Xanthomicrol Exerts Antiangiogenic and Antitumor Effects in a Mouse Melanoma (B16F10) Allograft Model.

Xanthomicrol, a trimethoxylated hydroxyflavone, is the main active component of Boiss leaf extract. Preliminary in vitro studies identified this compound as a potential antiangiogenic and anticancer agent. This study aimed to evaluate in vivo anticancer effect of xanthomicrol and investigate its molecular mechanism of action in a mouse melanoma (B16F10) model.

The Effect of Noscapine on Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation on Primary Murine Cortical Neurons in High Glucose Condition.

In the present work we set out to investigate the neuroprotective effects of noscapine (0.5-2 µM) in presence of D-glucose on primary murine foetal cortical neurons after oxygen-glucose deprivation/24 h. recovery.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Stimulates Apoptosis in RH and Tehran Strains of Toxoplasma gondii, in Vitro.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on apoptosis of tachyzoites of T. gondii, RH strain (type I) and the cyst-forming Tehran strain (type II) in vitro.

Methods: Toxoplasma strains were injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice.

The inhibitory effect of Acyclovir loaded nano-niosomes against herpes simplex virus type-1 in cell culture.

Background: Wide distribution and low half-life of acyclovir has led to a high dose consumption of the drug. Recent studies have shown that encapsulation of acyclovir in nano-carriers can increase effectiveness and decrease its side effects. We investigated the inhibitory effect of acyclovir loaded nano-niosomes against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) in cell culture.

Skeletal muscle post-conditioning by diazoxide, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

Pretreatment with diazoxide, K(ATP) channel opener, increases tissue tolerance against ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. In clinical settings pretreatment is rarely an option therefore we evaluated the effect of post-ischemic treatment with diazoxide on skeletal muscle IR injury. Rats were treated with either saline, diazoxide (K(ATP) opener; 40 mg/kg) or 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD; mitochondrial K(ATP) inhibitor; 40 mg/kg) after skeletal muscle ischemia (3 h) and reperfusion (6, 24 or 48 h).

In vitro selection and characterization of deoxyribonucleic acid aptamers for digoxin.

The low therapeutic index of digoxin necessitates careful monitoring of its serum levels. Most of digoxin immunoassays suffer from interferences with digoxin-like immunoreactive substances. Since aptamers have been shown to be highly specific for their targets, the aim of this study was to develop DNA aptamers for this widely used cardiac glycoside.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism with elevated serum ACE activity and major depression in an Iranian population.

Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing major depressive disorder (MDD). The importance of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) elements in cognition and behaviour and their involvement in aetiology and treatment of depression imply that RAS gene polymorphism(s) associated with RAS overactivity might also be associated with depression. In the present study, genotype and allele frequencies of six common polymorphisms of genes encoding for RAS components were determined in DNAs extracted from venous blood of 191 depressed and 104 healthy individuals using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was assayed using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism with coronary artery disease in Iranian patients with unipolar depression.

Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an increasingly recognized risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genetic polymorphisms and CAD in a sample of depressed Iranian patients.

Design And Methods: A total of 191 patients with a history of unipolar depression were enrolled in a case/control study.

In vitro and in vivo activities of Peganum harmala extract against Leishmania major.

Background: In vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of crude hydroalcoholic extract of peganum harmala seeds were investigated against Leishmania major.

Methods: The extract of aerial parts of P harmala was obtained by maceration. The in vitro experiments were performed on promastigotes to assess antileishmanial activity of the extract using amphotericin B as a reference.

Interaction of A-240T and A2350G related genotypes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is associated with decreased serum ACE activity and blood pressure in a healthy Iranian population.

Most of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) gene polymorphisms have not yet been studied in the Iranian population. In the present study, the frequencies of common polymorphisms in the RAS genes, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) and three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), i.e.

Effect of crocus sativus on gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity.

Crocus sativus, known as saffron, is used in folk medicine for treatment of different types of diseases, and its anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities have been demonstrated. The present study evaluated gentamicin nephrotoxicity in saffron treated rats. Male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were treated with saffron (40 or 80 mg/k/d) for 10 days, or saffron (40 or 80 mg/ kg/d) for 10 days and gentamicin 80 mg/kg/d for five days, starting from day 6.

Nitric oxide and renal protection in morphine-dependent rats.

Morphine treatment for 5 days protects heart against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study evaluated the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in morphine-induced renal protection. Three weeks after right nephrectomy, increasing doses of morphine were administered (20-30 mg kg(-1)day(-1), 5 days) to develop dependence in rats.

An image processing technique for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) reportedly exhibit hypersensitivity to much diluted tropicamide solution (0.005%), a M4 muscarinic receptor antagonist. Therefore intraocular application of 0.

Construction, calibration, and validation of a simple patch-clamp amplifier for physiology education.

A modular patch-clamp amplifier was constructed based on the Strickholm design, which was initially published in 1995. Various parts of the amplifier such as the power supply, input circuit, headstage, feedback circuit, output and nulling circuits were redesigned to use recent software advances and fabricated using the common lithographic printed circuit board fabrication process and commercially available electronic components. The calibration, validation, and regular recording procedures along with the results of an actual recording of inward Ca(2+) currents from PC12 neuronal cells are described in detail.

Preparation and characterization of a lamotrigine imprinted polymer and its application for drug assay in human serum.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) against lamotrigine (LTG) was prepared, characterized, and its recognition properties were compared with a blank nonimprinted polymer (NIP). Two classes of binding sites were found in the MIP--high affinity (K(D) = 16.2 microM) and low affinity (K(D) = 161.

2-Hydroxyphenacyl azoles and related azolium derivatives as antifungal agents.

2-Hydroxyphenacyl azole and 2-hydroxyphenacyl azolium compounds have been described as a new class of azole antifungals. Most target compounds showed significant in vitro antifungal activities against tested fungi (Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, and Microsporum gypseum) with low MICs values included in the range of 0.25-32 microg/mL comparable to reference drug fluconazole.

A non-radioactive method for angiotensin II receptor binding studies using the rat liver.

Introduction: A new non-radioactive method based on competitive ELISA has been developed for binding studies on angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors.

Method: Rat liver membrane was used as the source of angiotensin receptors and FITC-angiotensin II (FITC-Ang II) was used as the labeled ligand with an affinity similar to unlabeled Ang II. The effects of different concentrations of Ang II, losartan, CGP-42112A and saralasin were studied on FITC-Ang II binding.

Xanthomicrol is the main cytotoxic component of Dracocephalum kotschyii and a potential anti-cancer agent.

Spinal-Z, a methanolic mixture of dried powdered seeds of Peganum harmala Linn. and leaf of Dracocephalum kotschyii Boiss. is an Iranian ethno-medical remedy.