Effects of taxifolin on aspirin-induced gastric damage in rats: macroscopic and biochemical evaluation.

Taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) is a flavanonol isolated from various plants and has antioxidant effects. The aim of our study was to macroscopically and biochemically investigate the effects of taxifolin on aspirin-induced oxidative gastric damage in rats and to evaluate them by comparison with those of famotidine. Rats were divided into four drug administration groups: a healthy control group, an aspirin-only group (ASG), a taxifolin + aspirin group (TASG), and a famotidine + aspirin group (FASG). The results revealed that in light of the results that we obtained, 50 mg/kg taxifolin had anti-ulcer effects. At this dose, taxifolin was able to bring COX-1 activities to a level close to those seen in healthy rats with appropriate macroscopic, oxidant/antioxidant, and biochemical parameters. Based on these results, it can be said that taxifolin may be successfully used as a more potent alternative to famotidine, which is the currently accepted treatment for aspirin-induced ulcers.

Carvacrol prevents acrylamide-induced oxidative and inflammatory liver damage and dysfunction in rats.

Background: Acrylamide causes hepatotoxicity with the effect of oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. Carvacrol is a monoterpenic phenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Aims: To determine the effects of carvacrol on oxidative liver injury induced by acrylamide administration in rats. Methods: Rats were divided into three groups of six animals each: healthy group acrylamide group (ACR), and acrylamide + carvacrol group (TACR). First, carvacrol (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to the CACR group. One hour later, acrylamide (20 mg/kg) was given orally to the ACR and CACR groups. This procedure was performed for 30 days, after which the animals were sacrificed. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and total glutathione (tGSH) levels, total oxidant (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß), and nuclear factor kappa b (NF-κB) were measured in the excised liver tissues. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were determined in blood serum samples. Liver tissues were also examined histopathologically. Results: In the ACR group, malondialdehyde, TOS, ALT, AST levels, and NF-κB, IL-1ß, and TNF-α levels were found to be high, and tGSH and total antioxidant status levels were low. In addition, diffuse degenerative changes and necrosis in hepatocytes, and moderate inflammation in the portal region were detected in the liver tissues of the ACR group. While carvacrol prevented the biochemical changes induced by acrylamide, it also alleviated the damage in the histological structure. Conclusion: Carvacrol may be used for liver damage caused by acrylamide.

Ameliorative effects of Liv-52 on doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage in rat liver.

Hepatotoxicity is a common side effect of doxorubicin (Dox) treatment of cancer. Liv-52 is an ayurvedic medicine that is reported to ameliorate liver injury due to oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of Liv-52 on Dox induced oxidative damage to liver tissues of rats using biochemical and histopathological techniques. Thirty male rats were assigned randomly into three equal groups: control (CG), Dox group (DG) Liv-52 + Dox group (LD). Rats in the LD group received 50 mg/kg Liv-52 in distilled water via gastric gavage. Distilled water was given via the same route to the rats in the DG and CG groups. Rats in the LD and DG groups were injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg Dox 1 h after administration of Liv-52 or distilled water. The procedure was repeated daily for 7 days. On day 8, the animals were sacrificed, and serum and tissue biochemical and histopathological assays were performed. The malondialdehyde level was increased significantly in the DG group, while glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels were significantly lower in the DG group compared to the LD and CG groups. The highest levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase were found in the DG group, while the lowest levels were found in the CG group, which exhibited levels similar to those of the LD group. Treatment with Liv-52 prior to Dox treatment reduced the histopathologic changes in the Dox group. Therefore, pre-treatment with Liv-52 protected against Dox induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity.

Amelioration of oxidative damage parameters by carvacrol on methanol-induced liver injury in rats.

