Neuroprotective effects of selenium and ginkgo biloba extract [EGb761] against ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat brain

To determine the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract [EGb761] and Selenium [Se], and the combination of these agents on ischemia/reperfusion [I/R] injury in a rat model of transient global cerebral I/R. This experimental study took place in the Animal Research Laboratory at Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey in the year 2006. Fifty rats were subjected to cerebral I/R induced by right carotid artery occlusion technique for a duration of 45 minutes, and then were treated with EGb761 [50 mg/kg/day, ip] and Se [0.625 mg/kg, ip], alone or in combination for 14 days after surgery. Superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were measured in the hippocampal tissues from 25 animals. Histopathological examinations were also carried out under light and electron microscopy from the rest of animals. The results suggest that EGb761 has a potent neuroprotective effect against cerebral I/R induced injury in rat brain that is comparable with that of Se. However, the combined use of EGb761 and Se does not further protect from neuronal injury when compared with the use of both agents alone. Our results suggest that administration of EGb761, Se and its combination with EGb761 have significant neuroprotective effects on I/R injury in rats via suppression of oxidative stress

new device to produce a standardized experimental fracture in the rat tibia

To develop and introduce a new device to produce a standardized closed experimental fracture in the rat tibia. This study took place in the Research Laboratory, Medical Faculty, Dokuz Eylul University, in the year 2003. We include 20 healthy male white Wistar rats. After pinning both tibia of the rat intramedullary with the needle of a sterile injector without any incision, we tried to produce a fracture with the pendulum of the device, which was dropped in different angles in 9 rats. The tibial diaphysis of 14 rats in the main study were fractured at 60 degrees. After the fractures were confirmed radiologically, 4 tibia underwent pathological analysis to determine the degree of soft tissue damage and 24 tibia were examined in terms of histological fracture healing. Radiologically, this technique resulted in a transverse or short oblique bicortical fracture in the middle of the tibial diaphysis. The healing process was well adjusted with the classification of Allen. No noticeable soft tissue damage in the fracture region was demonstrated. This method of producing an easy and reproducible fracture in a standard fashion without displacement and minimal soft tissue trauma in laboratory animals with this simple apparatus make it a useful technique for bone healing studies