The protective effects of demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hydroxy-demethoxyviridine in the livers of male rats treated with diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetylaminflourene.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the protective effects of a fungal metabolite of demethoxyviridine (DMV) and its derivative, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV in the livers of 2-month-old male Spraque-Dawley rats treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 2-acetylaminflourene (2-AAF). METHODS: This study was performed in the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey from May 2006. Animals were divided into 10 groups. Those were the control, olive oil, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, DEN, 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, and DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV-treated animal groups. The liver microsomes were prepared from rats and the levels of expression of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) enzymes were determined with western blot technique. The liver tissue slides were evaluated histopathologically with hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemically for Harvey-retrovirus associated DNA sequences (Ha-Ras), glutathione S- transferase (GST-p), and connexion-32 (Cx32) proteins. RESULTS: Notably, there were no appreciable differences in CYP1A2 level among control, olive oil, and DMSO-treated animals. The CYP1A2 level was significantly decreased in 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, and DMV-treated animals as compared to the control. Most prenoplastic focus was found in DEN+2-AAF treated group. CONCLUSION: Demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hidroksi-DMV had protective effect in the livers of DEN, 2-AAF and DEN+2-AAF induced rats.

Peripheral intrapulmonary lipoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Lipomas are common benign tumours, but intrathoracic lipomas are rare and peripheral lung lipomas are exceptionally rare. Eight cases have been described in the world literature. We report a case of lipoma arising in the periphery of the left lower lung in a 54-year old woman. Grossly, it was presented as a well- circumscribed, thinly encapsulated, rounded, pale yellow mass. A wedge resection was done of the left lung and the microscopic findings revealed lipoma of the lung. The present paper recapitulates the macroscopic and microscopic features, the treatment and the differential diagnosis of this rare neoplasm.

Effects of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) extract and N-nitro-L-arginine on renal function and ultrastructure of kidney cells in experimental type 2 Diabetes.

Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic renal failure. Our purpose was to determine the effects of N-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA) and an extract of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) (SrB) leaves on renal function in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetic rats. Rats were divided into seven groups. Three of these groups were controls. Diabetes was induced by STZ-NA in the other four. Diabetic rats were treated with SrB (200 mg/kg), L-NNA (100 mg/kg), or SrB + L-NNA for 15 days after 5-8 weeks of diabetes. At the end of the experiments, urine and blood samples were collected from the rats, and kidney tissue samples were collected with the animals under ether anesthesia. Renal filtration changes were determined by measuring urine pH, urine volume, and serum and urine creatinine. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was measured in kidney homogenates. Alterations in kidney ultrastructure were determined by electron microscopy, and histological changes were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. No statistical differences were observed in urine creatinine or creatinine clearance. Even so, we observed higher NOS activity in SrB-treated diabetic rats. SrB-treated diabetic rats had less mitochondrial swelling and vacuolization in thin kidney sections than other diabetic groups. The control groups showed normal histological structure, whereas in the diabetic groups, membrane thickening, tubular epithelial cells, and cellular degeneration were observed. Thus, SrB has beneficial effects on diabetes compared with l-NNA. Our results support the validity of SrB for the management of diabetes as well as diabetes-induced renal disorders.

Protective effects of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and metallothioneins on excess nitric oxide toxicity in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced rat colitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the protective effects of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and metallothioneins on excess nitric oxide toxicity in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced rat colitis. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, 70 rats were assigned to 7 groups of controls, and colitis was induced with 120 mg/kg TNBS, 35 mg/kg L-NAME, and 1 and 2 mg/kg metallothionein 1 (MT1) and metallothionein 2 (MT2), respectively. A day after the administration of TNBS, L-NAME, MT1 and MT2 were given intraperitoneally for 3 days to the experimental groups. After the administration of TNBS, dissections of the rats in the L-NAME, MT1 and MT2 groups were performed at 3-day periods under ether anesthesia, and whole blood, bone marrow and colon were obtained. RESULTS: On the third day, red and white blood cell values were increased, while platelet and bone marrow granule cells decreased in the L-NAME- and TNBS-induced group. On the third day, all the blood values increased in MT1 (1 and 2 mg/kg) and MT2 (1 and 2 mg/kg) in the TNBS-administered groups. Histologic findings were macroscopic score, ulcer, loss of mucous cells, crypt abscess, inflammatory cyst, mucosa atrophy, edema, vascular dilatation and induced nitric oxide synthetase, which increased in the descending colon in the colitis rats, while it was decreased rats given L-NAME, MT1 and MT2 administration. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that MT1 and MT2 are more effective in protecting against the toxic effects of excess nitric oxide as compared with L-NAME in the colitis rats.

Dexanabinol prevents development of vasospasm in the rat femoral artery model.

We postulated that a multi-potential agent such as dexanabinol may prevent the development of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. We tested the effect of dexanabinol (10 mg/kg) on established vasospasm in a rat femoral artery model. Dexanabinol was given as single or repeated doses. On the 7th day after blood application, vessels were prepared for transmission electron microscopy studies, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling staining, and studying vessel morphology including luminal area and wall thickness. Application of blood to femoral artery caused a significant narrowing of luminal area (p<0.001) and a marked increase of radial wall thickness (p<0.001) when compared to controls. Similar to its single injection, repeated doses of dexanabinol markedly widened luminal area (p<0.001) near to control values (p>0.05) and decreased radial wall thickness significantly compared to hemorrhage (p<0.05) and vehicle-treated groups (for single p<0.05 and repetitive injections p<0.01). Both single and multiple dexanabinol injections also lowered apoptotic index (p<0.001). In conclusion, dexanabinol seems to prevent established vasospasm and endothelial cell apoptosis.