Neuroprotective Effects of Thymoquinone on the Hippocampus in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We evaluated the neuroprotective effects of thymoquinone (TQ) in a rat model of traumatic brain injury by using biochemical and histopathologic methods for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four rats were divided into sham (n = 8), trauma (n = 8), and TQ-treated (n = 8) groups. A moderate degree of head trauma was induced with the use of Feeney's falling weight technique, and TQ (5 mg/kg/day) was administered to the TQ-treated group for 7 days. All animals were killed after cardiac perfusion. Brain tissues were extracted immediately after perfusion without damaging the tissues. Biochemical procedures were performed with the serum, and a histopathologic evaluation was performed on the brain tissues. Biochemical experiments included malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced and oxidized coenzyme Q10 analysis, DNA isolation and hydroylazation, and glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase analyses. RESULTS: Neuron density in contralateral hippocampal regions (CA1, CA2-3, and CA4) 7 days after the trauma decreased significantly in the trauma and TQ-treated groups, compared with that in the control group. Neuron densities in contralateral hippocampal regions (CA1, CA2-3, and CA4) were greater in the TQ-treated group than in the trauma group. TQ did not increase superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase antioxidant levels. However, TQ decreased the MDA levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that TQ has a healing effect on neural cells after head injury and this effect is mediated by decreasing MDA levels in the nuclei and mitochondrial membrane of neurons.

Prenatal exposure of diclofenac sodium affects morphology but not axon number of the median nerve of rats.

The present study examined the effect of DS exposure on median nerve development in rats during prenatal life. Pregnant female rats were divided into three groups: a control group, a saline group and a DS group. Offspring of these animals were divided into 2 subgroups: 4 weeks old and 20 weeks old. Nerve samples were taken from the right legs and evaluated using stereological techniques in terms of the axon number, axon cross-sectional area, and myelin thickness. No drug-dependent macroscopic abnormality was observed in the nerve. No differences were noted for axon number in the control, saline, and DS groups of the same age and gender. No gender difference was found for axon number or axon area between the other matched groups. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to diclofenac sodium does not affect axon number in rats, but can alter the morphology of the male and female median nerve.

Prenatal exposure to diclofenac sodium changes the morphology of the male rat cervical spinal cord: a stereological and histopathological study.

Diclofenac sodium is one of the most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It may cause alteration in the nervous system during neuronal development. However, there is no investigation concerning its role in the cervical spinal cord. Pregnant rats were divided into two groups, namely drug-treated and control (saline-injected) groups. To obtain the offspring of the drug-treated group, a dose of 1mg/kg daily diclofenac sodium (Voltaren, 75 mg/3 ml ampoule, Novartis) was injected into the pregnant rats beginning from the 5th day after mating to the 20th day of the pregnancy. To obtain the control group of offspring, serum physiological at a 1 ml/kg daily dose was injected into the pregnant control rats during the same period. Male offspring were obtained after delivery and each group was divided into two subgroups: 4-week-old and 20-week-old. The total neuron number in diclofenac sodium-treated rats was significantly lower than in the control group animals. The total volume of the cervical spinal cord segments (C1-C4) was also estimated. There was a significant difference between the volumes of the two groups, especially in the 20-week-old subgroup. This may suggest that development of neurons and volume of cervical spinal cord are affected in prenatal animals after administration of diclofenac sodium.

A histological investigation concerning the effects of diclofenac sodium to the lung in 4- and 20-week-old rats treated prenatally.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the possible postnatal effects on the lung tissues of the rat offspring treated with diclofenac sodium (DS) during pregnancy. METHODS: After mating, pregnant female rats were separated into the control (n = 10) and DS (n = 10) groups. DS (1 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally (i.p) to the drug-treated group for the period of gestational days 5-19. Physiological saline (1 ml, i.p.) was given to the control groups. After birth, pups were separated into DS treatment groups (n = 24) and control group (n = 24). The DS and control group animals were anaesthetised with i.p. injection of urethane and their lungs were removed to prepare for histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: Histological examination of the lung tissues of the 4- and 20-week-old rats revealed no significant differences between males and females in both the control and DS treated rats. CONCLUSION: Because of the use of DS in the pregnant women further studies are needed in this field.

The effect of mobile phone on the number of Purkinje cells: a stereological study.

PURPOSE: The World Health Organisation proposed an investigation concerning the exposure of animals to radiofrequency fields because of the possible risk factor for health. At power frequencies there is evidence to associate both childhood leukaemia and brain tumours with magnetic field exposures. There is also evidence of the effect of mobile phone exposure on both cognitive functions and the cerebellum. Purkinje cells of the cerebellum are also sensitive to high dose microwave exposure in rats. The present study investigated the effect of exposure to mobile phone on the number of Purkinje and granule neurons in the developing cerebellum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male and female Swiss albino mice were housed as control and mobile phone-exposed groups. Pregnant animals in the experimental group were exposed to Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) mobile phone radiation at 890-915 MHz at 0.95 W/Kg specific absorption rate (SAR). The cerebella were processed by frozen microtome. The sections obtained were stained with Haematoxylin-eosin and cresyl violet. For cell counting by the optical fractionator method, a pilot study was firstly performed. Cerebellar areas were analysed by using Axiovision software running on a personal computer. The optical dissectors were systematically spaced at random, and focused to the widest profile of the neuron cell nucleus. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the number of Purkinje cells and a tendency for granule cells to increase in cerebellum was found. CONCLUSION: Further studies in this area are needed due to the popular use of mobile telephones and relatively high exposure on developing brain.

Sex differences and right-left asymmetries in rat hippocampal components.

Previous reports have indicated morphologic hippocampal asymmetry in thickness in male and female rats. In the present study, the possible sex differences and right-left asymmetries in rat hippocampal components were investigated. Pyramidal cells in four hippocampal sectors on thionin-stained sections were counted and the thickness of the hippocampal components was measured on microslide-projected images. The present study showed significant sexual dimorphism in two hippocampi as well as asymmetry in male. These findings agree with those found in humans.