Systematic review: Effectiveness of herbal oral care products on ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) resulting from bacterial infection is a prevalent medical problem in intensive care units (ICUs). The purpose of this study was to systematically review available studies on oral products employed to control and reduce VAP in patients undergoing tracheal intubation. This study was based on a systematic review of clinical trial data from science databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of science.

The pro-convulsant effects of diazinon low dose in male rats under amygdala kindling.

Organophosphates can damage the brain in systemic intoxication. In this study, the effects of a minimum toxic dose (MTD) of diazinon (DZ) on amygdala afterdischarge threshold (ADT), kindling acquisition and kindled seizure parameters were evaluated. Intact male rats were stereotactically implanted with a tripolar and two monopolar electrodes in the amygdala and dura respectively.

An Overview of the Cellular Mechanisms of Flavonoids Radioprotective Effects.

Considering the remarkable application of radiotherapy in the treatment and diagnosis of various diseases and even nuclear war, it is important to protect healthy tissues and people at risk from the radiation. Currently, there is no ideal and safe radioprotective agent available and we are seeing a great effort to find these agents from natural sources. Phenolic compounds, as well as flavonoid, are presented widely as the second metabolite in plants and they have been considered for investigation according to their benefits for human health, healing and preventing many disorders.

Data on possible in vitro anti-diabetic effects of verticinone on β-TC6 pancreatic and C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

Verticinone as a steroidal alkaloid is one of the major active constituents of medicinal herb, with several pharmacological properties. Present data demonstrate an in vitro assessment of verticinone effects on β-TC6 pancreatic and C2C12 skeletal muscle cells include cell survival, activities of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), levels of insulin secreted into the media, glucose uptake ability, advanced glycation end product (AGEs) include 3-deoxyglucosone, methylglyoxal, and pentosidine levels and the activity of glyoxalase I. Data reveals possible hypoglycemic potential of verticinone, although, the high concentrations of this compound were associated with elevated amount of AGEs and it should be assessed in future investigations.

Data on cell survival, apoptosis, ceramide metabolism and oxidative stress in A-494 renal cell carcinoma cell line treated with hesperetin and hesperetin-7-O-acetate.

Ceramide pathway is a key regulator in cell proliferation and apoptosis and oxidative stress up-regulate ceramides. Acid ceramidase (ACDase), neutral sphingomyelinase (NSMase) and glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) are critical enzymatic systems in ceramide metabolism. Our data represent the comparative assessment of Hesperetin (Hst) and hesperetin-7-O-acetate (HTA) effects on A-494 renal carcinoma cells include cell survival, caspase-3 and 9 activities, total cellular ceramide and the activities of ACDase, NSMase, GCS and superoxide dismutase (SOD).

New Aspects of Silibinin Stereoisomers and their 3-O-galloyl Derivatives on Cytotoxicity and Ceramide Metabolism in Hep G hepatocarcinoma Cell Line.

Ceramide as a second messenger is a key regulator in apoptosis and cytotoxicity. Ceramide-metabolizing enzymes are ideal target in cancer chemo-preventive studies. Neutral sphingomyelinase (NSMase), acid ceramidase (ACDase) and glucosyl ceramide synthase (GCS) are the main enzymes in ceramide metabolism.

Possible involvement of nitrergic and opioidergic systems in the modulatory effect of acute chloroquine treatment on pentylenetetrazol induced convulsions in mice.

Chloroquine has long been used for the treatment of malaria and rheumatological disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests potential use of chloroquine as a neuroprotective agent. Several studies have reported that endogenous opioids and nitric oxide (NO) system mediate the chloroquine effects.