The Non-Ergot Derived Dopamine Agonist Quinagolide as an Anti-Endometriotic Agent.

AIM: The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a dopamine agonist, quinagolide, on experimentally induced endometriosis in a rat model. METHODS: Twenty female Wistar rats were used in this experiment. Endometriosis was surgically induced by transplantation of autologous endometrial tissue. A second laparotomy was performed 4 weeks after the first one to assess the pre-treatment implant volumes, and peritoneal lavage with saline solution was performed to assess the peritoneal cytokine levels. Rats were randomized to treatment with quinagolide or saline. At the end of the treatment period, a third laparotomy was performed to compare pre- and post-treatment implant volumes and cytokine levels within the groups. Implants were excised to compare glandular tissue (GT) and stromal tissue (ST) scores between the groups. RESULTS: In the quinagolide group, post-treatment volume was statistically significantly reduced compared with pre-treatment volume (p = 0.01). There were significant decreases in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in peritoneal fluid samples in quinagolide-treated rats when compared to pre-treatment levels (p = 0.03 and p < 0.01). Histopathologically, both GT and ST scores were significantly lower in the quinagolide group compared to the control group (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Quinagolide caused a significant regression in endometriotic implants and it also significantly reduced the levels of IL-6 and VEGF in peritoneal fluid.

Efficacies of vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on experimental endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 (vitamin D) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) on experimentally induced endometriosis in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled experimental study was performed on 30 Wistar female rats. Endometriosis was surgically induced by implanting endometrial tissue on the abdominal peritoneum. Four weeks later, a second laparotomy was performed to assess pre-treatment implant volumes and cytokine levels. The rats were randomized into three groups: vitamin D group (42 µg/kg/day), omega-3 PUFA group (450 mg/kg/day), and control group (saline 0.1 mL/rat/day). These treatments were administered for 4 weeks. At the end of treatment, a third laparotomy was performed for the assessment of cytokine levels, implant volumes (post-treatment) and implants were totally excised for histopathologic examination. Pre- and post-treatment volumes, cytokine levels within the groups, as well as stromal and glandular tissues between the groups were compared. RESULTS: The mean post-treatment volume was statistically significantly reduced in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.02) and the level of the interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the peritoneal fluid were significantly decreased at the end of treatment in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.02, p=0.03, and p=0.03, respectively). In the vitamin D group, only IL-6 levels were significantly decreased. In the histopathologic examination, the glandular tissue and stromal tissue scores of the implants were significant lower in the omega-3 PUFA group (p=0.03 and p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Omega-3 PUFA caused significant regression of endometriotic implants. Vitamin D has not been as effective as omega-3 PUFA on endometriosis.

Effects of lycopene on the model of oleic acid-induced acute lung injury.

INTRODUCTION: This study, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of lycopene in lung injury rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty eight Wistar rats were enrolled into the study. Control group (n= 7) were applied PBS + ethanol (9/1). A single dose of 100 mg/kg oleic acid (OA) intravenously was administrated to OA group (n= 7). One mL of corn oil was given daily to corn oil + OA group (n= 7) by gavage for five weeks. Lycopene was given by gavage to lycopene + OA group (n= 7) for five weeks. At the end of the 5th weeks, OA were given. Four hour after OA administration, lung tissue, blood samples were taken. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-peroxidase, catalase levels were determined. RESULTS: Malondialdehyde levels of serum, lung tissues were increased in OA, corn oil + OA groups than control, where as decreased to controls levels in lycopene + OA group (p< 0.05). Superoxide dismutase, glutathione-peroxidase activities of serum, tissue increased moderetaly or they were closed with control values. There was significant increase in lycopene + OA group values. Histopathological examination of control group was normal. OA, cornoil + OA groups had perivascular, alveolar edema, hemorrage, prominent neutrophil infiltration, destruction in alveolar structure. Lycopene + OA group had less neutrophilic infiltration, perivascular, alveolar edema. CONCLUSION: Lycopene rich diet may have an important role preventing damages in lungs.

The role of the antioxidants lycopene and vitamin E in the prevention of halothane-induced hepatotoxicity.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of lycopene and vitamin E on halothane-induced hepatotoxicity. Thirty-five male albino Wistar rats were studied. The control group (group C) did not receive any treatment. Rats in group H were exposed to 1.5% halothane (in 50% oxygen/50% air) for 2 h on days 10 and 13. Group L received 25 mg/kg/day lycopene, group E received 100 IU/kg/day vitamin E and group LE received lycopene and vitamin E for 13 days. Similar to group H, groups L, E and LE were exposed to halothane. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant level (TOL) and sulfhydryl=thiol groups (SH) were measured. Histopathological examinations were carried out using light microscopy, and histopathological findings were graded on a scale of 0-6. There were no significant differences among the groups in TAC, TOL and SH values (P > 0.05). Liver injury was observed in the four treatment groups; the mean degree of damage was more severe in group H compared to groups E, L and LE: 2.14 +/- 0.37, 1.50 +/- 0.54, 0.85 +/- 0.69 and 0.83 +/- 0.75, respectively. This study found that both lycopene and vitamin E reduce halothane-induced hepatotoxicity, although the effect of vitamin E was not statistically significant.

Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in patients with lung cancer in a Turkish population.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Oxidative DNA damage may contribute to the cancer risk. The antioxidant paraoxonase (PON1) is an endogenous free radical scavenger in the human body. The aim of this study was to determine serum PON1 and arylesterase (ARE) activities in patients with newly diagnosed LC. METHODS: This case control study involved a total of 39 patients with newly diagnosed LC (untreated) and same number of age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Serum PON1 and ARE activities in addition to lipid parameters were measured in both groups. RESULTS: Serum PON1 and ARE activities were found to be lower in patients with LC compared to the controls (p = 0.001 and p = 0.018, respectively). The ratio of PON1/high density lipoprotein (HDL) was significantly lower in the LC group compared to the control one (p = 0.009). There were positive correlations between the serum levels of HDL and PON1 in both the control (r = 0.415, p = 0.009) and the LC groups (r = 0.496, p = 0.001), respectively. PON1 enzyme activity was calculated as three different phenotypes in both groups. In regard to lipid parameters, total cholesterol levels were significantly lower (p = 0.014) in the LC group whereas the other lipid parameters such as HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels were not significantly different among groups. CONCLUSION: Serum PON1 activity is significantly low in the LC group compared with the healthy controls. Metastasis status and cigarette smoking do not affect serum PON1 activity in the LC patients.

[The effects of melatonin and pentoxiphylline on L-arginine induced acute pancreatitis]. / L-arjinin ile olusturulan akut pankreatit üzerine melatonin ve pentoksifilinin etkileri.

BACKGROUND: It has been showed that free oxygen radicals and cytokines contribute to tissue damage and impairment of pancreatic microcirculation in acute pancreatitis. In this study, the effects of melatonin and pentoxiphylline were investigated in rabbits with L-arginine induced acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Rabbits were divided into 5 groups (n=10). Any procedure was not applied for the control group (G1). Acute pancreatitis was induced in one group (G2). Melatonin (G3), pentoxiphylline (G4) and melatonin + pentoxiphylline (G5) were given to other groups after induction of acute pancreatitis. Plasma levels of MDA, amylase, LDH, SGOT, IL-6 and TNF-a were measured at 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours and pancreatic tissue was assessed histopathologically. RESULTS: Melatonin significantly reduced amylase activities at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours (p<0.025), and all biochemical parameters, (excl. MDA) and edema and necrosis of acinar cells after 48 hours. Although pentoxiphylline reduced abnormally increased parameters in acute pancreatitis (significant for SGOT at 6, 12, 24 and IL-6 at 12, 48 hours), it did not normalized pancreatic abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Melatonin in contrast to pentoxiphylline significantly improved biochemical and histopathological abnormalities due to its powerful antioxidant and free oxygen scavenger properties in acute pancreatitis, and it can be used for patients with pancreatitis.

[Biochemical and immunological effects of ionizing radiation in radiology staff members]. / Iyonizan radyasyonun radyoloji çalisanlarinin bagisiklik düzeyleri ve kan biyokimyasi üzerine etkileri.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of occupational exposures to long term low-dose ionizing radiation on blood biochemistry and immunity levels of the radiology staff. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one subjects, aged between 21-57 years (30.06+/-7.02 years), working in the department of radiology were enrolled to this study. Twenty-five subjects (49.1%) were female and 26 (50.9%) were male. Control group consisted of 40 healthy non-smoking subjects aged between 20-60 years (mean 31.5+/-5.75) who had never been exposed to radiation; 19 (47.5%) of these were female and 21 (52.5%) male. Venous blood samples were obtained from the radiology staff and control group and immunological and biochemical analysis of samples were performed. RESULTS: CD4+ T-lymphocyte ratio, and serum total IgA, IgG, IgM and C3, C4 levels were lower in the radiology staff compared to the controls. Serum triglycerides and paraoxonase activities were increased in the radiology staff (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In radiology workers exposed to long-term low-dose ionizing radiation, levels of the CD4+ T lymphocytes, total immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM), C3 and C4 levels were lower, while serum trygliceride levels and paraoxonase activities were significantly higher (p<0.05). IgA and IgM levels of smoker radiology workers were significantly lower than non-smoker radiology workers (p<0.05). Since the staff members of department of radiology are vulnerable to the side effects in parallel to the dose of radiation being exposed, we think that in addition to avoiding radiation as much as possible, they should have periodical blood biochemistry and immune function tests.

