Effects of parenteral administration of tylosin and ivermectin on abomasal emptying rate in healthy suckling lambs by use of nuclear scintigraphy.

Abomasal hypomotility is one of the important causes of neonatal mortality in small ruminants. Various pharmaceutical agents have been studied to address this problem in large ruminants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of parenteral administration of tylosin and ivermectin on abomasal emptying rate in neonatal suckling lambs. Abomasal emptying rate was assessed using nuclear scintigraphic method in 10 healthy female Iranian fat tailed Ghezel lambs. Each lamb was tested three times, once as a control (1 ml of saline 0.9%, IM) and twice after the injection of tylosin (17.6 mg/kg, IM) and ivermectin (200 µg/kg, SC) in a crossover study. Based on radiopharmaceutical counts, remnant activity in abomasums at 90 min were 48.3 ± 3.5, 45.6 ± 7.5 and 41.6 ± 2.9% in control, tylosin and ivermectin groups, respectively. Administration of tylosin (p = 0.049) and ivermectin (p = 0.045) to lambs, significantly caused faster abomasal emptying rate compared to control. Evaluating the ROIs revealed that the half emptying time (T1/2) in control, tylosin and ivermectin groups were 67.1 ± 8.6, 62.6 ± 14.2 and 54.3 ± 9.9 min, respectively. These difference between all groups, statistically were significant (p = 0.026). However, the clinical efficacy of abomasal emptying rate facilitating by tylosin or ivermectin administration in lambs remains to be determined.

Cardioprotective Effect of Grape Seed Extract on Chronic Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Wistar Rats.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine the ability of grape seed extract (GSE) as a powerful antioxidant in preventing adverse effect of doxorubicin (DOX) on heart function. Methods: Male rats were divided into three groups: control, DOX (2 mg/kg/48h, for 12 days) and GSE (100 mg/kg/24h, for 16 days) plus DOX. Left ventricular (LV) function and hemodynamic parameters were assessed using echocardiography, electrocardiography and a Millar pressure catheter. Histopathological analysis and in vitro antitumor activity were also evaluated. Results: DOX induced heart damage in rats through decreasing the left ventricular systolic and diastolic pressures, rate of rise/decrease of LV pressure, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and contractility index as demonstrated by echocardiography, electrocardiography and hemodynamic parameters relative to control group. Our data demonstrated that GSE treatment markedly attenuated DOX-induced toxicity, structural changes in myocardium and improved ventricular function. Additionally, GSE did not intervene with the antitumor effect of DOX. Conclusion: Collectively, the results suggest that GSE is potentially protective against DOX-induced toxicity in rat heart and maybe increase therapeutic index of DOX in human cancer treatment.

Crocin treatment prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity is well-known as a serious complication of chemotherapy in patients with cancer. It is unknown whether crocin (CRO), main component of Crocus sativus L. (Saffron), could reduce the severity of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the protective impact of CRO on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. The rats were divided into four groups: control, DOX (2mg/kg/48h, for 12days), and CRO groups that receiving DOX as in group 2 and CRO (20 and 40mg/kg/24h, for 20days) starting 4days prior to first DOX injection and throughout the study. Echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and hemodynamic studies, along with histopathological examination and MTT test were carried out. Our findings demonstrate that DOX resulted in cardiotoxicity manifested by decreased the left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic pressures, rate of rise/drop of LV pressure, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and contractility index, as compared to control group. In addition, histopathological analysis of heart confirmed adverse structural changes in myocardial cells following DOX administration. The results also showed that CRO treatment significantly improved DOX-induced heart damage, structural changes in the myocardium and ventricular function. In addition, CRO did not affect the in vitro antitumor activity of DOX. Taken together, our data confirm that CRO is protective against cardiovascular-related disorders produced by DOX, and clinical studies are needed to examine these findings in human.