Biochemical and morphological evaluation of the effects of propolis on cisplatin induced kidney damage in rats.

Cisplatin (CP) is a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat various types of cancer; nephrotoxicity is the most common adverse effect of the drug. We investigated the protective effects of propolis against CP induced kidney injury. Thirty-six male rats were divided into six equal groups: untreated control group, 50 mg/kg/day propolis group, 100 mg/kg/day propolis group, single-dose 7 mg/kg CP group, 7 mg/kg CP + 50 mg/kg/day propolis and 7 mg/kg CP + 100 mg/kg propolis. Rats were sacrificed after 14 days and kidneys were removed for histopathological and biochemical analyses. We used hematoxylin & eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining to evaluate kidney histopathology and we used the TUNEL technique to assess apoptosis. We also measured total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in tissue and blood specimens. Normal morphology was observed in the control, 50 mg/kg/day propolis and 100 mg/kg/day propolis groups by light microscopy. Degeneration of tubule cells, edema and tubule dilation were increased in the CP group compared to the control group. Degeneration of tubule cells and dilation of Bowman's spaces were decreased in the CP + 50 mg/kg/day propolis and CP + 100 mg/kg/day propolis groups compared to the CP group. Tubule dilation decreased significantly in the CP + 100 mg/kg propolis group compared to the CP group. Also, the 7 mg/kg CP group exhibited altered proximal tubule epithelial cells, loss of brush border and thickening of the parietal layer of Bowman's capsule in glomeruli and basal laminae of tubules. A normal brush border was observed in the CP + 50 mg/kg/day propolis and CP + 100 mg/kg/day groups. Serum OSI and MDA levels were increased in the CP group compared to the control group. Serum MDA levels decreased significantly in the CP + 50 mg/kg/day propolis and 100 mg/kg CP + propolis groups compared to the CP group. CP caused significant damage to kidney tissue; propolis exhibited dose-dependent prevention of tissue damage.

Cerebral Oximetry as an Auxiliary Diagnostic Tool in the Diagnosis of Brain Death.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of cerebral oximetry (CO) as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in brain death (BD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This observational case-control study was performed on patients with suspected BD. Patients with diagnosis of BD confirmed by the brain death committee were enrolled as the BD group and other patients as the non-BD group. CO monitoring was performed at least 6 h, and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (ScO2) parameters were compared. RESULTS: Mean ScO2 level in the BD group was lower than non-brain-dead patients: mean difference for right lobe = 6.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08-12.88) and for left lobe = 6.09 (95% CI -0.22-12.41). Maximum ScO2 values in the BD group were significantly lower than the non-BD group: mean difference for right lobe = 8.20 (95% CI 1.64-14.77) and for left lobe = 9.54 (95% CI 3.06-16.03). The area under the curve for right lobe maximum ScO2 was 0.69 (95% CI 0.55-0.81) and for left lobe was 0.72 (95% CI 0.58-0.84). CONCLUSION: Maximum ScO2 in brain-dead patients at CO monitoring is significantly low. However, this cannot be used to differentiate brain-dead and non-brain-dead patients. CO monitoring is therefore not an appropriate auxiliary diagnostic tool for confirming BD.

The effect of mad honey on testosterone levels of male rats.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of mad honey on sexual performance. BACKGROUND: In traditional medicine in Turkey, mad honey is used to improve appetite, to heighten mental alertness, to reduce joint pain, to eliminate gastrointestinal system pains and to increase sexual performance. METHODS: In this experimental animal study eighteen Sprague Dawley male rats were randomized into three groups, a control group, a normal honey group and a mad honey group. Rats in the treatment groups were given a daily dose of 80 mg/kg normal honey or mad honey throughout the 30-day study period. Total testosterone, free testosterone, FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone levels were subsequently investigated from blood sera on day 30. RESULTS: Comparison of blood total testosterone levels among the groups revealed significantly higher levels in the mad honey group compared to the normal honey and control groups (p = 0.006, p = 0.00). Free testosterone levels were also significantly higher in the mad honey group than in the normal honey and control groups (p = 0.023, p = 0.01). No statistically significant differences were determined for other hormonal measurements. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a significant increase in both total and free testosterone levels in mad-honey group (Tab. 1, Fig. 2, Ref. 16).

Effects of prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on 60-day-old rat testis and epididymal sperm quality.

