فصلنامه آسیب شناسی درمانگاهی دامپزشکی
سال هفدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 67، پاییز 1402)

Berberine which is the major active component of Berberis vulgaris, has been widely used in traditional medicine and has an antioxidant activity against oxidative stress. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in reproductive-aged women. PCOS is often associated with a metabolic syndrome. In the present study, the effect of berberine on letrozole-induced PCOS was investigated in adult female Wistar rats. The rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: normal control, berberine (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg intragastrically, daily) alone, PCOS control rats (letrozole, 1 mg/kg, intragastrically, daily), berberine (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg intragastrically, daily) together with (letrozole 1 mg/kg, intragastrically, daily), and treatment was performed accordingly. Administration of berberine was started 30 minutes before the first dose of letrozole and continued up to 28 days. The animals were euthanized 24 hours after the last dose of the treatment. Antioxidant activity was tested by measuring the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes as well as the amount of malondialdehyde in ovarian tissue homogenates. The findings of the present study showed that berberine increases antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and decreases malondialdehyde levels. The results of this study suggest that berberine treatment may be beneficial in letrozole-induced PCOS in rats.

Green tea (Camellia sinensis), has always been a focus of interest in traditional medicine for its biochemical and medicinal properties as an antioxidant agent. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy among women of reproductive age. In the present study, the effects of green tea extract on letrozole-induced PCOS were evaluated. Forty eight adult female Wistar rats were assigned to eight groups in random: healthy control group (no treatment), PCOS control group (letrozole at 1 mg/kg by gavage), three healthy experimental groups (green tea extract at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight by gavage), and three experimental PCOS groups (green tea extract at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight + letrozole at 1 mg/kg by gavage). On the 28th day (at the end of the experiment), the rats were euthanized, and the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and lipid peroxidation were assessed in the ovarian tissue homogenates. The results indicated that the green tea extract significantly increased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes and decreased lipid peroxidation (p<0.001). Our results showed that the green tea extract was also effective in treating letrozole-induced PCOS in the rats by increasing the activities of the antioxidant enzymes.

Babesiosis is classified as blood parasitic disease that is caused by genus Babesia. This parasite is transmitted by hard ticks and blood transfusion and causes fever, anemia, hemoglobinuria and jaundice. Study on babesiosis is important in terms of its public health concerns. This study was performed to evaluate serum changes of thyroid function indices [Anti-Thyroglobulin (a-Tg), Anti–Thyroid Peroxidase (a-Tpo), Thyroglobulin (Tg), Triiodothyronine (T3), Tetraiodothyronine (T4)], Cystatin C and sphingosine 1-phosphate in dogs with babesiosis. For this purpose, 5 ml of blood were taken from the cephalic vein of 35 dogs with babesiosis in several small animal clinics (in Tehran, Tabriz and Mashhad) which were diagnosed based on clinical signs and laboratory tests and the same number of healthy dogs (35) with consent of their owners and after serum preparation, thyroid function parameters (a-Tg, a-Tpo, Tg, T3, T4) Cystatin C and sphingosine 1 phosphate were measured by specific ELISA kits and evaluated statistically with SPSS version 17. The results indicated significant increase (p≤0.01) in all of the measured parameters in comparison with the healthy group (control group). Based on the ROC statistical test, the obtained results indicate that due to the high sensitivity of the method used in measuring the indicators of thyroid function (except tetraiodo-thyronine) and cystatin C, it is possible to use the serum values of the mentioned indicators (Tg, T3, a-Tg, a-Tpo) and cystatin C as possible potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of canine babesiosis.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) present significant challenges in terms of treatment, often resulting in long-term disabilities. Currently, effective therapies for these injuries are lacking, highlighting the need for innovative and efficacious treatment approaches. In recent years, natural products, including boswellic acid, have been investigated as potential therapeutic agents for various diseases. This study aimed to assess the effects of boswellic acid on spinal cord injury. Twelve male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (SCI) and the boswellic acid group (BoA), each consisting of six rats. The SCI group did not receive any treatment for 56 days following spinal cord injury induction, while the BoA group received daily oral doses of 10 mg/kg boswellic acid for the same duration. Motor recovery was evaluated using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor test and spinal tissue analysis was conducted to evaluate the reparative effects of boswellic acid on the injured spinal cord. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in motor recovery in the boswellic acid-treated rats compared to the control group, as indicated by higher BBB scores (p<0.001). Histological analysis revealed notable enhancements in repair processes, including reduced lesion volume and increased myelination at the site of spinal cord injury in the BoA group compared to the SCI group (p<0.001). This study provides evidence of the reparative effects of boswellic acid on experimental spinal cord injury in the Wistar rat model, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of spinal cord trauma.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of bile acids (BAs) on performance, digestibility of nutrients, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 300 one-day-old male broiler chicken (Ross 308) were distributed into five treatments, six replications with 10 chicks each in a completely randomized design. experimental diets included: 1) control diet (CON; based on corn and soybean meal), 2) basal diet containing a commercial emulsifier, 3) basal diet containing 0.05 % BAs, 4) basal diet containing 0.1 % BAs, and 5) basal diet containing 0.2 % BAs. Intestinal morphological specifications, including villus height index, crypt depth, and villus height to crypt depth ratio were determined in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The results showed that consumption of 0.1 % BAs improved daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the starter period (p&lt; 0.05). Broiler chickens fed a diet containing 0.1 % BAs had higher fat and energy digestibility compared to chicks of other treatments (p&lt;0.05). Birds fed 0.1 % BAs had a higher villus height in the jejunum compared to the birds in control group (p&lt;0.05). Dietary BAs supplementation of 0.1% significantly increased the villus height to crypt depth ratio in all three portions of the small intestine compared to the control treatment. In conclusion, dietary BAs supplementation may probably promote performance to some extent by improving the intestinal morphology and utilization of fat and energy in the broiler diet.