Impact of coadministration of apigenin and bone marrow stromal cells on damaged ovaries due to chemotherapy in rat: An experimental study

Background: Apigenin is a plant-derived flavonoid with antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that may recover damaged ovaries. It seems that apigenin may promote the differentiation of MSCs. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs on the function, structure, and apoptosis of the damaged ovaries after creating a chemotherapy model with cyclophosphamide in rat. Materials and Methods: For chemotherapy induction and ovary destruction, cyclophosphamide was injected intraperitoneally to 40 female Wistar rats (weighing 180–200 gr, 10 wk old) for 14 days. Then, the rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/each): control, apigenin, BMSCs and coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs. Injection of apigenin was performed intraperitoneally and BMSC transplantation was performed locally in the ovaries. The level of anti-mullerian hormone serum by ELISA kit, the number of oocytes by superovulation, the number of ovarian follicles in different stages by H&E staining, and the expression of ovarian Bcl-2 and Bax proteins by western blot were assessed after four wk. Results: The results of serum anti-mullerian hormone level, number of oocytes and follicles, and Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio showed that coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs significantly recovered the ovarian function, structure, and apoptosis compared to the control, BMSC, and apigenin groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results suggest that the effect of coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs is maybe more effective than the effect of their administrations individually on the recovery of damaged ovaries following the chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide in rats. Key words: Apigenin, Bone marrow stromal cells, Chemotherapy, Ovary, Regeneration

Pulmonary Manifestations of SARS Co V 2 Infection in Mild/Severe Patients

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused viral pneumonia in Wuhan City in China in December of 2019. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) primarily targets the lungs with severe hypoxia, which usually results in death. COVID-19 is highly heterogeneous regarding severity, clinical phenotype, and more importantly, global dispersal. The respiratory system in all aspects such as respiratory airways, endothelium of pulmonary vessels, conducting airways, the alveoli, neuromuscular breathing structure, and pulmonary circulation are affected by this virus. A comprehensive concept of the source and dynamic action of the SARS-CoV-2 and the possible causes of heterogeneity in COVID-19 is required for predicting and managing the illness in acute and chronic stages of the pulmonary sign

Protective effects of progesterone on sciatic nerve function and structure in experimental diabetic neuropathy

Introduction: Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common complications affecting more than 50-60% of diabetic patients and it is a common cause of non-traumatic amputation and autonomic failure.Neuroactive steroids, such as progesterone (PROG), have been recently identified as promisingneuroprotective agents in several models of neurodegeneration. In this study, we investigated thepotential neuroprotective effects of PROG in an experimental model of diabetic neuropathy.Material and Methods: Thirty male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (with 10 rats in each),control (non-diabetic), untreated diabetic and diabetic PROG-treated. Diabetes was induced in theanimals by a single dose injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg kg-1, i.p.). In the PROG-treatedgroup, 4 weeks after inducing of diabetes; the animals were treated with PROG (8 mg kg-1, i.p., everytwo days) for 6 weeksResults: Diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV),mean myelinated fibers (MFs) diameter, axon diameter and myelin sheath thickness in the sciaticnerve after 6 weeks. In the untreated diabetic group, endoneurial edema was observed in sciatic nerveand the numbers of MFs with enfolding into the axoplasm, irregularity of fibers, myelin sheath withunclear boundaries and alteration in myelin compaction were also increased. Long-term treatment withPROG increased MNCV significantly and prevented all these abnormalities in treated diabetic rats.Conclusion: Our findings indicated that PROG as a therapeutic approach can protectneurophysiologic and histomorphologic alterations induced by peripheral diabetic neuropathy

Bone Marrow Stromal Cells With Exercise and Thyroid Hormone Effect on Post-Stroke Injuries in Middle-aged Mice

Introduction: Based on our previous findings, the treatment of stem cells alone or in combination with thyroid hormone (T3) and mild exercise could effectively reduce the risk of stroke damage in young mice. However, it is unclear whether this treatment is effective in aged or middle-aged mice. Therefore, this study designed to assess whether combination of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (BMSCs) with T3 and mild treadmill exercise can decrease stroke complications in middle-aged mice.  Methods: Under laser Doppler flowmetry monitoring, transient focal cerebral ischemia was produced by right Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) for 45 min followed by 7 days of reperfusion in middle-aged mice. BMSCs (1×105) were injected into the right cerebral ventricle 24 h after MCAO, followed by daily injection of triiodothyronine (T3) (20 µg/100 g/d SC) and 6 days of running on a treadmill. Infarct size, neurological function, apoptotic cells and expression levels of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) were evaluated 1 week after stroke. Results: Post-ischemic treatment with BMSCs or with T3 and or mild treadmill exercise alone or in combination did not significantly change neurological function, infarct size, and apoptotic cells 7 days after ischemia in middle-aged mice (P>0.05). However, the expression of GFAP significantly reduced after treatment with BMSCs and or T3 (P<0.01).   Conclusion: Our findings indicate that post-stroke treatment BMSCs with exercise and thyroid hormone cannot reverse neuronal damage 7 days after ischemia  in middle-aged mice. These findings further support that age is an important variable in stroke treatmen

