Physiology and Pharmacology
Volume:22 Issue: 1, Mar 2018

Herein, we evaluated linkages between EFs performances and dopamine receptor (DR) mRNA and testosterone level in the young Iranian male people.
All 140 participants were normalized using depression, anxiety and stress scale questionnaire. Remained 108 volunteers were tested against drug abuse and then volunteers were distinguished by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT). According to WCST, participants were divided into two low and high EFs performance. Afterward, anthropometric factors, body mass index (BMI) and serum testosterone level were measured in low and high EFs groups. Blood samples were collected, and biochemical and anthropometric data were evaluated; serum testosterone and DR mRNA expression were assessed in participants.
Data showed there are no differences between two groups in Na, K, glucose, urea, creatinine, SGPT, SGOT and other biochemical serum agents (P>0.05) but BMI was increased in low EFs compared with high EFs (P=0.000). Interestingly, there is no difference in DR expression between two groups (P>0.05).
Our data presented that fluctuation of EFs performances in healthy adult male cases might depend on BMI and serum testosterone; while dopamine receptors in the blood lymphocytes had no substantial role in the EFs. High serum testosterone reduced EFs in the young adults.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the preventive effects of Flavin7 in prediabetic bio-breeding diabetes prone (BB-DP) rats.
Foutthy rats were divided into 2 equal groups: group C (untreated control group) and group F7 with Flavin7 (natural dietary supplement F7 with bioflavonoids, 0.2 mg/l) in drinking water from 21st day after birth to 171st day of their life, respectively. Blood glucose, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione, body weight, food intake, water intake and urine output were determined.
The age of diabetes onset was significantly higher for group F7 compared to group C (P F7 delayed the development of diabetes in BB-DP rats and prevented its onset. The severity of diabetes mellitus was milder in rats treated with F7 than in control group.

According to the powerful antioxidant effects of rosuvastatin, the present study aimed to examine the protective effects of rosuvastatin against oxidative damage of diabetic pancreas by potentiation of the antioxidant capacity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Experiment was performed in four groups of male Wistar rats (n=6 in each group): normal, diabetic and two treatment groups (normal and diabetic rats treated with rosuvastatin). Rats were made diabetic by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) at the beginning of study. Treatment groups received orally rosuvastatin at dose of 10 mg/kg/day. After eight weeks, the pancreas tissues were removed under deep anesthesia. After tissue homogenization, the contents of glutathione and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were assessed by biochemical methods.
Blood glucose of diabetic rats was above 350 mg/dl. The MDA content of the homogenized pancreas significantly increased in diabetic rats by 92%. Diabetes also decreased the content of glutathione (32%) as well as SOD activity (68%) of pancreas tissues. Treatment with rosuvastatin noticeably decreased the MDA levels of diabetic pancreas (90%). Moreover, rosuvastatin significantly increased the glutathione content (21%) and SOD activity (67%) of pancreas tissues in treated diabetic rats.
Our findings reveal that rosuvastatin is able to attenuate the uncontrolled hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage of pancreas through potentiation of the antioxidant defense system.

Sexual dysfunction and infertility are frequently associated with diabetes in men and experimental animals. Oxidative stress and alteration in testis are responsible for complication in diabetes. Saffron has antidiabetic and antioxidant properties that improves the functions of various organs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of administration of saffron aqueous extract in testis tissues of diabetic rats.
The fasted rats were injected by a single intraperitoneal (ip) injection of a freshly prepared solution of streptozocin (STZ, 65mg/kg) in 0.1 M cold citrate buffer (pH=4.5). Three days after STZ administration, the animals with fasting blood glucose concentrations of over 250mg/dl were considered to be diabetic and were used in the experimental groups as follows: normal control (1), diabetic control (2), saffron control (3) and saffron treated (4). The treatment was started on the 7th day after STZ injection with ip injection of saffron (200mg/kg), five doses and weekly to groups (3 and 4). At the end of the experimental period, fasting blood glucose levels and the activity of ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, SOD, CAT, GPx and MDA content were determined in testis tissues.
Results showed saffron administration decreased elevated biochemical enzymes levels in testis of diabetic rats. Also, saffron significantly increased CAT and GPx activities in testis of diabetic rats. MDA levels had no significant changes in all experimental groups.
The results demonstrated that saffron administration improved antioxidant enzymes function against oxidative stress.

