Vitamin D3 supplementation ameliorates ovariectomy-induced cardiac apoptotic and structural changes in adult albino rats.

The effect of vitamin D on cardiac dysfunction after menopause is still under investigation. Therefore, we investigated the effect of vitamin D3 on cardiac apoptotic and structural changes in ovariectomized rats. Forty adult female albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups: sham rats, sham rats treated with vitamin D3, ovariectomized rats, and ovariectomized rats treated with vitamin D3 (500 IU/kg per day for 6 weeks, orally). Body mass, blood pressure, heart rate, and whole heart mass (WHM) were measured. Serum soluble receptors of advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), C-reactive protein, malondialdehyde, and total antioxidant capacity were estimated. Cardiac sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome stain. Fas and FasL apoptosis-related proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry. Vitamin D3 treatment significantly decreased ovariectomy-induced cardiac Fas and FasL apoptosis-related proteins, whole heart mass, body mass, C-reactive protein, and malondialdehyde accompanied by decreased inflammation and reduced collagen deposition between cardiac muscle fibres. However, vitamin D3 significantly increased total antioxidant capacity and sRAGE in ovariectomized and sham treated groups. Our findings suggest that vitamin D3 treatment can prevent ovariectomy-induced cardiac structural and apoptotic changes in rats via increasing sRAGE and antioxidant activity. Our results suggest that vitamin D3 has therapeutic effect against postmenopausal cardiovascular disease.

Curcumin and hemopressin treatment attenuates cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis in rats: role of CB1 receptors.

Curcumin exerts hepatoprotective effects via poorly defined mechanisms. Recently, some studies suggested that this effect was mediated by antagonizing CB1 receptors in hepatic stellate cells. The current study aimed to investigate whether CB1 antagonist, hemopressin, could potentiate the hepatoprotective effect of curcumin, in comparison with silymarin in bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats. Curcumin and hemopressin each alone and in combination ameliorated biochemical and structural fibrotic injury, and downregulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and both mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in fibrotic liver. In contrast to the previous studies, curcumin alone did not affect the gene expression of cannabinoid receptors. However, the combination of hemopressin and curcumin reduced the expression of CB1 in fibrotic liver. Surprisingly, silymarin upregulated CB2 receptors and downregulated CB1 at mRNA level more than all the administered drugs. Both curcumin and hemopressin each alone decreased lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), while the combination increased the reduced glutathione content. All the administered drugs increased the hepatic antiapoptotic marker, Bcl2. Our study suggests that hemopressin potentiates the hepatoprotective effect of curcumin on fibrotic liver. We identified a new mechanism of the hepatoprotective effect of silymarin via modulation of cannabinoid receptors in fibrotic liver.

Organ Donation From Deceased Donors: A Proactive Detection Program in Saudi Arabia.

Several challenging obstacles remain to increasing the number of organ donations from deceased patients in a hospital setting. These include medical, administrative, and ethical issues. Possible medical obstacles include the failure of early recognition of possible donors and inadequate care of potential and actual donors. To maximize the use of donated organs, proper care of the donors and expedited donor consent cannot be overemphasized. The care rendered to patients should ensure appropriate perfusion and nutrition of the organs, with meticulous follow-up until organ recovery. For example, patients involved in accidents are presumed to be healthy, but many have no available medical history on file. At the time of organ recovery, unexpected infections or malignancies can be minimized by raising the index of suspicion of the presence of serious conditions in donors, especially in donors with unknown medical history. A careful physical examination and an appropriate and aggressive laboratory investigation may disclose the cause of suspected clinical conditions in these potential donors. Individuals who work in intensive care units are the main group of health care providers directly involved in the process of organ donation. Appointing a donor coordinator in each intensive care unit could improve all aspects of organ donation. Such coordination could harmonize efforts toward the goals mentioned above and surmount the obstacles encountered during deceased-donor organ donation. Here, we describe the preliminary results of the Proactive Detection Program, a collaboration between the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (the national organ donation and transplant supervising center) and intensive care units of donating hospitals. With its success in Saudi Arabia, it is hoped that it will be widely adopted in other regions.

Aged garlic extract ameliorates the oxidative stress, histomorphological, and ultrastructural changes of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in adult male rats.

AIM: Aged garlic extract (AGE) is a natural dietary substance having different antioxidant free-radical-scavenger compounds that ameliorates the toxicity of the oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of AGE on cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four, adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups namely control, AGE-treated (a single oral dose of 250 mg/kg/day for 21 days), CP-treated (a single intraperitoneal dose of 7.5 mg/kg on Day 16), and AGE + CP-treated (AGE at a dose of 250 mg/kg/once daily for 21 days and a single dose of CP of 7.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally on Day 16). Body weight and absolute and relative kidney weights of each rat were calculated. Serum creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels were determined. Level of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione and activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase of renal tissues were measured. Renal specimens from each rat were prepared for both light and electron microscopic examinations. RESULTS: Interstitial cell infiltration, hemorrhage, glomerular atrophy, necrosis, and tubular degeneration were observed after CP treatment. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and glutathione level were significantly decreased and malondialdehyde level was significantly increased in CP-treated rats compared with AGE + CP-treated animals. A remarkable improvement in the histopathological and ultrastructural changes induced by CP in renal tissues was observed in AGE + CP-treated rats. CONCLUSION: AGE exhibited antioxidant effect that could ameliorate the nephrotoxic effects of CP.