دکتر سعید نیازمند

Human T‑cell leukemia virus type 1(HTLV‑1) infection is likely to induce nonneoplastic inflammatory pulmonary diseases. Therefore, an experimental study was conducted to evaluate the leukocytes’ number alteration and oxidative stress in the lung and blood of HTLV‑1‑infected BALB/c mice, which could be of benefit for the recognition of HTLV‑1 mechanism in the induction of pulmonary disorders.

Twenty female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups of control and HTLV‑1‑infected animals. The HTLV‑1‑infected group was inoculated with 106 MT‑2 HTLV‑1‑infected cells. Two months later, the infection was confirmed using real‑time polymerase chain reaction, and then lung pathological changes, total and differential inflammatory cell counts in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), along with oxidative stress biomarker levels in the BALF and lung tissue were evaluated.

In the HTLV‑1‑infected group, the peribronchitis score (P < 0.01), the number of total leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes (P < 0.05) in the blood and BALF were increased. The number of eosinophils in the blood of the HTLV‑1‑infected group was higher than in the control group (P < 0.01), whereas the number of basophils of BALF was increased in the HTLV‑1‑infected group (P < 0.001).The lung and BALF oxidative stress results showed that the MDA level was increased, while the total thiol level and superoxide dismutase activity were decreased in the HTLV‑1‑infected group (P < 0.01).

The HTLV‑1 infection seems to induce pulmonary inflammatory reactions by recruiting leukocytes as well as inducing oxidative stress in the lung tissue.

Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed has been used for hypertension treatment. To provide a pharmacological basis, the vasorelaxant effect of celery seed extract was investigated in isolated rat aorta.

Wistar male rats (200-250 g) were divided into 15 groups (n=7 for each group). The vasorelaxant response of different concentrations of celery seed extract (0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/ml) on isolated aorta precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) or KCl was evaluated by organ bath technique. The role of endothelium, extracellular calcium influx, intracellular sources of calcium, and potassium channels in vasorelaxant effect of celery seed extract was investigated. 

The extract showed a concentration-dependent relaxation in the isolated aorta contracted with PE and KCl that was endothelium-dependent at lower concentrations. Pretreatment of aortic rings with indomethacin or L-NAME, did not affect the vasorelaxation induced by celery seed extract. The extract inhibited KCl and PE-induced contractions in cumulative calcium concentrations as well as after incubation with diltiazem in denuded aortic rings of endothelium. The relaxation induced by celery seed extract was inhibited by 4-aminopyridine.

This relaxation was mediated by inhibiting calcium influx into vascular smooth muscle cells. Also, voltage-dependent potassium channels were involved in inducing the vasorelaxant effect of celery seed extract.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are considered as one of the most administrated groups of medications worldwide. Due to the role of NSAIDs in inducing gastric ulceration, their clinical applications are still challenging. Nigella sativa seed is widely used as herbal medication against gastrointestinal complications. The present experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of N. sativa seed hydro-alcoholic extract on gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin (IND) and to evaluate its possible mechanisms in rat.

This study was performed on 48 male Wistar rats. Acute gastric ulceration was induced by IND (35 mg/kg). N. sativa seed extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) and ranitidine (50 mg/kg) were administered orally for five days before induction ulcer. Ulcer index, gastric acid secretion, gastric mucus content, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), total hexose, gastric juice protein content were determined on the fifth day.

The ulcer index in all groups of N. sativa seed was significantly lower than that of the IND group. N sativa seed considerably decreased MDA and protein content, but increased total thiol, total hexose, and mucus content compared to the IND group. N. sativa seed did not affect gastric acid secretion.

These findings were indicative of the gastroprotective effect of N. sativa seed against the IND-induced ulcer, suggesting that it can mainly be exerted through the anti-oxidant activity of the extract as well as its role in stimulating gastric mucus secretion and increasing total hexose in the gastric mucosa.

The deleterious effect of oxidative stress on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) has already been shown in previous studies. Since Teucrium polium has anti‑oxidative and cardio‑protective properties, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this plant on I/R injuries in the isolated rat heart.

The myocardial I/R injury of rat was created by Langendorff retrograde perfusion technology. The heart was preperfused with Krebs–Henseleit (K‑H) solution containing T. polium extract for 20 min before 20 min global ischemia, and then the reperfusion with K‑H bicarbonate buffer was conducted for 40 min. The left ventricular developed pressure and the maximum up/down rate of the left ventricular pressure (±dp/dtmax) were recorded by physiological recorder as the myocardial function. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) activities in the effluent were measured to determine the myocardial injury degree. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total thiol groups (−SH), superoxide anion dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in myocardial tissue were detected to determine the oxidative stress degree.

The results showed that the pretreatment with T. polium significantly enhanced cardiac parameters and the coronary artery flow, decreased the LDH, CK activities, and TBARS level, whereas it increased − SH groups, SOD and CAT activities.

Our findings indicated that T. polium could provide protection for heart against the I/R injury which may be related to the improvement of myocardial oxidative stress states.