Protective effects of thymoquinone on vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

AIM: Oxidative stress has been implicated as a potential responsible mechanism in the pathogenesis of vancomycin (VCM)-induced renal toxicity. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) against VCM-induced nephrotoxicity by tissue oxidant/antioxidant parameters and histological changes in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar albino rats were randomly separated into four groups consisting of seven rats per group. The groups had normal saline (control group), VCM, VCM and TQ and TQ, respectively. VCM was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 200 mg/kg and continued at 12-h intervals for 7 days. TQ was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 10 mg/kg and continued at 24 h intervals for 8 days. Animals were killed and blood samples were analyzed for the levels of serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr). Kidney specimens were analyzed for levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as well as for histopathological changes. RESULTS: We found that the levels of serum BUN, Cr and kidney tissue MDA were increased in the VCM group. Activities of SOD and GSH-Px in kidney tissue were decreased. TQ administration ameliorated significantly these changes. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the TQ produces a protective mechanism against VCM-induced nephrotoxicity and suggest a role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis.

Brucellosis with very high ferritin levels: report of five cases.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a kind of Brucella bacteria, which commonly appears in humans and rarely causes mortality. In our study, five cases, who were diagnosed by evaluation of clinical findings and serological tests, they also had very high ferritin levels, were reported. Ages of the patients were 16, 12, 10, 16 and 8 years, respectively. Serum ferritin levels were 1200, 985, 886, 748 and 435 ng/ml, respectively. We observed that complaints of the patients reduced after the treatment and ferritin levels returned to its normal range. In the situations of extremely evaluated serum ferritin which is an acute-phase reactant, its levels are able to raise in brucellosis, without existing hemochromatosis and Still's disease.