Chrysin-Enhanced Cytotoxicity of 5-Fluorouracil-Based Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer in Mice: Investigating its Effects on Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been recognized as an effective medication used to treat colorectal cancer (CRC); however, its administration is facing limitations due to some complications reported. It is also generally accepted that combination therapy is among strategies to improve chemotherapy efficiency. Therefore, chrysin, with its anticancer effects, in combination with 5-FU was investigated in the present study. Azoxymethane (AOM) as a carcinogenic substance along with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was additionally utilized to induce CRC in mice. The anticancer effects of chrysin were then evaluated using aberrant crypt foci (ACF) counting and percentage of pathologic lesions in epithelial tissues from distal colon. In this study, cyclooxygenase (COX-2) protein expression was correspondingly explored through immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results revealed that chrysin alone or in combination with 5-FU could decrease ACF counting and percentage of pathologic lesions in comparison with AOM (p&lt;0.05). Moreover, the combination of chrysin (at a dose of 50 mg/kg) with 5-FU reduced COX-2 expression compared with 5-FU alone (p&lt;0.001) or 5-FU in combination with chrysin at a dose of 100 mg/kg (p&lt;0.05). Furthermore, the combined chrysin boosted 5-FU efficiency, so it was suggested as an auxiliary therapy for CRC

Enhanced efficacy of 5-fluorouracil combined with chrysin in treating colorectal cancer in BALB/c mice: Impact on β-catenin and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression

229-236Chrysin is a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in honey and propolis, with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of chrysin combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of mice with colorectal cancer (CRC). Moreover, the effects of these two compounds on the expression of β-catenin and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were investigated. The CRC was induced in the mice by azoxymethane (AOM). The co-administration of 5-FU and chrysin in the treatment of mice reduced the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and the pathologic lesion percentage compared to other treatment groups (P <0.05). The co-administration of 5-FU and chrysin resulted in a reduction in β-catenin and iNOS (P <0.05). We showed that a combination of 5-FU and chrysin is superior to 5-FU or chrysin alone in the treatment of mice with CRC. Our approach opens an avenue to introduce a useful therapeutic option for colorectal cancer in humans

Lavandula Reduces Heart Injury via Attenuating Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha and Oxidative Stress in A Rat Model of Infarct-Like Myocardial Injury

Objective Lavender is used in herbal medicine for different therapeutic purposes. Nonetheless, potential therapeutic effects of this plant in ischemic heart disease and its possible mechanisms remain to be investigated. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, lavender oil at doses of 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg was administered through gastric gavage for 14 days before infarct-like myocardial injury (MI). The carotid artery and left ventricle were cannulated to record arterial blood pressure (BP) and cardiac function. At the end of experiment, the heart was removed and histopathological alteration, oxidative stress biomarkers as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level were evaluated. Results Induction of M.I caused cardiac dysfunction, increased levels of lipid peroxidation, TNF-α and troponin I in heart tissue (P<0.001). Pretreatment with lavender oil at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced myocardial injury, troponin I and TNF-α. In addition, it improved cardiac function and antioxidant enzyme activity (P<0.01). Conclusion Our finding showed that lavender oil has cardioprotective effect through inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory pathway in the rat model with infarct-like MI. We suggest that lavender oil may be helpful in prevention or attenuation of heart injury in patients with high risk of myocardial infarction and/or ischemic heart disease

Dietary saffron reduced the blood pressure and prevented remodeling of the aorta in L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats

Objective(s):The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nutritional saffron (Crocus sativus L.) stigma hydroalcoholic extract on blood pressure (BP) and histology of the aorta in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods:   Saffron (200 mg/kg/day) was given orally for 5 weeks to normotensive and hypertensive rats. Hypertension was induced by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 40 mg/kg/day) administration in drinking water, and BP was measured weekly. Histological examination of the thoracic aorta included staining with hematoxylin and eosin, orcein, and periodic acid Schiff methods. Results:  Saffron had no effect on normotensive rats, but on hypertensive rats, prevented BP elevation form the third week of treatment (

Acute and chronic effects of aqueous Ferula persica extract on blood pressure of normotensive rats

Introduction: Ferula persica (F. persica) have been used as lowering blood pressure (BP) in traditionalmedicine, but its therapeutic effects are not yet known in new medicine. So, in this study, the acute andchronic effects of F.persica aqueous extract were investigated on normal BP of rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male wistar rats (250-300gr) were randomlydivided to four acute groups (n=7). Femoral artery and vein was catheterized for BP recording and extractor vehicle injected in pentobarbital sodium anesthetized rats. To evaluate chronic extract of F.persicaeffects on BP, the F.persica extract (30 mg/kg/day) or vehicle was orally administrated in two groups (n=6)for a month. Systolic BP was recorded non-invasively from the tail at the beginning and the end of theexperiment.Results: Intravenous administration of aqueous F. persica extract with 15, 30 or 60 mg/kg dosagesignificantly reduced mean arterial BP of anesthetized rats by 32%, 42% and 55% respectively (p<0.001).Chronic oral administration of extract or vehicle for a month had no effect on systolic BP of conscious rats.Also there is no significant difference in heart rate in different experimental groups.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that intravenous injection of aqueous F. persica extractreduces BP. So, plant component identification and it can be used for hypertensive patient