effect of hydro-alcoholic extracts of anethum graveolens l. [dill] on amygdala kindled in rats

Background: Although hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. had Anticonvulsants effect on PTZ-induced kindling seizure behavior, but on the amygdala kindling in rats induced seizure has not been investigated

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the chronic effects of hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. on seizures using electrical amygdala kindling model

Methods: Rats were divided into six groups. They were kindled by stimulating the amygdala by consecutive daily. Then, treated by hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. [i.p. 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg] and Afterdischarge Duration [ADD], Stage 4 latency [S4L] and Stage 5 duration [S5D] were recorded

Results: Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. [200 and 400 mg/kg] significantly increased stage 4 latency compare to the control group [P <0.05]. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. [400 mg/kg] injection stage 5 duration caused by amygdala electrical kindling. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. [100, 200 and 400 mg/kg] injection significantly reduced ADD induced by amygdala kindling

Conclusion: The data showed that injection of hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. has anti-epileptic effect and increases the time required for amygdala kindling and may have anticonvulsant effects

Seroprevalence of pertussis antibodies in 6-17-year-old students in Ahvaz, south-west Islamic Republic of Iran

Although pertussis is a vaccine-preventable infection, vaccine-induced immunity is not lifelong and booster doses are recommended according to national disease epidemiology. The aim of this study was to evaluate pertussis-IgG levels in school-aged students in Ahvaz, south-west Islamic Republic of Iran. In a descriptive, cross-sectional study, blood samples were obtained from 640 students [382 boys and 258 girls] aged 6-17 years during 2010-2011. All students had received a full course of pertussis whole-cell vaccination at ages 2, 4, 6 and 18 months and 4-6 years. Using a Bordetella IgG ELISA kit, pertussis-IgG was detected in 301 [47.0%] students. No statistically significant differences in pertussis-IgG levels were found between girls and boys or across different age groups. The findings show that the overall level of pertussis-IgG seropositivity was unacceptable. Booster vaccination with an acellular pertussis vaccine should be considered in adolescents and/or adults in our region

[Protective effect of delayed ischemic postconditioning on embolic stroke complications in female rat]

Background and Aims: Ischemic postconditioning, conducted by a series of brief occlusion and release of the bilateral common carotid arteries, has neuroprotective properties in permanent or transient models of middle cerebral artery [MCA] occlusion but its delayed neuroprotective effects in the embolic model of stroke, especially in female rat, have not yet been reported and were investigated in the current study

Methods: In this experimental study, 24 female Wistar rats [200 to 250 g] were divided into three groups of sham, stroke and postconditioning. All animals were similar in reproductive cycle, and after that, stroke was induced by clot injection into the right middle cerebral artery. For postconditioning, common carotid arteries [CCA] were occluded for 30 seconds and reopened for 30 seconds, for 5 cycles. The postconditioning was induced at 6.5 hours after the stroke. Infarction volume, brain edema and neurological deficits were measured two days later

Results: Postconditioning at 6.5 hours after stroke decreased infarction volume [P< 0.001], brain edema [P<0.050] and norologic deficit [P<0.050] significantly compared to the stroke group

Conclusion: Late postconditioning improved ischemic injury, brain edema and neurological functions after the embolic model of stroke in female rat

[ effects of CCK-8 and CCK2 receptor antagonists on naloxone-induced jumping in morphine dependent mice]

Opioids are an important group of analgesics that are used extensively to control sever pains. Physical dependence to these drugs is a major problem. There are a few studies regarding the involvement of cholecyctokinin [CCK] in the withdrawal syndromes of opioids. In the present study, the effects of CCK agonist and antagonist on the number of jumping of morphine dependent mice were evaluated. In this experimental study, the effects of CCK-8 and LY225910 [selective CCK2 receptor antagonist] on jumpings of mice after morphine dependence were evaluated. Mice were injected with morphine three times a day [50, 50 and 75 mg/kg] for three days; at the forth day they received 50 mg/kg morphine. Injection of naloxone [5 mg/kg] induced withdrawal signs such as jumping. The experimental groups received different doses of CCK-8 [0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg] and LY225910 [0.01, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg] with each injection of morphine. Injection of CCK-8 significantly decreased the naloxone-induced jumpings, while LY225910 did not have any significant effects on these jumpings. Based on the results of the present study, activation of CCK1 receptors probably is involved in morphine dependence. The results also confirm that injection of CCK but not CCK2 selective antagonist probably decreases the jumpings of mice following withdrawal syndrome of morphine

Evaluation of IFN-delta serum level in type 2 diabetic patients with nephopathy

Background and Purpose: Cytokines are among the many immune system factors involved in diabetes pathogenesis. The level of cytokines expression such as IFN- delta is varying in individuals and societies. Due to the fact that diabetes nephropathies are known as inflammatory disorders and the role of cytokines especially IFN- delta in the establishment of inflammations is well understood, the present study was aimed to examine serum level of IFN-delta in type 2 diabetes patients with nephropathy complications

Material and methods: In this cross sectional descriptive study, serum samples were obtained from 100 type 2 diabetes patients with nephropathy and 100 healthy controls for the analysis of IFN- delta serum level [eBiosense, ESP]. Consent forms were also filled out by patients and healthy controls according to the rules and regulations of Zahedan Islamic Azad University Ethical Committee. The obtained data and questionnaires were analyzed in SPSS using ANOVA; p<0.05 was considered as significant

Results: The mean serum level of IFN- delta was 16.09 +/- 7.74 pg/ml and 4.03 +/- 2.00 pg/ml in nephropathic patients and healthy controls, respectively. Statistical analysis of the data showed that the difference in the IFN- delta level was not significant in nephropathic patients and controls

