of intracerebroventricular injection of histamine and H1, H2 receptor antagonists on electrocardiographic parameters in broiler chickens

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exogenous histamine and H[1] and H[2] central receptors on electrocardiographic [ECG] parameters, heart rate and mean electrical axis in broiler chickens. For this purpose, Ross broiler chickens [750-800 g weight] received intracerebroventricularly [ICV] histamine. Moreover, to determine the receptors involved in histamine-induced alterations in ECG changes, H[1] and H[2] blockers were administered to histamine-treated chickens. All ECGs were standardized at 1 mV = 20 mm, with paper speed of 50 mm/sec. Leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL and aVF were recorded. Injection of histamine [200 and 300 micro g] decreased the duration of T wave and QRS complex and elevated the heart rate as compared to the control group [P<0.05]. Chlorpheniramine [100 micro g], an H[1] receptor antagonist, increased the duration rate of T wave and QRS complex and reduced the heart rate [P<0.05]. Cimetidine, an H[2] receptor antagonist [100 micro g] had no effect on ECG parameters. Pretreatment with chlorpheniramine [100 micro g] significantly attenuated histamine effects [200 micro g] on the duration of T wave, QRS complex and heart rate [P<0.05]. Mean electrical axis, calculated from leads II and III, did not differ between groups and it was between -93 [degree sign] and -99 [degree sign] in all chickens. In conclusion, exogenous histamine intracerebroventricularly results in sinusoidal tachycardia in broiler chickens and central H[1] receptors mediate the stimulatory effects of histamine on heart rate, but H[2] receptors had no role in this manner

Antioxidant effects of aqueous fruit extract of Ziziphus jujuba on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in the rat testes

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant effects of aqueous fruit extract of Ziziphus jujuba on ethanol-induced oxidative stress and to examine its protective effects on sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity of male Wistar rats. Adult male rats [n=28] were divided into four equal groups: the first group served as untreated controls, the second group of rats was given ethanol [4 g/kg], and group 3 received aqueous fruit extract of Z. jujuba [200 mg/kg]. The final group of rats were supplemented by oral ingestion of ethanol [4 g/kg], which was preceded 60 min earlier by an oral administration of Z. jujuba extract [200 mg/kg]. Fruit extract of Z. jujuba could prevent the reduction of concentration, motility and plasma membrane integrity of the sperm in treated rats with Z. jujuba extract plus ethanol [P<0.05]. Glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities significantly increased in the animals ingested with Z. jujuba extract prior to ethanol compared to the ethanol group. Decrease of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS] level was statistically significant in the animals that ingested the fruit extract of Z. jujuba prior to ethanol compared to the ethanol group [P<0.05]. Our findings suggest that aqueous fruit extract of Z. jujuba possesses beneficial effects on ethanol-induced sperm toxicity, subsequently enhancing sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity

[ comparison of performance of isolated sturgeon gut bacillus [Acipenser persicus and Huso huso] with commercal microbial products on growth and survival of rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykis] larvae]

The use of probiotic bacteria has been suggested as an important strategy to accomplish reproductible outputs through biocontrol in cultivation systems for marine fish larvae and crustaceans. The bacterial flora in the larval gut originates from bacteria associated with the eggs, the water in the rearing tanks, and the live food. This study was aimed to determine the effect of commercial and Autochthonous probiotics on growth parameters and survival rate of Rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss] larvae. Trout larvae [85 +/- 4 mg] were fed diets of Biomar. The experimental diets were supplemented with three blends of probiotic bacteria including lactobacillus, commercal Bacillus and isolated sturgeon gut bacillus in three levels [4.30, 5.30 and 6.30 LogCFU/g of feed] and were fed by Rainbow trout [larvae in 9 experimental treatments. The control treatment was fed on nonsupplemented diet. The experiment was carried out in completely random design. At the end of the period the fishes were biometeried and tested by thermal, salinity, alkalinity and acidity stress. The highest specific growth rate, thermal growth coefficient and feed conversion efficiency were found in treatment Al. The treatments A1, A2, B1, B2, L1 andL3 had significant difference with control [p0.05]. The beter feed conversion ratio was obtained in treatment A1 and L3. Inchalleng test of thermal stress, maximum of survival time. was obtained in treatment B 1. The results of the challenge tests with stress of alkalinity and acidity indicated that the best survival time was in treatment Al and total experimeal treatments had significant difference with control [p<0.05]. No significant difference in salinity challenge test was observed between the treatments [p>0.05]

role of the histaminergic system on the inhibitory effect of ghrelin on feed intake in broiler chickens

