Preventive effects of quercetin against inflammation and apoptosis in cyclophosphamide-induced testicular damage.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effects of quercetin (QRC) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular damage and how it interacts with apoptotic and inflammatory signaling pathways.

Materials And Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, 10 in each group; Control group (corn oil, intragastrically, 14 days), QRC group (100 mg/kg QRC, dissolved in corn oil, 14 days), CP group (200 mg/kg CP, intraperitoneally, single dose on the 7th day), and CP+QRC group (100 mg/kg QRC, intragastrically, 14 days and 200 mg/kg CP, intraperitoneally, single dose on the 7th day). Animals were sacrificed one day after the last QRC application and the effects of quercetin were evaluated by histological, morphometrical, and hormonal parameters.

Protective Effect of Curcumin Against Gentamicin-induced Nephrotoxicity Mediated by p38 MAPK, Nuclear Factor- Kappa B, Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2.

Introduction: The antioxidant activity of curcumin (CMN) has been evaluated in several studies. We aimed to examine the protective effect of curcumin on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, both at histological and immunohistochemical levels.

Methods: Forty male Wistar albino rats were assigned into four groups of 10 as follows: group 1: control, group 2: curcumin for 15 days, group 3: gentamicin for the last 10 days, and group 4: curcumin for 15 days and gentamicin for the last 10 days.

Protective effects of curcumin against methotrexate-induced testicular damage in rats by suppression of the p38-MAPK and nuclear factor-kappa B pathways.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the possibility that curcumin (CMN) protects against methotrexate (MTX)-induced testicular damage by affecting the phospho-p38 (p-p38) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways.

Methods: Eighteen male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups. The control group was given an intragastric administration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) daily for 14 days, the MTX group was given a single intraperitoneal dose of MTX (20 mg/kg) on the 11th day, and the MTX+CMN group was given intragastric CMN (100 mg/kg/day, dissolved in DMSO) for 14 days and a single intraperitoneal dose of MTX (20 mg/kg) on the 11th day.

Protective effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate against methotrexate-induced testicular damage.

The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) against methotrexate (MTX)-induced testicular damage in rats. Forty male rats were divided into equally four groups: Control group (saline solution, IP), PDTC group (100 mg/kg PDTC,IP, 10 days), MTX group (20 mg/kg MTX, IP, single dose, on the 6th day) and MTX + PDTC group (100 mg/kg PDTC, IP, 10 days and 20 mg/kg MTX, IP, single dose, on the 6th day). After 10 days, testicular tissues were excised for morphometric, histological and immunohistochemical evaluations.

In vivo effects of curcumin and deferoxamine in experimental endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis is one of the most common chronic gynecological diseases.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the effects of curcumin and/or deferoxamine on cell proliferation in a rat model of endometriosis.

Material And Methods: Thirty female 12-week-old albino Wistar rats, weighing 200-250 g, were used in this study.

Protective effect of royal jelly in 2,4,6 trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Objectives: In the present study, we evaluated immunological and immunomodulatory properties of royal jelly (RJ) in 2,4,6 trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen adult female Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups of six animals each: a control group that received only saline solution, a TNBS-induced colitis group, and a TNBS-colitis+RJ group that received 250 mg/kg/day of RJ for seven days before the induction of colitis, following by the same treatment for an additional seven days. At the end of the experiment, cardiac blood and colon samples were obtained under deep anaesthesia from the animals in all groups.

N-Acetylcysteine counteracts oxidative stress and protects alveolar epithelial cells from lung contusion-induced apoptosis in rats with blunt chest trauma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on peroxidative and apoptotic changes in the contused lungs of rats following blunt chest trauma. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, contusion, and contusion + NAC. All the rats, apart from those in the control group, performed moderate lung contusion.

Protective effect of sildenafil on liver injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.

Background: This study evaluated the protective effect of sildenafil on liver injury induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion.

Methods: Forty female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: sham-control (SC), ischemia (I), ischemia-reperfusion (IR), and ischemia-reperfusion+sildenafil (SIL; sildenafil gavaged at 50mg/kg before operating). A 2-h ischemia-reperfusion was performed by clamping the superior mesenteric artery.