The methanol metabolite that causes hepatotoxicity is formic acid, generating reactive oxygen radical formation and cell damage. Carvacrol is an antioxidant monoterpenic phenol produced from Thymus vulgaris. This study aimed to investigate the effects of carvacrol on methanol-induced oxidative liver damage in rats. Eighteen rats were divided into three groups. Methotrexate was administered orally for 7 days to methotrexate+methanol (MTM) and methotrexate+methanol+carvacrol (MMC) groups. Methotrexate was given before methanol to cause methanol poisoning. Distilled water was given to the healthy group (HG) as a solvent. At the end of the 7th day, 20% methanol was administered orally at a dose of 3 g/kg to the MTM and MMC groups. Four hours after methanol administration, 50 mg/kg carvacrol was injected intraperitoneally into the MMC group. Animals were sacrificed 8 h after carvacrol injection. Biochemical markers were studied in the excised liver tissue and blood serum samples, and histopathological evaluations were made. Severe hemorrhage, hydropic degeneration, pycnosis, and mononuclear cell infiltration were observed in the liver of the MTM group. Additionally, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly higher, and total glutathione (tGSH) and total antioxidant status (TAS) were significantly lower in the MTM group compared to HG (P<0.001). Carvacrol prevented the increase in MDA, TOS, ALT and AST levels with methanol and the decrease in tGSH and TAS levels (P<0.001), and alleviated the histopathological damage. Carvacrol may be useful in the treatment of methanol-induced liver damage.

Assessment of abuse and related factors in older patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Older cancer patients are more likely to present with functional dependency, multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, malnutrition, and cognitive dysfunction than their younger counterparts which increases the risk of elder abuse. Herein, in this single-institution observational study, we aimed to determine the frequency and risk factors of abuse in cancer patients aged 70 and above. METHODS: A total of 217 cancer patients aged ≥ 70 years who applied to the medical oncology outpatient clinic between June 2020 and January 2021 were included in this study. Informed consent was obtained before data collection. The Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST) was used to evaluate elder abuse. Sociodemographic characteristics and clinical measurements were collected. RESULTS: The mean age was 75.5, and 59.4% were male. The prevalence of abuse risk in older patients with cancer was 39.2%. In the multivariate logistic regression model, applying to the outpatient clinic for treatment (OR: 3.369, 95% CI: 1.455-7.802, p = 0.005), living in urban (OR: 5.787, 95% CI: 2.377-14.090, p < 0.001), history of falls (OR: 4.587, 95% CI: 1.789-11.762, p = 0.002), and being depressed according to the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) score (OR: 10.788, 95% CI: 4.491-25.914, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of elder abuse. Primary/junior education level and high school/university education level were protective against elder abuse risk compared to being illiterate (OR: 0.073, 95% CI: 0.025-0.210 and OR: 0.213, 95% CI: 0.056-0.806, respectively). CONCLUSION: Cancer patients aged ≥ 70 years had a high risk of elder abuse. Elder abuse should be screened in patients with cancer, and the effects of this phenomenon on cancer care should be investigated in larger studies.

Protective effects of taxifolin on pazopanib-induced liver toxicity: an experimental rat model.

Pazopanib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is generally used for the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer and advanced soft tissue sarcoma. It can cause various degrees of hepatotoxicity. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of taxifolin on pazopanib-induced liver toxicity. A total of 18 rats were divided into three groups: the pazopanib (PP), pazopanib plus taxifolin (TPP), and control (C) group. Taxifolin was administered to the TPP (n=6) group with a dose of 50 mg/kg. Distilled water was orally admnistered to the C (n=6) and PP (n=6) groups as a solvent. Subsequently, pazopanib 200 mg/kg was administered to the TPP and PP groups via the stomach. This procedure was repeated once a day for four weeks. Then, all rats were sacrificed, and their livers were removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (tGSH), total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were evaluated. MDA and TOS levels were higher in the PP group compared with the levels of the other parameters (P<0.001). tGSH and TAS levels were lower in the PP group than in the TPP and C groups (P<0.001), and the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were higher. Furthermore, liver tissue damage, including hemorrhage, hydropic degeneration, and necrosis was observed in the PP group. Administration of taxifolin before pazopanib significantly improved degenerative changes. Our study demonstrated that the administration of taxifolin is significantly effective in preventing pazopanib-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Effects of adenosine triphosphate on vandetanib induced skin damage in rats.

