Cardioprotective effect of simvastatin on doxorubicin-induced oxidative cardiotoxicity in rats

The usefulness of doxorubicin [DOX], a highly effective antitumor drug, is limited by the risk of developing cardiomyopathy. Subcellular changes leading to this toxicity are suggested to be mediated through a drug-induced increase in free radicals and lipid peroxidation. The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible protection that simvastatin [SIM], a lipid-lowering drug, can offer against DOX induced cardiotoxicity. DOX was administered to male Swiss albino rats in 6 equal interaperitoneal injections over a period of 2 weeks [cumulative dose, 15 mg/kg]. Protection from doxorubicin-oxidative injury was investigated by administration of SIM [cumulative dose, 60 mg /kg] in 12 equal oral doses over a period of 4 weeks [2 weeks before and 2 weeks concurrent with doxorubicin]. At the end of treatment, ECG was performed; myocardial antioxidants and lipid peroxidation were assayed. In addition, body weight changes during the experiment, mortality%, and histopathological examination of the heart tissue were performed. DOX treatment increased peritoneal fluid, myocardial oxidative damage and decreased survival. Myocardial antioxidants including reduced glutathione [GSH], glutathione-S-transferase [GST], and DT-diaphorase activities were reduced, while lipid peroxidation was increased. Administration of SIM before and concurrent with DOX significantly reduced the oxidative myocardial changes-induced by DOX treatment. It also decreased mortality, and eliminated ascites. Histopathological observations were in correlation with the biochemical parameters. This indicates that SIM provide protection from DOX-induced cardiac injury in terms of oxidative stress

Behavioral effects of essential oil from salvia Aegyptiaca in rats

The genus Salvia, a member of the Lamiaceae family, includes over 900 species distributed through out the world. The hydro-distilled essential oil of wild growing S. aegyptiaca was analyzed by GCIMS. Twenty-one constituents were identified. The oil was characterized by high content of oxygenated compounds. The major constituents were virdiflorol [18.4%] CLs-nerone [18.1%] and carvenone [11.2%]. In the present study, the main behavioral effects along with the adverse effects of S. aegyptiaca essential oil [EO] in rats were investigated. The EO was used in three dose levels [125, 250, 750 mg/kg, I.P.] and examined in a series or check-list of tests with gradual increase in stress level for careful evaluation of a broad spectrum of behavioral effects. The used tests were swimming test [non-stressful], open-field test [mild stressful] and conditioned fear test [high stressful]. The study exhibits a marked dose-related behavioral changes regarding all stress levels or models. These changes are manifested as inhibition of attention and vigilance, muscular strength and neuromuscular co-ordination [in swimming test] as well as emotionality, locomoter and exploratory activity [in open-field test]. They also include enhancing of learning and memory as well as inhibition of avoidance and escape [in conditioned fear test], in addition to the high dose related hallucinogenic effects. It is concluded that EO of S. aegyptiaca has a wide dose-related behavioral effects ranged from anxiotytic, sedative, muscle relaxant, as well as cognitive and memory enhancing ability to hallucinogenic effects. It is also suggested to be efficacious in different anxiety-related conditions and can help in inhibiting the withdrawal syndrome in cases of addiction

protective effect of garlic against the electrocardiographic changes induced by hyperlipidemia in rats

Hyperlipidemia was induced experimentally in adult male rats by feeding synthetic diet along eight weeks. Parallely, a set of animals receiving hyperlipidemic diet was subjected to oral administration of fresh garlic homogenate [0.5 g/Kg daily]. Animals were then evaluated for the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-c and LDL-c. In addition, their electrocardiography was conducted and assessed for the different changes. The obtained results showed that hyperlipidemic diet results in increasing serum total cholesterol and LDL-c and, decreasing that of HDL-c. The elecrocardiograhic consequences of hyerlipidemia include the ST segment elevation and lowering of the QTc ratio. Co-administration of fresh garlic homogenate along the first 4 weeks resulted in decreasing serum cholesterol level and improving the levels of LDL-c and HDL-c. These biochemical changes were vanished on the continued administration for the next 4 weeks. On the other hand, co-administration of fresh garlic homogenate resulted in improving the electrocardiograhic performance, as indicated by normalizing the ST segment amplitude and the QTc ratio. In conclusion, fresh garlic homogenate was shown to improve cardiographic performance in experimentally induced hyperlipidemic rats

Evaluation of the effect of caffeine and nicotine on postnatal neurobehavioral and functional development in normally-fed and protein malnourished rats

The prevalence of tobacco smoking and coffee drinking place nicotine and caffeine among the most used licit drugs that possess psychostimulant properties and dependence liability. Protein malnutrition [PM] represents one of the world's major health problems. It impairs mental and neurobehavioral development especially during lactation and can interfere with the safety and efficacy of drugs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of caffeine and nicotine co-administration during lactation on development of physical signs, reflexes and sensory functions, as well as performance of the neonates in T-maze, in addition to their effect on liver and kidney functions. Influence of PM on these developmental, behavioral and biochemical measurements were also evaluated. Since birth animals were provided with either 20% [control diet] or 8% [low protein diet] casein diet. Both normally-fed [NF] and protein malnourished [PM] lactating dams were daily [24 days] co-administered caffeine [30 or 60 mg/kg, L.P] and nicotine [0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg, L.P]. All rat pups were examined daily for appearance of physical signs [pinna detachment, downy hair, incisor eruption, fur, ear and eye opening] and development of reflexes and sensory punctions [righting reflex, cliff avoidance, negative geotaxis 25°, palmer grasp, auditory startle, negative geotaxis 45° and vibrissa placing]. The results showed that caffeine [60 mg/kg] and nicotine [1.0mg/kg] coadminsitration significantly delayed appearance of physical signs and retarded the development of deflexed and sensory function in NF rat pups, it also decreased number of correct choices in T-maze. By continuing administration of caffeine and nicotine, the postnatal developmental retardation increased and occurred at the low doses. PM potentiated both physical and neurobehavioral developmental delayments as well as functional defects induced by caffeine and nicotine co-administration during lactation. Thus, lactating mothers should be advised to limit their caffeine intake and to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke especially in protein deficiency population