Plasma total homocysteine level in mothers of children with clubfoot.

The pathogenesis of clubfoot is unknown despite numerous hypotheses. To clarify the relationship between the plasma total homocysteine level and congenital idiopathic clubfoot, blood samples from mothers of children with congenital idiopathic clubfoot (group 1) and mothers of children without congenital anomaly (group 2) were studied. Groups were the same for factors affecting the plasma total homocysteine level. Mean plasma total homocysteine level was 16.34+/-4.78 micromol/L in group 1 and 11.02+/-1.85 micromol/L in group 2, and there was significant statistical difference between the groups (P<0.05). Congenital idiopathic clubfoot showed a significant association with high plasma total homocysteine level. This study may be a step toward clarification of clubfoot pathogenesis.

Effects of prostaglandin E1, melatonin, and oxytetracycline on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defense system, paraoxonase (PON1) activities, and homocysteine levels in an animal model of spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Investigation of the effects of prostaglandin E1, melatonin, and oxytetracycline on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant and paraoxonase activities, and homocysteine levels in an experimental model of spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVES: To determine the antioxidant efficacy of prostaglandin E1, melatonin, and oxytetracycline and whether paraoxonase and homocysteine can be used as monitoring parameters in the acute oxidative stress of spinal cord injury. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Melatonin has been found useful in spinal cord injury in previous studies. No study exists investigating the effects of melatonin, prostaglandin E1, and oxytetracycline as well as the response type of paraoxonase enzyme and homocysteine levels in the acute oxidative stress of spinal cord injury. METHODS: Sixty-three male albino Wistar rats were anesthetized with 400 mg/kg chloral hydrate and divided into 5 groups. The G1 (n = 7) control group provided the baseline levels. G2-G5 underwent T3-T6 total laminectomies and spinal cord injuries by clip compression at the T4-T5 levels. Medications were applied to G3-G5 right after clip compression. Hence, G2 constituted laminectomy + injury, G3 laminectomy + injury + prostaglandin E1; G4 laminectomy + injury + melatonin, and G5 laminectomy + injury + oxytetracycline groups. Animals were decapitated either the first or fourth hour after injury. Spinal cord tissue and blood malonyldialdehyde and plasma homocysteine levels, plasma glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, paraoxonase activities were assayed. The SPSS 9.0 program was used for statistical analysis and graphics. Intergroup comparisons were made by Bonferroni corrected Mann Whitney U test (P < 0.025) and intragroups comparisons by Wilcoxon Rank test (P < 0.03). RESULTS: In injury groups, plasma homocysteine levels decreased and paraoxonase activities increased as erythrocyte superoxide dismutase levels and plasma glutathione peroxidase activities decreased in parallel to increases of tissue and blood malonyldialdehyde levels. These alterations were relatively suppressed by prostaglandin E1, melatonin, and oxytetracycline administrations in varying degrees. Melatonin was the most powerful agent, particularly at the fourth hour. Oxytetracycline was also effective, both at the first and fourth hour. Prostaglandin E1 was effective in comparison to injury group, but not as much as melatonin and oxytetracycline. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin and oxytetracycline are effective in preventing lipid peroxidation in spinal cord injury. Paraoxonase and homocysteine can be used in monitoring the antioxidant defense system as well as superoxide dismutase and plasma glutathione peroxidase, both in injury and medicated groups.

Optimal dietary concentration of chromium for alleviating the effect of heat stress on growth, carcass qualities, and some serum metabolites of broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of chromium (chromium picolinate, CrPic) supplementation at various levels (0, 200, 400, 800, or 1200 microg/kg of diet) on performance, carcass characteristics, and some serum metabolites of broiler chickens (Ross) reared under heat stress (32.8 degrees C). One hundred fifty old male broilers were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were fed either a control diet or the control diet supplemented with either 200, 400, 800, or 1200 microg Cr/kg of diet. Increased supplemental chromium resulted in an increase in body weight (p = 0.01, linear), feed intake (p < or = 0.05, linear), and carcass characteristics (p < or = 0.05, linear) and improved feed efficiency (p = 0.01, linear). Increased supplemental chromium decreased serum corticosterone concentration (p = 0.01, linear), whereas it increased serum insulin and T3 and T4 concentrations (p = 0.01). Serum glucose and cholesterol concentrations decreased (p = 0.01), whereas protein concentrations increased linearly (p = 0.001) with higher dietary chromium supplementation. Results of the present study conclude that a supplementation of diet with chromium at 1200 ppb can alleviate the detrimental effects of heat stress in broiler.