Prenatal exposure to maternal voluntary exercise during pregnancy provides protection against mild chronic postnatal hypoxia in rat offspring

Postnatal hypoxia is a main cause of neuronal damage in newborn. However, our understanding of the possible preventive or therapeutic methods to reduce the harmful effects of hypoxia is still primary. Pregnant rats were provided with running wheels during their pregnancy. On PND4 [postnatal day 4] to PND8, the rat pups were exposed to postnatal chronic hypoxia [11% O[2], 89% N[2]] in an air-tight plastic chamber for a period of six hours per day. The number of neurons and also angiogenesis in hippocampus were studied. Postnatal exposure to mild hypoxia decreased the number of the neurons in all studied regions of the hippocampus CA1, CA3 [cornu ammonis], DG [dentate gyrus] and SUB [cubiculum] in rat pups. In other words the number of the neurons in rat pups born from voluntary exercise group was not significantly less than control group in CA1, CA3 and DG regions. So maternal Voluntary exercise during pregnancy increases the blood vessel density in the DG region of the hippocampus of the rat pups. In this study for the first time we provide evidences that show the protective effect of maternal voluntary exercise during pregnancy on rat offspring against postnatal hypoxia. We revealed that maternal exercise during pregnancy increases the hippocampal neuron number and angiogenesis in offspring

[Comparing the effects of iontophoresis and phonophoresis of dexamethasone on the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome]

Using anti-inflammatory medicine injection such as dexamethasone acetate [DXA] is a common treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]. Iontophoresis and phonophoresis of DXA are two other ways which may help to introduce DXA locally to inflammated tissues. This study has been deigned to compare the effect of iontophoresis and phonophoresis of DXA on the CTS treatment. 35 mild or moderate CTS patients [51 affected hands] were randomly assigned in one of the two experimental: iontophoresis [25 affected hands] and phonophoresis [26 affected hands] groups. Subjects in iontophoresis group received 10 sessions of iontophoresis of%0.4 DXA solution [DC, 0.2 mA/cm2, 20 min] over the wrist of the affected hands while the other group received 10 sessions of phonophoresis of%0.4 DXA jell with pulsed ultrasound [1 MHz, 1 W.cm-2, 5 min]. The strength of hand and thumb grips, paresthesia, pain, motor and sensory distal latency and evoked potential of median nerve were measured before and after intervention and after 4 weeks follow-up. Comparisons of the mean changes showed more increase in hand grip [P=0.006] and thumb grip [P=0.0002], less pain perception [P=0.001], shorter sensory [P=0.0001] and motor [P=0.0008] distal latency and higher sensory and motor [P=0.0001] action potential in the phonophoresis in compared with the iontophoresis group. Our results show that using phonophoresis of DXA is more effective for CTS treatment, than the iontophoresis method. More studies are needed to investigate the role of different parameters used during phonophoresis of DXA in the CTS treatment

[Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of valeriana officinalis root on the ileum contraction on Guinea pig]

Valeriana Officinalis administrated for treatment of many gastrointestinal disorders traditionally and probably reduced smooth muscle contraction and bowel movement. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Valeriana Officinalis extract on Ileum contraction of Guinea pig ileum in In Vitro model. This experimental study done on five male Guinea pigs. The animals were sacrificed and the pieces of ileum with 2-3 cm long [at least 6 pieces] dissected and established in normal Tyrod solution plus Carbogen gas in 37°C. Tissue fixed between of two electrodes that connected to stimulator apparatus. The contraction of ileum carried to physiograph by isotonic transducer and recorded. A solution with 5 concentration of Valeriana Officinalis extract was added to the organ bath during ileum stimulation with stimulator and the muscle contraction recorded in 7 responses. Hydroalcoholic extract of Valeriana Officinalis root in concentrations of 5, 15, 50, 150, 500 mg/ml during 0.1 Hz stimulation decreased Ileum contractions in a dose dependent manner. The percent of reduce contraction was 34.45%, 36.07%, 47, 53%, 56.42%, and 76.22% respectively. Also Ec50% of this effect of Valeriana Officinalis was found to be 50 mg/ml [P<0.05]. This study showed that Valeriana Officinalis extracts can decrease ileum contraction in dose dependent manner

effect of hydroalcoholic matricaria chamomilla extract on cutaneous burn wound healing in albino rats

On the bases of the antiinflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of matricaria chamomilla [chamomile] extract. This study was design to determine the effect of topical hydroalcoholic chamomile extract on burn wound healing in albino Rats. In this experimental study 30 male albino Rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, as sham, control [olive oil] and treatment. Second degree burning was induced in 20% of whole surface area of animal body by diving the back of animal into boiling water for 8 seconds. Animals of control group received no treatment. Animals of olive oil and treatment groups were treated topically by olive oil and hydroalcoholic extract dissolved in olive oil twice a day respectively from the first day of burn induction to complete wound healing. The results showed that there was not significant difference between olive oil and sham groups in all days of experiments. Also there was significant difference in wound healing [p < 0.05] between olive oil and treatment groups [62.96 +/- 2.70 versus 74.77 +/- 2.50] from the day of 20 to the end of experiments. This study showed that the hydroalcoholic chamomile extract has a treatment effect on burn wound healing in animal model