Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular blood flow and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in apparently healthy domestic short-haired cats.

Right ventricular parameters change in many cardiovascular diseases; so, the presence of normal right ventricular parameters is necessary to diagnose these diseases. Ten clinically healthy adult domestic short-haired cats including six males and four females in the range of 2.70 to 4.80 kg were studied using echocardiography without sedation. The speed and pressure of blood flow through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves, speed of the movement of tricuspid valve and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were recorded using conventional pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and M-mode, respectively. No significant statistical differences were observed between the measured values and sex, heart rate and body weight. A positive correlation was observed between the maximum velocity of the right ventricular outflow tract and heart rate and also between TAPSE slope and body weight. With determining the normal values of PW-TDI of the right ventricle in apparently healthy domestic short-haired cats, it is expected that with providing normal reference values, the diagnosis of heart diseases especially asymptomatic heart disease be achieved as soon as possible to provide the best appropriate therapeutic management and monitoring decision about them.

Data for zonisamide effect on length and weight of 14 day-old rat pups and abortion rate and day in refractory epileptic pregnant rats.

Length and weight of 14 day-old rat pups and also abortion rate and day on refractory epileptic pregnant rats after treatment with zonisamide (ZNS) are presented. Lamotrigine-resistant chemical kindling procedure was used for inducing of refractory epilepsy. For further interpretation follow the research article: Effect of zonisamide on refractory epilepsy during pregnancy in lamotrigine resistant kindled rats (Sani et al., 2017) [1].

Effect of zonisamide on refractory epilepsy during pregnancy in lamotrigine resistant kindled rats.

Drug-resistant epilepsy with uncontrolled severe seizures despite state-of-the-art medical treatment continues to be a major clinical problem. Pregnancy is a state where drug pharmacokinetic changes are more pronounced and more rapid than any other period of life. The current study investigated the effect of zonisamide (ZNS) on refractory epilepsy during pregnancy in lamotrigine-resistant kindled rats. Fifty-six lamotrigine (LTG)-resistant kindled Wistar rats were divided into five experimental (four pregnant and one non-pregnant) and 2 positive controls (pregnant and non-pregnant) groups and eight intact Wistar rats were put in the negative pregnant control group. Experimental groups received daily ZNS 50mg/kg by oral gavage and 30min later, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (30mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneal (i.p) on Gestational Days 10-15 (in rats with or without ZNS or methanol and ethyl acetate as a ZNS solvent challenge in days -5 to 0) or Days 15-20 and for six days in the non-pregnant group. The positive control groups received the ZNS solvent for the same number of days, but the negative pregnant control group did not receive any treatment. Epilepsy was significantly controlled by ZNS in the experimental groups compared to the positive control groups. It was concluded that ZNS can control refractory epilepsy during pregnancy and increase pregnancy survival in refractory epileptic rats.

Evaluation of the protective effect of pentoxifylline on carrageenan-induced chronic non-bacterial prostatitis in rats.

Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CNP) is the most common type of prostatitis and oxidative stress (OS) was shown to be highly elevated in prostatitis patients. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) on CNP induced by carrageenan in rats. Male adult Wistar rats (n = 30) were divided into control, CNP and three treatment groups (n = 6) including CNP + cernilton and CNP + PTX groups. CNP was induced by single intraprostatic injection of 1% carrageenan (100 µl). Rats in treatment groups received orally cernilton 100 mg/kg and PTX at 50 and 100 mg/kg 1 week after CNP induction for 21 days. Prostatic index (PI), prostatic specific antigen (PSA), tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), serum lipid peroxidation (MDA), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and histopathological changes were compared between groups. There were significant increase of PI, serum levels of PSA, TNF-α and MDA in CNP group at 29 day. In treatment groups, significant reduction in PI, serum levels of PSA, TNF-α, MDA and creatinine was observed especially in rats treated with dose of 50 mg/kg of PTX. In CNP group, histopathological changes of the prostate such as leucocyte infiltration, large involutions and projection into the lumen and reducing the volume of the lumen were observed as well. Whereas PTX, especially at dose of 50 mg/kg, could improve the above-mentioned changes remarkably in CNP treated rats. For the first time, our findings indicated that PTX improved CNP induced by carrageenan in rats.

Motor disturbances and thalamic electrical power of frequency bands' improve by grape seed extract in animal model of Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies showed that grape seed extract (GSE) is an excellent natural substance with potent antioxidant effect and free radical scavenger. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of GSE on motor dysfunctions and thalamic local Electroencephalography (EEG) frequency bands' powers in rats with Parkinson's disease (PD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study 8 µg 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) dissolved in 2 µl normal saline containing 0.01% ascorbic acid was infused into right medial forebrain bundle (MFB) to make an animal model of PD. Rats with PD received four weeks GSE (100 mg/kg, p.o.) after apomorphine-induced rotation test. Spontaneous motor tests and also thalamic ventroanterior nucleus (AV) local EEG recording were done in freely moving rats in all groups. RESULTS: Chronic treatment of PD rats with GSE could influence potentially frequency bands' powers of thalamic VA and improve post-lesion motor dysfunctions significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that GSE modulates the CNS function and has beneficial effects on the direct and indirect striato-thalamo-cortical pathways in PD. GSE acts as a new and potent natural free radical scavenger which removes oxidants produced by neurotoxin 6-OHDA in brain. Therefore, it reinforces electrical power of remained thalamic VA neurons and thereby improves post-lesion motor disorders.