استرس اکسیداتیو

Examining the composition of heavy metals emitted from welding fumes and related adverse effects on the health status of exposed workers is one of the most important topics in the field of occupational health and toxicology. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of oxidative stress and measure the quantitative and qualitative sperm indices of male Wistar rats exposed to welding fumes containing heavy metals.

In this experimental study, the welding operation was performed manually by an operator for 8 consecutive days and 30 minutes daily in a designed chamber. The generated fumes were transferred to the exposure chamber of the rats through a connecting tube. The rats of the experimental group were exposed to an average of 44.48 mg/m3 of fumes daily, and the control group was in the same physical conditions without exposure to fumes. Finally, the effects of oxidative stress and quantitative and qualitative indicators of sperm were investigated in rats of both groups.

The composition of heavy metals identified in fumes contained iron > manganese > lead > aluminum in order of highest average concentration. According to the findings, daily exposure to metal fumes has been associated with a significant decrease in the average activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) as well as a significant decrease in the quantitative and qualitative indicators of sperm in exposed rats compared to the control group.

Exposure to heavy metals has decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and caused oxidative stress, and can lead to reproductive disorders in rats, such as reducing the number and quality of sperms.

 Neurological disorders are among the most challenging central nervous system conditions, often associated with increased oxidative stress and cell death. Plant-based nanoparticles may offer a novel approach to mitigate these effects. To evaluate the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) synthesized using Scrophularia striata extract against glutamate-induced toxicity in PC12 cells.

 CuONPs were synthesized via green synthesis using plant extract and characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV-vis. PC12 cells were exposed to glutamate and treated with CuONPs. Oxidative stress markers (ROS, MDA, SOD, CAT) and DNA damage were assessed.

 CuONP treatment significantly reduced ROS and MDA levels and enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT. DNA damage was also markedly reduced compared to the glutamate-only group.

 CuONPs synthesized with Scrophularia striata possess strong antioxidant and neuroprotective properties and show promise as a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders.

Sodium arsenite (SA) is recognized as a common mineral contaminant in drinking water, significantly affecting the cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, urinary, and digestive systems. Naringenin (NG) is a flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent liver damage caused by various factors. This study was conducted to examine the protective role of NG against SA-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

In this experimental study, 28 mice were allocated into four groups: (I) Control, (II) NG (50 mg/kg), (III) SA (40 mg/L), and (IV) SA+NG. NG and SA were administered orally for five weeks. Histological changes, hepatic enzyme levels (ALT and AST), oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, and MDA), and inflammatory biomarkers (Nrf2 and NF-kB) were assessed using biochemical and histological methods. The data were then analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test in SPSS software.

SA caused histological damage, characterized by a significant increase in the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the accumulation of red blood cells (P< 0.001). It also significantly elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (P<0.05). Moreover, SA significantly upregulated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) expression and downregulated nuclear factor-erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression. NG reduced ALT and AST activity levels, reversed histological alterations and antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, NG enhanced catalase activity levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and Nrf2 expression.

SA induces hepatotoxicity by increasing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The administration of NG effectively mitigated the harmful effects of the imbalance of oxidative stress and antioxidant pathways and the histopathological changes observed in SA-intoxicated mice

Wound healing is the body's natural repair process after injury. Due to its high antioxidant capacity and many effective components, this study aimed to assess the impact of topically applied Heracleum persicum extract on rat full-thickness incisional cutaneous wound healing.

After induction the wound, sixty male rats were divided into four groups: control, basal cream, H. persicum 5% and 10% and were treated daily with saline, basal cream, H. persicum 5% and H. persicum 10% for 14 days, respectively. The animals were euthanized at 7, 14 and 21 days post-injury, and samples were collected for histopathological and biochemical analysis.

