Protective effects of resveratrol on hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenolic compound having antioxidant effects. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of resveratrol against oxidative stress in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. STZ was injected intraperitonally (i.p.) to 18 Sprague-Dawley albino rats, which were divided into three groups, each having six rats. First group was non-treated diabetic group (D), second diabetic group was subjected to 30 min of hepatic ischemia followed by a 45-min reperfusion period (D + I/R), and third diabetic group was subjected to 30 min of hepatic ischemia followed by a 45-min reperfusion period and treated with 20 mg/kg/day oral RSV before 30 min I/R injury (D + I/R + RSV). At the end of the experimental period, animals were decapitated, and blood samples were collected to determine tissue tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels. Liver and lung tissue samples were obtained for the evaluation of biochemical parameters including malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels and histopathological examinations. Compared to control, I/R injury resulted in decreases in GSH levels and increases in MDA levels. Tissue TNF-alpha levels were also increased in the D + I/R group compared to D group. Treatment with RSV prevented the alterations on biochemical parameters and histopathological changes induced by I/R. We demonstrate that in diabetic rats, hepatic I/R injury is associated with an augmented inflammatory response and oxidative stress, while RSV pre-treatment significantly decreased these responses. Larger clinical studies are desirable to determine the exact role(s) of RSV on hepatic I/R injury among diabetic subjects

Evaluation of alveolar clearance by Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scintigraphy in welders

Objectives: The welding process produces metal fumes and gases which may affect respiratory health. Technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) dynamic lung scanning is an easy, noninvasive method to assess disorders of alveolar-capillary barrier permeability secondary to epithelial damage. We aimed to investigate the alveolar clearance by Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scintigraphy in welders, to assess additive effects of exposure to welding fumes and cigarette smoking on clearance rate of alveolar epithelium and to determine the correlation between Tc-99m DTPA aerosol lung scintigraphy and spirometric measurements. Methods: Nine nonsmoking welders, 9 smoking welders, and a control group of 6 nonsmokers and 6 smokers were accepted to the study. Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scintigraphy was performed in all subjects. Clearance half time (T-1/2) was calculated by placing a monoexponential fit on the curves. Penetration index (PI) was also calculated on the first minute image. Pulmonary function tests of welders and control group were compared. Results: The mean T-1/2 values of Tc99m DTPA of the nonsmoking welders were significantly higher than those of the nonsmoking control group (82.1 +/- 24.3 min and 48.1 +/- 9.7 min, respectively; p = 0.003). The mean T-1/2 values of Tc-99m DTPA of the smoking welders were higher than those of the smoking control group (53.3 +/- 24.5 min and 44.5 +/- 9.7 min, respectively; p = 0.510). PI of the nonsmoking welders was significantly higher than that of the nonsmoking control group,(0.46 +/- 0.38 and 0.39 +/- 0.46 respectively; p = 0.004). PI of the smoking welders was significantly higher than that of smoking control group (0.43 +/- 0.38 and 0.37 +/- 0.45, respectively; p = 0.019). There was a negative correlation between T1/2 value and FEV1% (r = -0.468, p = 0.016), FVC% (r = -0.442, p = 0.024) and FEF25-75% (r = -0.391, p = 0.048) in the welders and control group. No statistically significant differences were found in the values of the standard pulmonary function tests of any of the subjects. Conclusions: Welding seems to decrease alveolar clearance which causes an increase in the penetration index. This was considered to be due to fibrotic changes and increased number of alveolar macrophages induced by welding fumes

The effect of ascorbic acid on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and intimal hyperplasia Askorbik Asidin Anastomoz Sonrasi Gelisen Vasküler Düz Kas Hücre Proliferasyonu ve Intimal Hiperplazi Üzerine Etkisi: Tavsan Modeli

