Impact of sleep deprivation on stress levels and cognitive performance in young and middle-aged adults at a Medical University in Ajman, UAE.

Background: Inadequate sleep is a widespread public health concern, impacting physical and mental health, as well as cognitive well-being. This study explores the link between sleep quality, the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6), and cognitive function in two age groups (18-25 years and 35 years and above) at Gulf Medical University.

Materials And Methods: Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh questionnaire, and salivary IL-6 levels were measured.

Bisphenol-A Leaching from Polycarbonate 5-Gallon Water Bottles in the UAE: A Comprehensive Study.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used around the world in the production of Polycarbonate (PC) plastics. Notably, the ubiquitous 5-gallon water bottles in the UAE are primarily made of PC plastic, making them a significant concern as bottled water is the region's main supply of drinking water. These bottles undergo temperature variations during storage and transportation, potentially leading to harmful BPA (Bisphenol A) leaching.

Heavy metals in hair and nails as markers of occupational hazard among welders working in United Arab Emirates.

Studies have shown that hair and nail samples can be used as a marker to assess occupational exposure to heavy metals. The objective of this study was to estimate the levels of heavy metals: Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), and Manganese (Mn) in hair and nail samples of welders working in United Arab Emirates and to find an association between the heavy metal concentration with the parameters like smoking habits, exposure/day, years of experience and use of protective personal equipment (PPE). Hair and toes nail samples were collected from exposed and non-exposed subjects with respect to, social habits, exposure/day and years of welding experience.

Bidirectional Relationship between COVID-19 and Diabetes: Role of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Drugs Modulating It.

Numerous reports have suggested that diabetic patients are at high risk for the development of severe symptoms of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). However, a few studies have recently proposed that the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 is bidirectional, as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 also has the capability to induce diabetes. Various mechanisms have been identified and proposed to be involved in this binary association.

Analysis of phthalate esters in two different baby care products available in United Arab Emirates.

Phthalates are used as plasticizers in a wide range of products and are known to affect the human health adversely. Hence, the present study was carried out to identify and quantify the presence of four phthalates namely dimethyl phthalate (DMP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP), di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the two baby products i.e.

Activation of indoleamine 2, 3- dioxygenase pathway by olanzapine augments antidepressant effects of venlafaxine in mice.

Recent clinical studies report antipsychotics as a better option to augment the action of antidepressants in treatment resistant cases. However, the proper mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effect of antipsychotics is still not clear. Indolamine 2, 3 dioxygenase (IDO) pathway is considered to be an important pathway in pro-inflammatory cytokine associated stress-induced depression.

Naringin and Sertraline Ameliorate Doxorubicin-Induced Behavioral Deficits Through Modulation of Serotonin Level and Mitochondrial Complexes Protection Pathway in Rat Hippocampus.

The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of naringin (NR) alone as well as its combination with sertraline (SRT) against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced neurobehavioral and neurochemical anomalies. DOX (15 mg/kg; i.p.

Augmentation of effect of venlafaxine by folic acid in behavioral paradigms of depression in mice: Evidence of serotonergic and pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways.

Background: Though venlafaxine is an antidepressant with similar efficacy as selective serotonin receptor inhibitors, dose dependent adverse effects limit its use. Depression is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Methods: The study investigated the effect of combining low/serotonergic dose of venlafaxine with folic acid in mice exposed to chronic forced swim stress for 21 days during which immobility and swimming time following forced swim test (FST) and immobility time in tail suspension test (TST) were measured every 7th, 14th and 21st day.

Ameliorative effect of naringin against doxorubicin-induced acute cardiac toxicity in rats.

Context: Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most active chemotherapeutic agents used to treat various types of cancers. Its clinical utility is compromised due to fatal cardiac toxicity characterized by an irreversible cardiomyopathy.

Objective: This study evaluates the cardioprotective potential of naringin (NR) against Dox-induced acute cardiac toxicity in rats.

A comparative study on the cardioprotective potential of atorvastatin and simvastatin in hyperhomocysteinemic rat hearts.

The present study has been deliberated in order to compare the cardioprotective potential of 3-hydroxymethyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, Atorvastatin and Simvastatin in hyperhomocysteinemic rat hearts. L-methionine (1.7 g/kg/day orally) was administered to rats for 4 weeks to produce experimental hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy).

A validated HPLC-UV method and optimization of sample preparation technique for norepinephrine and serotonin in mouse brain.

Context: Norepinephrine and serotonin are two important neurotransmitters whose variations in brain are reported to be associated with many common neuropsychiatric disorders. Yet, relevant literature on estimation of monoamines in biological samples using HPLC-UV is limited.

Objective: The present study involves the development of a simultaneous HPLC-UV method for estimation of norepinephrine and serotonin along with optimization of the sample preparation technique.

Cardioprotective role of H₃R agonist imetit on isoproterenol-induced hemodynamic changes and oxidative stress in rats.

The cardioprotective role of histamine H3 receptor (H3R) agonist imetit (IMT) in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced alterations of hemodynamic and oxidative stress was investigated in Wistar rats. In this study, rats were treated with IMT (5 and 10 mg/kg, per orally [p.o.

Activation of AKT/GSK3β pathway by TDZD-8 attenuates kainic acid induced neurodegeneration but not seizures in mice.