A prominent decrease in the wound area was observed in the treatment groups, particularly H. persicum 10% compared to the control group. Additionally, treatment with H. persicum decreased the number of lymphocytes and improved the number of fibroblasts at the earlier stages and increased the number of fibrocytes at the later stages of wound healing. Also, re-epithelization, tissue alignment, higher maturity of the collagen fibers and large capillary-sized blood vessels revealed significant changes in the treatment groups, especially H. persicum 10% compared to the control group. H. persicum extracts increased hydroxyproline and glycosaminoglycans contents and elevated total antioxidant capacity, while decreased malondialdehyde compared to the control group.

This study showed that H. persicum promotes wound healing activity. This property can be attributed to its action on blood vessels, modulation of inflammation, its role in initiating more collagen and glycosaminoglycan production and decreasing oxidative stress.

Berberis vulgaris L. has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and reducing morphine withdrawal signs effects. With this background, the aim of the present study is to investigate the antidepressant effect of B. vulgaris hydroalcoholic extract (BVHE) in forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST).

84 male albino mice (6 mice in each group) were injected intraperitoneally with normal saline, fluoxetine (20 mg/kg), imipramine (30 mg/kg), and different doses of BVHE (40, 20, 80, and 160 mg/kg) and then they were subjected to FST and TST. The open-filed test (OFT) was also used to assess mice locomotion.

All doses of BVHE (except the dose of 20 mg/kg) decrease the duration of immobility in both FST and TST
(p < 0.001). In addition, BVHE increased the duration of swimming (p < 0.001) without a significant change in the climbing time in FST (p > 0.05). The locomotion of mice (the number of crossings and rearings) did not show any significant change in the OFT (p > 0.05).

Due to B. vulgaris anti-depressant effects in both mouse models, its antidepressant effects are similar to those of serotonergic drugs (such as fluoxetine). However, determining the exact mechanism of its action requires more and more extensive studies.

Sodium valproate (SV) is a commonly used antiepileptic drug; however, its therapeutic application is limited due to its potential to induce oxidative stress. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, possesses antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to determine the effect of resveratrol on SV-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampal tissue of BALB/c mouse fetal brains.

In this experimental study, 40 pregnant female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to 5 groups of 8, including control, SV at 40 mg/kg/bw, SV at 40 mg/kg/bw + resveratrol at 0.6 mg/kg/bw, SV at 40 mg/kg/bw + resveratrol at 0.35 mg/kg bw, and SV at 40 mg/kg/bw + resveratrol at 0.225 mg/kg/bw. SV was administered orally per day, and resveratrol was administered daily via intraperitoneal injection. From gestational day 8 to 18, pharmacological interventions were initiated and continued until the birth of the neonates. On gestational day 18, the maternal mice were anesthetized, and 8 fetuses from each group were separated. Following the anesthesia of the fetuses, the brain tissue was dissected. Subsequently, oxidative stress parameters, including the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in nmol/mg as an index of lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) level alterations in µg/mg, and protein carbonyl (PC) level alterations in nmol/mg, were evaluated in the hippocampal tissue.

SV induced oxidative stress by increasing MDA (4.8 nmol/mg) and PC (51.4 nmol/mg protein), and also decreasing GSH (31.86 μg/mg) in the brain tissue compared to the control group (P<0.05). In a concentration-dependent manner, resveratrol reduced oxidative stress by decreasing MDA and PC to 3.02 and 37.21 nmol/mg, respectively, and also by increasing GSH to 49.76 μg/mg in the brain tissue. The most significant effect was observed at a concentration of 0.6 mg/kg/bw, which was statistically significant compared to the SV group (P<0.05).

The combined administration of SV and resveratrol culminates in a reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress-related factors in mouse fetuses.

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder in which the activity of nerve cells in the brain is disrupted and leads to seizures. Despite the variety of available anticonvulsant drugs, approximately 30% of patients are resistant to conventional therapies. Nowadays, attention to drugs of natural origin, especially plant sources, has increased. Due to the effects of quinic acid, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and immune cell-enhancing properties, this study aimed to determine the anticonvulsant effect of quinic acid in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice by investigating the possible role of the oxidative stress pathway and nitric oxide.

