RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an illicit, recreational drug that causes cellular death and neurotoxicity. This study evaluates the effects of different doses of MDMA on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and genes in the hippocampus of adult rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this expremental study,a total of 20 male Sprague Dawley rats (200-250 g ) were treated with MDMA (0, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg i.p. twice daily) for 7 days. Seven days after the last administration of MDMA, the rats were killed. Bax and Bcl-2 genes in addition to protein expressions were detected by western blot and reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Our results showed that MDMA caused dose dependent up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2 in the hippocampus. There was a significant alteration in bcl-2 and bax genes density. CONCLUSION: Changes in apoptosis-related proteins and respective genes relating to Bax and Bcl-2 might be involved in the molecular mechanism of MDMA-induced apoptosis.
RESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerance and adverse effects of hydroxyurea (HU) in thalassemia intermedia (TI) patients who had been treated by HU for a period of 10 years. One hundred forty-three TI patients, including 78 male and 65 female, median age 21 years old (range: 5-37 years old), who were treated by HU were investigated as a case study, and 106 TI, including 63 male and 43 female, median age 22 years old (range: 5-39 years old), who were not treated by any HU as a control group. Mean dose of HU treatment was 10.74 mg/kg/day (range: 8-12 mg/kg/day) and adverse effects of HU were recorded in 44 (30.7%) patients. Dermatologic side effects were most commonly seen, followed by neurological and gastrointestinal adverse effects. There were not any reports of hematologic toxicity or any signs of bone marrow suppression during HU treatment. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between advancing age and the presence of adverse effects during HU treatment (P < .001). But there were not any significant relations among gender, HU dose, and duration of HU treatment and the presence of adverse effects (P > .05). It was also observed that splenectomized patients more frequently experienced adverse effects of HU (P < .05). According to these results, it seems that most of adverse effects in low-dose HU therapy in patients with TI, at least in short and medium terms, are minor and can be tolerated without needs of discontinuation of treatment.