The autonomic innervation of the testicular parenchyma: a rat model

The specific roles and direct involvements of autonomic innervations on the spermatogenic process are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate stereologically the relative importance of sympathetic innervations in testicular parenchyma rats in chemically sympathectomized with guanethidine. Treated animals (n=10) were injected intraperitoneally with guanethidine at doses of 10mg/kg/day for 15 days while control animals (n= 5) received an equivalent volume of saline. After routine histological procedures, 5μm thick sections of the testes were selected for examination. Organ volumes were estimated using the Cavalieri Principle of volume measurement by means of consecutive serial sections, using “J Images” software in a computer. At least 10 seminiferous tubules were selected randomly and measured per cross section for evaluation of epithelial heights, luminal diameter and total seminiferous tubule diameter. Testicular volumes and seminiferous tubule measurements of treated animals were found to be affected by the chemical sympathectomy with guanethidine with a a statistically significant difference between experimental and control group (p<0.01). Our findings indicate that chemical sympathectomy with-short term low dose guanethidine might display morphometric changes in the rat testis which indicate the presence of autonomic innervation of its parenchyma

THE INVESTIGATIONS OF TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT STATUS AND BIOCHEMICAL SERUM PROFILE IN THYMOQUINONE-TREATED RATS

Background: This study was planned to determine the dosage and duration of thymoquinone (TQ) at which it demonstrates the optimum effect on the total antioxidant status (TAS) and the biochemical parameters in the blood serum. Materials and Methods: 48 male rats (Wistar-albino) weighing between 200-250 g were used as material. Group 1 (control) (TQ solution 5 mg/kg/day), Group 2 (15 mg/kg/day), Group 3 (30 mg/kg/day), Group 4 (45 mg/kg/day) and Group 5 (60 mg/kg/day) were designated, each containing 8 rats. Different doses of TQ (oral gavage) were administered for four weeks. Results: The TAS levels were determined to be considerably low statistically in all TQ-administered groups in comparison with the control group. It was determined that the serum biochemical parameters exerted a significant effect depending on the TQ doses. Conclusion: As a result, rats administered with TQ orally, at 60 mg/kg dosage, show that the liver and kidney function parameters in particular as different from normal. This brings us to the conclusion that at this dosage, there is reliable biochemical wise but future protective studies in which 30 mg/kg doses can be used safely is encouraged

Direct Role of alpha(2)-Adrenoreceptors in Antiulcer Effect Mechanism of Tianeptine in Rats

Tianeptine is an anti-depressant drug that also has an anti-ulcer activity. In this study, it was investigated whether or not alpha(2)-adrenoreceptors have a role in the anti-ulcer effect mechanism of tianeptine. Furthermore, we investigated both intact and adrenalectomized rats to determine whether or not the anti-ulcer activity of tianeptine is related to adrenal gland hormones involved in this mechanism. In all rats, 25 mg/kg indomethacin produced gastric ulceration. Tianeptine was administered to the indomethacin-induced ulcers in the rats at different doses. Yohimbine, selective alpha(2)-receptor blocker, was given (10 mg/kg) to some rats (adrenalectomized 6 groups and intact 4 groups), for blockage of the alpha 2-receptor. Tianeptine showed antiulcer effects of 59.6-81.6% in all animals. The results of this study show that tianeptine caused a significant anti-ulcer activity in both adrenalectomized and intact rats. Tianeptine does not have an anti-ulcer effect in rats which have been given yohimbine. Thus, the adrenal gland hormones do not have a direct effect on the anti-ulcer activity of tianeptine. This drug may be directly related to the alpha 2-adrenoreceptors. Moreover, the anti-ulcer effect shows an increase in parallel with increasing dose. This property of tianeptine could make it suitable for use in the treatment of both depression and peptic ulcer patients

Effects of Ca2+channel blocker verapamil on tissue regeneration in a lizard tail autotomy model: a biochemical and histological study

Ca2+ ions have been reported to augment the activities of many cell types including cellular proliferation and tissue regeneration. Moreover, it is well known that verapamil is a L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ antagonist with important clinical implications. To evaluate the role of Ca2+ ions in the regeneration of tail in lizards, verapamil was used in vivo to modulate the activity of intracellular Ca2+ in a lizard tail autotomy model. A total of 35 adult lizards were divided into three groups: lightness control group (n = 11), darkness group (n = 11) and verapamil treatment group (n = 13). The tails of adult lizards were amputated by pinching off the tail at the 15,h segment from the vent to induce tail regeneration. The first two groups served as untreated constant lightness and darkness groups as controls, but the remaining group received intraperitoneally I mg/kg of verapamil. Following autotomy, the length of regenerating tails was measured at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 days post-amputation. At the end of the study, the regenerating tails from animals from each group were removed for collagen assay procedure and histological examination. We found that verapamil produced a reduction in the length of the regenerated tail compared to untreated lightness group and the percentage of tail replaced in verapamil treatment group was lower than those in lightness control group. Total collagen contents were found to be higher in lightness control group in comparison with darkness and verapamil treatment groups. Accordingly, a quantitative stereological evaluation showed a higher percentage of neural tissue and a lower percentage of connective tissue, as well as vascular tissue, in the cross-sections of the regenerated tails taken from Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil-treated lizards, as compared to other groups. In conclusion, our results suggest that verapamil influences a variety of processes including fibroblast collagen production, neurogenesis, and angiogenesis during tail regeneration in lizard, possibly due to inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ ion by verapamil