ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Morphine is a pain medication. It is mostly processed in liver and reasons disturbing effects. It can increase the production of free radicals. Thymoquinone is a phytochemical compound found in the plant Nigella sativa. It has diverse pharmacological properties such as antioxidant and anticancer. This study was intended to assess the effects of thymoquinone against morphine damages on the liver of mice. METHODS: In this study, various doses of thymoquinone (4.5, 9, and 18 mg/kg) and thymoquinone plus morphine was administered (once a day) intraperitoneally to 48 male mice for 20 consequent days. These mice were randomly assigned to eight groups (n = 6). Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, serum nitric oxide (NO) levels, liver weight, and histology have been studied. RESULTS: The results indicated that morphine administration significantly increased the mean diameter of central hepatic vein and hepatocyte, blood serum NO level, liver enzymes level, and decreased liver weight compared to saline group (P < 0.05). However, thymoquinone and thymoquinone plus morphine administration significantly enhanced liver weight and reduced the mean diameter of hepatocyte, central hepatic vein, liver enzymes, and NO levels in all groups compared to morphine group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It seems that antioxidant effect of thymoquinone could protect damage of liver parameters against morphine toxicity.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Promoter methylation, which can be regulated by MTHFR activity, is associated with silencing of genes. In this study we evaluated the methylation status (type) of the BRCA2 promoter in ovarian cancer patients carrying different genotypes of the MTHFR gene (A or C polymorphisms at position 1298). METHODS: The methylation type of the BRCA2 promoter was evaluated using bisulfate-modified DNA in methylation- specific PCR and the MTHFRa1278c polymorphism was assessed by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: Analysis of the BRCA2 promoter methylation type of cases showed that 7 out of 60 cases (11.7%) were methylated while the remaining 53 (88.3%) were unmethylated. In methylated cases, one out of the 7 cases had a CC genotype and the remaining 6 methylated cases had an AC genotype. The AA genotype was absent. In unmethylated cases, 34, 18, and one out of these had AC, AA and CC genotype, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was no significant relationship between the methylation types of the BRCA2 promoter in different genotypes of MTHFRa1298c polymorphism in ovarian cancer; p=0.255. There was no significant relation between the methylation types of the BRCA2 promoter in different genotypes of the MTHFRa1298c polymorphism in ovarian cancer.