PURPOSE: Vandetanib is a wide spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and various other cancer types. Although it is usually well-tolerated it has been linked to a variety of severe dermatologic reactions. Our study aimed was to investigate adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) on vandetanib-induced skin damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 18 rats were divided into three equal groups as vandetanib group (VDB), vandetanib plus ATP group (VAT), and healthy group (HG); 25 mg/kg ATP was injected intraperitoneally (ip) to the VAT group. Normal saline was given to the HG and VDB groups as solvent via intraperitoneally. One hour later, 25 mg/kg vandetanib was applied orally via an orogastric catheter in the VAT and VDB groups. This procedure was repeated once daily for 4 weeks. After that period, all animals were sacrificed and their skin tissues removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (tGSH), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) levels in rats' skin tissues were evaluated with histopathological analyses. RESULTS: MDA and TOS levels measured higher in the VDB group compared to the VAT and HG groups (p < 0.001). tGSH and TAS levels of the VDB group measured lower than the VAT and HG groups (p < 0.001). The structure and morphology of skin tissue were normal in the control group. In the VDB group, skin tissue damage with thinner epitelium, ruptured and degenerated hair follicles, abnormal accumulation of abnormal keratin on the epithelium and oedematous areas in the dermis was observed. In the VAT group, these findings were significantly improved. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that adenosine triphosphate can prevent vandetanib-induced skin toxicity in rats for the first time. The promising results denote that further studies testing this agent in other animal models and in humans are warranted.

Effect of Rutin on Cytarabine-Associated Pulmonary Oedema and Oxidative Stress in Rats.

Cytarabine is effectively used in the treatment of adult acute leukemia, but it has a dose-limiting side effect of fatal pulmonary oedema because it increases the vascular permeability of the alveolar capillaries. The aim of the present study was to conduct a radiological, biochemical and histopathological investigation of the effect of rutin on cytarabine-associated pulmonary oedema in rats. Rats were treated with a combination of rutin+cytarabine by administering oral rutin at a dose of 50 mg/kg; other rat groups were orally administered the same volume of physiological saline. One hour after administration of rutin or saline, the rutin+cytarabine and cytarabine groups received an intraperitoneal injection of cytarabine (200 mg/kg). This administration procedure was repeated once a day for 14 days. Radiologically, 50% of the animals given cytarabine alone showed lung oedema, but the rutin+cytarabine group showed no oedema. The inclusion of rutin decreased the amounts of cytarabine-associated malondialdehyde, tumour necrosis factor-α, and nuclear factor-κB in the lung tissue. Rutin also inhibited the reduction of total glutathione by nitric oxide. These findings suggest that rutin may be a beneficial adjunct that can minimise the development of cytarabine-associated pulmonary oedema.

Effects of anakinra on the small intestine mucositis induced by methotrexate in rats.

Intestinal mucositis is an important problem in the patients receiving cancer treatment. We aimed to investigate the effect of anakinra, which is a well known anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, on methotrexate-induced small intestine mucositis in rats. Forty rats were divided into 4 groups with 10 in each group. The healthy group (HG) and the methotrexate group (MTXG) were given distilled water, while the methotrexate + anakinra 50 (MTX+ANA50) and the methotrexate + anakinra 100 (MTX+ANA100) groups were intraperitoneally administered 50 and 100 mg/kg of anakinra. After one hour, the MTXG, MTX+ANA50 and MTX+ANA100 groups were given oral methotrexate at a dose of 5 mg/kg. This procedure was repeated once a day for 7 days. After the rats had been sacrificed, the small intestine tissue of rats were removed for the assesment of biochemical markers, histopathological evaluation and gene expression analyze. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using one-way ANOVA. Malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were significantly higher, whereas total glutathione (tGSH) levels were significantly lower in MTXG (P<0.001) compared to other groups. MTX also increased IL-1ß and TNF-α gene expression levels in MTXG (P<0.001). Inflammatory cell infiltration and damage to the villus were observed histopathologically in the MTXG group, whereas only mild inflammation was seen in the MTX+ANA100 group. A dose of 100 mg/kg of anakinra prevented the increase of the biochemical markers and gene expression levels better than a dose of 50 mg/kg. Intestinal mucositis caused by MTX may be preventible by co-administered anakinra.

