Molecular basis of vascular damage caused by cigarette smoke exposure and a new approach to the treatment: Alpha-linolenic acid.

Exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) causes vessel damage and mechanism of this damage has not yet been clearly identified. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate whether vessel damage due to the CS exposure will be prevented by the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or not which has anti-inflammatory effect in mice. For this reason, mice were grouped as controls (with and without CS) and ALA (with and without CS).

Comparative study of the quercetin, ascorbic acid, glutathione and superoxide dismutase for nitric oxide protecting effects in mouse gastric fundus.

The aim of this work was to compare the preventing capacity of quercetin with Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), ascorbic acid and glutathione on nitric oxide (NO)-induced relaxation in mouse gastric fundus. Furthermore, the effects of the quercetin on the tissue level of total oxidant and antioxidant was investigated. Nitrergic stimulation (4Hz, 25V, 0.

Prejunctional facilitatory effect of a thiol-alkylating agent N-Ethylmaleimide on neurogenic contractions in rat prostate smooth muscle.

Aims: The effect of a non-specific thiol-alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was studied on neurogenic contractile mechanisms in rat ventral prostate gland.

Methods: Male Wistar albino rats were used. The rats were killed by cervical dislocation under sevoflurane anesthesia and ventral prostate gland was removed.

Ethanol-induced relaxation of mouse esophagus: subcellular mechanisms.

Ethanol (164 mm) produced reproducible relaxations in isolated mouse esophageal strips. Hexamethonium (10-500 microm), a ganglionic blocking agent, and lidocaine (10-100 microm), a local anesthetic agent, failed to affect the relaxations induced by ethanol in the mouse esophagus. Although verapamil (10-500 microm), a selective blocker of L-type Ca(2+) channels, failed to affect the relaxations to ethanol, ruthenium red (10-100 microm), a selective blocker of ryanodine receptors (intracellular Ca(2+) channels), and cyclopiazonic acid (1-10 microm), a selective blocker of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA), significantly inhibited these relaxations.

Protective effect of quercetin, a polyphenolic compound, on mouse corpus cavernosum.

Flavonoids are plant-based phenolic compounds, and quercetin is the most abundant dietary member of this family. One of the most important characteristics of quercetin is its antioxidant property. The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant effects of quercetin on corpora cavernosa of mice.