Objective: Proliferation of smooth muscle cells leading to intimal hyperplasia developing at vascular intervention sites plays a major role in the development of restenosis. Ascorbic acid is a potent anti-oxidant with antiproliferative properties. The aim of this study was to investigate such effect of ascorbic acid on intimal hyperplasia. Material and Methods: Twenty-one male white New Zealand rabbits weighing 2-3 kg were selected. The animals were allocated to three groups each consisting of seven rabbits. Group 1 was the sham group. Group 2 was the control group and Group 3 consisted of rabbits receiving ascorbic acid. The right carotid arteries of the subjects in Groups 2 and 3 were transected and re-anastomosed. A daily dose of 100 mg ascorbic acid per kg body weight was administered intraperitoneally for 14 days to rabbits in Group 3. Rabbits in Group 2 were not subject to any pharmaceutical agent. All the subjects were sacrificed at the end of postoperative day 28. Their right carotid arteries were resected and were subject to histopathologic examination for smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. The arterial segments were fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution until the time of histological analysis. Each vessel was sectioned serially in 2-mm increments from the prepared paraffin blocks. Sections of 5 μm thickness were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson Trichrome. The diameters of vessels and their luminal areas, and the areas of tunica intima and tunica media were measured with 10X magnification. The thicknesses of tunica intima and tunica media were measured with 20X magnification. The morphometric measurements were then compared between groups. Results: Intimal thickness and intimal area were significantly lower in Group 1 when compared with the other groups (p=0.004, p=0.003). In Group 3, the ratios of tunica intima thickness/tunica media thickness and area of tunica intima/area of tunica media were significantly lower than those of Group 2 (p=0.015, p=0.046). Conclusion: Ascorbic acid reduces the intimal hyperplasia developing after vascular anastomoses. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri

The Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Intimal Hyperplasia

Objective: Proliferation of smooth muscle cells leading to intimal hyperplasia developing at vascular intervention sites plays a major role in the development of restenosis. Ascorbic acid is a potent anti-oxidant with antiproliferative properties. The aim of this study was to investigate such effect of ascorbic acid on intimal hyperplasia. Material and Methods: Twenty-one male white New Zealand rabbits weighing 2-3 kg were selected. The animals were allocated to three groups each consisting of seven rabbits. Group 1 was the sham group. Group 2 was the control group and Group 3 consisted of rabbits receiving ascorbic acid. The right carotid arteries of the subjects in Groups 2 and 3 were transected and re-anastomosed. A daily dose of 100 mg ascorbic acid per kg body weight was administered intraperitoneally for 14 days to rabbits in Group 3. Rabbits in Group 2 were not subject to any pharmaceutical agent. All the subjects were sacrificed at the end of postoperative day 28. Their right carotid arteries were resected and were subject to histopathologic examination for smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. The arterial segments were fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution until the time of histological analysis. Each vessel was sectioned serially in 2-mm increments from the prepared paraffin blocks. Sections of 5 μm thickness were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson Trichrome. The diameters of vessels and their luminal areas, and the areas of tunica intima and tunica media were measured with 10X magnification. The thicknesses of tunica intima and tunica media were measured with 20X magnification. The morphometric measurements were then compared between groups. Results: Intimal thickness and intimal area were significantly lower in Group 1 when compared with the other groups (p=0.004, p=0.003). In Group 3, the ratios of tunica intima thickness/tunica media thickness and area of tunica intima/area of tunica media were significantly lower than those of Group 2 (p=0.015, p=0.046). Conclusion: Ascorbic acid reduces the intimal hyperplasia developing after vascular anastomoses. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri

Is there any relationship between benign endometrial pathologies and metabolic status?

The aim of this study was to assess the relation between benign endometrial pathologies (polyp and/or hyperplasia without atypia) and the metabolic status (insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome) of the patients. A total of 168 cases were enrolled in the study. The patients were classified according to the presence of benign endometrial pathologies and their menopausal status. Then, the subjects were evaluated according to the metabolic syndrome criteria and the presence of an insulin resistance. The insulin resistance levels of the cases were analysed by four different methods. Obesity and a waist circumference of greater than 88 cm were observed significantly more in the study group with endometrial pathologies (p = .005 and p < .001, respectively). It was also observed that a fasting blood glucose level of higher than 110 mg/dL increased the risk of developing endometrial polyps and/or hyperplasia without atypia by almost five folds (OR: 5.26, 95% CI: 1.25–22.12). Furthermore, an insulin resistance was found to be significantly high in the study group (p = .002). Based on the observed significant relationship between an insulin resistance and benign endometrial pathologies, it can be concluded that insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of benign endometrial pathologies.Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Metabolic anomalies such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia play an important role in abnormal endometrial proliferation. Also, these metabolic anomalies have been known as risk factors for type I endometrial cancer. What the results of this study add? A significant relationship between an insulin resistance and benign endometrial pathologies was observed. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Based on this finding, we concluded that an insulin resistance may play an important role in the development of benign endometrial pathologies. The prevention and the treatment of obesity as a key factor of developing an insulin resistance, may reduce not only the incidence of malignant endometrial pathologies, but also the incidence of benign pathologies and of a malignant transformation

Effects of melatonin on the oxidant/antioxidant status and lung histopathology in rabbits exposed to cigarette smoke

Objectives and background: To evaluate the effects of cigarette smoking on the histopathology and the oxidant/antioxidant status of the lungs and to test the potential antioxidant benefits of melatonin on these induced changes