[ effects of diazinon on histomorphometric changes of the number of goblet and the number of epithelial cells of the embryo tissue of the Balb/c mice]

Background: diazinon is an organophosphate insecticide that normally used to control different types of harmful insects in Agriculture

Methods: 25 laboratory mature female mice divided into 5 equal groups: The control group did not receive diazinon, Sham groups of A and B, respectively, received0.52 and 5.2microliter of emulsifier, Diazinon experimental groups of A and B also received, respectively, 1.3 and 13 microliter form of inhalant

Results: in all histomorphometry and appearance studies, there was no significant difference between the control group and two sham groups but in the experimental group of B there were abnormalities such as atrophy of the fetus and placenta, cutaneous bleeding, the position of fetus was absorbed with extra placenta. The examination of intestinal Histomorphometry of embryos in the average number of goblet cells in a level equal to length of the villi in the experimental group of B in compared to the experimental group of A and the control showed that this increases were not significant. The average number of epithelial cells in a certain level of transverse sections of villi in both the experimental groups compared to control group showed no significant difference. Percentage of goblet cells in the entire villi's in the experimental group A and B showed a significant decrease in compared to the control group

Conclusion: consumption of high levels of Diazinon in pregnant mice caused growth and development disorders and physical anomalies in the fetus as well as abnormalities in the development of intestinal tissue of embryos

Coadministration of dexamethasone and melissa officinalis has neuroprotective effects in rat animal model with spinal cord injury

Objective: Spinal cord injury [SCI] causes inflammation, deformity and cell loss. It has been shown that Melissa officinalis [MO], as herbal medicine, and dexamethasone [DEX] are useful in the prevention of various neurological diseases. The present study evaluated combinational effects of DEX and MO on spinal cord injury

Materials and Methods: Thirty six adult male Wistar rats were used in this experimental study. The weight-drop contusion method was employed to induce spinal cord injury in rats. DEX and MO were administrated alone and together in different treatment groups. Intra-muscular injection of DEX [1 mg/kg] was started three hours after injury and continued once a day for seven days after injury. Intra-peritoneal [I.P] injection of MO [150 mg/ kg] was started one day after injury and continued once a day for 14 days

Results: Our results showed motor and sensory functions were improved significantly in the group received a combination of DEX and MO, compared to spinal cord injury group. Mean cavity area was decreased and loss of lower motor neurons and astrogliosis in the ventral horn of spinal cord was significantly prevented in the group received combination of DEX and Melissa officinalis, compared to spinal cord injury group. Furthermore, the findings showed a significant augmentation of electromyography [EMG] recruitment index, increase of myelin diameter, and up-regulation of myelin basic protein in the treated group with combination of DEX and MO

Conclusion: Results showed that combination of DEX and MO could be considered as a neuroprotective agent in spinal cord injury

effect of mesenchymal stem cells and aqueous extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia on the mechanical properties of articular cartilage in an experimental model of rat osteoarthritis

Introduction: Although, the effect of direct intra-articular injection of bone marrow stem cells [BMSCs] on the repair of articular cartilage and the effect of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract on pain relief in patients with osteoarthritis have been investigated, no studies has been conducted to compare the effects of these two therapeutic methods on the mechanical properties of articular cartilage. In the present stuy, the effect of these two methods on the mechanical strength of knee articular cartilage in a model of rat osteoarthritis has been studied

Methods: In the present research, 48 mature, male Wistar rats were used. Animals were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 as follows: control group [healthy animals], saline with mono-iodoacetate [MIA], MIA with Elaeagnus angustifolia extract, MIA with BMSCs, and MIA with a combination of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and BMSCs. Osteoarthritis was induced by injection of 50 and muL solution of MIA in rats of groups 3 to 6. About 500 mg/kg Elaeagnus angustifolia extract was injected intraperitoneally daily for 4 weeks and nonautologous mesenchymal stem cells were injected into the knee joint on the 14th day. Stress-relaxation test was conducted applying 0.1 mm displacement at the rate of 5 mm/min for 1000 seconds. Then, the maximum initial force, instantaneous stiffness,equilibrium force, and equilibrium stiffness were calculated

