Curcumin ameliorates chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection-induced affective disorders through modulation of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Objectives: Long-term infection with Toxoplasma gondii is associated with affective disorders (i.e., anxiety and depression) in adults. We aimed to explore the effects of curcumin (CR) on anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in mice infected with T. gondii. Materials and Methods: Animals were studied in five groups: Control, Model, Model + CR20, 40, and 80 (with IP injection of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg CR). T. gondii infection was prolonged for four weeks. The animals were then treated with CR or vehicle for two weeks and evaluated by behavioral tests at the end of the study. Hippocampal levels of oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase; SOD, glutathione; GSH, and malondialdehyde; MDA) and gene expression and protein levels of hippocampal proinflammatory mediators (interleukin-1ß; IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor- α; TNF-α) were determined. Results: Behavioral tests confirmed that long-term infection with T. gondii led to anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Antidepressant effects of CR were linked to modulation of oxidative stress and cytokine network in the hippocampal region of infected mice. These results showed that CR reduced anxiety and depression symptoms via regulation of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of T. gondii-infected mice. Conclusion: Therefore, CR can be used as a potential antidepressant agent against T. gondii-induced affective disorders.

Resveratrol attenuates chronic social isolation stress-induced affective disorders: Involvement of NF-κB/NLRP3 axis.

Social isolation stress (SIS) is associated with affective disorders (i.e., anxiety and depression) in adults. In a preclinical study, we aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RV) on the mood swings of rats exposed to SIS. Animals were randomized into six different groups, including control: healthy animals received normal saline (NS) as a vehicle; SIS + NS: SIS animals received NS; SIS + FL: SIS animals received fluoxetine (10 mg/kg/i.p.); SIS + RV20, SIS + RV40, and SIS + RV80: SIS animals received RV (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/i.p). SIS was induced for 4 weeks, then animals were treated with NS, FL, and RV for 4 weeks. Rats were evaluated by the behavioral tests, including the elevated plus-maze, tail suspension test, the open field test, and forced-swimming test, for mood alterations and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) levels, along with NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like (ASC), and proCaspase-1 were determined in the hippocampus. Behavioral tests confirmed that exposing the animals to SIS caused anxiety and depression. The highest concentrations of NLRP3, proCaspase-1, ASC, and NF-κB, were confirmed in the SIS + NS group. Compared to FL, RV showed antidepressant potential according to the behavioral tests. In particular, the administration of RV (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) revered the NF-κB/NLRP3 axis cascade in rats exposed to chronic SIS. Our findings revealed that RV attenuated anxiety and depression of SIS-exposed rats via regulation of NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathways. RV can be used as a potential anxiolytic agent and antidepressant.

COVID-19 immunotherapy: Treatment based on the immune cell-mediated approaches.

Multiple efforts are currently underway to control and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. Despite all efforts, the virus that emerged in Wuhan city has rapidly spread globally and led to a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) due to the lack of approved antiviral therapy. Nevertheless, SARS-CoV-2 has had a significant influence on the evolution of cellular therapeutic approaches. Adoptive immune cell therapy is innovative and offers either promising prophylactic or therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. This approach is aimed at developing safety and providing secure and effective therapy in combination with standard therapy for all COVID-19 infected individuals. Based on the effective results of previous studies on both inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, various immune cell therapies against COVID-19 have been reviewed and discussed. It must be considered that the application of cell therapy for treatment and to eliminate infected respiratory cells could result in excessive inflammation, so this treatment must be used in combination with other treatments, despite its many beneficial efforts.

Successful treatment of sodium oxalate induced urolithiasis with Helichrysum flowers.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Helichrysum (Asteraceae) flowers, known as "altin otu, yayla çiçegi, kudama çiçegi" , are widely used to remove kidney stones and for their diuretic properties in Turkey. AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the curative effect of infusions prepared from capitulums of Helichrysum graveolens (M. Bieb.) Sweet (HG) and H. stoechas ssp. barellieri (Ten.) Nyman (HS) on sodium oxalate induced kidney stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Infusions prepared from the capitulums of HG and HS were tested for their curative effect on calcium oxalate deposition induced by sodium oxalate (70mg/kg i.p.). Following the injection of sodium oxalate for 5 days, plant extracts were administered to rats at two different doses. Potassium citrate was used as positive control. Water intake, urine volume, body, liver and kidney weights were measured; biochemical and hematological analyses were conducted on urine and blood samples. Additionally, histopathological examinations were done on kidney samples. RESULTS: H. stoechas extract showed prominent effect at 156mg/kg dose (stone formation score: 0.33), whereas number of kidney stones was maximum in sodium oxalate group (stone formation score: 2.33). The reduction in the uric acid and oxalate levels of urine samples and the elevation in the urine citrate levels are significant and promising in extract groups. Some hematological, biochemical and enzymatic markers are also ameliorated by the extracts. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the curative effect of immortal flowers. Our preliminary study indicated that Helichrysum extracts may be used for treatment of urolithiasis and Helichrysum extracts are an alternative therapy to potassium citrate for patients suffering from kidney stones.

Subureteral Injection with Small-Size Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer: Is It Really Efficient?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of patients with vesicoureteral reflux, which were treated with subureteral injection of small-size (80-120 µm) dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Dx/HA). Data of 75 children (105 renal units) who underwent STING procedure with small-size Dx/HA for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in our clinic between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative reflux grade and side, injection indication, postoperative urinary infections and urinary symptoms, voiding cystourethrogram, and renal scintigraphy results were evaluated. The success rate of the procedure was 100% in patients with grades 1 and 2 reflux, 91% in patients with grade 3 reflux, and 82.6% in patients with grade 4. Overall success rate of the treated patients was 97%. Endoscopic subureteric injection with Dx/HA procedure has become a reasonable minimally invasive alternative technique to open surgery, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis, and surveillance modalities in treatment of VUR in terms of easy application, low costs and complication rates, and high success rates. Injection material composed of small-size dextranomer microspheres seems superior to normal size Dx/HA, together with offering similar success with low cost.

Safety of ESWL in elderly: evaluation of independent predictors and comorbidity on stone-free rate and complications.

AIM: Urinary stone disease affects people of all ages. With its satisfactory efficacy ranges in all age groups and lack of side-effects, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has become the preferred treatment modality for uncomplicated renal and proximal calculi ≤ 20 mm. In the present study, we aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of the ESWL treatment in elderly patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on patients aged over 65 years who underwent shock wave lithotripsy at our Department from 2009 to 2011, with a Siemens Lithostar electromagnetic shockwave lithotripter. A total of 231 patients (157 males, 74 females) out of 1694 (13.6%) were studied. The patients were divided into two groups (group 1 = 65-70; group 2 >70). The effect of age and other possible predicting factors (sex, stone localization and stone size) were investigated. Concomitant diseases and related complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: An overall stone-free rate (SFR) of 82.2% was found. The influence of sex on SFR was non-significant. There was no significant difference when comparing SFR between the age groups. When patients were divided into those with renal and ureteral stones, the SFR were 94.4% and 67.6% (P < 0.01), respectively. The SFR of the stone size groups, ≤ 10 mm and > 10 mm were 80% and 84.4%, respectively. Comorbidity was present in 148 patients. Complications were noted in 56 of 231 patients. Of 56 patients, 43 had minor complications and 13 major complications. CONCLUSION: ESWL seems to be an effective first-line treatment choice for urinary stones in elderly patients with careful patient selection and personalized preparation.