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The polyphenol curcumin has several pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer features. In this study, we evaluated the effects of curcumin in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) control; (2) cisplatin (7 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal as a single dose); (3) curcumin (100 mg/kg via gavage, for 10 days); and (4) cisplatin and curcumin. The cisplatin-treated rats exhibited kidney injury manifested by increased serum urea and creatinine (p<0.05). The kidney tissue from the cisplatin treated rats also exhibited a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p<0.05). The treatment with curcumin prevented a rise in the serum urea, creatinine and MDA levels when compared to the control group kidneys (p<0.05). The analysis the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and sirtuin (SIRT) proteins (SIRT1, SIRT3 and SIRT4), which play important roles in the resistance to stress and the modulation of the threshold of cell death, showed similar trends (p<0.05). In the cisplatin-only treated rats, the induced renal injury decreased the levels of the NAMPT and SIRT proteins. Conversely, the curcumin increased the levels of the NAMPT and SIRT proteins in the cisplatin-treated rats (p<0.05). These data suggest that curcumin can potentially be used to reduce chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity, thereby enhancing the therapeutic window of cisplatin.

Background: Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) are frequently encountered clinical entities characterized by painful and irritative voiding symptoms often referable to the prostate. Diagnosis usually depends on the symptoms and treatment mainly consists of reassurance, anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics in the absence of a documented infection. To have objective diagnostic criteria, we determined the possible roles and diagnostic efficacies of soluble cytokines interleukin-1b (IL-1b), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), IL-2R, IL-6 and IL-8 in the seminal plasma of patients with different forms of CPPS. Methods: Seminal plasma was obtained from a total of 30 subjects who were evaluated in three groups. Each group comprised 10 patients having inflammatory CPPS, non-inflammatory CPPS and control subjects, respectively. The levels of IL-1b, IL-2R, TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured in seminal plasma using chemiluminescence. Results:The level of IL-2R in all three groups was below measurable values. Interleukin-1b, TNFa, IL-6 and IL-8 levels were elevated significantly in the two groups with CPPS compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Soluble cytokines showed a slight difference between patients with inflammatory CPPS and non-inflammatory CPPS, but this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion:Although there are individual variables between the discrimination of inflammatory and non-inflammatory CPPS, cytokines are frequently present and elevated in the expressed prostatic secretions from men with CPPS. Our results indicate that several soluble cytokines can be used to identify this chronic and long-term disease.

AIM:The current study was to determine the serum/plasma levels of VEGF, IL-6, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), PCT and CRP in gastric carcinoma and correlation with the stages of the disease and accompanying infection.

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This study was designed to investigate the harmful effects of toluene inhalation in the liver of rats and possible protective effects of melatonin on these detrimental effects. For this purpose, 21 adult male Wistar-albino rats were randomly divided into three equal groups. Animals in group I were used as control. The rats in group II were exposed to toluene (3000 ppm/1 hour/day) for 4 weeks, while the rats in group III were treated with melatonin (10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally [ip]) plus toluene inhalation. At the end of the experimental period, liver and blood samples were taken from the decapitated animals. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin and albumin levels were determined. Liver tissue sections were stained with routine histological methods and examined under the light microscope. In addition, the sections were immunohistochemically stained using avidin-biotin-peroxidase method for determination of apoptosis. The liver tissue activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were also measured. Toluene inhalation significantly increased serum ALT, AST and tissue MDA, and decreased serum albumin, but did not affect serum ALP, total bilirubin levels and tissue SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activity when compared with controls. The increases in tissue MDA and serum ALT and AST levels induced by toluene inhalation were significantly inhibited by melatonin treatment. In light microscopic observations of tissues from toluene-inhaled rats, massive hepatocyte degeneration, ballooning degeneration and mild pericentral fibrosis were observed. Bax immune reactivity was also increased significantly. Melatonin treatment decreased the balloon degeneration, fibrosis and Bax immune reactivity in the liver of toluene-inhaled rats. In view of the present findings, it is suggested that melatonin has hepatoprotective effects against toluene toxicity via primarily antioxidative properties.

With the lack of regional differences and the well-standardized status of test results, the RIs derived from this nationwide study can be used for the entire Turkish population.