The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of curcumin, β-myrcene (myrcene) and 1,8-cineole (cineole) on antioxidant defense system in rats given a persistent environmental pollutant (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, TCDD). Rats (n = 112) were divided randomly into 8 equal groups. One group was kept as control and given corn oil as carrier. TCDD was orally administered at the dose of 2 μg/kg/week. Curcumin, myrcene and cineole were orally administered at the doses of 100 mg/kg/day, 200 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/ day, respectively, by gavages dissolved in corn oil with and without TCDD. The liver samples were taken from half of all rats on day 30 and from the remaining half on day 60 for the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and CuZn-SOD levels by spectrophotometric method. The results indicated that although TCDD significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased formation of TBARS, it caused a significant decline in the levels of GSH, CAT, GSH-Px and CuZn-SOD in rats. In contrast, curcumin, myrcene and cineole significantly increased GSH, CAT, GSH-Px and CuZn-SOD levels but decreased formation of TBARS. Additionally, the antioxidative effects of curcumin, myrcene and cineole were increased at day 60 compared to day 30. In the TCDD groups given curcumin, myrcene and cineole, oxidative stress decreased by time. In conclusion, curcumin, myrcene and cineole showed antioxidant activity and eliminated TCDD-induced oxidative stress in rats in a time-dependent manner.

SILS is mentally and physically demanding, particularly on arms and shoulders. Fatigue of big muscles, effort, and frustration were major challenges of SILS. Ergonomic intervention of instruments are needed to decrease mental and physical workload.

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We aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effect of apocynin (APO) on bleomycin (BLC)-induced lung injury in rats. Rats were assigned into groups as follows: control group; APO group, 20 mg/kg APO was given intraperitoneal for 29 days; BLC-1 and BLC-2 groups, a single intratracheal injection of BLC (2.5 mg/kg); APO+BLC-preventive group, 20 mg/kg APO was administered 12 h before the intratracheal BLC injection and continued for 14 days; BLC+APO-treatment group, 20 mg/kg APO was given on the 14th day after the intratracheal BLC injection and continued to sacrifice. The BLC-1 group was sacrificed on the 14th day of BLC administration to validate BLC-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis on the 14th of study initiation. All other groups were sacrificed on the 29th day after BLC administration. The semiquantitative histopathological assessment, tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured. An addition to the serum myeloperoxidase (MPO), the cell count and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were assayed. BLC-provoked histological changes were significantly detected compared to the control group. APO restored these histological damages in different quantity in the treatment and prevention groups. BLC caused a significant decrease in GSH, CAT, and GPX, which were accompanied with significantly the increased MDA, TOS levels, and OSI in the lung tissue concomitant with increased levels of the cellular account and proinflammatory cytokines in the BAL fluid. Otherwise, APO administration, both before and after BLC, reversed all biochemical markers and cytokine as well as histopathological changes induced by BLC. Interestingly, APO treatment reversed MPO activity in serum increased by BLC. In this study, both protective and therapeutic effects of APO against BLC-induced lung fibrosis were demonstrated for the first time.

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Standard limb, six lead (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, and aVF) electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded in 10 awake mature rock partridges (Alectoris graeca) and 10 chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar). Durations and amplitudes of P and T waves and QRS complexes, durations of P-Q and Q-T intervals, and mean heart rates were calculated from the lead II ECGs. All observable P and T waves were negative in aVR and aVL, whereas they were positive in all remaining leads. The most frequent forms of QRS complex were r-s (r-S) and q-r (q-R). A Q wave was observed in all aVR and aVL leads in both species. Chukar partridges had significantly higher amplitudes of P and T waves and QRS complexes than rock partridges. Mean heart rates were 310+/-15 beats/min and 317+/-19 beats/min for chukar partridges and rock partridges, respectively. Mean electrical axes, calculated from leads II and III, were -99+/-6.3 degrees and -95+/-1.7 degrees for chukar partridges and rock partridges, respectively. Clear ECGs were easily obtainable without anesthesia or sedation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sedative-anaesthetic effects of a combination of medetomidine (M, 50 microg per pigeon), butorphanol (B, 50 microg per pigeon) and ketamine (K, 25 mg per pigeon) in domestic pigeons. Eight domestic pigeons (four male and four female, 8-15 months old) were used. The combination of Medetomidine and butorphanol injectable solutions were used to produce sedation. Ten minutes after M + B administration, K was injected. The anaesthetic effects of the drugs were reversed by administration of Atipamazole (AT) at 60 min after K administration. All drugs were injected into the pectoral muscles. The sedative-anaesthetic effects of the M + B-K combination and, alterations in respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), electrocardiographic (ECG) findings and cloacal temperature (CT) were investigated before and 10 min after pre-medication with M + B, at 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min during the onset of K anaesthesia and at 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min following the administration of AT. The HR and RR of pigeons decreased within 10 min following M + B administration and remained lower until 1st and 5 min of AT injection, respectively. In ECG, no significant alterations in P, Q, R and S-values were observed, however, arhythmia was recorded for three pigeons, which returned to normal values following AT administration throughout the measurement. Cloacal temperature decreased gradually during the anaesthesia from 41.0 to 32.7 degrees C. The drug combination used in this study produced a satisfactory general anaesthesia for seven of the eight pigeons. All pigeons were unconscious within 5 min after K administration as indicated by disappearance of the palpebral and corneal reflexes and lack of reaction to the pain stimuli during the study. The effect of AT administration was observed within 10 min as all pigeons responded partly against stimuli and all reflexes. It is concluded that M + B-K anaesthesia in pigeons is a safe and reliable anaesthetic protocol for surgery.