Objectives:Ellagic acid (EA) has shown antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) enzymes and also cytokines play a key role in many inflammatory conditions. This study was aimed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of EA.Materials and Methods:Carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema model was used for induction of inflammation.Results:The results showed that intraplantar injection of carrageenan led to time-dependent development of peripheral inflammation, which resulted in a significant increase in the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) β, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and also iNOS and COX-2 protein expression in inflamed paw. However, systemic administration of EA (1–30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.]) could reduce edema in a dose-dependent fashion in inflamed rat paws with ED50 value 8.41 (5.26–14.76) mg/kg. It decreased the serum concentration of NO, PGE2, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and suppress the protein expression of iNOS, COX-2 enzymes, and attenuated the formation of PGE2, TNF-α and IL-1 β in inflamed paw tissue. We also demonstrated that EA significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in liver at 5 h after carrageenan injection. Moreover, histopathological studies indicated that EA significantly diminished migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into site of inflammation, as did indomethacin.Conclusions:Collectively, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of EA might be related to the decrease in the level of MDA, iNOS, and COX-2 in the edema paw via the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL1 β), NO and PGE2 overproduction.

Our findings indicate that a possible mechanism for the gastroprotective effect of H(2)S could be through the decreased mRNA expression and plasma release of proinflammatory cytokines.

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been emerging as a great health problem in world. Cigarette smoke is known to cause oxidative stress and deplete glutathione (GSH) levels. Nuclear erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is involved in transcriptional regulation of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLc). Antioxidant compounds may be of therapeutic value in monitoring disease progression. Crocin demonstrates antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of crocin against CSE-mediated oxidative stress, inflammatory process, Nrf2 modifications and impairment of cardiac function in rats with COPD.MethodsEighty rats were divided into four groups: Control, Cigarette smoke exposure (CSE), Crocin, Crocin+CS. Each group was divided into the two parts: 1) to evaluate lung inflammatory and oxidative process, 2) to evaluate the effect of Cigarette smoke induced-lung injuries on cardiac electrocardiogram (such as heart rate and QRS complex) and hemodynamic parameters (such as perfusion pressure and left ventricular developed pressure).ResultsCSE rats showed a significant increase in cotinine concentration (17.24 ng/ml), and inflammatory parameters and a decrease in PO2 (75.87 mmHg) and expression of PKC (0.86 fold), PI3K (0.79 fold), MAPK (0.87 fold), Nrf2 (0.8 fold) and GCLc (0.75 fold) genes, antioxidant activity, and finally cardiac abnormalities in electrocardiogram and hemodynamic parameters. Co-treatment whit crocin could restore all these values to normal levels.ConclusionsCS induced-COPD in rat model provides evidence that chronic CS exposure leads to lung injury and mediated cardiac dysfunction. Crocin co-treatment by modulating of Nrf2 pathway protected lung injury caused by COPD and its related cardiac dysfunction. In this study, we showed the importance of Nrf2 activators as a therapeutic target for the development of novel therapy for lung oxidative injuries.

Background and Aim. Helicobacter pylori (HP) and diet are both risk factors for gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Helicobacter pylori infection and dietary habits common in Khuzestan province. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011–2013 on 374 patients. Participants were interviewed using a food frequency questionnaire and tissue sample of the antrum was sent for pathology lab. The histopathological major variables were graded on a scale of 3 (mild, moderate, and severe) and data analyzed using nonparametric tests. Results. In this study, of 160 patients (43%) that were determined, 8.1 percent had severe contamination. Among dietary patterns, relationship between energy intake and carbohydrate with H. pylori was significant. A direct association was found between mean daily intakes of sausage (P = 0.001) and burgers (P < 0.05) with HP infection. Low intake of fresh vegetables and fruits was the most significant risk factors (P < 0.05). Conclusion. There is a possibility that some dietary factors such as consumption of fast foods and low intake of fresh vegetables may increase the chance of HP and severity of this infection.

Background. Liver ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the chief etiologies of tissue damage during liver transplantation, hypovolemic shock, and so forth. This study aimed to evaluate hepatoprotective effect of crocin on IR injury and on microRNAs (miR-122 and miR-34a) expression. Materials and Methods. 32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, IR, crocin pretreatment (Cr), and crocin pretreatment + IR (Cr + IR) groups. In sham and Cr groups, animals were given normal saline (N/S) and Cr (200 mg/Kg) for 7 consecutive days, respectively, and laparotomy without inducing IR was done. In IR and Cr + IR groups, N/S and Cr were given for 7 consecutive days and rats underwent a partial (70%) ischemia for 45 min/reperfusion for 60 min. Blood and tissue samples were taken for biochemical, molecular, and histopathological examinations. Results. The results showed decreased levels of antioxidants activity and increased levels of liver enzymes improved by crocin. The expression of miR-122, miR-34a, and p53 decreased, while Nrf2 increased by crocin. Crocin ameliorated histopathological changes. Conclusion. The results demonstrated that crocin protected the liver against IR injury through increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, improving serum levels of liver enzymes, downregulating miR-122, miR-34a, and p53, and upregulating Nrf2 expression.

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Myocardial infarction is the acute condition of myocardial necrosis that occurs as a result of imbalance between coronary blood supply and myocardial demand. Air pollution increases the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of particulate matter (PM) on oxidative stress, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) messenger RNA (mRNA) level induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury, and the protective effects of vanillic acid (VA) in the isolated rat heart. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 10), namely control, VAc, sham, VA, PMa (0.5 mg/kg), PMb (2.5 mg/kg), PMc (5 mg/kg), and PMc + VA groups. Particles with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) was instilled into the trachea through a fine intubation tube. Two days following the PM10 instillation, the animal's hearts were isolated and transferred to a Langendorff apparatus. The hearts were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), xanthine oxidase (XOX), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured using special kits. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine levels of iNOS and eNOS mRNA. An increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), S-T elevation, and oxidative stress in PM10 groups was observed. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induction showed a significant augment in the expression of iNOS mRNA level and a significant decrease in the expression eNOS mRNA level. This effect was more pronounced in the PM groups than in the control and sham groups. Vanillic acid caused a significant decrease in LVEDP, S-T elevation, and also a significant difference in eNOS mRNA expression level, antioxidant enzymes, iNOS mRNA expression level, and oxidative stress occurred on myocardial dysfunction after I/R in isolated rat hearts. This study showed that PM10 exposure had devastating effects on the myocardial heart, oxidative stress, and eNOS and iNOS mRNA expression levels. Vanillic acid was able to improve these parameters. Vanillic acid as a potent antioxidant could also provide protection against particulate matter-induced toxicity.

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