In this experimental study, 48 male mice were divided into 6 groups of 8. The first group received PTZ at a dose of 90 mg/kg, the second to fifth groups received quinic acid at doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, and the sixth group received Diazepam at a dose of 10 mg/kg. One week after quinic acid administration, seizures were induced in all mice by intravenous injection of pentylenetetrazole.

Quinic acid at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg significantly increased seizure threshold compared to the group treated with normal saline (P<0.001). Quinicic acid treatment reduced serum nitrite and malondialdehyde levels of brain tissue (P<0.001). Quinic acid treatment also increased serum and brain tissue antioxidant activity in mice. Quinic acid significantly reduced the expression of iNOS and nNOS genes compared to the normal saline group (P<0.01).

Quinic acid seems to have potential anticonvulsant effects. Its mechanism of action is probably to inhibit neuroinflammation and act through the nitric oxide pathway

Vincristine (VIN) is a broad-spectrum anticancer drug used to treat various cancers. Resveratrol (Res) is a natural polyphenol found in numerous plant sources. Many studies have reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of resveratrol. In this study, the effect of resveratrol on kidney damage caused by vincristine in female mice has been investigated.

In this study, 36 female mice weighing 25-30 grams were randomly divided into four groups (n=9): 1) Control group, 2) Vin- group, 3) Vin-Res group and 4) Res group. The mice received vincristine at 3 mg/kg once a week for 4 weeks and resveratrol at 30 mg/kg daily for 28 days through gavage. At the end of the study, the fat peroxidation index (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in kidney tissue were measured. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation, and the significant differences among groups were analyzed using SPSS16, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey's post hoc test.

The findings indicated that in the vincristine group, levels serum of urea, creatinine, and MDA in kidney tissue were increased significantly compared to the control group (P=0.001).the TAC level and the activity level of GPX (P=0.001) and SOD (P=0.009) enzymes in the kidney tissue were  significantly decreased in the vincristine group when compared to the control group (P=0.001).

The results of this study showed that the protective effects of resveratrol were probably attributed to its antioxidant properties and that it could reduce the kidney damage induced by vincristine.

Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are among the most important diseases that, in addition to cognitive and motor effects, are often associated with chronic pain. Tramadol is used as an analgesic drug in the management of pain in these patients, but its effects on the central nervous system and cognitive and motor functions are still debated.

The type of study is review article. Data collection is taken from reliable scientific databases such as Pubmed. This article examines the mechanisms of Tramadol's effect and its effects on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients. Considering the analgesic effects of tramadol through the inhibition of serotonin and norepinephrine reabsorption as well as the activity on opioid receptors, its side effects such as cognitive disorders, drowsiness and movement problems in these patients should be carefully considered.

Studies show that tramadol can aggravate cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients and increase movement problems in Parkinson's patients. It seems that tramadol can be useful as a treatment option to reduce pain in patients with neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but the issues related to drug side effects should also be considered.

Ethanol is a narcotic and psychedelic substance, the use of which causes oxidative stress in the brain and behavioral changes such as anxiety. The production of free radicals and oxidative stress causes the effects of ethanol.

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of astaxanthin on anxiety-like behaviors and oxidative stress in the cortex of ethanol model mice.

35 adult male mice were divided into 5 groups (n=7) including control, astaxanthin, ethanol, and 2 groups treated with astaxanthin at 10 and 20 mg/kg. Behavioral tests including elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and open field test (OFT) and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and level of glutathione (GSH) in the cortex tissue were measured.

Based on the results, ethanol significantly increased line crossing and decreased the time spent and the number of entries into the open arm, center duration, enzyme activities, and glutathione level compared to the control group. Astaxanthin significantly decreased line crossing and increased time spent and the number of entries into the open arm, center duration, enzyme activities, and glutathione level compared to the ethanol group.

This research showed that astaxanthin treatment improves anxiety-like behaviors and effectively protects cortical areas against ethanol-induced oxidative stress. Therefore, astaxanthin can be used as a medicinal supplement to improve ethanolinduced behavioral and oxidative damage.

