In the present study, the effects of an ethanol and aqueous extract of saffron Crocus sativus and its constituents safranal and crocin on the stress-induced reduction in food intake, weight gain and anorexic time in mice were investigated. Male albino mice (20-25 g) were irregularly exposed to a trial of electroshock stress for 7 days. Then, the anorexic time as well as the animal's food intake and weight were recorded. In addition, blood samples were obtained on days 1 and 7 for corticosterone determination. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of the aqueous but not the ethanol extract (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the anorexic time. The results were similar for crocin (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg; i.p.). In addition, a reduction in weight gain was observed in the controls as well as in the groups that received alcohol extract or safranal. However, this was not observed in animals treated with aqueous extract or crocin. The plasma corticosterone level did not increase in the aqueous extract and crocin treated animals. It can be concluded that the saffron aqueous extract and its constituent crocin reduce side effects of electroshock stress in mice.

In this study, quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory and 6-311G (d) basis set have been applied to analyze the substituent effect on the electronic structural properties including thermochemical parameters as well as anticancer characteristics of catechin as a bioactive constituent of green tea. It has been found out that different substituents with two kinds of electron donating and electron withdrawing groups including ANO 2 , ANH 2 , ACl, AOCH 3 , and ACH 3 leaded to different structural stabilities. The catechin with chloro substituents has been referred to the most stable catechin derivatives based on the minimum energy of investigated compounds. In this study, the calculated values have been compared in gas phase and different solvent media with a wide range of solvent dielectrics using the self-consistent reaction field method with polarizable continuum model. Relative interaction energies between solute and solvent as well as dipole moment values have been analyzed. The results of solvent effect study revealed that the formation of hydrogen bonds accounts for the stabilization of catechin. These calculated data were found to be a logical way in predicting the relative stability of catechin derivatives and can be useful for drug design of anticancer drugs and would open a new door for the researchers who are interested in natural products. The results presented in this article will be helpful to improve existing model and will open up a whole new arena of study to understand the anticancer characteristic of these antioxidant drugs derived from natural products against the photosensitizing DNA damage induce by catechin extracts and enable a

Graphical abstract

Background. Stress and its consequences are among the causes of accidents. Objective. The effects of intraventral tegmental area (I-VTA) memantine on the plasma corticosterone and eating parameters disturbance induced by acute stress were investigated. Methods. Male Wistar rats (W: 250–300 g) were divided into control and experiential groups, each of which received memantine either intra-VTA or peripherally. One week after bilateral cannulation, the rats received memantine (1 and 5 μg/Rat) five min before electroshock stress. The other experimental groups received memantine (1 and 5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally 30 min before stress. The control groups received saline or memantine but did not experience stress. Food and water intake and plasma corticosterone level were recorded. Results. Results showed that stress decreases food intake but does not change water intake and increase in plasma corticosterone level. Intraperitoneal memantine administration slightly inhibits the stress effects on food intake. However, water intake and plasma corticosterone level were increased. Intra-VTA memantine reduces the effects of stress on corticosterone and water intake. Conclusion. It could be concluded that inhibition of glutamate NMDA receptors in the VTA by memantine leads to the inhibition of the eating behavior parameters and plasma corticosterone level disturbance induced by stress in rats.

Anxiety is among the most common disorders affecting a great number of people. Different neurotransmitter systems, such as GABAergic system, play an important role in emergence of anxietyrelated behaviors. In this study, we have investigated the effect of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil on anxiety and its interaction with GABAergic pathways. Male mice were assigned into control, sham, and experimental groups. Intraperitoneal injection of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil was applied at doses of 0.5, 2.5, and 5 percent for 5 days. Diazepam (0.1 mg/kg) was injected on the fifth day, thirty minutes before applying Citrus aurantium L. essential oil. The anxiety-related behavior of mice was then assessed using elevated plus-maze test. In groups receiving Citrus aurantium L. essential oil at doses of 2.5 and 5 percent, the percent time spent in the open arms increased significantly (P < 0.001). The injection of diazepam alone or with Citrus aurantium L. essential oil resulted in increasing in the number of entries to the open arms and the percent time spent in the open arms (P < 0.001). The results of this study show that Citrus aurantium L. essential oil can reduce anxiety-related behaviors in male mice thah may act via GABAergic system.

