Magnesium yields opposite effects on the nuclear and cytosolic cascades of apoptosis in different rat brain regions.

OBJECTIVE: Magnesium is considered as potential neuroprotective and therapeutic agent, but certain studies have provided evidence of its apoptotic effectiveness in neurons. We aimed to evaluate the possible apoptotic effects of long-term magnesium use in healthy adult rat brains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate compounds were administered orally to rats for 8 weeks (36 mg/kg). Expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and Cyt-C genes were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum regions. Bcl-2, Bax and CytC protein levels were measured using ELISA kits. Tissue sections were evaluated histopathologically with hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the magnesium-administered groups indicated gene expression reductions in almost all brain regions; pro-apoptotic Bax, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Cyt-C gene expression levels were reduced. With magnesium, the Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were increased. Bax/Bcl-2 gene and protein ratio were also increased in the striatum and hippocampus, whereas Cyt-C protein levels were decreased or did not change in the magnesium treated groups. There was no pathological finding in histological evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term magnesium usage can promote apoptotic cascade in brain tissue by increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Cyt-C, a prominent factor processing caspase pathway, was decreased or unchanged. In addition, taking into account the histological evaluation, we supposed that the absence of Cyt-C in the cytosol can prevent the subsequent apoptotic pathway. Consequently, we obtained the findings of apoptotic initiation with magnesium in brain, but this cascade seems to be arrested at later stages.

Single-dose oral ciprofloxacin compared with single-dose intravenous cefazolin for prophylaxis in inguinal hernia repair: a controlled randomized clinical study.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of single-dose intravenous cefazolin prophylaxis with single-dose oral ciprofloxacin prophylaxis in patients undergoing tension-free inguinal hernia repair with polypropylene mesh. In a prospective and randomized setting, 395 patients received either a single dose of 500 mg of ciprofloxacin orally, 1--2h before the operation, or a single dose of 1g cefazolin intravenously on induction of anaesthesia. The primary outcome was to determine the wound infection rate within one year. The overall infection among the entire study population was 2% (eight of 395) including 2% (four of 199) of those receiving intravenous cefazolin and 2% (four of 196) of those treated with oral ciprofloxacin. There was no statistically significant difference between groups (P=0.59). All the infections were superficial incisional surgical site infections, and none progressed to a deep infection. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium. None of the infected patients developed recurrence of hernia. The rate of recurrence was 1.3% (five of 395) at one year including 2% (four of 199) of those receiving cefazolin and 0.5% (one of 196) of those receiving ciprofloxacin. Oral ciprofloxacin prophylaxis was found to be an attractive option with its wide antibacterial spectrum, low cost and ease of administration in patients undergoing tension-free inguinal hernia repair with polypropylene mesh.