Diabetes is a main metabolic disorder in middle-aged and older people. Oxidative stress can interfere with insulin signaling and are directly relevant to the incidence of diabetes. The AKT signaling pathways plays a critical role in regulating glucose homeostasis and proliferation of β cells. P-cymene is an aromatic monotropene with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, the therapeutic effects of p-cymene on blood glucose and insulin levels, the antioxidant power of serum (FRAP assay) and the expression of AKT mRNAs in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated.

Diabetes was induced using the injection of 55 mg/kg streptozotocin in male Wistar rats. Histological, biochemical, and real-time PCR analyses were done to study the effects of metformin (55 mg/kg) and p-cymene (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) on levels of glucose, insulin, oxidative stress status, and the expression of AKT mRNA.

Streptozotocin increased serum levels of glucose and decreased serum levels of insulin, the antioxidant power of serum, pancreas levels of AKT mRNA, and β island size. Administration of metformin or p-cymene improved the levels of glucose, insulin, AKT mRNA, β island size, and antioxidant power in an independent manner of dose.

These results suggest that p-cymene has hypoglycemic, hyperinsulinemia, and antioxidant properties. It can regulate Akt signaling pathway. Therefore, it may be suggested for the diabetes therapy alone or in combination with metformin.

Thyroid diseases are common health issues worldwide, especially among women. The occurrence of thyroid diseases is increasingly associated with oxidative stress. The present study aimed to assess the effect of eight weeks of moderate intensity interval training with selenium supplementation on oxidative stress levels, body composition, and functional indices in women with hypothyroidism.

In this quasi-experimental study, 46 women with hypothyroidism were randomly assigned to four groups: placebo, selenium supplement, moderate-intensity interval training+ selenium, and moderate-intensity interval training+placebo. Selenium tablets contain 200 micrograms of selenium and placebo contains chickpea flour, which should be taken daily in one meal before exercise. The exercise program consisted of eight weeks, three sessions per week, each lasting 20-40 minutes at an intensity equivalent to 60%-80% of maximum heart rate. Paired t-test was used for intragroup changes, and one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was employed for between-group changes.

The results indicated significant statistical differences in the time interaction changes within the groups in variables, such as body weight (P=0.001), body mass index (P=0.001), body fat percentage (P=0.001), malondialdehyde (P=0.001), glutathione peroxidase (P=0.004), muscle endurance (P=0.001), and hand grip strength (P=0.001).

As evidenced by the findings of the current study, it is likely that intermittent moderate-intensity exercise with selenium supplementation can be used to improve thyroid hormones and prevent the negative effects of hypothyroidism in women.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training combined with Tribulus terrestris extract on oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine markers in the heart tissue of male Wistar rats exposed to stanozolol.

In this experimental study, 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8 weeks, were randomly divided into 8 groups of 6 (1. Control, 2. Sham, 3. Stanozolol, 4. Stanozolol + Tribulus 50 mg/kg, 5. Stanozolol + Tribulus 100 mg/kg, 6. Resistance training, 7. Stanozolol + Tribulus 100 mg/kg + Resistance training, 8. Stanozolol + Tribulus 50 mg/kg + Resistance training). For 8 weeks, groups 3 to 8 received 5 mg/kg stanozolol daily via intraperitoneal injection. Groups 6 to 8 performed resistance training three times a week, and groups 4, 5, 7, and 8 received the specified doses of Tribulus terrestris daily via intraperitoneal injection. The expression levels of genes of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP) were measured using Real-Time PCR.

Stanozolol significantly increased AOPP and MDA expression and decreased IL-10 expression in the heart tissue of rats (P<0.05). However, stanozolol combined with training significantly increased IL-10 and decreased AOPP and MDA (P<0.05). Additionally, stanozolol combined with training and Tribulus 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly increased IL-10 and decreased MDA and AOPP (P<0.05). In the group of stanozolol combined with training and Tribulus 100 mg/kg, IL-10 levels were higher and MDA levels were lower compared to the groups of stanozolol combined with training and stanozolol combined with training and Tribulus 50 mg/kg, but there was no significant difference in AOPP.

Resistance training and Tribulus terrestris extract appear to be mitigating factors for oxidative stress and inflammation in the heart tissue of rats, and the dose of 100 mg/kg had a greater effect on improving oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory markers in the heart tissue.

Ferula asaferida (FA), a medicinal plant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties- has beneficial effects on various diseases. Herein, we investigated the impact of the FA aqueous extract on enzyme activity and liver damage caused by thioacetamide (Th) toxicity.

48 Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: 1. control, 2. Th, 3. thioacetamide and plant extract (ThPE50) (50 mg/kg of PE), 4. ThPE100 (100 mg/kg of PE), 5. ThPE200 (200 mg/kg of PE), and 6. PE. After 14 days of treatment, liver enzymes (ALT, ALP, AST) activity, oxidative stress indicators (SOD, MDA, GPX), and histological damages in the liver were examined in all animals.

The Th group had a significant difference from the control group in levels of ALT, ALP, AST SOD, MDA, and GPX, but the PE group did not have a significant difference from the control group. While in the ThPE groups, these values also showed a significant change due to increasing the dosage of PE (P < 0.0001). The histological examination showed that the control and the PE groups did not differ significantly from each other, but in the ThPE groups increment of the PE dosage can reduce the toxic effect of thioacetamide on hepatocytes leading to the decrement of tissue damage in liver (the most effect of PE was observed in 200 mg/kg dosage).

The use of Ferula asaferida extract in a dose-dependent manner causes a significant reduction in the toxicity of the thioacetamide, affecting the function and structure of liver cells.

 Some studies have shown that Spirulina has biological properties exerting beneficial effects on human health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Spirulina supplementation on serum glucose, lipid parameters, and oxidative stress markers in male rats with streptozotocin/nicotinamide–induced T2DM.

 In this experimental study, rats with diabetes were divided into six groups: healthy control, diabetic control, diabetic-metformin, diabetic-Spirulina 100 mg/dL, diabetic-Spirulina 200 mg/dL, and healthy control-Spirulina 200 mg/d. At the end of the study (28 days), the blood samples were collected, and the fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined.

 Significant reductions (P<0.001) were found in serum level of FBG in Metformin and Spirulina 100 mg/kg compared with diabetic control group. The groups were different regarding the serum levels of HDL-C post-intervention. ANOVA analysis also showed significant differences between the Spirulina 100 mg/kg or Metformin group and diabetic control group regarding the serum level of MDA (P<0.05).

 Spirulina at a dose of 100 mg/kg may have contributed to controlling the fasting blood glucose and oxidative stress.

Despite advances in diabetes-related treatments, the effects of the disease have not yet been adequately reversed or prevented in patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more effective medication-assisted treatments in this field.

In this study, type 1 diabetes mice models was established using multiple low-dose alloxan, and the diabetic mice were treated with three doses of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) i.e low, medium, and high viz. 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg, respectively for a period of 21 days. Then, specific test were done to evaluate blood biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory genes expression, and histopathological changes in the mice kidney and liver.

The obtained results showed remarkably improved anti-diabetic, hepato-renal-protective, and oxidative stress indexes of DMF in alloxan-induced diabetic mice (P< 0.001). Treated mice with DMF demonstrated a noteworthy decrease in blood glucose levels when compared with diabetic group (P< 0.001). Diabetic liver and kidney tissues showed marked dilation of bile ducts, tubules, infiltration, and inflammation. On the contrary, the histological features of the treated mice with DMF improve as shown by normal size of glomerular capillaries along with decrease in less dilatation of ducts in comparison with diabetic mice. The real-time quantitative PCR results indicated that DMF injection decreased the alloxan-induced increase of significant elevations in mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in both kidney and liver tissues. Meanwhile, mice treated with DMF showed an increase in Sirt1 and Nrf2 expression in comparison to diabetic group.

In conclusion, it can be concluded that DMF treatment provides hepato-renal protective effects on alloxan-induced diabetic mice model by attenuating ROS inflammatory pathways.