The effect of anakinra to nephrotoxicity with cisplatin induced in rats: Biochemical, gene expression and histopathological evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) have been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of anakinra, which is an IL-1ß receptor antagonist, on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, through biochemical, gene expression and histopathological analyses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was designed with 4 groups. For 1 week, the control group (C) and the cisplatin (Cis) group received distilled water, while the cisplatin + anakinra 50 (Cis + ANA50) group and the cisplatin + anakinra 100 (Cis + ANA100) group were intraperitoneally administered 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of anakinra, respectively. The Cis, Cis + ANA50 and Cis + ANA100 groups were intraperitoneally injected with a 2.5 mg/kg dose of cisplatin for 7 days. After sacrifice, the kidney tissue of each rat was extracted for the assessment of the malondialdehyde (MDA) and total glutathione (tGSH) levels, and for gene expression analyses of IL-1ß. The kidney tissues were histopathologically evaluated. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The administration of cisplatin (the Cis group) yielded a higher level of MDA (4.75 ±0.25 nmol/mL; p < 0.001) and lower levels of tGSH (1.80 ±0.35 mg/L; p < 0.001) compared to other groups. Cisplatin also increased IL-1ß gene expression (6.33 ±0.27 gene expression levels; p < 0.001) compared to other groups. The impact of anakinra on the MDA and tGSH levels, and on IL-1ß gene expression induced by cisplatin was observed as a reversal of these findings (p < 0.05). Anakinra better prevented an increase of the levels of MDA and IL-1ß at a dose of 100 mg/kg compared to a 50 mg/kg dose. CONCLUSIONS: Anakinra prevents oxidative kidney damage induced by cisplatin, in a dose-dependent manner. This result suggests that anakinra may be useful in the treatment of cisplatin-induced kidney damage.

Evaluation of epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and mortality rate of patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in the northeast region of Turkey.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: : Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), an illness characterized by fever and hemorrhage, is caused by a CCHF virus (CCHFV). It is an important public health problem in Turkey. The objective of this study was to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and mortality rates of CCHF patients in the northeast region of Turkey. METHODS: : A total of 206 patients, diagnosed with CCHF, from northeast region of Turkey were included and evaluated between 2011 and 2017. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence (IFA) methods were used for the diagnoses. RESULTS: : Of the patients included in the study, 77.2% were farmers/livestockers, while 22.8% had other occupations. The incidence of tick bite or tick contact with bare hands was 52.9%. About 94.2% of the patients were living in rural areas and 5.8% in city centers. However, all the patients living in city centers had a history of visit to rural areas. The disease was more common in May, June, and July months. The most common symptoms at the time of admission included fatigue, fever, and widespread body pain, while laboratory findings were thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and anemia. Bleeding, tachycardia, and rash were the most common findings on physical examination. Of all the patients, 95.6% were identified by RT-PCR and 4.4% by IFA methods. Severe cases constituted 22.3% (46) of the included patients. Throughout the course of this study, 7 (3.4%) patients died, and the remaining 96.6% (199) patients were discharged with a full recovery. Disease severity was significantly correlated with mortality rate and duration of hospitalization (p <0.001 and p = 0.013). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: : In this study, the mortality rate observed was lower than that reported in the literature because of accessibility of early supportive therapy. It would be beneficial in CCHF treatment to recognize the disease at an early stage, begin supportive treatment quickly, and educate the people living in high-risk areas as well as health care personnel working in these areas.

