Effects of Donepezil Hydrochloride on Neuronal Response of Pyramidal Neurons of the CA1 Hippocampus in Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Donepezil (DON), an Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor (AChEI), is widely used in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The current study aimed at evaluating the effect of donepezil hydrochloride on pyramidal neuron response in CA1 region of a rat model of AD. METHODS: In the current experimental study, adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis (NBM) lesion (the lesions were induced by an electrical method of 0.5 m A, for 3 s in NBM) and three donepezil groups (lesions plus 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg donepezil intraperitoneal injection). Neuronal spontaneous activity to injection of the donepezil and saline were recorded in CA1 region of hippocampal. RESULTS: The obtained results showed that IntraPeritoneal (IP) injection of donepezil (10 and 15 mg/kg) increased neuronal spontaneous activity in the rat model of AD. CONCLUSION: The current study results suggested that acute IP injection of donepezil increased neuronal response in CA1 region of hippocampal in a rat model of AD.

Transplanted neural-like cells improve memory and Alzheimer-like pathology in a rat model.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Degeneration of the central nerve system, particularly in Alzheimer's disease, is a burden on society, and despite years of research, there is no effective treatment. Cell therapy appears to be an option that is of growing interest in neural studies. The main aim of this study was to investigate the histological and physiological effects of transplantation the neuron-like cell (NLC)-derived mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) on the repair of brain lesions in an Alzheimer's animal model (AM) in rats. METHODS: Behavioral experiments were conducted in the light hours in a Y-shaped maze device. Animals were randomly divided into five groups, with seven rats per group. The nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) was destroyed bilaterally with an electrical lesion (0.5 mA for 3 s). One week after the bilateral lesion of the NBM, the differentiated NLCs (0.1 mL) were injected with stereotaxic surgery using a Hamilton syringe at NBM coordinates, and behavioral and histological tests were performed by the Y-maze task and hematoxylin and eosin staining after five weeks of the lesion. Also, differentiated cells detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and fluorescent immunostaining. RESULTS: The expression of neuronal markers including Nestin, Map2, NF-H, Tuj-1, GFAP and Olig-2 was surveyed by using the immunocytochemistry and qRT-PCR methods, and the results confirmed that the genes in question were expressed significantly more compared than the control sample. Five weeks after the cell transplantation in the AM, morphological and physiological investigation during the determination period confirmed improved disease state in the tested models. CONCLUSIONS: It should be noted that by improving the neuronal connectivity in AM rat brains, the transplanted NLCs rescue Alzheimer's cognition. This research has presented some preclinical evidence that showed NLCs transplantation can be used for AM treatment.

Antioxidant effect of aqueous extract of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) in the alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

In this experimental study, 30 adult male Wistar rats divided into 5 groups (n=6). Experimental rats were treated with one intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kgbw Alloxan monohydrate alone or in combination with 28 days of oral administration with aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria (50, 100 and 250 mg/kgbw) while the control rats received normal saline. At the end of the study, blood glucose, malondialdehyde concentration and catalase activities of kidney and liver tissues were determined. Treatment with Rhus coriaria extract resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, and the liver and kidney tissue contents of malondialdehyde in comparison to diabetic group (P<0.05). Furthermore, diabetic group treated with extract showed a significant increase in catalase activities of the liver and kidney (P<0.05). The present study showed that Rhus coriaria could be effective in decreasing diabetic complication and this effect is attributed to the antioxidant activity of the plant.