Brain and serum beta-endorphin concentrations in trazodone treated rats

Uvod: Beta (β) endorfini otkriveni su u hipotalamusu i hipofizi, a u manjoj količini i u drugim organima. Cilj ove studije bio je utvrditi mogući utjecaj psi-hotropnih lijekova na β-endorfine u serumu i mozgu kod štakora kao eksperimentalnog modela. Materijal i metode: Studija je provedena na albino Wistar štakorima (200-250 g tjelesne težine) uz primjenu antidepresiva trazodona. Tehnika RIA primijenjena je za kvantificiranje β-endorfina u serumu i mozgu. Rezultati: Koncentracije serumskih β-endorfina izmjerenih 1. dana primjene trazodona bile su značajno više (72,3 ± 1,86 pg/mL; x ± SEM) od početnih koncentracija (45,83 ± 3,77 pg/mL; P = 0,001). Međutim, trazodon je doveo do značajno nižih koncentracija β-endorfina 9. dana liječenja (33,4 ± 1,91 pg/ mL) u usporedbi s koncentracijama izmjerenim 1. dana davanja lijeka (P = 0,001). Koncentracije zabilježene 28. dana (38,62 ± 1,42 pg/mL) bile su više u usporedbi s onima izmjerenim 9. dana (P = 0,439). Koncentracija β-endorfina u mozgu pokazala je značajno sniženje 1. dana davanja trazodona (431,03 ± 11,57 pg/g) u usporedbi s kontrolnim životinjama (873,5 ± 18,32 pg/g; P = 0,001). Usporedba nižih koncentracija zabilježenih 9. dana liječenja (433,65 ± 14,67 pg/g) i onih u kontrolnoj skupini životinja također je dala statistički značajne vrijednosti (P = 0,001). U skupini životinja na trazodonu 28. dana su koncentracije β-endorfina u mozgu bile značajno više 28. dana (929 ± 18,13 pg/g) od koncentracija izmjerenih 1. i 9. dana (P = 0,001 oboje) liječenja, i te su koncentracije bile više od onih zabilježenih u kontrolnoj skupini, međutim, bez statističke značajnosti (P = 0,137). Zaključak: Kronično liječenje trazodonom uzrokuje porast sinteze β-endorfina u mozgu, dok akutno davanje ovoga lijeka dovodi samo do brzog oslobađanja β-endorfina u krvotok.Introduction: Beta (β) endorphins have been detected in the hypothalamus and pituitary, and in a small amount in other organs. The aim of our study was to establish the possible influence of psychotropic drugs on serum and brain β-endorphins in rats as experimental model. Material and methods: The study was performed on albino Wistar rats (200-250 g body weight), using the antidepressant trazodone. RIA technique was employed for quantification of serum and brain β-endorphins. Results: Serum β-endorphins measured on day 1 of trazodone application were significantly higher (72.31 ± 1.86 pg/mL; x± SEM) compared to baseline values (45.83 ± 3.77 pg/mL; P = 0.001). However, trazodone produced significantly lower β-endorphin concentrations on day 9 of treatment (33.4 ±1.91 pg/mL) compared to the values measured on day 1 of trazodone administration (P = 0.001). Endorphin concentrations recorded on day 28 (38.62 ± 1.42 pg/mL) were higher compared to those measured on day 9 (P = 0.439). Data on brain β-endorphin concentration showed a significant decrease on day 1 of trazodone administration (431.03 ± 11.57 pg/g) compared to data obtained from control rat brains (873.5 ± 18.32 pg/g; P = 0.001). Statistical significance was also recorded by comparison of the lower data obtained on day 9 of treatment (433.65 ± 14.67 pg/g) and those observed in the control group (P = 0.001). In trazodone treated rats, brain β-endorphins were significantly higher on day 28 (929 ± 18.13 pg/g) compared with the levels measured on day 1 and day 9 of treatment (P = 0.001 both), showing slightly higher values than in control rats, yet without statistical significance (P = 0.137). Conclusion: Chronic trazodone treatment causes an increase in the brain β-endorphin synthesis, while acute drug administration results only in a rapid release of β-endorphins into the circulation