Anandamide (AEA) has shown a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities including the effects against the peptic ulcer, meanwhile, the poor solubility or short half-life may negatively affect the effectiveness of this valuable cannabinoid. Based on the superior properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for controlled drug delivery, we aimed to prepare AEA-CNTs complex and evaluate its therapeutic potential in an experimental model of gastric ulcer.
Amino-functionalized multi-walled CNTs-AEA (MWCNTs-AEA) complex was prepared using COOH-MWCNTs and then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Gastric ulcer was induced by water immersion and restrain stress (WRS) for 3.5 and 6 h in rats and the gastric lesion and oxidative stress were evaluated.
AEA at higher doses reduced the gastric ulcer area and malondialdehyde content and elevated glutathione level and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities after 3.5-h WRS but it was ineffective after 6-h WRS. MWCNTs-AEA complex showed therapeutic effects after both 3.5- and 6-h WRS.
Aminated MWCNTs are suitable carriers for AEA as they provide longer lasting effects for this cannabinoid. The antioxidant mechanism may be involved in the gastroprotective effects of MWCNTs-AEA complex.

The incidence rate of gastric erosions and ulcers in diabetic patients are higher due to failure of mucosal antioxidant defense and maintain enough blood flow. The present study evaluated the gastro-protective effect of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) against indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in diabetic rats.
In order to test anti-ulcer activity of NaHS against indomethacin, four diabetic groups of rats including diabetic control and 3 NaHS-treated groups received a single dose of physiologic saline or NaHS at 320, 640 and 1280 μg/kg respectively, 30 min before ulcer induction by indomethacin. Five hours later, the animals were killed and their stomachs were removed for macroscopically and microscopically evaluations. In order to evaluate the antacid effect of NaHS, 4 groups of diabetic rats received physiologic saline or NaHS at 320, 640 and 1280 μg/kg and 30 min later anesthetized, underwent a midline laparotomy and then their pylorus ligated. Five hours later, the animals were killed, their stomachs were removed and pH of gastric effluents were measured.
Indomethacin induced gastric lesions in glandular part of the stomach. NaHS at 640 and 1280 μg/kg significantly decreased the indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in diabetic rats. The pH of gastric effluents and mucus content increased by NaHS at doses of 640 and 1280 μg/kg. Macroscopic and microscopic observations showed that mucosal erosions induced by indomethacin were significantly inhibited by NaHS.
results suggest NaHS through decreasing the rate of gastric acid output and increasing the mucus production, protected the gastric mucosa against indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in diabetic rats.

Cardiomyocytes apoptosis contributes to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. The Bcl-2 family members are important regulators of mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Monoterpenoid phenol –carvacrol– possesses strong antioxidant properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of carvacrol on transcription level of pro-apoptotic (Bad and Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2 and BCL-xL) members of Bcl-2 family in hypertrophied hearts.
Male Wistar rats (170-200 g) were divided into the following groups: (I) intact animals served as the control (Ctl), (II) un-treated rats subjected to aortic banding to induce left ventricular hypertrophy (H group), (III, IV, V and VI): carvacrol (C)-pretreated rats (5, 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg/day) subjected to aortic banding (H, Hଢ଼, H୮ and H஝ groups, respectively). Blood pressure was recorded through the carotid artery cannulation. Fibrosis was assessed by Masson’s trichrome staining. Gene expression was evaluated by real time-PCR technique.
In the Hଢ଼, H୮ and H஝ groups mean arterial pressure (P Taken together, our results suggest that carvacrol may protect the hypertrophied heart against apoptosis by affecting transcription of Bcl-2 family members.

The stress-oxidative is involved in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Due to the potential and previous reported for antioxidant properties of atorvastatin, omega-3, vitamin E and vitamin C, their efficacy to prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity was investigated in this study.
Fifty-six male rats were divided into 8 groups which received omega-3, atorvastatin, vitamin E, vitamin C, normal saline and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) via gavage for 14 days then a single dose of DOX (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally except two last groups that received only normal saline or DMSO. The level of oxidative stress parameters like ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) before and after DOX injection and malondialdehyde (MDA) of heart were estimated. Also the histopathologic assessments were done on heart sample at the end of experimental period.
The results showed that compared to other agents, omega-3 could emerge as the most protection against DOX. Its pretreatment led to one of the most FRAP changing percent meanwhile less MDA value and cardio pathologic indexes almost close to control groups compared to that of other agents (P Omega-3 may have a promising protective effect against DOX-induced cardio toxicity.