Effects of clozapine and haloperidol treatment on plasma concentrations of androgen hormones and androgendependent organ changes in rats.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic and endocrine adverse effects are among the most concerning unfavorable consequences of commonly used psychotropic drugs. The present research was planned to assess and determine the effects of haloperidol and clozapine on testosterone, cortisol, and corticosterone levels and also their influence on androgen-dependent organs in adult male Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals were casually distributed into three groups (n = 10 in each group). Drugs were administered intraperitoneally for 28 days. The control group received 2 mL of physiological saline, the second group received haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg), and the third group received clozapine (0.5 mg/kg). The subsequent testosterone, cortisol, and corticosterone plasma concentration levels were analyzed with chemiluminescent immunoassay. RESULTS: Clozapine and haloperidol treatments altered testosterone hormone levels. Testosterone mean values in both the clozapine (1.00-0.58) and haloperidol (0.65-0.62) groups were found to be lower than compared to controls (P = 0.003, P < 0.001). Histomorphometric analysis results also showed reduced testes size and reduced weight of androgen-dependent organs in drug-treated rats. CONCLUSION: It can be suggested that clozapine and haloperidol are effective in reducing the testosterone plasma concentration level and androgen-dependent organ sizes; therefore, clinicians should be aware of these effects when considering the use of antipsychotic drugs.

Ginger extract mitigates ethanol-induced changes of alpha and beta - myosin heavy chain isoforms gene expression and oxidative stress in the heart of male wistar rats.

The association between ethanol consumption and heart abnormalities, such as chamber dilation, myocyte damage, ventricular hypertrophy, and hypertension is well known. However, underlying molecular mediators involved in ethanol-induced heart abnormalities remain elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on alpha and beta - myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms gene expression transition and oxidative stress in rats' heart. It was also planned to find out whether ginger extract mitigated the abnormalities induced by ethanol in rats' heart. Male wistar rats were divided into three groups of eight animals as follows: Control, ethanol, and ginger extract treated ethanolic (GETE) groups. After six weeks of treatment, the results revealed a significant increase in the ß-MHC gene expression, 8- OHdG amount, and NADPH oxidase level. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the ratio of α-MHC/ß-MHC gene expression to the amount of paraoxonase enzyme in the ethanol group compared to the control group was found. The consumption of Ginger extract along with ethanol ameliorated the changes in MHC isoforms gene expression and reduced the elevated amount of 8-OHdG and NADPH oxidase. Moreover, compared to the consumption of ethanol alone, it increased the paraoxonase level significantly. These findings indicate that ethanol-induced heart abnormalities may in part be associated with MHC isoforms changes mediated by oxidative stress, and that these effects can be alleviated by using ginger extract as an antioxidant molecule.

Hepatitis B virus Genotypes in West Azarbayjan Province, Northwest Iran.

BACKGROUND: Infections caused by Hepatitis B are one of the world health's most serious problems. According to assessments, nearly 500,000 to 1.2 million people die each year due to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B is one of the diseases which can be transferred through blood and its products. Clinical importance of genotypes of hepatitis B virus and their relations with mutations are well known. AIM: Since epidemiological data resulting from determining genotypes and sub-genotypes of hepatitis B can help a lot in defining a vaccination plan, antiretroviral therapy, detection and prevention of diseases, genotypes of this virus in hepatitis B patients were evaluated in West Azarbaijan province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, serum samples of 100 hepatitis B patients (70 male/30 female) were taken randomly from Urmia University of Medical Sciences (UMSU) referrals, Urmia, Iran; and were tested positive for the presence of surface antigens of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) using ELISA method. In the first method, after extracting the DNA of the virus, sequencing of S genes was carried out using Sanger method, and the sequences were aligned and edited using Bioedit software. In the next step, phylogenic analysis of the sequences was done in comparison with the reference sequences which were extracted from a gene bank, utilising Neighbour-joining assay method with CLUSTRAL W software. To ensure genotyping accuracy, the samples were tested once more, using Nested PCR method. RESULTS: The results were consistent with the sequence method and the dominant genotype in patients suffering hepatitis was type D. In other words, Iranian's HBV genotypic types are homogeneous and in close coordination with each other. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that D genotype is the main genotype of HBV in West Azarbayjan province, northwest Iran. Presence of this genotype was in conformity conformed withto the low rate of acute liver diseases caused by hepatitis B chronic infection, cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The protective effect of vitamin E against prenatal and early postnatal ethanol treatment-induced heart abnormality in rats: a 3-month follow-up study.

Ethanol consumption during pregnancy is associated with fetal heart malformation. However, the underlying mechanism of prenatal ethanol exposure causing heart malfunction is not well known. The current study examined the effect of prenatal and early postnatal ethanol consumption on heart abnormality resulting from oxidative and inflammatory stress. It was also intended to find out whether vitamin E inhibits the abnormality induced by ethanol in rats' heart tissue. Pregnant Wistar rats received ethanol with/without vitamin E from the seventh day of gestation (GD7) throughout lactation. The proliferation in heart muscle cells and coronary smooth muscle cells, protein carbonyl, IL-6, TNF-α, homocysteine levels, also lipid profile in heart and plasma of male pups were measured at the end of lactation (PN 21) and 90 days after birth (PN 90). The results indicated proliferation of heart muscle and coronary smooth muscle cells along with heart structural alteration, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory reaction, and hyperhomocysteinemia in offspring after 21 and 90 days of birth compared with the controls. Vitamin E treatment significantly decreased cell proliferation and heart structural alteration, compared with the group treated by ethanol alone. Furthermore, it reduced the elevation of protein carbonyl, lipid peroxidation, and increased inflammatory proteins to levels as those of the controls. These findings strongly support the idea that ethanol intake by dams during pregnancy and early postnatal days induces heart abnormality mediated by oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, and that these effects can be alleviated by using vitamin E as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule.