Physiology and Pharmacology
Volume:25 Issue: 2, Jul 2021

The objective of this study was to compare the level of complements C3 and C4 in serum, and stimulated saliva between oral lichen planus (OLP) and healthy individuals.

A case-control study was performed on 31 healthy and 31 who suffer the erosive type of OLP. Serum and saliva level of C3 and C4 were measured by immunoturbidimetry method.

C3 and C4 were expressed at a lower level in serum and saliva of OLP patients compared to control groups. Serum C3 and C4 levels did not correlate with their saliva levels. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed significantly diagnostic abilities for serum and saliva C3 and C4 to discrimination of OLP patients from controls (cutoff [mg/dl] for C3 were 83 in serum and 3.45 in saliva and for C4 were 9.5 in serum and 0.9 in saliva).

Serum and salivary levels of total C3 and C4 were lower in patients with OLP than in healthy controls. Therefore, they may able to discriminate OLP from healthy.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) occurs as co-morbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and requires evaluation.

MetS was studied in 336 patients of COPD (NCP-ATP III guidelines). TNF-α, IL-6 and C reactive protein were analysed. Patients were divided into metabolic (n=89) and non-MetS (n=247) groups and further divided into mild to very severe COPD category as per Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease.

The 89 patients (26.49%) had MetS. Waist hip ratio (WHR) was more in 80.89% (72/89). Triglycerides and HDL derangements were found in 63 and 75 patients. Fasting blood glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure criterion were met by 58 (65.17 %), 20 (22.47%) and 32 (35.95%) patients respectively. In non-MetS group, the derangement in above parameters were found in 41, 53, 109, 47, 43 and 46 patients respectively. Compared to MetS group, significant difference was found in WHR, lipid profile and blood pressure. Significant difference was found in waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL, fasting blood glucose and diastolic blood pressure between COPD groups with and without MetS. Moderate COPD patients had highest MetS. Difference in results as per severity of disease was found to be non-significant. Inflammatory markers between COPD groups with and without MetS were non-significant with levels more in latter group. Within COPD group (as per severity of disease) with MetS their levels were significantly raised.

MetS occurs as co-morbidity in COPD and requires evaluation which will help in better management and prevent cardio metabolic complications.

Lead is a heavy metal with vast usage in the industry. Lead toxicity affects any organ in the body. It causes various clinical presentations, which leads to diagnostic complexity. Regarding recent increased observation of cases with lead toxicity in our center, we aimed to evaluate the frequencies of lead toxicity in patients referred to Imam-Reza Hospital’s laboratory and find a possible relationship between the blood lead level (BLL) and hematological and biochemical tests.

From 2016 to 2017, the patients referred to Imam-Reza hospital’s laboratory to detect BLL enrolled in the study. Among them, 254 adult cases with BLLs≥10 μg/dl were selected. Complete blood counts and peripheral blood smear were done. Other lab data were extracted from hospital files.

The mean BLL of 1649 participants was 59.11±116.25 μg/dl, ranging from 0 to 1580. Sixty nine percent of them had lead toxicity. Eighty-one percent (n=1341) of patients were males and 18.7% (n=308) were females. In 254 selected cases, the mean BLL was 138.17±189.98 μg/dl. There were significant inverse correlations between BLL and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin, total iron-binding capacity, target shape and basophilic stippling, as well as positive correlations between BLL and white blood cell counts, red cell distribution width, neutrophil counts and iron.

Lead toxicity seems to be more frequent than it is expected. Patients with unexplained anemia with increased iron and decreased total iron-binding capacity are better to be evaluated for BLL.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on glycemic control and biochemical indices in type 2 diabetes.

This randomized double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 80 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) referred to Shahid Beheshti hospital. These patients were randomly classified into case and control groups. Case group consumed 50,000 IU of vitamin D once a week for 12 weeks and control group placebo. Biochemical and lipid parameters and vitamin D3 were measured in two groups. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was assessed by latex enhance immunoturbidimetric assay.

There was no significant difference between case and control groups in terms of age, sex, body mass index and used medications. The mean vitamin D level in case and control groups before intervention was 15.06 ±3.307 and 15.83± 2.509 ng/ml and after intervention was 49.77 ±15.73 and 14.91±3.13 ng/ml respectively. The mean fast blood sugar in case and control groups after intervention was 156.565±32.23 and 147.75±35.06 mg/dl, respectively. The mean HbA1c in case and control groups before intervention was 7.59± 0.39 % and 7.66± 0.38 % and after intervention was 7.26 ± 0.60 and 7.60 ± 0.38, respectively. Moreover, significant difference was seen between case (20.2± 5.74 IU/L) and control groups (23.35± 7.80 IU/L) in terms of alanine aminotransferase, after intervention.

According to these findings, vitamin D supplementation possibly through decreasing HbA1C and hepatic alanine aminotransferase could improve diabetes complications.

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used drugs for the treatment of various cancers but has oxidative tissue damage as one of its side effects. This study investigated the oxidative stress profile in some important body tissues following the co-administration of cisplatin (CIS) and resveratrol (RSV).

Thirty-five adult female rats with an average body weight of 162g were divided into 5 groups (n=7) and used for this experimental study. Group A served as the normal control group and received distilled water only. Group B received only a single dose intraperitoneal injection of 10mg/kg CIS. Groups C, D and E were orally given 5, 10 and 20mg/kg of RSV respectively for 7 days, starting 24h after a single CIS dose intraperitoneal injection of 10mg/kg. Selected body tissues were harvested for oxidative stress profiling at the end of the experiment.

CIS significantly increased malondialdehyde levels and decreased glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase levels in all the tissues assessed (ovary, uterus, liver, kidney, pancreas, stomach and spleen) when compared to the normal control. The RSV treatment caused the reversal of these effects; malondialdehyde levels were significantly decreased, while glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase levels were significantly increased across all the examined tissues.

RSV at different doses could be effective in the management of CIS-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation across some body tissues. However, this effect may be dependent on the dose of CIS and RSV.

Cisplatin is an antineoplastic agent which is used in treatment of various cancers. However its clinical use is associated with oxidative stress-mediated neuropathic pain. This research aimed to explore the effect of silymarin on cisplatin-induced hyperalgesia (CIH) and oxidative stress biomarkers in male rats.

Fifty-six male rats were allocated into seven equal groups. Hyperalgesia was caused by intraperitoneal single dose administration of cisplatin (1mg/kg) and assessed by utilizing tail-flick method. The impact of silymarin (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 15 days) on CIH was investigated on days 1, 5, 10 and 15. Blood samples were collected to assess malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant status (TAS) on day fifteen.

Single dose injection of cisplatin (1mg/kg) could cause a significant hyperalgesia on days 5, 10 and 15. CIH was abolished by daily administration of silymarin (50 and 100mg/kg) on days 10 and 15. Serum MDA level was decreased in cisplatin and silymarin (100 mg/kg) co-treated rats, while there was an increase in GPx, SOD as well as TAS parameters.

The results of this study revealed that silymarin prevents from CIH possibly by improving lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress biomarkers. Other clinical studies should be performed to establish possible use of silymarin for treatment of CIH in susceptible individuals.

Neonicotinoids are a new type of insecticides that have been introduced to the poison market during the last three decades. Acetamiprid (ACT) is a neonicotinoid and widely used for controlling pests. It targets the liver as a toxic agent and damages hepatic tissues through oxidative stress mechanisms. Quercetin is a flavonoid with potent antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity and protects tissues from oxidative damages. Thus, this study is aimed to assess the protective effect of quercetin on acetamiprid-induced hepatotoxicity.

Thirty-six Wistar rats were classified into six groups including control, DMSO, ACT 20, ACT 40, quercetin, and ACT40+quercetin. All treatments were administered orally with gavage for 28 days. Alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme activity was measured in serum as biomarkers of hepatotoxicity. Lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and total thiol content were measured in hepatic tissues. Also, hepatic tissue sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and evaluated under optic microscope for any tissue injuries.

Findings showed that ACT, especially in high dose (40mg/kg), induced hepatic tissue destruction associated with increased hepatic enzyme activity, except ALP activity, in the serum. Besides, ACT increased the lipid peroxidation and decreased total thiol content and SOD activity, which indicates ACT-induced oxidative stress in hepatic tissues. Also, hepatic tissue injuries were observed in ACT-treated group. All these changes in liver were prevented by quercetin.