The antioxidant effects of Salvia officinalis L. hydroalcoholic extract and also its hepatoprotective effects in male rats were evaluated. Salvia officinalis L. extract was administered intraperitoneally for 28 days. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase and alkaline phosphates in rats coadministered with both isoniazid (INH) 50 mg/kg and Salvia officinalis L. extract at 250 mg/kg showed significant reduction when compared to INH group, but administration of Salvia officinalis L. extract 250 mg/kg alone and with INH has alleviated gamma-glutamyl transferase comparing to INH receiving rats. After treatment of rats with INH 50mg/kg, severe tissue necrosis, and inflammation of central vein in liver and lymphocyte proliferation were observed; in the experimental group receiving Salvia officinalis L. extract (250 mg/kg) mild dilution in central vein and sinusoids in liver were seen. In rats coadministered with Salvia officinalis L. extract 250 mg/kg and INH low sinusoids dilution was indicated. It seems that Salvia officinalis L. extract exhibited anti-oxidative and hepatoprotective effects.

Relationship between sociability and the amount of brain's dopamine is very well known. In this study, we have examined the effect of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil on anxiety and its interaction with dopaminergic pathways. 70 male mice were assigned into experimental, control, and sham groups. Essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. was injected intraperitonealy at doses of 0.5%, 2.5% and 5% for 5 days. Subcutaneous injection of haloperidol was administered on the fifth day, 30 minutes before the injection of the essential oil. The anxiety-related behavior of mice was then assessed by elevated plus-maze test. The result of this study showed that the injection of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil at doses of 2.5% and 5% increased significantly the time spent in the open arms (OAT) (p < 0.001), also there was a significant increase in the number of entries into the open arms (OAE). Injection of different doses of the essential oil along with haloperidol significantly increased OAT (p < 0.001). The results demonstrate that the essential oil of Citrus aurantium L. along with haloperidol medication reduces anxiety-related behaviors.

Background: Infertility is a global health problem caused by various environmental and genetic factors. Male infertility accounts for 40–50% of all cases of infertility and approximately half of them are grouped as idiopathic with no definitive causes. Previous studies have suggested an association between some SNPs and infertility in men. In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the association of 7 different SNPs of 4 genes involved in common cell functions with male infertility. Methods: MTHFR rs1801131 (T>G), MTHFR rs2274976 (G>A), FASLG rs80358238 (A>G), FASLG rs12079514 (A>C), GSTM1 rs1192077068 (G>A), BRCA2 rs4987117 (C>T), and BRCA2 rs11571833 (A>T) were genotyped in 120 infertile men with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligospermia and 120 proven fertile controls using ARMS-PCR methods. Next, 30% of SNPs were regenotyped to confirm the results. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using SPSS statistical software to evaluate the strength of association. The p˂0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Statistical analysis revealed significant association between MTHFR rs-2274976 AA variant (OR: 10.00, CI: 3.203-31.225), FASLG rs12079514 AC variant (OR: 0.412, CI: 0.212-0.800), and BRCA2 rs11571833 TT variant OR: 6.233, CI: 3.211-12.101) with male infertility, but there was no significant difference between case and control groups in MTHFR rs1801131 (p= 0.111), GSTM1 rs1192077068 (p=0.272), BRCA2 rs4987117 (p=0.221), and FASLG rs80358238 (p=0.161). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that some novel polymorphisms including MTHFR rs2274976, FASLG rs12079514, and BRCA2 rs11571833 might be the possible predisposing risk factors for male infertility in cases with idiopathic azoospermia.