ABSTRACT
Background: The effects of soy extract on memory as well as the oxidative damage to brain tissue induced by ischemia was investigated in ovariectomised (OVX) rats. Methods: The rats were divided into: 1) Sham; 2) OVX; 3) Sham‑Ischemia; 4) OVX‑Ischemia; 5) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20; and 6) OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60. The common carotid artery was occluded (30 minutes), and it was then re-‑perfused. The OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups received 20 or 60 mg/kg of soy extract for eight weeks before the ischemia. Results: The Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups took a longer time to reach the platform while, spent a shorter time in the target quadrant (Q1) than the Sham and OVX. The escape latencies in the OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 20 and OVX-‑Ischemia-‑S 60 groups were lower while, time spent in the Q1 was higher than that of the OVX-‑Ischemia. In the rotarod test, there were no significant differences between the groups. The hippocampal concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the Sham-‑Ischemia and OVX-‑Ischemia groups were higher than the Sham and OVX. Pre-‑treatment by 20 and 60 mg/kg of the extract reduced the MDA. Conclusion: It is suggested that soy prevents memory impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage due to ischemia in OVX rats.
ABSTRACT
Although the incidence of gastric cancer is declining during the last half century, this cancer still is the second morbid cancer in the world after lung cancer. The incidence of gastric cancer is 26 per 100,000 in Iran. This study evaluated the effect of Alpinia galangal on AGS cells [human gastric adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line] and L929 cells [as a standard cell line originated from mouse fibroblast cells]. After culturing the cells in Roswell Park Memorial Institute [RPMI] medium, the cells were incubated with different doses of Alpinia galangal [0 [control], 125, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 micro g/ml] in 24, 48 and 72 hour periods and then, cells viability were assessed using MTT based cell proliferation assay. After 24 hours, the percentage of living AGS cells compared to the control group showed no significant decrease at the concentrations of 125 and 250 micro g/ml. But in the rest concentrations were significant [p<0.05]. Only, the percentage of surviving L929 cells at concentration of 125 micro g/ml of the extract was not significant, but these percentages in the other concentrations were significant. After 48 and 72h incubation, in the last three extract concentrations, the percentage of living AGS and L929 cells significantly decreased compared to control cells [p<0.05]. We have demonstrated, using cell culture model, anti-proliferative effect of aqueous extract of Alpinia galangal on human gastric tumor [AGS] and L929 cell lines. This effect was prominent in high concentrations
ABSTRACT
Several diseases are reported to be uncommon in those parts of the world where dietary fiber intakes are high, therefore, in this study; we evaluated the hypocholesterolemic effects of a dietary fiber [guar gum] in hypercholesteromic rats. Rats were fed high-fat or a normal fed diet for 12-week then treated with 5% guar gum in their regime during a 28 days period. Total cholesterol was significantly increased in high-fat diet rats, while administration of guar gum significantly lowered it. Body weight was significantly increased in high-fat diet rats while, at the end of 4-weeks treatment of guar gum, body weight of treated rats was significantly decreased. These results suggested that guar gum may be effective as hypocholesterolemic agent and may prevent hypercholesteromia in hypercholesteromic rats. The results also suggested that guar gum may be important for reducing body weight in hyperlipidemic rats