Thymoquinone ameliorates renal oxidative damage and proliferative response induced by mercuric chloride in rats.

We tested the hypothesis if thymoquinone (2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone) could ameliorate renal oxidative damage and proliferative response induced by mercuric chloride (HgCl2) in rats. HgCl2 (3 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously to each one of two groups of rats: (i) HgCl2-thymoquinone group that received thymoquinone (10 mg/kg/day); and (ii) HgCl2 group that received vehicle instead of thymoquinone. A third group of rats was reserved as control group.

Synthesis, analgesic and anti-inflammatory evaluation of some new 3H-quinazolin-4-one derivatives.

In this study, we have synthesized a series of 3H-quinazolin-4-ones in order to obtain new compounds with potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by means of infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. Some compounds were evaluated for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities by writhing and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema tests, respectively.

Inhibitory effects of aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa on contractility of the rat bladder and uterus.

We examined an aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces extracts (HSE) by close-arterial injection on micturition thresholds (MTs) and on uterine contractions (rate and amplitude). Five doses of HSE were examined (1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg) in 3 groups of rats: controls, after bladder inflammation, and after bilateral hypogastric neurectomy. In some rats, uterine contractions were induced by injection of oxytocin (OT) and the effect of HSE was compared with that of nifedipine.