Sensitivity to House Dust Mites Allergens in Patients with Allergic Asthma in Erzincan Province, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the sensitivity of allergic asthma (AA) patients to house dust mites (HDM) by conducting skin tests, measuring total and specific IgE antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae mites, and examining HDM fauna in patients' homes. METHODS: The study included 25 patients with AA and 31 healthy controls, who were challenged with Der p and Der f allergens; serum levels of allergen-specific lgE and total IgE were measured. Dust samples were collected from the homes of all participants, and mite species and the number of mites per gram of dust were investigated. RESULTS: D. pteronyssinus was found in the homes of 94.7% patients with positive Der p reactions in the skin test (p<0.001). D. farinae was found in the homes of 22.2% patients with positive Der f reactions in the skin test (p>0.05). D. pteronyssinus-specific IgE was detected in 75% patients in whose homes D. pteronyssinus was also found, while D. farinae-specific IgE was detected in 16.6% patients in whose homes D. farinae was also found. CONCLUSION: A part of AA patients residing in Erzincan are sensitive to HDM allergens, and high numbers of mites leading to allergic sensitization are found in their homes.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a possible indicator of epicardial adipose tissue in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the true visceral fat depot of the heart. The relationship between coronary artery disease and EAT was shown in healthy subjects and ESRD patients. In the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between EAT and inflammation parameters including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-three HD patients (25 females, 18 males; mean age: 64.1 ±11.9 years) receiving HD and 30 healthy subjects (15 females, 15 males; mean age: 59.1 ±10.8 years) were enrolled in the study. Epicardial adipose tissue measurements were performed by echocardiography. RESULTS: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels were significantly higher in HD patients than in the healthy control group. Hemodialysis patients were separated into two groups according to their median value of NLR (group 1, NLR < 3.07 (n = 21) and group 2, NLR ≥ 3.07 (n = 22)). Group 2 patients had significantly higher EAT, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels, while albumin levels were significantly lower in this group. In the bivariate correlation analysis, EAT was positively correlated with NLR (r = 0.600, p < 0.001) and ferritin (r = 0.485, p = 0.001) levels. CONCLUSIONS: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was found to be an independent predictor of EAT in HD patients (odds ratio = 3.178; p = 0.008). We concluded that this relationship might be attributed to increased inflammation in uremic patients.

[A case of brucellosis presenting with suppurative parotitis involvement]. / Süpüratif parotis tutulumu ile seyreden bruselloz olgusu.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic infection caused by Brucella bacteria. Brucella infections are usually presented with various clinical manifestations, and often accompanied by multiple organ involvements. In this article, we present a case of brucellosis with suppurative parotitis involvement accompanied by parotid abscess and fistula in a 60-year-old male patient. According to the literature review we conducted regarding complications of brucellosis, our case is the first case reported in the literature. Significant improvement in patient's suppurative parotitis and clinical findings was observed at the fifth week of combination antibiotic therapy. Patient's complaints resolved completely after eight weeks of treatment.

[Measles outbreak in the adult age group: evaluation of 28 cases]. / Eriskin yas grubunda kizamik salgini: 28 olgunun degerlendirilmesi.

