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Introduction: Gastric ulcers are the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders. Pomegranate fruits have many beneficial therapeutic effects. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a novel approach with promising therapeutic potential for curing human diseases. Aim of the work: To evaluate the effect of pomegranate and BMSCs on experimentally induced gastric ulcer in adult male rats. Materials and Methods: Sixty adult male rats were divided into four groups. Group I kept as the control group. Group II (Gastric ulcer), rats received 100% ethanol orally by gastric tube. Group (III) subdivided into 3 subgroups. Subgroup IIIa included rats with gastric ulcer that treated with pomegranate only. Subgroup IIIb, rats with gastric ulcer treated with BMSCs alone. Subgroup IIIc; gastric ulcer rats treated with a combination of pomegranate and BMSCs. Group IV included the untreated gastric ulcer rats. Fundus of stomach specimens were prepared and examined using histological and immunohistochemical techniques. Results: Groups II and IV showed various changes as deep erosion, marked damage of most of the cells. The presence of the inflammatory cells in gastric mucosa were supported by a significant increase of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) expression and collagen fibers depositions (P<0.01). A significant decrease of Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) positive reaction and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was observed (P<0.01). Subgroup IIIa showed attenuation of some histological changes, while subgroups IIIb and IIIc revealed more improvement of the histological and immunohistochemical changes described before. Conclusion: BMSCs can ameliorate experimentally-induced gastric injury in rats and protect the gastric tissue. Addition of pomegranate to BMSCs can lead to better results.

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Background: Methyl mercury (Me Hg) is an environmental toxin associated with many serious neurological disorders. Conditioned Medium (CM) derived from Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) is a novel promising approach for the treatment of nervous system damage and various diseases. Objective: The aim of this research is to assess the consequence of Me Hg on the rats' cerebellar cortex and the potential neuroprotective effect of MSCs-CM. Materials and methods: Forty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: Group I: control rats; Group II: Me Hg chloride treated rats; Group III: Me Hg chloride and DMEM treated rats; Group IV: CM treated rats after injection with Me Hg chloride. Cerebellar specimens were taken and handled for histological and immunohistochemical techniques. Morphometrical studies and statistical analysis were performed. Results: Groups II and III showed various changes such as neuronal degeneration and apoptosis. The mean number of Purkinje cells was significantly decreased(P<0.01), while Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) immunostaining was significantly increased (P<0.01) in the neuroglial cells. Ultrastructural examination showed thinning and apparent decrease in the number of myelinated nerve axons. Shrunken Purkinje cells were observed with irregular nuclei, heterogenous cytoplasm, and disrupted mitochondria. Group IV showed improvement of the histological and electron microscopic changes defined in groups II and III. Conclusion: Me Hg exposure led to degenerative changes on cerebellar cortex. MSCs-CM is a very promising approach and has neuroprotective effects.

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is mucosal barrier injury. It is commonly caused by 5 Flurouracil (5-FU). Glucosamine (GlcN) has many beneficial therapeutic effects. Platelets rich plasma (PRP) are a promising line for curing ofvarious clinical injuries. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of glucosamine and PRP on experimentally induced oral mucositis in adult male rats. Materials and methods: 40 adult male rats divided evenly into four groups. Group I (Control). Group II (Mucositis): rats injected one time intraperitoneally with 5-FU(150 mg/kg body weight).Group (III) (Mucositis treated with glucosamine): rats injected intraperitoneally with glucosamine (1000mg/kg body weight) following induction of oral mucositis for 3weeks. Group IV (Mucositis treated with PRP) rats injected with PRP(1ml/rat/day) locally into buccal mucosa following induction of oral mucositis for 3weeks. Buccal mucosa samples prepared and examined by using histological and immunohistochemical techniques. Results: Group II showed apparent diminish in the thickness of the epithelium with separation of keratin, hemorrhage and perinuclear vacuolization. There were areas of degeneration, intense subepithelial mononuclear infiltration and cell apoptosis (highly expressed caspase-3). A significant reduction of Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) positive reaction and anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive nuclei (P<0.01). Group III&IV showed improvement of the histological and immunohistochemical changes described before. Conclusion: Glucosamine and PRP provide a promising treatment for oral mucositis accompanying with chemotherapy. PRP remedy is simple and the most efficient mean as it exhibits more rapid epithelial differentiation and wound healing.