ABSTRACT
Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating testis parameters and spermatogenesis changes in male rats administrated by different busulfan doses and time to construct a subfertile animal model by stereological methods
Materials and Methods: In the present study, 150 male Wistar rats randomly divided into 5 groups. All experimental groups were treated by different concentrations of busulfan [0.0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg]. Rats were sacrificed 1, 15, and 30 days after busulfan treatment. The tissue processing was done for stereological study and the results were analyzed by the one-way ANOVA followed by the Duncan test
Results: The most stereological parameters such as testes weight and volume, tubules volume density, interstitial tissue [P<0.05], and germinal epithelium [P<0.01] were significantly reduced by busulfan treatment. Also, at different busulfan doses, the number of spermatogenic cells including spermatogonia [P<0.05], spermatocyte, round and elongated spermatid, and the Sertoli and Leydig cells [P<0.01] significantly decreased, compared with those of the control group. The decline was more obvious in higher busulfan doses and time [from the day 15 to 30] [P<0.05]
Conclusion: Most of testicular stereological parameters reduced during 15 days onwards after busulfan treatment in a dose-dependent manner
ABSTRACT
Free radicals generated by ionizing radiation attack various cellular components such as lipids. The lung is a very radiosensitive organ and its damage is a dose-limiting factor in radiotherapy treatments. Melatonin [MLT], the major product of the pineal gland acts as a radioprotective agent. This study aims to investigate the radioprotective effects of MLT on malondialdehyde [MDA] levels and histopathological changes in irradiated lungs. In this experimental study, a total of 62 rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 received no MLT and radiation [unT], group 2 received oral MLT [oM], group 3 received oral MLT and their thoracic areas were irradiated with 18 Gy [oM-R], group 4 received MLT by intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection and their thoracic areas were irradiated with 18 Gy [ipM-R], group 5 received only 18 Gy radiation in the thoracic area [R]. Following radiotherapy, half of the animals in each group were sacrificed at 48 hours for evaluation of lipid peroxidation and early phase lung injuries. Other animals were sacrificed in the eighth week of the experiment for evaluation of the presence of late phase radiation induced lung injuries. Pre-treatment of rats with either i.p injection [p<0.05] and oral administration of MLT [p<0.001] significantly reduced MDA levels in red blood cell [RBC] samples compared to the R group. Furthermore, i.p. injection of MLT decreased MDA levels in plasma and tissue [p<0.05]. In the early phase of lung injury, both administration of MLT sig-nificantly increased lymphocyte [p<0.05] and macrophage frequency [p<0.001]. MLT reduced the lung injury index in the lungs compared to the R group [p<0.05]. The result of this study confirms the radioprotective effect of MLT on lipid peroxidation, and in both early and late phases of radiation induced lung injuries in an animal model
ABSTRACT
Background: There have been some reports about the possible N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] antagonist activity of Guaifenesin. As drugs with a similar structure to Guaifenesin [i.e. Felbamate] and those with NMDA antagonist activity have been clinically used as anticonvulsants, the aim of this study was to determine whether Guaifenesin has an anticonvulsant effect in an animal model of seizure
Methods: Anticonvulsant effect of Guaifenesin was assessed via Pentylenetetrazol [PTZ]-induced convulsion. Male albino mice received Guaifenesin [100, 200, 300, or 400 mg/kg; n=8- 10] or 0.25% Tween [vehicle] intraperitoneally 30 minutes before the injection of PTZ [95 mg/kg]. Diazepam [3 mg/kg; n=8] was used as a reference drug. The latency time before the onset of myoclonic, clonic, and tonic-clonic convulsions, percentage of animals exhibiting convulsion, and percentage of mortality were recorded. In addition, the effect of Guaifenesin on neuromuscular coordination was assessed using the Rotarod
Results: Guaifenesin at all the studied doses significantly increased the latency to myoclonic and clonic convulsions in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, Guaifenesin at the dose of 300 mg/kg increased the latency to tonic-clonic seizure. The ED50s of Guaifenesin for protection against PTZ-induced clonic and tonic-clonic seizures and death were 744.88 [360-1540], 256 [178-363], and 328 [262-411] mg/kg, respectively. Guaifenesin at all the investigated doses significantly reduced neuromuscular coordination, compared to the vehicle-treated group
Conclusion: These results suggest that Guaifenesin possesses muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant properties and may have a potential clinical use in absence seizure
ABSTRACT
Background: B cell CLL/lymphoma 2 protein, bcl-2, is an important anti-apoptotic factor that has been implicated in lithium's neuroprotective effect. However, most studies have focused on assessing the effects of lithium in neurons, ignoring examination of bcl-2 in astrocytes, which also influence neuronal survival and are affected in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether chronic lithium treatment also elevates bcl-2 expression in astrocytes compared with neuronal and mixed neuron-astrocyte cultures
Methods: Rat primary astrocyte, neuronal, and mixed neuronastrocyte cultures were prepared from the cerebral cortices of 18-day embryos. The cell cultures were treated with lithium [1 mM] or vehicle for 24 h or 7 days. Thereafter, bcl-2 mRNA and protein levels were determined by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively
Results: Chronic, but not acute, lithium treatment significantly increased bcl-2 protein levels in the astrocyte cultures compared with the vehicle-treated cultures. While lithium treatment increased bcl-2 protein levels in both neuronal and mixed neuron-astrocyte cultures, the elevations fell short of statistical significance compared with the respective vehicle-treated cultures. However, neither acute nor chronic lithium treatment affected bcl-2 mRNA levels in any of the three cell types studied
Conclusion: Increased bcl-2 levels in rat primary astrocyte cultures following chronic lithium treatment suggest astrocytes are also a target of lithium's action. In light of the evidence showing decreased numbers of glial cells in the post-mortem brain of patients bipolar disorder with and increased glial numbers following lithium treatment, the findings of this study indicate that lithium's action on astrocytes may account, at least in part, for its therapeutic effects in bipolar disorder
ABSTRACT
The role of oxidative stress in endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity has been implicated. This study was performed to evaluate the possible protective effect of vitamins E and C, against endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity in rats. Fifty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups [n=10 each]. The groups included a control receiving vehicle, a group treated with endosulfan [10 mg/kg/day] alone, and three endosulfan-treated group receiving vitamin C [20 mg/kg/day], vitamin E [200 mg/kg/day], or vitamine C+vitamin E at the same doses. After 10 days of treatment, sperm parameters, plasma lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], plasma testosterone and malondialdehyde [MDA] levels in the testis were determined. Oral administration of endosulfan caused a reduction in the sperm motility, viability, daily sperm production [DSP] and increased the number of sperm with abnormal chromatin condensation. Endosulfan administration increased testis MDA and plasma LDH. Supplementation of vitamin C and vitamin E to endosulfan-treated rats reduced the toxic effect of endosulfan on sperm parameters and lipid peroxidation in the testis. Vitamin E was more protective than vitamin C in reducing the adverse effects of the endosulfan. The findings data suggest that administration of vitamins C and E ameliorated the endosulfan-induced oxidative stress and sperm toxicity in rat. The effect of vitamin E in preventing endosulfan-induced sperm toxicity was superior to that of vitamin C