[The effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Nectaroscordum tripedale on liver and kidney functional parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats]

Introduction: the reducing effects of some of tripedale family plants on blood glucose, lipids and enzymes have been reported. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Nectaroscordum tripedale on liver and kidney function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Materials and Methods: forty male rats were randomly divided into five groups [n=8 each]. Groups 1, 3 [normal control and diabetic control] received distilled water, group 2 received 50 mg/kg/day Nectaroscordum tripedale extract, and the groups 4 and 5 [treatment groups 1 and 2] received 50 and 100 mg/kg/day of the Nectaroscordum tripedale extract respectively for 21 consecutive days. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin in rats. At the end of the 21st day, blood samples were collected by heart puncture. Serum levels of ALP, AST, ALT, Alb, BUN, creatinine and urea were evaluated

Results: results showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Nectaroscordum tripedale can increase the average body weight in the treatments groups. ALP, AST, ALT, BUN levels decreased, wherease level of albumin [Alb] increased in a dose-dependent manner at the end experimental period [P<0.05]

Conclusion: our results showed that the extract of Nectaroscordum tripedale improved liver and kidney function in a dose dependent manner in experimental conditions

effects of capparis spinosa hydroalcoholic extract on blood glucose and lipids serum in diabetic and normal male rats

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrine disorders in the world which affects glucose metabolism in the body. Diabetes mellitus is due to lack of insulin secretion and/or failure in insulin action. Researches conducted in the last few decades on plants have reported anti-diabetic properties for some herbs and their traditional use for diabetes treatment. Capparis spinosa is one of these herbs which are used as an anti-diabetic treatment in tribal medicine. The objective of the present study was to examine the anti-diabetic effects of Capparis spinosa on blood glucose and serum lipids in streptozotocin induced diabetes in male rats. In this experimental study conducted at Yasouj University of Medical Sciences in 2010, five groups of animals were selected. Three groups out of five were administered with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to become diabetic. Group I were fed normal diet. Group II of animals received 20 mg/kg/day Capparis spinosa extract. Group III received no treatment [diabetic control] and animals of groups IV and V were treated with capparis spinosa fruit extract 20 and 30 mg/kg body weight respectively for three weeks. Blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and body weight were measured in all animals. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS software using one-way ANOVA. Treatment with the 30 mg/kg/body weight of capparis spinosa fruit extract showed a significant decrease in blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and a significant increase in HDL level. In addition, administration of 20 mg/kg/body weight of capparis spinosa extract decreased blood glucose and lipid levels in diabetic rats. It can be concluded that the oral administration of capparis spinosa extract at the dose of 30 mg/kg/body weight has glucose and lipids lowering activity in diabetic rats

[Effects of ascorbic acid on the amplitude of ventral tegmental area field action potential in morphine-exposed rats [an electrophysiology study]]

Evidences have indicated that the Ventral Tegmental Area [VTA] is the major source of dopamine [DA] neurons projecting to cortical and limbic regions involved in cognitive and motivational aspects of addiction. Also, studies have indicated that the Ascorbic acid [vitamin C] can reduce the dependency symptoms of opioids such as morphine via effect of activity on dopaminergic neuron in VTA. For this reason, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of ascorbic acid on the amplitude of Ventral Tegmental Area field action potential in morphine-exposed rats. Forty male Wistar's rats were used in this experimental study conducted at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in 2010. Animals were randomly divided into four groups after electrode implantation and recovery period: 1. No- Vit C and No-Addicted group [nVitC.nA] 2. Vit C and No-Addicted group [VitC.nA] 3. No- Vit C and Addicted group [nVitCA] 4.Vit C and Addicted [VitC.A], The Vit C groups received 500 mg/kg of Vit C during 20 days. For addicted groups morphine was administrated once daily for 20 days. In the 20[th] day, the field potential recording was accomplished. Two-way ANOVA was used for data analysis followed by the Tukey test for post hoc analysis. Results were considered significant at P<0.05. This study shows the exposure to morphine declined the power of Delta and Beta bands [p<0.05] and Vit C solely enhance power of Theta and Beta [p<0.05, p<0.001] in VTA nuclei. Furthermore, Vit C could alter power of some bands which were affected by morphine. Therefore, it seems that Vit C has an increasing effects on them [p<0.05]. Although the effect of Vit C on power of the VTA bands is not well known, but it is supposed that this phenomenon can be related to alteration in activity of dopaminergic neuron in the brain

[Histomorphology of the olfactory mucosa and spinal tissue sparing following transplantation in the partial spinal cord injury in rats]

Nowadays, cellular and tissues transplant has become the focus of attention for spinal cord injury. It has been shown olfactory nerve cells or olfactory mucosa whi have more efficient on nervous tissue repair and they have been more studied in experimental study. Furthermore, they were used in a few clinical centers for spinal defect. But mucosa tissue and spinal tissue have different structure and there is doubt about the integration of mucosa tissue in nervous tissue. Thus, in this research the morphology and the effect of the fetal olfactory mucosa [FOM] on spinal tissue sparing were studied after transplanted into the spinal cord hemisection in rats. This experimental study was conducted at Iran university of Medical Sciences in 2008. Of thirty eight female Sprague-Dawley [200-250g] rats twenty- eight were spinally hemisected at the L1 spinal level and were randomized into two groups of 14 animals. Treatment group received FOM graft and the control received fetal respiratory mucosa graft [FRM]. The other animals received surgical procedure without spinal cord injury as a sham group. The morphology of the transplant region and spinal tissue sparing was examined histological eight weeks after transplantation. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS software using ANOVA and the morphology of the transplant region were studied by light microscope. Histological study showed that the both mucosa tissues could not integrate with the parenchyma of the spinal tissue. Although the FOM were fused more then the FRM with the host tissue but clear boundary was seen at the graft-host interface. The mean spinal tissue sparing of the treatment group increased a little compare to the control but a significant difference was not apparent whereas, the spinal tissue sparing in treatment and control groups compare to the sham group decreased significantly [P <0.05]. Transplantation of the mucosa tissue directly, into the spinal cord injury was created different cytoarchitecture with spinal tissue and FOM partially preserving tissue sparing

[Topiramate associated bilateral acute angle closure glaucoma and myopia]

Topiramate, is an oral Sulfonamide medication that was primarily licensed for treating epilepsy, though increasingly used for treating migraine. In recent years there have been several reports of its association with bilateral acute angle closure glaucoma and or myopia. We introduce a rare case of simultaneous bilateral acute angle closure glaucoma and myopia following topiramate usage. A 43 years-old woman, who referred to Amiralmomenin hospital with bilateral painful visual loss following prescription of topiramate. Her best corrected visual acuity was one meter counting finger in both eyes. Intraocular pressure was 60 mm Hg OD and 54 mm Hg OS with ciliary injection. There were corneal edema, shallow anterior chamber and closed angles on gonioscopy in both eyes. Abnormal findings were normalized within 2 weeks after discontinuation of topiramate and starting antiglaucoma medication. Topiramate can caused acute bilateral angle- closure glaucoma and myopia, which is usually reversible and its intraocular pressure is controlled promptly by discontinuing drug. Patients who started Topiramate therapy need to be informed of this potential risk especially within first few weeks after starting or increasing dose of the drug