Nowadays, the age group affected from measles has widened and the disease has become more common among adolescents and young adults. The number of measles case reports have increased in our country, particularly from 2010-2011, and measles outbreaks occurred in various regions in 2012 and 2013. The aim of this study was to analyze the demographical and epidemiological characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings, and complications of adult patients with measles who were affected during the outbreak. A total of 28 patients (25 male, 3 female; age range: 19-39 years, median age: 24) who were hospitalized and followed-up in our clinic between January 2013 and June 2013, were evaluated. In the serum sample of the index case, measles-specific IgM antibodies were detected by ELISA, and measles virus RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), then genotyping was performed to detect the epidemiological relationship. In all of the other cases, measles IgM and IgG antibodies were screened by ELISA. The most common symptoms on admission included high fever (n= 28, 100%), malaise (n= 25, 89%), sore throat (n= 25, 89%), headache (n= 20, 71%) and cough (n= 18, 64%). At physical examination, rash (n= 28, 100%), lymphadenopathy (n= 11, 39%) and conjunctivitis (n= 10, 36%) were in the foreground, and Koplik spots were detected in five (18%) cases. The most common laboratory findings were; increased level of C-reactive protein (n= 15, 54%), leukopenia (n= 12, 43%) and increased serum levels of aminotransferases (n= 12, 43%), and thrombocytopenia was detected in five (18%) patients. One or more complications (secondary bacterial pneumonia in 5, diarrhea in 4, hepatitis in 3 and otitis in 2 cases) developed in the eight (29%) patients. Measles RT-PCR and IgM tests yielded positive results for the index case, and the isolate was identified as D8 strain by genotyping. Measles lgM antibodies were also positive in all of the other cases. The hospitalization period was estimated as 3-7 days (median: 5 days), while all the patients were discharged with recovery. It appeared that, our index case had come from a troop in Amasya province three days ago and he had a history of contact with suspected measles patients. In addition, the D8 strain determined in the index case was found to be related with the strain that caused the outbreak in Amasya province. Of the cases, 20 (71.4%) were military personnel, and eight (28.6%) were civilian who had histories of contact with military personnel. Regardless of immunity status in the outbreak period, all of the healthcare staff in our hospital, especially in risky departments, was recommended to be vaccinated. Personnel vaccination was provided at a high rate, however nosocomial transmission occurred in two unvaccinated cases. In conclusion, measles is an important health problem, especially in the adult age group, because of the complications and labour loss. For outbreak management; the awareness of health personnel should be increased following the identification of index case, proper isolation measures should be taken for the hospitalized patients, and routine reporting should be carried out timely and accurately.

Erythrocyte Membrane Fatty Acid Composition in Premenopausal Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most common nutritional disorders in the world. In the present study, we evaluated erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition in premenopausal patients with IDA. Blood samples of 102 premenopausal women and 88 healthy control subjects were collected. After the erythrocytes were separated from the blood samples, the membrane lipids were carefully extracted, and the various membrane fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography (GC). Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS software program. We used blood ferritin concentration <15 ng/mL as cut-off for the diagnosis of IDA. The five most abundant individual fatty acids obtained were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1, n-9c), linoleic acid (18:2, n-6c), stearic acid (18:0), and erucic acid (C22:1, n-9c). These compounds constituted about 87% of the total membrane fatty acids in patients with IDA, and 79% of the total membrane fatty acids in the control group. Compared with control subjects, case patients had higher percentages of palmitic acid (29.9% case versus 25.3% control), oleic acid (16.8% case versus 15.1% control), and stearic acid (13.5% case versus 10.5% control), and lower percentages of erucic acid (11.5% case versus 13.6% control) and linoleic acid (15.2% case versus 15.4% control) in their erythrocyte membranes. In conclusion, the total-erythrocyte-membrane saturated fatty acid (SFA) composition in premenopausal women with IDA was found to be higher than that in the control group; however, the total-erythrocyte-membrane unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) composition in premenopausal women with IDA was found to be lower than that in the control group. The differences in these values were statistically significant.

Comparison of Living and Bedrooms in Terms of House Dust Mites in the Province of Erzincan, Turkey.