Correlation of serum lipid profile and glycemic control parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus type 2 has become a global health-care problem of modern society due to a pronounced increase of prevalence to pandemic proportions and vascular complications. At present, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is widely accepted as a measure of glycemic control in established diabetes. The aim of this study was to analyze the lipid profile in serum of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2, and its relationship with HbA1c levels. Methods: The observational cross-sectional study included 60 diabetic patients, 30 men, and 30 women, age 32–94 years. Patients were assigned into two groups based on HbA1c values; Group 1: HbA1c ≤ 7% (good glycemic control) and Group 2: HbA1c > 7% (poor glycemic control). We analyzed the concentration of glucose, HbA1c, and lipid profile including total cholesterol levels, triglycerides (TAG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Results: Significantly lower values of glucose concentration, TAG and the ratio TAG/HDLc were obtained in the group of patients with good glycemic control. (p 0.005) Our study revealed a significant positive correlation between HbA1c and triglyceride level (r = 0.375; p = 0.003) and HbA1c and ratio triglyceride/HDLc (r = 0.335; p = 0.009). Conclusion: HbA1c can also be used as a predictor of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetics in addition to as a glycemic control parameter

Comparison of Trazodone, Diazepame and Dibenzepine Influences on Rat Brain Beta-Endorphins Content

The aim of our study was to establish the extent of influence of different psychotropic drugs to brain β-endorphins in experimental animals. The study was performed on albino Wistar rats (weight 250 g), treated with different psychoactive drugs. RIA technique was employed for quantification of brain β-endorphins. Brain β-endorphins were higher in experiment group treated with trazodone (929 pg/g ± 44,43; X±SD), and dibenzepine (906,63 pg/g ± 74,06), yet with lower brain content in rats treated with diazepame (841,55 pg/g ± 68,47), compared to brain β-endorphins content of control group treated with saline solution (0,95% NaCl) (873,5 pg/g ± 44,89). Significant differences were obtained comparing brain β-endorphins of trazodone vs. diaze-pame treated animals, with diazepame group having lower values (p<0,02). This study showed differences in changes of rat brain β-endorphins contents when different psy-choactive drugs are used. Therefore, we consider that β-endorphins could be used for evaluation of effects of psychoactive drugs, as a useful parameter in therapy with these psycho pharmaceuticals

ß-endorphins as Possible Markers for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

This study was performed in order to investigate possible role of brain beta-endorphins as markers of antidepressive drugs therapy monitoring. Experiment was done using amitriptyline and trazodone as antidepressants. For quantification of brain beta-endorphins we used RIA technique. Our results showed significant decrease of brain beta-endorphins concentration in drug-pretreated animals, vs. those in of control group treated with 0,95% NaCl. The lower values were obtained in trazodone pre-treated animals. This study shows that use of psychoactive drugs have influence on brain beta-endorphins concentration. beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of patient treatment

Cardiac troponin I: the gold standard in acute myocardial infarction diagnosis

Cardiovascular diseases are leading cause of morbidity in the world. Measurement of the level of biochemical markers in the serum is one of World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Non-specific clinical state of patients and insufficiently sensitive electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnostics, at patient's hospital admission time, point out the importance of biochemical markers in acute myocardial infarction diagnosis. Technology development and new diagnostic methods lead to the invention of highly sensitive and specific marker as myocardialdamage evidence. Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) is specific marker for myocardial damage1. Its elevation in the serum within myocardial ischemia symptomatology is important in diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Troponin T and Histological Characteristics of Rat Myocardial Infarction Induced by Isoproterenol

In our investigation, we used short-time model of myocardial infarction of rats induced by high dose of isoproterenol (ISP). We investigated cardiac troponin T blood level (cTnT) and histological characteristics of rat myocardium. ISP, single, intraperitoneal dose 250 mg/kg was given to male, adult, Wistar rats (n=12). Rats were distributed depending on their body weight in subgroups: ISP I (BW 260-280g) and ISP II (BW 250-400g). Control group (n=9) was treated with intraperitoneal dose of 0,95% NaCl. Cardiac TnT was measured by electrochemiluminiscence (ECLA) sandwich immunoassay in rat serum 4 hours after ISP application. Rats’ hearts were dissected and examined by qualitative histological method (HE). Statistical significance was set at 0,05. There was significant difference in cTnT of ISP II (p=0,0001) vs. control and ISP I (p<0,05) vs. control. Significant difference was beetween ISP I and ISP II subgroups (p<0.001). The accent of histological changes of myocardium was on nuclei of cell. Cells showed acydophilic changes and nuclei disappearance as signs of coagulative necrosis development. Extensivity of histological changes were different beetween ISP I and ISP II subgroup. Used dose of ISP induced development of myocardial necrosis in rats. Suben-docardial portion of myocardium was more vulnerability than subepicardial portion. Rats of ISP II had more extensive histological changes than these in ISP I. Administered doses of ISP enabled cTnT utilization as a marker of myocardial necrosis

