Effects of Nimodipine and Nigella sativa on Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Serum and Brain Tissue of Rats with Experimental Head Trauma.

AIM: To investigate whether Nimodipine (N) and Nigella sativa (NS) oil have protective, antioxidant effects in brain injury caused by experimental head trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups that underwent experimental head trauma. Oxidative parameters were compared in the serum and brain tissue of the different groups. In addition, apoptosis and caspase-3 immunoreactivity were evaluated by histopathological examination. RESULTS: Serum total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were significantly increased in N and N+NS groups when compared with controls (p=0.001, p < 0.01). Tissue TAS levels were significantly higher in the NS and N+NS groups compared to controls (p=0.001, p < 0.01). Total oxidant status levels in the brain tissue were significantly higher in the NS group than in the control group (p=0.021). CONCLUSION: N and NS were shown to significantly reduce the occurrence of oxidative stress in secondary brain injury due to head trauma. We also found that apoptosis levels decreased in response to N, NS and N+NS treatments after head trauma.

Effects of intralipid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester on neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and acetylcholinesterase activity in acute chlorpyriphos intoxication.

UNLABELLED: Chlorpyriphos is one of the most widely used organophosphate (OP) insecticide in agriculture with potential toxicity. Current post-exposure treatments consist of anti-cholinergic drugs and oxime compounds. We studied the effects of intralipid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on chlorpyriphos toxicity to compose an alternative or supportive treatment for OP poisoning. METHODS: Forty-nine rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Chlorpyriphos was administered for toxicity. Intralipid (IL) and CAPE administered immediately after chlorpyriphos. Serum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) level, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant response (TAR), and histologic examination of cerebellum and brain tissue with Hematoxylin-Eosin and immunohistochemical dyes were examined. RESULTS: Serum enzym levels showed that chlorpyriphos and CAPE inhibited AChE while IL alone had no effect, chlorpyriphos and CAPE intensifies the inhibition effect. Significant difference at AChE levels between the chlorpyriphos+IL and chlorpyriphos+CAPE verified that IL has a protective effect on AChE inhibition. TAR levels were significantly increased in all groups except chlorpyriphos group, TOS levels revealed that CAPE and IL decrease the amount of oxidative stress. Histologic examination revealed that neuronal degeneration was slightly decreased at chlorpyriphos+IL group, but CAPE had a significant effect on protection of neuronal degeneration. CONCLUSION: The results of this study gave us three key points. 1) AChE activity is important for diagnosis of OP intoxication but it has no value for determining the neuro-degeneration. 2) CAPE inhibits AChE activity and may increase the muscarinic-nicotinic hyperactivation. Therefore it should not be used for treatment of OP intoxication. 3) IL decreases the severity of neurodegeneration and symptoms of OP intoxication and it can be used as a supportive agent.