The most important factors in development of symptoms such as allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and dermatitis in atopic persons are the allergens of house dust mites. The objective of this study was to compare living rooms and bedrooms, and woolen and spring mattresses in terms of the number and species of mites in houses in the province of Erzincan, Turkey. In total, 74 dust samples were collected from living rooms and bedrooms of 37 randomly selected houses from various districts of the city. All examined houses were positive for house dust mites. In total, 5,210 mites were isolated, 1,058 from the living rooms and 4,152 from the bedrooms, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Of 4,152 mites detected in bedrooms, 1,330 (32%) were isolated from 31 spring mattresses and 2,822 (68%) from 6 woolen mattresses (P < 0.001). The study identified 14 families, 17 genera, and 16 species belonging to Astigmata, Prostigmata, and Oribatida. Of these, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) was the dominant species: living rooms, 63.3%; bedrooms, 74.4%; woolen mattresses, 84.6%; and spring mattresses, 52.8%. This was followed by Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank) (9.8%), Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes (5.1%), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (4.3%), and Acarus siro L. (2.5%) in living rooms; L. destructor (11.2%), Euroglyphus maynei (Cooreman) (4.2%), D. farinae (3.8%), and T. putrescentiae (1.0%) in bedrooms; L. destructor (11.8%), D. farinae (2.1%), E. maynei (0.3%), and T. putrescentiae (0.2%) in woolen mattresses; and E. maynei (12.5%), L. destructor (9.9%), D. farinae (7.5%), and T. putrescentiae (2.7%) in spring mattresses.

Effect of disulfiram on ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

It is known that ketamine increases the production of catecholamines, causing oxidative damage to the heart. Suppression of the production of catecholamines by disulfiram, a drug with antioxidant properties, indicates that disulfiram may decrease ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of disulfiram on ketamine-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Disulfiram was administered by oral gavage in doses of 25 mg/kg to rats in the DK-25 group and 50 mg/kg to rats in the DK-50 group. Distilled water was applied in the ketamine control (KC) and healthy (HG) rat groups. At one hour after drug administration and subsequently at ten-minute intervals, a 60 mg/kg dose of ketamine was intraperitoneally injected in the rats in all groups other than HG, and anesthesia was maintained for three hours. Disulfiram prevented both increase in the levels of parameters indicating oxidative and myocardial damage and decrease of antioxidant levels in the heart tissue with ketamine in a dose-dependent manner. Disulfiram better prevented occurrence of cardiotoxicity with ketamine in the 50 mg/kg dose than in the 25 mg/kg dose. It is concluded that disulfiram may usefully be applied in clinical practice in the prevention of cardiotoxicity as observed during anesthesia with ketamine.

Protective effect of resveratrol against methotrexate-induced oxidative stress in the small intestinal tissues of rats.

The effect of resveratrol on the damage induced by methotrexate (MTX) in rat duodenum and jejunum tissue was investigated and evaluated in comparison with famotidine. The rats were divided into four groups as healthy group (HG), resveratrol+MTX (RMTX) group, famotidine+MTX (FMTX) group and the control group which received MTX (MTXC). RMTX group was given resveratrol 25 mg/kg and FMTX group famotidin 25 mg/kg, while MTXC and HG groups were orally administered distilled water once a day for 30 days. The rats in RMTX, FMTX and MTXC groups were given MTX of 5 mg/kg dose by the same way for 30 days. At the end of this period, amount of MDA, 8-OH/Gua and tGSH, and MPO gene expression were measured in the duodenal and jejunal tissues and the results were histopathologically evaluated. Resveratrol and famotidine were found to significantly prevent elevation of the MDA, 8-OH/Gua and MPO parameters with MTX and decrease of the levels of tGSH in the duodenal and jejunal tissues. Both drugs prevented severe damage to the villus and crypt epithelium in the duodenum and jejunum, congestion and hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis in the mucosa and submucosa due to MTX administration. Resveratrol could be considered in the clinical practice for treatment of the tissue damage in the intestines due to use of MTX, in comparison with famotidine. Resveratrol may be more advantageous than famotidine in long-term use against MTX toxicity since it does not inhibit gastric acid secretion.