ABSTRACT
Background and purpose: Antioxidants and vitamin D3 are currently used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases although their mechanism of action is not well understood. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of combined administration of vitamins D3 and E on demyelination, cell death and remyelination of rat hippocampus following the local ethidium bromide [EB] injection
Methods and Materials: This experimental study was conducted on 32 Spague rats. After EB-induced demyelination, animals received intraperitoneal vitamin E [100 mg/kg] and D3 [5microg/kg] together for 7 days. The extent and intensity of demyelination were studied by luxol fats blue staining, the activated caspase-3 genes and MBP. The study data were analyzed in SPSS using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post test
Results: The findings revealed that the combined administration of vitamins E and D3 for 7 days caused a significant reduction in the expression of activated caspase-3 [10 +/- 0] [p<0.001], as well as a significant increase in MBP expression [236 +/- 30] [p<0.001]. EB injection alone significantly increased demylination [p<0.05]. Combined administration of the two vitamins significantly reduced the extent of demyelination [0.1 +/- 0.03] [p<0.05], and increased remyelination intensity [0.6 +/- 0.06] [p<0.05]
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that the combined administration of vitamins E and D3 reduced EB induced demyelination and apopthosis, and improved remyelination
ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Previous studies have not properly clarified the role of A2A adenosine receptors in convulsions induced by kindling. In the present study, the role of these receptors in convulsions induced perforant path kindling has been investigated by blocking these receptors [with specific antagonists]
Methods and Materials: This experimental study was conducted on 24 rats which were randomly divided into four groups of six. They were kindled by electric stimulation of the perforant path. In two groups, before each kindling stimulation, antagonists of A2A adenosine receptors [ZM 241385] [500 and 200 =M] was injected to the lateral ventricle of the rats. Control animals were given only the electric stimulations. In the fourth group [sham], the solvent of the abovementioned drug was injected to the lateral ventricle before kindling stimulations. The obtained data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests
Results: Injecting the antagonists of A2A adenosine receptors [ZM 241385] [500 =M] to the lateral ventricle of the rats postponed the process of kindling. Two-way ANOVA indicated that number of stimulations required to reach the convulsive stages were significantly increased [P<0.001, F[4, 40] = 47]. Also, compared with the sham group which received the solvent of the drug, a significant reduction was observed in the duration of depletion waves following accumulation [P<0.05, F[6, 60] = 2.5] in this group
Conclusion: According to the findings, injecting the antagonists of A2A adenosine receptors produces a significant anticonvulsant effect on the convulsions induced by perforant path kindling, and that this effect functions through controlling the effect of endogenic adenosine on A2A adenosine receptors