Vitamin E modulates apoptosis and c-jun N-terminal kinase activation in ovarian torsion-detorsion injury.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of vitamin E in follicular degeneration and to assess histopathological and biochemical changes following ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rat ovaries. Twenty-eight Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, 4h torsion, 24h detorsion, and a vitamin E group. Thirty minutes before detorsion, a single dose of 200mg/kg vitamin E was administered intraperitoneally.

Effects of curcumin on apoptosis and oxidoinflammatory regulation in a rat model of acetic acid-induced colitis: the roles of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase.

The present study evaluated the effects of curcumin on epithelial cell apoptosis, the immunoreactivity of the phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in inflamed colon mucosa, and oxidative stress in a rat model of ulcerative colitis induced by acetic acid. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, acetic acid, and acetic acid+curcumin. Curcumin (100 mg/kg per day, intragastrically) was administered 10 days before the induction of colitis and was continued for two additional days.

Stupor due to possible interaction between Lorazepam and valproic acid: report of two cases.

Valproate (VPA) and lorazepam are excreted mainly by glucuronide conjugation. VPA reduces the excretion of lorazepam as a result of the administration of these two medications together. As a result of these interactions, even if rarely, serious adverse effects such as coma may develop.

Increased c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation in human endometriotic endothelial cells.

Endometriosis is a common inflammatory gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is a subfamily of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) involved in cellular processes ranging from cytokine expression to apoptosis, and is activated in response to inflammation and cellular stress. We hypothesized that inflammatory cytokines in the peritoneal microenvironment increase JNK MAPK activity in endometriotic endothelial cells, and that human endometrial endothelial cells (HEECs) may be involved in inflammatory pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Expression and role of interleukin-23 in human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.

Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is a novel cytokine involved in the regulation of organ-specific immune responses. We hypothesized that expression of IL-23 in the human endometrium is menstrual cycle and pregnancy dependent, and is involved in endometrial immune regulation. IL-23 expression and regulation was investigated in the human endometrium and placenta in vivo using immunohistochemistry and in vitro using Western blot and cell viability analyses.

Differential regulation of Akt phosphorylation in endometriosis.

Protein kinase B (PKB/Akt), a serine/threonine kinase, regulates the function of many cellular proteins involved in apoptosis and proliferation. It was postulated that there is a higher Akt activity in endometriosis compared with normal endometrium, and that oestrogen may be one of the factors responsible for the high Akt activation in endometriotic cells. Phospho-Akt (pAkt) concentrations in normal, eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues were compared by immunohistochemistry, and a higher pAkt immunoreactivity was revealed in eutopic and ectopic endometrium compared with normal endometrium, in vivo.

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression in preeclamptic decidua and MMP9 induction by tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta in human first trimester decidual cells.

Extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade human decidua via sequential integrin-mediated binding and proteolysis of basement membrane proteins in the extracellular matrix (ECM). In preeclampsia, shallow EVT invasion impairs spiral artery and arteriole remodeling to reduce uteroplacental blood flow. Excess decidual cell-expressed matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9, in response to preeclampsia-related interleukin 1 beta (IL1B) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), may inappropriately degrade these basement membrane proteins and impede EVT invasion.

Protective effect of L-carnitine on testicular ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Testicular torsion is a urological emergency referred to as 'acute scrotum', because inappropriate treatment can lead to male subfertility and infertility. A possible cause of testicular damage is the ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury attributed to oxygen free radicals. L-carnitine, a vitamin-like antioxidant, plays a pivotal role in the maturation of spermatozoa within the reproductive tract.

Effect of black cumin (Nigella sativa) on heart rate, some hematological values, and pancreatic beta-cell damage in cadmium-treated rats.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa (NS) on the heart rate, some hematological values, and pancreatic beta-cell damage in cadmium (Cd)-treated rats. The rats were randomly grouped into one of three experimental groups: Control, Cd treated, and Cd + NS treated. Each group contained 10 animals.

Protective effects of vitamin C, alone or in combination with vitamin A, on endotoxin-induced oxidative renal tissue damage in rats.

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of vitamin C and vitamin A on oxidative renal tissue damage. Male Wistar rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml saline (control) or 0.