Because of strong antioxidant properties, quercetin can cope effectively with ACT-induced hepatotoxicity.

Myocardial ischemia leads to electrical disturbance in the heart because of reactive oxygen specious. This study aimed to investigate the effects of gallic acid and cyclosporine A (CsA) together on electrocardiogram parameters in myocardium following ischemia - reperfusion (I/R) in isolated hearts.

In this research, 50 Wistar rats weighing 250-300g were randomly divided into the 5 following groups: control, sham and gallic acid (7.5, 15 and 30mg/kg) in combination with CsA (0.2μM). On the eleventh day, the hearts were removed and perfused with Krebs solution and ischemia was induced for 30min. Then, cyclosporine was administered for 10min at the 10 minutes before reperfusion and 10 minutes the beginning of reperfusion. By placing the electrode, the parameters of RR, PR, QT, TpeakTend, JT and QTcB interval, ST elevation, R, P, Q, S, T amplitude were recorded before ischemia and during reperfusion.

This study showed that RR, JT, interval, p duration, ST elevation and PVC numbers of control were increased during ischemia compared with sham and decreased using gallic acid (7.5, 15 and 30mg/kg) in combination with CsA. In addition, P, R, S, T amplitude during the ischemia were decreased in control compared with sham and increased with gallic acid (15mg/kg) in combination with CsA.

In conclusion, the optimal combination of both drugs decreased arrhythmia occurrence while increased electrical velocity of conduction and wave amplitudes in isolated myocardium after ischemia reperfusion injury.

In the arcuate nucleus, kisspeptin, neurokinin-B and pro-dynorphin (KNDy) neurons control the function of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Early investigations indicated that exercise with various intensities affects luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) in different ways. Meanwhile the molecular mechanisms underlying its function not yet been fully understood. Accordingly, the present study evaluated the role of alterations in the levels of KNDy mRNA upstream of GnRH neurons in conveying the effects of various short-term exercise intensities on the male hypothermic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.

Twenty-one adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, one-month regular moderate exercise (ME) and one-month regular intensive exercise (IE). In ME (22m/min) and IE (35m/min) groups, the rats were treated 5 days a week for 60min each day. Finally, we assessed serum levels of LH and T using the ELIZA technique and KNDy and Gnrh mRNA expression by the real-time PCR method.

The results revealed that in ME group the expression of Nkb was reduced and the expression of Gnrh mRNA and the LH and T serum levels were increased. However, intensive exercise did not change the serum levels of LH and T or the relative expression of kiss1, Nkb, Pdyn and Gnrh genes.

The results suggested that monthly moderate exercise improved male reproductive axis function, while intensive exercise did not have an adverse effect on the reproductive axis. These various effects on the male HPG axis may be propagated by the change in hypothalamic Nkb gene expression.

The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of stigmas, tepals and leaves of Crocus sativus on carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced liver injury in rats.

Hydroethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus (stigmas, tepals and leaves) were administrated daily for 14 days by oral gavage. In the present study, 30 male rats divided into five groups were treated as 1: normal rats gavaged with distilled water; 2: intoxicated rats gavaged with distilled water and injected with CCL4; 3: rats treated with stigmas extract and injected with CCL4; 4: rats treated with tepal extract and injected with CCL4; 5: rats treated with leaf extract and injected with CCL4. Bodyweight and the relative liver weight were determined. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin direct and total, total protein, albumin, urea and creatinine measured in plasma. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was quantified in liver homogenate.

The experimental data showed that the stigmas and tepals extracts significantly prevented weight body loss and improved the relative liver weight. They significantly protected against elevation of ALT, AST, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, LDH, ALP, creatinine and MDA. Also, they enhanced significantly total proteins and albumin compared to the CCL4 control group. Moreover, leaves reduced ALT, AST, total bilirubin, LDH and MDA significantly.

In conclusion, these results suggest that tepals, stigmas, and leaves extracts of Crocus sativus have hepatoprotective effects on CCL4 induced liver injury in rats.