ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the changes of content or activity of Nrf2 and anti-oxidative stress-related factors in rat models of traumatic brain injury,and explore the mechanisms of protective effect of curcumin on brain damage and oxidative stress in rats. Methods Twenty healthy SPF male SD rats were divided into 4 groups: the control group, brain injury model group(TBI group),brain injury and solvent-treated group(TBI+S group),brain injury and curcumin-treated group(TBI+C group),5 rats ineach group. The control group received only saline and anesthesia. The TBI,TBI+S and TBI+C groups were given free falling body brain injury modeling device to establish the models and then received curcumin(5 mg/kg), an equal amount of DMSO solvent(0.05%)and an equal amount of physiological saline, respectively. The rats were sacrificed at the next day and the RNA and proteins of brain tissues were extracted. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2. Chemocolorimetry was used to detect the content or activity of MDA, GSH, CAT and SOD in the brain tissues of rats. ELISA was used to detect the contents of iNOS and HO-1. Results Compared with the control group,the mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2, the content of MDA,the activity of HO-1 and iNOS were significantly increased,the content of GSH, the activity of SOD and CAT were significantly decreased in the TBI group and TBI+S group,with a significant difference(P< 0.05). Compared with the TBI and TBI+S groups,the mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2,the content of MDA,the activities of HO-1 and iNOS were significantly decreased,the content of GSH,the activity of SOD and CAT were significantly increased in the TBI+C group,showing a sigfnificant difference(P< 0.05),but there were no significant differences between the TBI group and TBI+S group(P< 0.05). Conclusions Curcumin has an anti-oxidative stress effect on rats with brain injury. It can reduce the expression of Nrf2,change the anti-oxidant stress-related indicators,therefore to protect the TBI-impaired brain tissues.
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Objective To observe the effect of preoperative stellate ganglion block (SGB)on gastrointestinal function in rats undergoing gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal abdominal surgery.Methods Fifty-four male SD rats,weighing (200 ± 10 )g,were randomly divided into 5 groups:control group (n =6,group C),gastrointesinal abdominal surgery group (n =12,group G), SGB+gastrointesinal abdominal surgery group (n = 12,group SG),non-gastrointestinal abdominal surgery group (n = 12,group NG),SGB+ non-gastrointestinal abdominal surgery group (n = 12, group SNG).Group C was given no treatment.Venous blood samples were taken for determination of the levels of serum NE,TNF-αand IL-6 at the time before stellate ganglion block (T1 ),the end of operation (T2 ),12 h (T3 )and 24 h after operation (T4 ).Six rats were randomly chosen from each group to test bowel propulsion rate at T3 and T4 ,then sacrificed to measure motilin (MTL)and vaso-active intestinal peptide (VIP)in antrum and proximal colon.Results Compared with T1 and group C,the serum concentrations of NE,TNF-αand IL-6 significantly increased at T2-T4 in groups G,SG, NG and SNG (P <0.05).The NE,TNF-α and IL-6 levels in group G were significantly higher than those in group SG (P <0.05),and the serum NE,TNF-αand IL-6 levels in group NG were signifi-cantly higher than those in group SNG (P <0.05).Compared with T3 and group C,the bowel pro-pulsion rate and MTL levels significantly increased at T4 in groups G,SG,NG and SNG (P <0.05). The bowel propulsion rate and MTL levels in group SG and group SNG were significantly higher than those in group G and group NG,respectively (P <0.05 ).The VIP levels significantly decreased in groups G,SG,NG and SNG than that in group C (P <0.05).The VIP levels in group SG were sig-nificantly lower than those in group G (P < 0.05 ), and the VIP levels in group SNG were significantly lower than those in group NG (P < 0.05 ).Conclusion Preoperative stellate ganglion block can premote the recovery of gastrointestinal function in rats after abdominal surgery,attenuated stress response and inflammatory reaction,and regulation of gastrointestinal hormone level may be involved in the mechanism.
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Schaudinn solution was used to fix the Blastocystis hominis specimen and an improved Harris hematoxylin staining was applied to stain it.The method shows clearer internal structure of the parasite, simpler and less timeconsuming than the traditional iron hematoxylin solution.