We investigated the effects of exposure in utero to a 900 megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF) on 60-day-old rat testis and epididymis. Pregnant rats were divided into control (CG; no treatment) and EMF (EMFG) groups. The EMFG was exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 1 h each day during days 13 - 21 of pregnancy. Newborn rats were either newborn CG (NCG) or newborn EMF groups (NEMFG). On postnatal day 60, a testis and epididymis were removed from each animal. Epididymal semen quality, and lipid and DNA oxidation levels, apoptotic index and histopathological damage to the testis were compared. We found a higher apoptotic index, greater DNA oxidation levels and lower sperm motility and vitality in the NEMFG compared to controls. Immature germ cells in the seminiferous tubule lumen, and altered seminiferous tubule epithelium and seminiferous tubule structure also were observed in hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of NEMFG testis. Nuclear changes that indicated apoptosis were identified in TUNEL stained sections and large numbers of apoptotic cells were observed in most of the seminiferous tubule epithelium in the NEMFG. Sixty-day-old rat testes exposed to 900 MHz EMF exhibited altered sperm quality and biochemical characteristics.

Effects of resveratrol on methotrexate-induced intestinal injury.

UNLABELLED: Methotrexate (MTX) is an anticancer drug. Many studies have reported that MTX causes oxidative stress-associated damage in the small intestine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible protective effect of resveratrol (RES), an antioxidant, against MTX-induced damage in the small intestine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four Spraque Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups; the control group, the RES group given 20 mg/kg RES for 10 days, the MTX group given single dose 30 mg/kg MTX, MTX+RES group given 20 mg/kg RES i.p. for 7 days and 30 mg/ kg MTX i.p. on the 7th day, RES being maintained for 3 further days. All rats were sacrificed on the 10th day, and small intestinal tissue was removed for histopathological and biochemical analysis. Additionally, mucosal apoptosis was analyzed using the TUNEL method. RESULTS: Histopathologically, villar fusion, atrophic villus epithelium, cystic expansion in crypts, hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen in the small intestine in the MTX group. In the MTX+RES group this histopathological damage decreased significantly. Apoptotic score was significantly higher in the MTX group and significantly lower in the MTX+RES group. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly higher in the MTX group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly decreased in the MTX group. The MDA level in the MTX+RES group decreased while SOD and catalase (CAT) activities rose, this was not statistically significant.

Can prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field affect the morphology of the spleen and thymus, and alter biomarkers of oxidative damage in 21-day-old male rats?

We investigated the effects of a 900 Megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF), applied during the prenatal period, on the spleen and thymus of 21-day-old male rat pups. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and EMF groups. We applied 900 MHz EMF for 1 h/day to the EMF group of pregnant rats. Newborn male rat pups were removed from their mothers and sacrificed on postnatal day 21. Spleen and thymus tissues were excised and examined. Compared to the control group, thymus tissue malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the group exposed to EMF, while glutathione levels were significantly decreased. Increased malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were observed in splenic tissue of rats exposed to EMF, while a significant decrease occurred in superoxide dismutase values compared to controls. Transmission electron microscopy showed pathological changes in cell morphology in the thymic and splenic tissues of newborn rats exposed to EMF. Exposure to 900 MHz EMF during the prenatal period can cause pathological and biochemical changes that may compromise the development of the male rat thymus and spleen.

Pathological effects of prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on the 21-day-old male rat kidney.

We investigated the effects on kidney tissue of 900 megahertz (MHz) EMF applied during the prenatal period. Pregnant rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF, 1 h/day, on days 13-21 of pregnancy; no procedure was performed on control group pregnant rats or on mothers or newborns after birth. On postnatal day 21, kidney tissues of male rat pups from both groups were examined by light and electron microscopy. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione levels also were investigated. Light microscopy revealed some degenerative changes in the tubule epithelium, small cystic formations in the primitive tubules and large cysts in the cortico-medullary or medullary regions in the experimental group. Electron microscopy revealed a loss of peritubular capillaries and atypical parietal layer epithelial cells in the experimental group. Biochemical analysis showed significantly increased MDA levels in the experimental group and decreased SOD and CAT levels. EMF applied during the prenatal period can caused pathological changes in kidney tissue in 21-day-old male rats owing to oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant enzyme levels.

Analgesic effects of mad honey (grayanotoxin) in mice models of acute pain and painful diabetic neuropathy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of mad honey (grayanotoxin, GTX), used in complementary medicine for a variety of purposes besides being food, on pain thresholds in normal mice as model for acute pain and diabetic mouse as model for neuropathic pain. METHODS: Hind paw withdrawal pain threshold to thermal stimulus was measured with a plantar analgesia meter in a mice model using healthy intact animals for acute pain and streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals for chronic neuropathic pain. Time and dose-dependent effects of intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered GTX were investigated in both acute and neuropathic pain. RESULTS: In the acute pain model, administration of GTX caused a dose- and time-dependent marked increase in the pain latency values. In diabetic mice, which had markedly increased threshold to pain, GTX (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) restored the mean pain latencies by decreasing from the pre-GTX treatment values of 3.2 ± 0.6 to 3.0 ± 0.9s at 10 min, 3.2 ± 0.6s at 20 min, 3.4 ± 0.6s at 30 min, 2.6 ± 0.5s at 60 min and 2.4 ± 0.6s (p < 0.05) at 100 min. CONCLUSION: The results from this experimental study indicate that GTX exhibits significant analgesic activity and has potential benefits against painful diabetic neuropathy. This is compatible with the widespread use of GTX containing mad honey for alleviating pain. Further studies involving long-term applications are needed for a more decisive conclusion regarding the usefulness of GTX as an analgesic, especially in the treatment of painful neuropathy.

