Ayahuasca Pretreatment Prevents Sepsis-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior, Neuroinflammation, and Oxidative Stress, and Increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.

The psychoactive decoction Ayahuasca (AYA) used for therapeutic and religious purposes by indigenous groups and peoples from Amazonian regions produces anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Thus, it may be useful to attenuate the neuroinflammation and related anxiety- and depressive-like symptoms elicited by inflammatory insults such as sepsis. Rats were pretreated for 3 days with different doses of AYA.

The Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier Dysfunction in Brain Disorders and Stroke: Why, How, What For?

Ischemic stroke (IS) results in the interruption of blood flow to the brain, which can cause significant damage. The pathophysiological mechanisms of IS include ionic imbalances, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and impairment of brain barriers. Brain barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier (B-CSF), protect the brain from harmful substances by regulating the neurochemical environment.

Short-term hyperoxia induced mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes dysfunction and oxidative stress in lung of rats.

Background: Oxygen therapy is an alternative for many patients with hypoxemia. However, this practice can be dangerous as oxygen is closely associated with the development of oxidative stress.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were exposed to hyperoxia with a 40% fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO) and hyperoxia (FIO = 60%) for 120 min.