Comparison of Creatine Kinase Activity and Myoglobin Blood Level in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate and compare the relative increase of serum myoglobin level and total creatine kinase(CK) activity in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients (n=36). We measured serial changes in total CK activity and myoglobin serum level in three-time periods (6-9 hours, 24 hours and 6-7 days) from chest pains onset. Myoglobin peaked during the first 6-9 hours but total CK reached its peak activity after 24 hours from AMI symptoms onset. Results of this study showed that as non-specific cardiac marker myoglobin had better sensitivity and earlier rise in serum than total CK activity in AMI patients. Rapid kinetic of myoglobin level is important for its utility as marker for re-infarction diagnosis. Early myoglobin increase in serum is important for early triage of AMI patients and early "ruling out" of AMI diagnosis if there is no evidence of its elevation in circulation

Blood iron stores reduction affects lipoprotein status – a potential benefit of blood donation

Aim To determine the lipoprotein proile of voluntary blood donors, and on the basis of parameters to evaluate the risk of atherosclerosis. Methods The study included voluntary blood donors of both sexes. Participants were divided into two groups. The irst group of subjects consisted of men and women in menopause (BD1). Thesecond group consisted of women in reproductive age (BD2). Analysisof concentration of lipoproteins was performed by direct determination of total cholesterol, LDL-C and HDL-C. From the totalserum cholesterol and concentration of lipoproteins ratios of totalcholesterol/ HDL-C ratio and LDL-C/HDL-C were calculated. Results Signiicantly higher concentration of LDL-C was obtained in the serum of BD 1, compared to LDL-C in the serum of BD 2, within the reference range. Mean concentration of HDL-C in the serum of BD 2 group was higher than the values measured in the BD group 1, without signiicant difference. The ratio of total cholesterol / HDL-C showed signiicantly higher values in the BD 1 group compared with results in the BD 2 group. Signiicantly higher values in the BD group 1 were observed for the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C. Obtained results showed that all voluntary blood donors had a concentration of individual lipoprotein fractions in a lower risk range for atherosclerosis development. Conclusion Female voluntary blood donors in reproductive age have a more favorable lipid status in relation to the voluntary blood donors, men and women in menopause, indicating that this population of women is exposed to lower risk of developing atherosclerosis

Time-dependent responses of rat troponin I and cardiac injury following isoproterenol administration

Aim To develop a rat model of myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (ISO). We investigated a type of histological myocardial changes and cardiac troponin I (TnI) kinetic. Methods The study has used adult, male, Wistar strain rats. Rats were distributed in ISO and control groups. Rats treated with ISO were divided into groups according to the time of cTnI and myocardial lesion analyses: ISO I (30’), ISO II (60’), ISO III (120’) and ISO IV (240’). We determined cTnI (Life Diagnostics Inc. West Chester PA, USA) in the serum by ELISA method. We performed histological analysis on the specimens of left ventricular wall stained by hematoxillin-eosin (HE) method. Results The irst statistically signiicant rise of cTnI was noted 30 minutes after the ISO administration. There was no statistically signiicant difference between cTnI mean values among the ISO groups. Observed myocardial histological changes were time dependent. Conclusions This model can be suitable for cardioprotective and cardiotoxicity supstance investigations followed by cTnI measurement in blood. The similarity between induced myocardial lesion on animal model in our study and human myocardial lesion in ischemia give us suficient impulse for further preclinical researches of new cardiac markers

Polymorphism in Methylentetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene: Important Role in Diseases

It has been recognized that some people have a genetic variant which leads to elevated levels of homocysteine and impairs ability to process folate. This condition was recognized as independent risk factor of coronary heart disease. Recently, connection between this termolabile mutation of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and numerous conditions and diseases has been established. Aim of this review is to draw attention to this interesting area in medicine. Additionally, well defined study about presence and frequency of gene polymorphism in our region will provide proper diagnosis and achieve possible delay of development of diseases with vitamin supplementation