Results: Induction of osteoarthritis model decreased instantaneous stiffness, maximum initial force, and equilibrium stiffness as compared to the healthy group [P=0.05]. Using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract and bone marrow stem cells increased instantaneous stiffness and equilibrium stiffness compared to MIA group, although this increase was statistically significant only in the BMSCs group [P=0.04 and P=0.026, respectively]. In the BMSCs group, maximum initial force also significantly increased compared to MIA group [P=0.04]

Conclusion: Apparently direct injection of BMSCs into the knee joint with osteoarthritis is more effective in increasing mechanical strength of the cartilage and improving the performance of the weight-bearing joint compared to using Elaeagnus angustifolia extract

Effects of endurance and resistance exercises on bone mineral density and mechanical strength of osteoporotic male rats

Background and Aim: Osteoporosis is a complex disease characterized by loss of bone mass, resulting in bone weakness and an increase in susceptibility to fractures. The aim of the current study was to determine skeletal changes induced by two progressive loading training programs on the bone properties of osteoporotic male rats

Materials and Methods: This experimental study was done on 30 Wistar male rats having mean weight of 180-200 g. They were divided into .5 equal groups. In the experimental group, osteoporosis was induced through intraperitoneal injection of 20% ethanol solution [3g/kg/day] for four consecutive days for 3 weeks

The rest of the groups were baseline group [pre test], resistance training, endurance training, and the control

The two training groups completed 12 five-day weeks of training program. according to resistance or endurance protocols. The other 6 rats were considered as the healthy group without any intervention . At the end of the intervention, the animals were killed and their bone mineral density [BMD] of the femur and L4, L5 were measured. Tensile max load of the left tibia and compression of the L5 vertebra were measured using mechanical tests

Results: The endurance [P= 0.035] and resistance [P= 0.001] groups femur BMD had significantly increased compared to that of the control . L4, L5 BMD in resistance training and control was significantly greater than that of endurance group [P= 0.001,P= 0.001]. The tensile maximum load of the tibia and compression of the L5 in the resistance group was significantly greater than the control [P=0.01,P=0.03]

Conclusion: Resistance training, compared to endurance training, can induce more effective favourable changes in bone mineral status and bone strength

[Effects of aspirin on renal cortical and medullary tissues in rat embryos]

Aspirin is the drug of the century, and is a multifunctional drug and one of the most prescribed drugs in the world. Aspirin is a safe drug at low doses but also it has life-threatening side effects when administered at high doses. This study investigates the effects of aspirin on renal cortical and medullary tissue in rat embryos. In this study, 30 pregnant female rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Control group with no intervention, sham group received 2 ml distilled water [as a solvent of aspirin] received from days 8 to 20 of pregnancy, and four experimental groups received different doses of 75, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of aspirin by gavage. Pregnant rats were sacrificed on the twenty days of pregnancy and the fetuses were removed. Weight of the fetuses and placenta and Crown-Rump length were measured. Fetal kidneys were fixed in formalin processed, sectioned and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin. Thickness of renal cortical and medullary tissue by using a Motic hardware and software system were measured and recorded. A significance level of 0.05 was predetermined for all statistical analyses. No apparent fetal anomalies were observed in experimental groups. In addition, no significant differences were shown in the mean of fetal weight, placental weight, mean of Crown-Rump length in experimental groups 75, 200 and 300 mg/kg compared to control and sham groups. Mean fetal and placental weight in experimental group 100 significantly increased compared to control and sham groups. Mean ratio of renal cortex to renal medulla in experimental group 75, 100 and 300 were significantly decreased compared to control and sham groups [respectively P = 0.03, P = 0.013, P = 0.03]. It seems that maternal use of aspirin during pregnancy can not cause fetal abnormalities. However, it can cause some changes in renal cortical and medullary tissue of rat embryos