Activation of glycogen synthase kinase3β (GSK3β), an enzyme that regulates a multitude of cellular signaling pathways, is implicated in neurodegenerative processes observed in an array of CNS diseases. We examined the hypothesis that the pathological changes in an acute kainic acid (KA) induced excitotoxicity model, relevant to human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), could be sensitive to inhibition of GSK3β by 4-benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione (TDZD-8) treatment in Swiss albino mice. Immediate seizure responses due to KA were recorded.

Possible involvement of corticosterone and serotonin in antidepressant and antianxiety effects of chromium picolinate in chronic unpredictable mild stress induced depression and anxiety in rats.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of chromium picolinate (CrP) on behavioural and biochemical parameters in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depression and anxiety in rats. The normal and stressed male Swiss albino rats were administered CrP (8 and 16μg/mL in drinking water), they received stressors for seven days (each day one stressor) and this cycle was repeated three times for 21 days. On 22nd day, behaviour assessments followed by biochemical estimations were conducted.

Interactions of atenolol with alprazolam/escitalopram on anxiety, depression and oxidative stress.

Anxiety and depression are highly comorbid disorders possibly sharing a common neurobiological mechanism. The dysfunction of serotoninergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission, abnormal regulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), disturbance of cellular plasticity including reduced neurogenesis, or chronic inflammation connected with high oxidative damage play a crucial role in the development of anxiety and depression. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of atenolol alone and in combination with alprazolam/escitalopram on anxiety, depression and oxidative stress.

Neuroprotective effects of chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of Nigella sativa seeds in stroke model of rat.

Purpose: Stroke still remains a challenge for the researchers and scientists for developing ideal drug. Several new drugs are being evaluated showing excellent results in preclinical studies but when tested in clinical trials, they failed. Many herbal drugs in different indigenous system of medicine claim to have beneficial effects but not extensively evaluated for stroke (cerebral ischemia).

Oxcarbazepine and fluoxetine protect against mouse models of obsessive compulsive disorder through modulation of cortical serotonin and CREB pathway.

The serotonergic system is suggested to be dysregulated in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have emerged as the mainstay in the treatment of this disorder. Oxcarbazepine (OXC), a second generation antiepileptic drug, enhances hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) levels. The aim of the present study was to screen the anti-OCD effects of OXC on marble burying behaviour (MBB) and 8-OHDPAT-induced disruption of alternation, two most studied paradigms of OCD, in rodents.

Cardioprotective potential of simvastatin in the hyperhomocysteinemic rat heart.

The present study investigated the probable role of simvastatin, 3-hydroxymethyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, in abrogated cardioprotection in hyperhomocysteinemic (Hhcy) rat hearts. Isolated Langendorff's perfused normal and Hhcy rat hearts were subjected to 30-min global ischemia (I) followed by 120-min reperfusion (R). Assessment of myocardial damage was done by measuring infarct size and analyzing the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK-MB) in coronary effluent.

Protective effects of histamine H3-receptor ligands in schizophrenic behaviors in experimental models.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) afflicts around 1% of the world's population with characteristic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and cognitive disorders. Several experimental studies in the past have indicted brain histaminergic neuronal system involvement in the pathogenesis of psychotic disorders including SCZ. Present study investigates anti-schizophrenic activity using two histamine H(3)-receptor (H(3)R)-antagonists/inverse agonists, ciproxifan (3.

Ameliorating effects of two extracts of Nigella sativa in middle cerebral artery occluded rat.

Purpose: Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Nigella sativa (400 mg/kg, orally) for 7 days were administered and evaluated for their neuroprotective effects on middle cerebral artery occluded (MCAO) rats.

Materials And Methods: Cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h followed by reperfusion for 22 h. After 24 h of ischemia, grip strength, locomotor activity tests were performed in the surgically operated animals.

Anti-seizure activity of flower extracts of Nepeta bractaeta in Swiss albino mice.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked, recurring seizures that disrupts the nervous system and can cause mental and physical dysfunction. Based on the ethno pharmacological information of the plant, the methanolic and aqueous extracts of the flowers of Nepeta bractaeta was evaluated for its antiepileptic activity. The methanolic and aqueous extracts of the flowers of Nepeta bracteata were observed for their antiepileptic activity by increased current Electroshock seizures (ICES) test and Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) test using Swiss albino mice.

Anticonvulsant activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Melissa parviflora in experimentally induced Swiss albino mice.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of whole plant extracts of Melissa parviflora using MES and PTZ induced seizures models. The dried whole plant was subjected to extraction in methanol and water. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical tests and the carbohydrate, flavonols, coumarins, glycosides and steroid were found to be present.

Effect of alprazolam on anxiety and cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin in mice.

Anxiety following heart failure (HF) and/or myocardial infarction (MI) can impede recovery and constitute a major risk factor for further cardiac events. The present study was aimed to evaluate anxiety following doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy, a rodent model for HF, in mice. Furthermore, the study investigated the effect of alprazolam on anxiety and cardiomyopathy in this model.

Effect of combined treatment of thioperamide with some antiepileptic drugs on methionine-sulfoximine induced convulsions in mice.

Methionine-sulfoximine (MSO), a convulsant is known to increase the activity of histamine N-methyl transferase. The effect of a selective H3 receptor agonist R- (alpha) methylhistamine (RAMH) and antagonist (thioperamide, THP) and some antiepileptic drugs (gabapentin and sodium valproate) have been evaluated on MSO-induced convulsions in mice. The effect of THP was also evaluated in combination with these antiepileptic drugs.