This study was conducted to investigate the possible involvement of the histaminergic system in the mediation of ghrelin-induced feeding behavior in broilder chickens. In the trial 1, the effect of intracerebroventricular [ICV] injection of ghrelin on feed intake was examined in 3-h feed-deprived broiler chickens. In the trials 2 and 3, the chickens were received ICV chlorpheniramine [an H[1] receptor antagonist] was measured at 2-h post injections. Infusion of ghrelin [0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 nmol] decreased feed intake dose-dependently [P<0.05]. Pre-treatment of chlorpheniramine [100 micro g] attenuated the inhibitory effect of ghrelin results suggest that there is an interaction between ghrelin and the histaminergic system [through H[1] receptors] on control of feed intake in broiler chickens

Ghrelin enhances viability of rat spermatozoa during incubation at 37°C

Antioxidant properties of ghrelin have been demonstrated in recent studies. In the present study, the effects of chronic administration of ghrelin on the motility and plasma membrane integrity of rat spermatozoa during incubation at 37°C were investigated. Thirty 45-day-old male Wistar rats were divided into control and treatment groups. Rats in the treatment group were daily injected subcutaneously with 1 nmol of ghrelin for 10 consecutive days and the control rats received normal saline. Sperm was collected after killing of rats on days 5, 15 and 40 after the last injection, and sperm characteristics were examined at 0, 3 and 5 h after incubation at 37°C. Mass motility and forward progressive movement of spermatozoa were significantly higher in ghrelin-treated animals at 3 and 5 h of incubation on day 5 [P<0.05]. After 3 h of incubation on day 15, only mass motility was greater than that of the control group. Plasma membrane integrity was assessed by hypoosmotic swelling [HOS] "water test". The mean value of HOS reacted spermatozoa was higher in the treatment group on days 5 and 15 during 0, 3 and 5 h of incubation [P<0.05]. However, the percentage of HOS-positive spermatozoa was not significantly different on day 40 between groups. There was a high correlation at 3 and 5 h of day 5 between the forward progressive movement [r = 0.92 and 0.94, P<0.0001] as well as overall sperm motility [r = 0.78 and 0.81, P<0.01] with HOS test in the ghrelin-treated animals. These results can be attributed to the antioxidative effects of ghrelin on the rat sperm especially on its plasma membrane which probably protects the sperm plasma membrane against oxidative damage during incubation and causes subsequent significant increase in the HOS test results. This may result in higher sperm motility index during 5 h of incubation

role of central endogenous histamine and H[1], H[2] and H[3] receptors on food intake in broiler chickens

The role of endogenous histamine and H[1], H[2] and H[3] central receptors on food intake in broiler chickens was investigated. For this purpose, a probe was used to manipulate the concentration of endogenous histamine by intracerebroventricular [ICV] injection of thioperamide, an H[3] receptor antagonist, and R-alpha-methylhistamine, an H[3] receptor agonist and subsequently the effects of brain histaminergic system on food intake was assessed. Moreover, to determine the receptors involved in histamine-induced feeding behaviour changes, H[1], and H2 blockers were administered to thioperamide-treated chickens. Injection of thioperamide [600 and 300 nmol] decreased food intake dose-dependently [P<0.05]. On the contrary, ICV injection of R-alphamethylhistamine [400 and 200 nmol] increased food intake [P<0.05]. Chlorpheniramine [128 and 256 nmol], a H[1] receptor antagonist, increased food intake [P<0.05]. Famotidine, a H[2] receptor antagonist at 74 or 148 nmol had no effect on food intake but at 296 nmol significantly decreased food intake [P<0.05]. Pretreatment with chlorpheniramine [256 nmol] significantly attenuated thioperamide effects [600 nmol] on food intake [P<0.05]. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that histamine exerts anorexigenic effects through H[1], but not H[2] receptors in broiler chickens. Furthermore, it was shown that thioperamide through stimulation of synthesis and release of endogenous neuronal histamine can decrease food intake in broiler chickens