Inhibitory effect of Thymus vulgaris extract on memory impairment induced by scopolamine in rat

Objective: To investigate the effect of Thymus vulgaris (. T. vulgaris) on learning and memory functions in scopolamine-induced memory deficit in rats. Memory enhancing activity in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats was investigated by assessing the Morris water maze and passive avoidance paradigm. Methods: A total of 42 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 equal groups as follow: control group: received water, scopolamine treated group: received scopolamine 1 mg/kg for 15 days, two scopolamine + T. vulgaris treated groups: received scopolamine and T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days, two intact groups: received T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days. Results: Administration of T. vulgaris extract significantly restored memory and learning impairments induced by scopolamine in the passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. Conclusions: T. vulgaris extract has repairing effects on memory and behavioral disorders produced by scopolamine and may have beneficial effects in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Sliver nanoparticles accelerate skin wound healing in mice [Mus musculus] through suppression of innate immune system

This study aimed to find the effects of silver nanoparticles [Ag-NPs] [40 nm] on skin wound healing in mice Mus musculus when innate immune system has been suppressed. A group of 50 BALB/c mice of about 8 weeks [weighting 24.2 +/- 3.0 g] were randomly divided into two groups: Ag-NPs and control group, each with 25 mice. Once a day at the same time, a volume of 50 microliters from the nanosilver solution [10ppm] was applied to the wound bed in the Ag-NPs group while in the untreated [control] group no nanosilver solution was used but the wound area was washed by a physiological solution. The experiment lasted for 14. Transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta], complement component C3, and two other immune system factors involving in inflammation, namely C-reactive protein [CRP] and rheumatoid factor [RF] in sera of both groups were assessed and then confirmed by complement CH50 level of the blood. The results show that wound healing is a complex process involving coordinated interactions between diverse immunological and biological systems and that Ag-NPs significantly accelerated wound healing and reduce scar appearance through suppression of immune system as indicated by decreasing levels of all inflammatory factors measured in this study. Exposure of mice to Ag-NPs can result in significant changes in innate immune function at the molecular levels. The study improves our understanding of nanoparticle interaction with components of the immune system and suggests that Ag-NPs have strong anti-inflammatory effects on skin wound healing and reduce scarring

Histopathological effects of nanosilver [Ag-NPs] in liver after dermal exposure during wound healing

With the advent of nanotechnology, significant progress has been made in the area of nanoscale materials such as nanosilver [Ag-Nps]. These nanoparticles have a wide range of applications and been used for antimicrobial purposes for more than a century. However, little attention has been paid to the toxicity of nanosilver wound dressing. This study was designed to investigate the possible histopathological toxicity of Ag-NPs in liver of mice during wound healing. A group of 50 female BALB/c mice of about 8 weeks were randomly divided into two groups: Ag-NPs and control groups [n=25]. After creating similar wound on the backs of all animals, the wound bed was treated in Ag-NPs group, with a volume of 50 microliters of the nanosilver solution [10ppm] ,and in control group, with the same amount of distilled water. The experiment lasted for 14 days. Histopathaological samplings of liver were conducted on days 2, 7 and 14 of the experiment. Histopathological studies demonstrated time-dependent changes in mice liver treated with Ag-NPs compared to control group. Some changes include dilation in central venous, hyperemia, cell swelling, increase of Kupffer and inflammatory cells. This study suggests that use of nanosilver for wound healing may cause a mild toxicity, as indicated by time-dependent toxic responses in liver tissue. However, this issue will have to be considered more extensively in further studies