Effect of different doses of soy isoflavones on spatial learning and memory in ovariectomized rats

Introduction: Several studies indicate that estrogen use increase performance on some tests of cognition especially in postmenopausal women. These steroids have many side effects, thus, other estrogenic agents with fewer side effects are needed to develop alternative treatment strategies. The main objection of this study was to evaluate the effects of different doses of dietary soy meals [with or without isoflavone] on spatial learning and memory in ovariectomized [OVX] rats. Methods: Female Wistar rats with the exception of intact group were ovariectomized at the first line of study. Subjects were divided into six groups. The control group rats [c] were gonadally intact, while the others were OVX. OVX groups received normal diet [0], treated with 10 gr soy [10], 20 gr soy [20], 10 gr isoflavone free soy [-10] or 20 gr isoflavone free soy [-20] in daily diet for four weeks. The spatial learning and memory were tested using Morris water maze. Rats were trained in water maze to find a hidden escape Platform. Rats received 6 blocks that each block consisted of 3 trials. Following acquisition trials, one probe trial were conducted in which the platform was removed. Results: Soy meal diet [with or without isoflavone] in ovariectomized rats caused improvement of performance across 18 trials of Acquisition. Discussion: Our results suggest that soy consumption apart from containing isoflavone or not is a potential alternative to estrogen in the improvement of cognition

Serum zinc level in thalassemia major

To compare serum zinc level between Thalassemia Major [TM] patients and normal population at Shafa Hospital in South West of Iran. A total of 25 male and 36 female of TM patients were enrolled in this study. Out of 61 patients thirty were treated by deferroxamine [DFO] and 31 were on the combination of DFO and deferiprone [DEF] protocol therapy. Sixty normal subjects of the matching age and gender were recruited as controls. From each patient and control group 2 ml of blood was taken in fasting condition. Cell blood count and serum zinc were carried out for both thalassemia patients and normal subjects. The mean age of patients and control group was 15 +/- 5years. Mean serum zinc level was 68.97 +/- 21.12microg/dl, 78.10 +/- 28.50 microg/dl, and 80.16 +/- 26.54 microg/dl in the TM with DFO, TM with DFO + DEF combination protocol and control group respectively. There was no significant correlation between patients and control group. However 50 percent of TM with DFO, 38.7 percent of TM with DFO + DEF and 32.8 percent of control group had hypozincemia. Nearly 40 to 50 percent of TM patients and one third of normal subjects are suffering from hypozincemia. This study shows that low level of serum zinc is a health problem in both thalassemia patients and normal population in South West of Iran

[Preventive effect of grapefruit juice [Citrus Paradisi Macf.] on morphine withdrawal symptom in male rats]

Addiction to opiates such as morphine is one of major public health problems. It has been shown that in addicted animals, administration of antioxidant agents such as vitamin C can reduce the withdrawal symptoms [WDS]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventional effect of grapefruit juice [Citrus Paradisi Macf.] on withdrawal symptoms in rats. In this experimental study, Sixteen male Wistar rats [250-300g] randomly divided into two groups [n=8]. All animals were addicted by intraperitoneal [i.p] injection of morphine [the 1-3 days: 10 mg/kg, the 4-6 days: 20 mg/kg and the 7-9 days 40 mg/kg; daily] for 9 days. The first group received 2 ml Citrus Paradisi Macf. orally 1 hour before morphine administration. The sham group received 2 ml of normal saline. Naloxone [10mg/kg, s.c] was administrated 45 minutes after of an additional dose of morphine [40 mg/kg] in the tenth day for withdrawal symptoms inducing. Then withdrawal symptoms such as frequency of wet-dog shaking, teeth chattering, defecation and penis licking were evaluated for 30 minutes. All withdrawal symptoms including frequency of wet-dog shaking, teeth chattering, defecation and penis licking were reduced in the Citrus Paradisi Macf. group in comparison with the sham group significantly [p < 0.05]. Our results showed that presumably antioxidant activity of Citrus Paradisi Macf. can reduce withdrawal symptoms. Although the exact mechanisms of its effect in brain need to be elucidate

Effect of esophageal distention on basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion in rats

It is well established that the esophageal distention [ED] leads to gastric relaxation, partly by vago-vagal reflex, but till now, the effect of ED on gastric acid secretion has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ED on basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion. Adult male Wistar rats [200-240 g] were deprived of food but not the water 24 h before the experiments. Under urethane anesthesia [1.2 g/kg, i.p.], animals underwent tracheostomy and laparotomy. A catheter was inserted in the stomach through duodenum for gastric distention and gastric washout and the esophagus was cannulated with a distensible balloon orally to distend esophagus [0.3 ml, 10 min]. Gastric acid secretion was stimulated by gastric distention, carbachol [4 ?g/kg, i.p.] or histamine [5 mg/kg, s.c.]. Effects of vagotomy, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME, 10 mg/kg, i.v.] and also hexamethonium were investigated. Basal and gastric distention- and carbachol, histamine-stimulated acid secretion were reduced by the ED [P<0.05, P<0.0001, P<0.01 and P<0.02, respectively]. L-NAME [10 mg/kg, i.v.] elevated the acid output [P<0.002]. Vagotomy reduced the inhibitory effect of the esophagus distention on gastric distention-induced acid secretion [P<0.01]. These results indicate that the vagus nerves are involved in the inhibitory effect of the ED on the basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion. Furthermore, nitric oxide could be involved