Conclusion: Based on the non-significant differences between the two groups, it seems that there is no association between the level of serum IFN- delta and nephropathy in type 2 diabetics

[Evaluation of relation between polymorphisms in -590 region of IL-4 and occult HBV infection]

Occult Hepatitis B Infection [OBI] is a form of hepatitis in which despite of absence of detectable HBsAg, HBV-DNA is presented in patients peripheral blood. Responsible mechanisms of progression of OBI are unknown yet, but some investigators believed that the genetic and immunological parameters may be different. Cytokine network system could be leading alteration in viral immune response. IL-4 as an anti-inflammatory cytokines causes decreased immune function. Thus, regulatory factors which influences expression and function of IL-4 can be effective on immune system functions. As polymorphic variation in cytokine genes has regulatory effects on their expression and functions, this study investigates the association of-590 region polymorphisms of IL-4 with OBI. Determination of association between IL-4 polymorphisms with OBI. In this study, the plasma samples [FFP] of 3700 blood donors were tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs by ELISA. The HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive samples were selected and screened for HBV-DNA by PCR. HBV-DNA positive samples assigned as OBI cases while HBV-DNA negative samples were used as control and PCR-RFLP was performed to examine the presence of polymorphisms in -590 regions of IL-4 genes of patients with OBI. 352 [9.51%] Out of 3700 blood samples were negative for HBsAg and positive for anti-HBc antibody. HBV-DNA was detected in 57[16.1%] of HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive samples. Our results showed that none of the alleles had significant difference between patients and control group. Our results demonstrated that there is no significant difference between patients with OBI and control cases. Therefore, it seems that there is not any relation between these alleles and OBI and more study should be done on polymorphisms in other to cytokine genes in patients with OBI

effect of intracerebroventricular microinjection of retinoic acid on pain threshold of male rats

Pain is an unpleasant feeling which humans experience. It is a warning sign of the damaged tissue. Due to the awful sense of pain, scientists always attempt to relieve it. Retinoic acid [RT], an active metabolite of natural vitamin A has important roles in modulation of the inflammatory responses. The aim of the present study was to analyze the pain threshold of rats which had microinjections of RT, applying acute and chronic models. In this study, the tail flick and formalin tests were used to determine pain threshold. In each test, the acute and chronic pain thresholds of 252 Wistar male rats [275 +/- 25 gr] were assayed. The druge were injected in the acute model one-dose 30 minutes before behavioral testing and in chronic model two-dose for one or two-weeks. The rats of both models divided randomly into six groups [n = 7]. In four treatment groups retinoic acid [RT] intra cerebro ventricular [i.C.V] were injected as dosage of 0.5, 3 and 6 [micro g/kg] micrograms per kilogram. In control group, was microinjected by ACSF. In vehicle group injected RT solvent [DMSO+ Distil water]. The resuits Showed acute injection of RT did not change pain thresholds in the tail-flick methd, but the chronic administration of RT [0.5, 1, 3, 6 micro g/kg] reduced tail-flick latencies of the rats [p < 0.05] in compare to DMSO group. The threshold of pain in the first phase of formalin test was reduced after injection of 3 micro g/kg of RT for two weeks. It was concluded that chronic i.c.v. injections of RT can induce significant hyperalgesia in rat

[ role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis on anti-inflammatory effects of the trifluoperazine in male rats]

Previous studies, have been shown the anti-inflammatory effects of the trifluoperazine. The present study was performed to investigate the role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis activity as a possible mechanism for these effects. This experimental study was carried out on 100 male rats. Inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of 0.1 ml of 0.5% carrageenan solution in to the rat's left hind paw. Rats were divided randomly into three groups of control, the adrenalectomized [ADX] and the CRH antagonist receiving group. Adrenalectomy was performed bilaterally on the rats. The CRH antagonist at 20 micro g/rat was administered intraventriculary, and Trifluoperazine [0.2 and 8 mg/kg] was used intraperitoneally [i.p] on the rats. Four hours after injections, paw edema was assessed by calculating the volume changes and extravasations of Evans blue dye. Furthermore, the serum levels of prolactin and ACTH were measured. Both doses of trifluoperazine significantly reduced the paw volume and tissue content of Evans blue dye in the control and ADX rats. Therefore, the paw edema induced by carrageenan, was reduced in the control and ADX groups by 48% and 65%, and the tissue content of Evans blue dye was decreased by 60% and 20% respectively. In the CRH antagonist receiving rats, different doses of drug reduced the volume of inflamed paw by 50%. Adrenalectomy induced an increase in the ACTH level 9 times more than control and both doses of the trifluoperazine blocked this elevation by 82%. Adrenalectomy procedure had no significant influence on plasma level of prolactin. These results suggest that trifluoperazine may have an in-vivo anti-inflammatory effect on experimental model, which possibly is independent of HPA axis activity

Measles seroepidemiology among adolescents and young adults: response to revaccination

We evaluated the seroprevalence of measles antibody and response to measles re-immunization in 590 previously vaccinated adolescents and young adults; 263 were seronegative. To differentiate between primary and secondary vaccine failure, anti- measles IgM and IgG titres were assessed again 2- 4 weeks after revaccination in 144 [105 seronegative, 39 seropositive] individuals: 75 seronegative participants responded to revaccination anamnestically [P < 0.001] and developed immunity 11 also showed IgM response [probably primary vaccine failure immunity]; 38 seropositive participants, remained seroprotected without significant increase in antibody titre [P = 0.577]. Primary vaccine failure was 4.7%; secondary vaccine failure was 27.1%. After revaccination, 87.3% were seroprotected