Crocin, the compound of the dried stigma of Crocus sativus L (saffron), restores doxorubicin-induced disturbances in kidney functioning, oxidative stress, inflammation, renal tissue morphology and TGF-ß signalling pathways.

Doxorubicin (Dox), an anthracycline antibiotic, is a chemotherapeutic drug for several cancer treatments. However, its clinical usage has been restricted because of severe side effects, including nephrotoxicity. This study aimed to demonstrate the possible nephroprotective effects of crocin (Cr) against Dox-induced oxidative stress, renal inflammation, renal morphology and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) signalling pathways in Dox-exposed rats. Hence, the rats were injected for 15 d consecutively with saline, six different injections of Dox until the cumulative dose reached 12 mg/kg., daily Cr (40 mg/kg), and Dox + Cr combination. Cr increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), GSH content and suppressed inflammation and oxidative stress in Dox-exposed rats. Our results were confirmed by immunohistochemical findings that Cr treatment ameliorates the expressions of IL1ß and TGF-ß in Dox-induced nephrotoxicity. Conclusionally, Cr exhibits adequate nephroprotective effects against Dox-induced nephrotoxicity on rat kidney architecture and tissue function by stabilising cellular redox homeostasis, reducing renal fibrosis and suppressing inflammation.

The effects of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment in acrylamide-induced nephrotoxicity in rats: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE: Acrylamide (AA) is toxic and forms in food that undergoes high-temperature processing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AA-induced toxicity on renal tissue in pinealectomized rats and the possible protective effect of exogenous Melatonin (ML) administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty rats were randomized into 6 groups (n = 10): Sham, Sham+AA, Sham+AA+ML, PX, PX+AA, and PX+AA+ML. Sham and pinealectomized rats received AA (25 mg/kg/day orally) and ML (0.5 ml volume at 10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal) for 21 days. RESULTS: The results showed that malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) levels of the kidney and urea and creatinine levels of serum in the PX (pinealectomy)+AA group were more increased than in the Sham+AA group. In addition, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels decreased more in the PX+AA group than in the Sham+AA group. Also, we observed more histopathologic damage in the PX+AA group. On the other hand, up-regulation of kidney tissue antioxidants, down-regulation of tissue oxidants, and improvement in kidney function were achieved with ML treatment. Also, histopathological findings such as inflammatory cell infiltration, shrinkage of glomeruli, and dilatation of tubules caused by AA toxicity improved with ML treatment. CONCLUSION: ML supplementation exhibited adequate nephroprotective effects against the nephrotoxicity of AA on pinealectomized rat kidney tissue function by balancing the oxidant/antioxidant status and suppressing the release of proinflammatory cytokines.

Evaluation of the usage of YouTube videos about Histology and Embryology as an educational material.

The use of YouTube videos for educational purposes has been increasingly popular. The quality and accuracy of the information level of these videos should be checked by expert trainers. This study aims to evaluate the content, quality and functionality of YouTube videos on Histology and Embryology and to measure their educational usefulness. In the study, searches were performed using the keywords "Histology" and "Embryology" in the YouTube search tab. Quality and content were evaluated using the Video Power Index (VPI), modified DISCERN scale, JAMA and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Videos were categorized by educational usefulness. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. A statistically significant high correlation was observed between modified DISCERN scores and JAMA scores (r = 0.757, p < 0.001) and between modified DISCERN scores and GQS scores (r = 0.743, p < 0.001). A statistically significant high correlation was also determined between JAMA and GQS scores (r = 0.632, p < 0.001). GQS scores were weakly, negatively and significantly correlated with the number of comments (r = -0.302, p < 0.05) and dislikes (r = -0.325, p < 0.05). Based on GQS, the useful and non-useful videos differed significantly in terms of views, likes, dislikes, comments counts and days since upload (p < 0.05). Modified DISCERN and JAMA scores also differed significantly between the useful and non-useful videos (p < 0.001). Educational videos published for Histology and Embryology education on the internet will be more beneficial if they are prepared by expert educators from reliable information sources, by the current literature, and by scoring systems such as DISCERN, JAMA and GQS.