Involvement of Hippocampal D1-Like Dopamine Receptors in the Inhibitory Effect of Cannabidiol on Acquisition and Expression of Methamphetamine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotomimetic compound with strong potential to decrease the psychostimulant's rewarding effect with unclear receptors. Furthermore, as a part of the reward circuit, the hippocampus plays a crucial role in regulating the reward properties of drugs as determined by conditioned place preference (CPP). In the current research, CPP was used to evaluate the role of intra-CA1 microinjection of D1-like dopamine receptor antagonists in CBD's inhibitory effect on the acquisition and expression phases of methamphetamine (METH). Animals were treated by METH (1 mg/kg; sc) in a five-day schedule to induce CPP. To find out the impact of D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist, SCH23390, in the CA1 on the inhibitory influence of CBD on the acquisition of METH, the rats received intra-CA1 administration of SCH23390 (0.25, 1, and 4 µg/0.5 µl) following ICV treatment of CBD (10 µg/5 µl) over conditioning phase of METH. Furthermore, animals were given SCH23390 in the CA1 ensuing ICV microinjection of CBD (50 µg/5 µl) in the expression phase of METH to rule out the influence of SCH23390 on the suppressive effect of CBD on the expression of METH CPP. Intra-CA1 microinjection of SCH23390 abolished CBD's suppressive impact on both METH-induced CPP phases without any side effect on the locomotion. The current research disclosed that CBD inhibited the rewarding characteristic of METH via D1-like dopamine receptors in the CA1 region of the hippocampus.

Plant-Derived Fermented Products: An Interesting Concept for Human Health.

The health benefits of fermenting plant-derived products remain an underexplored domain. Plants and other natural products serve as medicinal agents when consumed as part of our diets, and the role of microorganisms in fermentation garners significant scientific interest. The present narrative review investigates the effects of fermentation of substances such as plants, algae, and fungi on their therapeutic and related purposes. Among the microorganisms used in fermentation, lactic acid bacteria are often linked to fermented products, particularly dairy and animal-based ones, and take center stage. These microorganisms are adept at synthesizing vitamins, active peptides, minerals, proteinases, and enzymes. Plant-derived fermented products are a significant source of active peptides, phytochemicals, flavonoids, and bioactive molecules with a profound impact on human health. They exhibit anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, the effects being substantiated by experimental studies. Clinical investigations underscore their effectiveness in managing diverse health conditions. Various studies highlight a synergy between microorganisms and plant-based materials, with fermentation as an innovative method for daily food preparation or a treatment option for specific ailments. These promising findings highlight the need for continued scientific inquiry into the impact of fermentation-derived products in clinical settings. Clinical observations to date have offered valuable insights into health improvement for various disorders. This current narrative review explores the impact of natural and plant-originated fermented products on health and well-being.

Protective effects of curcumin against traumatic brain injury.

Neuroinflammation is a key pathophysiological mechanism implicated in the neurodegenerative condition. One such condition implicating neuroinflammation is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Over the past decades, various alternative natural compounds, such as curcumin, have been investigated as novel therapeutic options to mitigate the pathophysiological pathways and clinical sequelae involved in TBI. As the main component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), curcumin has a broad range of clinical properties due to its considerable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. This review discusses the pleiotropic mechanisms, the side effects, curcumin's delivery to the central nervous system (CNS), and its immunomodulatory and protective effects on TBI. Clinical trials, in vivo, and in vitro studies were extracted from different scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, to assess the effects of curcumin or its derivatives in TBI. Findings reveal that curcumin exhibited some protective effects on TBI via modulation of cell signaling pathways including toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and Nod-like receptor family proteins (NLRPs). Moreover, curcumin upregulates the brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor/Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (BDNF/TrkB) signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which have crucial functions in modulation of TBI pathophysiological-mediated pathways. Curcumin displays beneficial immunomodulatory functions and protective capacities in different TBI models, although more clinical experiments are required to clarify curcumin's precise mechanisms and function in TBI.

Cannabidiol efficiently suppressed the acquisition and expression of methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in the rat.

Methamphetamine (MET) is one of the most prevalently abused psychostimulants in the world with drastic repercussions. Several studies emphasized the inhibitory effect of Cannabidiol (CBD) on the reward properties of psychostimulants. The current investigation utilized conditioned place preference (CPP) to assay CBD's impact on MET's reward characteristic, including acquisition and expression phases of MET-induced CPP. Like our prior researches, animals received MET (1 mg/kg; sc) in a five-day schedule to induce CPP. The rats were given intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinjection of CBD (2, 10, and 50 µg/5 µL DMSO) during the 5-day conditioning phase in the CPP paradigm to highlight the CBD's impact on the development (acquisition) of MET-induced place preference. Furthermore, animals were treated with CBD (2, 10 and 50 µg/5 µL) in the lateral ventricle on the post-conditioning day to elucidate the effect of ICV injection of CBD on the expression of MET-induced CPP. It was revealed that CBD (10 and 50 µg/5 µL) microinjection profoundly inhibited both phases of MET-induced CPP without any side effect on the locomotion in animals were treated by MET injection over conditioning phase. Also, CBD's inhibitory impact was more potent in the acquisition phase than the expression phase of MET-induced CPP. Ultimately, the current research reported that CBD could be a beneficial compound to treat drug abuse however more investigations are needed.

Serotonin Syndrome Following an Uncomplicated Orthopedic Surgery in a Patient With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Serotonin syndrome (SS) is a potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction that may occur in patients treated with serotonin agonist medications. Medications responsible for serotonin syndrome include commonly prescribed antidepressants, anxiolytics, analgesics, and antiemetics. Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at risk for polypharmacy with serotoninergic medications, given their psychological comorbidities and service-related musculoskeletal injuries. The perioperative period is a particularly vulnerable time owing to the use of high-dose anxiolytics and antiemetics frequently administered in this period, and places PTSD patients at higher risk of SS. Herein, we present the first case of SS in a young veteran with combat-related PTSD following an uncomplicated L5-S1 revision discectomy that highlights the unique set of clinical challenges and dilemmas faced when treating SS in a patient with severe postsurgical pain. As we are likely to encounter increasing numbers of veterans treated for PTSD who require multiple surgical procedures to treat their service-related injuries, health care providers need to be familiar with prevention, recognition, and the clinical challenges in the management of SS in the postoperative period.