Complications associated with ureterosigmoidostomy--colon carcinoma and ascendens infection resulting in nephrectomy: a case report.

Ureterosigmoidostomy is a method for total diversion of the urinary stream away from the bladder and lower urinary tract into the sigmoid colon, the anus providing the continence mechanism for urine as well as for faeces. However, this type of urinary diversion has multiple serious mid- and long-term complications, including anastomotic colon cancer, ascendens urinary infection, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, electrolyte imbalance, incontinence and urinary stone. This case report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to a case in which ureterosigmoidostomy had been carried out, with nephrectomy being performed 30 years following this intervention, after pyelonephritis developed by way of ascendens infection, and which was then operated on three years later, upon the appearance of sigmoid colon carcinoma.

Effect of deep vein thrombosis on ischaemia-modified albumin levels.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of studies have shown that ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels rise in a number of acute ischaemic conditions such as cerebral infarct, myocardial infarct, pulmonary infarct and mesenteric infarct, suggesting that IMA may be useful as a diagnostic marker. A study was undertaken to investigate the effect on IMA levels of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), frequently encountered at the outset or during the course of diseases such as pulmonary embolism and cerebral infarct. METHODS: A case-control study was performed in the emergency department of Karadeniz Technical University Hospital, Turkey. 41 patients presenting to the emergency and vascular surgery departments and definitively diagnosed with DVT using Doppler ultrasonography were enrolled in the study. A control group of 66 age-matched healthy volunteers served as a reference for biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Mean (SD) plasma IMA levels were 0.259 (0.066) absorbance units (ABSU) in the DVT group and 0.171 (0.045) ABSU in the control group (p<0.005). The area under the curve for IMA was 0.850 (95% CI 0.768 to 0.933). The IMA value with acceptable sensitivity and specificity capable of being raised was 0.195 ABSU (sensitivity 80.5%, specificity 71.2%). CONCLUSIONS: DVT is associated with raised serum IMA levels but IMA levels are not suitable as a diagnostic marker for DVT.

Serum ischaemia-modified albumin increases in critical lower limb ischaemia.

BACKGROUND: Ischaemia is a common phenomenon in the pathogenesis of a wide range of medical and surgical conditions, including myocardial infarction, mesenteric vascular occlusion and compartment syndrome. Ischaemia modified albumin has been suggested as an aid to clinical decision making in various clinical settings. This study examines the usefulness of IMA in the diagnosis of limb ischaemia (LI). METHODS: This case-controlled study was performed in the emergency department of Karadeniz Technical University Hospital, Turkey. 22 patients presenting to the emergency departments and definitively diagnosed with LI were enrolled in the study. A control group of 22 healthy volunteers served as a reference for biochemical parameters. RESULTS: The mean serum IMA level for LI patients was 0.295 (SD 0.062) ABSU. The mean serum IMA level for control patients was 0.174 (SD 0.061) ABSU. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean LI patient and mean control patient IMA levels (p<0.0005). A ROC curve analysis reveals the relationship between sensitivity and specificity for IMA in limb ischaemia. CONCLUSION: There is a significant increase in serum IMA in limb ischaemia. Furthermore, using a cutoff of 0.22 ABSU, ROC curve analysis shows that IMA is 81.8% sensitive and 81.8% specific 81.8% in patients with clinically severe lower limb ischaemia. Future studies would be needed to determine if IMA would be clinically useful in the diagnosis of subtle limb ischaemia.

Giant fibrous tumor misdiagnosed as traumatic hemothorax.

Solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura are neoplasms of the mesenchymal tissue of the pleural mesothelium. The most frequent symptoms are dyspnea, coughing and chest pain. A 45-year-old female patient presented after a thoracic contusion. A radio-opaque image was evidenced on chest X-ray. At the initial hospital, a hemorrhagic fluid was aspirated at thoracocentesis and the patient was transferred to our hospital with diagnosis of traumatic hemothorax. A thoracic CT showed a tumoral formation filling two-thirds of the left hemithorax. The transthoracic biopsy finding was compatible with a fibrous tumor. The patient was taken for surgery and the large pleural tumor was excised. In conclusion, a large pleural fibrous tumor was initially mistaken for hemothorax. A CT-scan revealed the tumoral nature of the thoracic opacity.