Effect of Tarantula Cubensis Extract (Theranekron) on Peripheral Nerve Healing in an Experimental Sciatic Nerve Injury Model in Rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects of systemic application of Theranekron on peripheral nerve healing after compression type peripheral nerve injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-one female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=7): Control (C), injury (I), and Theranekron (T). The right sciatic nerves of rats in the I and T groups were compressed via an aneurysm clip for 5 minutes and 0.3 ml Theranekron D6 was applied via subcutaneous administration once a week in the T group for a total period of four weeks. Nerve conduction velocity and proximal and distal latency of the rats were measured at the end of day 30. The right sciatic nerves of the rats were then removed and myelin damage grading, axon counting, fibrosis assessment, caspase-3, and NF-kB immunochemical staining were performed. The data were analysed statistically and a p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. RESULTS: Axonal degeneration, vacuolization and myelin destruction were found to be markedly greater in group T. Fibrosis and caspase-3 immunoreactivity were less intense in group T. There was a statistically significant difference in the electrophysiological results of groups I and T. However, there were no statistically significant differences in axon number and NF-kB immunochemical evaluation of groups I and T. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study show that Theranekron decreases axonal and myelin damage after sciatic nerve injury and that this neuroprotective effect of Theranekron can be attributed to its anti-inflammatory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokine levels.

Protective Effects of Hypericum perforatum and Quercetin in a Rat Model of Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury of Testes.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the protective effects of Hypericum perforatum (Hp) and quercetin, a flavonoid, against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat testes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 28 male Wistar albino rats that were divided into four groups. Except for the sham group, torsion was created by rotating both testes at an angle of 720 degrees clockwise for 2 hours. The Hp and quercetin groups received 25 mg/kg Hp and quercetin intraperitoneally 30 minutes before detorsion, respectively. Orchiectomy was performed for the measurement of markers of oxidative stress and histopathological examination. RESULTS: In the Hp and quercetin groups, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and total oxidant capacity were significantly lower, the glutathione level and total antioxidant status were significantly higher, and Johnsen's testis biopsy scores were significantly higher than in the torsion/detorsion group (p ˂ 0.001). The markers of oxidative injury were significantly lower (p ˂ 0.001) and total antioxidant status was significantly higher (p ˂ 0.001), except for glutathione (p = 0.62) in the Hp group than in the quercetin group. Johnsen's score between Hp and quercetin groups was not significantly different (p = 0.80). CONCLUSION: Both Hp and quercetin have protective effects against I/R injury of the testes, but the protective effect of Hp was found to be stronger than that of quercetin.

Idiopathic Isolated Cilioretinal Artery Occlusion Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Cilioretinal artery occlusion (CLRAO) is a rare event which has been reported in association with various systemic diseases. We report a case of idiopathic isolated CLRAO treated successfully with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. A 26-year-old man presented with sudden, painless vision loss and an inferior hemivisual field defect in the left eye. Fundus fluorescein angiography revealed an occluded cilioretinal artery. After 2 weeks of HBO therapy, visual acuity improved from 20/200 to 20/20. The visual field defect improved.