Investigation of the pharmacological, behavioral, and biochemical effects of boron in parkinson-indicated rats.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system. In different studies, it has been investigated that boric acid has positive effects on different mechanisms that are important in PD. The aim of our study was to investigate the pharmacological, behavioral and biochemical effects of boric acid on rats with experimental PD with Rotenone. For this purpose, Wistar-albino rats were divided into 6 groups. Only normal saline was applied subcutaneously (s.c) to the first control and sunflower oil to the second control group. Rotenone was administered (s.c) to 4 groups (groups 3-6) at a dose of 2 mg/kg for 21 days. Only rotenone (2mg/kg, s.c) was administered to the third group. Boric acid was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 20 mg/kg to groups 4, 5, and 6, respectively. During the study, behavioral tests were applied to the rats, and then histopathological and biochemical analyzes were performed from the sacrificed tissues. According to the data obtained, a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was observed between the Parkinson's group and the other groups in motor behavior tests, excluding the catalepsy test. Boric acid exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant activity. As a result of the histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) examination, a decrease in neuronal degeneration was observed at the increasing doses of boric acid, while gliosis and focal encephalomalacia were rarely encountered. There was a significant increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity, especially in group 6, with a dose of 20 mg/kg of boric acid. From these results, we conclude that the dose-dependent effect of boric acid may protect the dopaminergic system with antioxidant activity in the pathogenesis of PD. However, the effectiveness of boric acid on PD needs further investigation in a larger, more detailed study using different methods.

Role of Sedative-Hypnotic Agents in Neurodegeneration: Effects of Midazolam and Thiopental on Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress Expression in Neonatal and Adult Rat Brains.

AIM: To investigate the effects of midazolam (MDZ) and thiopental on neonatal and adult rat brains. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included adult and 7-day-old rats that were administered 9 mg/kg of MDZ, 60 mg/kg of thiopental, or both. The Bax, procaspase-3, and caspase-3 levels were assessed using Western Blot analysis and the total oxidative stress index (OSI) values were measured spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: The procaspase-3 and caspase-3 levels were 12% and 6% lower in the neonatal MDZ group when compared to the control group. The Bax, procaspase-3, and caspase-3 levels were higher in the neonatal thiopental group by 25%, 4%, and 34%, and in the MDZ group by 16%, 19%, and 43% when compared to the neonatal control group. In the adult rats, the caspase-3 levels were 10 times higher in the MDZ group when compared to the control and thiopental groups. Moreover, the caspase-3 levels were 7 times higher in the adult thiopental group when compared to the control group. The OSI values in the neonatal rats were significantly higher in the neonatal MDZ and neonatal thiopental groups when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, the OSI values in the adult rats were significantly higher in the neonatal MDZ and neonatal thiopental groups when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MDZ and thiopental may promote apoptosis and oxidative stress, and thereby result in neurotoxicity, with MDZ showing a greater effect in adults and thiopental showing a greater effect in neonates.

Thermodynamic stability, structural and electronic properties for the C20-nAln heterofullerenes (n = 1-5): a DFT study.

DFT calculations are utilized to compare and contrast the substituted aluminum-heterofullerenes, C20-nAln (with n = 1-5) from thermodynamically view point, at density functional theory (DFT). Vibrational frequency analysis confirms that apart from C15Al5, all studied species are true minima. Considering the optimized geometries shows that all heterofullerenes are isolated-pentagon cage and none collapse to open deformed as segregated structure. The highest binding energy (5.56 eV/atom) and absolute heat of atomization (3323.68 kcal mol-1) reveals open-shell C19Al1 as the most stable thermodynamic heterofullerene. The most NICS (0) (isotropic and anisotropic parameters, -49.58 and - 46.47 ppm, respectively) introduces closed-shell C18Al2-2 as the most aromatic structure. Also, closed-shell C16Al4-1 heterofullerene emerges with the most polarizability (307.71 a.u.) and hence activity to interact with the surrounding polar species. The lowest and the highest charge transfer on the surfaces of C20 and C16Al4-2 without weak Al-Al bond, as the worst and the best candidate, respectively, provokes further investigation on impossible and possible application for hydrogen storage, respectively. We wish that the present survey will stimulate new experiments.

Comparison of effects of high and low dose paracetamol treatment and toxicity on brain and liver in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Paracetamol is thought that it acts by inhibiting the central cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme; its mechanism of action is still not fully explained. Although its most important side effect is hepatoxicity, it is thought to cause toxicity on the brain in recent years. The present study aims to investigate the treatment and toxic effects of low and high doses of paracetamol on the liver and brain. METHODS: Wistar-albino rats were used in this study. At doses of 20-500 mg/kg, paracetamol was administered intraperitoneally once a day for one and three days. The brain and liver were used for immunohistochemical evaluation using COX-3, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and caspase 3 antibodies and for total antioxidant (TAS), total oxidant (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) measurements. Results were evaluated using the Kruskal Wallis test (SPSS ver.24). RESULTS: The liver COX-3 levels were significantly lower in both groups with higher doses (p<0.05). In the brain, there was no statistically significant difference in COX-3 levels between the groups. There was no statistically significant difference in PGE2 levels in the liver and brain between the groups (p>0.05). The caspase 3 level in the liver was statistically significantly higher in the low dose group compared to the other groups (p<0.05). In both liver and brain, OSI values were significantly higher in the 3-day high-dose group compared to others (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in ALT and AST values (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of our study show that paracetamol inhibits the COX-3 enzyme in the liver but has no effect in the brain, and COX-3 does not have an effect on PGE2. Paracetamol causes apoptosis in the liver only in low doses; higher doses may cause toxicity by increasing oxidative stress, especially in the brain.

Plantago major protective effects on antioxidant status after administration of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in rats.

AIM: The present study was designed to evaluate effects of Plantago major extract on oxidative status in Wistar albino rats administrated 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). METHODS: Rats were divided into three equal groups of 6 animals each: Group 1 controls, group 2 treated with DMBA (100 mg/kg, single dose) and group 3 receiving the DMBA and the aqueous extract at 100 mg/kg/d for 60 days. RESULTS: Significant decrease in catalase (P < 0.05), carbonic anhydrase (p ≤ 0.01), reduced glutathione (GSH) (P < 0.01) and total protein (P < 0.01) values was observed in the DMBA group compared with the healthy controls and DMBA + Plantago major groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest preventive effects of Plantago major on DMBA induced oxidative damage in Wistar albino rats that might be due to decreased free radical generation.

Element status in different breeds of dogs.

The serum levels of copper, zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, cadmium, cobalt, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were determined in seven different breeds of dogs: Pointer, Poodle, Setter, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, and Mallinois. Only slight variations were found among the different breeds, and the results presented in this study can be used for laboratory studies in veterinary science.