Wound repair potential of Olea europaea L. leaf extracts revealed by in vivo experimental models and comparative evaluation of the extracts' antioxidant activity

Leaves and fruits of Olea europaea L. (olive) have been used externally as an emollient for skin ulcers and for healing of inflammatory wounds. n-Hexane and aqueous extracts, prepared from the dried leaves of olive, were evaluated for their wound healing activity by using in vivo wound models of linear incision and circular excision in comparison with the reference ointment Madecassol? (Bayer, Istanbul, Turkey). The group of animals treated with the aqueous extract demonstrated increased contraction (87.1%) on excision and a significant increase in wound tensile strength (34.8%) on incision models compared to the other groups. Moreover, the antioxidant activity assay showed that aqueous extract has higher scavenging ability than the n-hexane extract. According to the experimental data, the aqueous extract of O. europaea leaves displayed wound healing activity. Secoiridoid oleuropein (4.6059%) was identified as the major active compound according to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the aqueous extract.     

Hepatotoxic activity of toluene inhalation and protective role of melatonin

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.     

Efficacy of citalopram and moclobemide in patients with social phobia: some preliminary findings

The efficacy of irreversible and reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in the treatment of social phobia (SP) is well established. Recently, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been used more frequently. In the present study, the efficacy and side-effect profile of citalopram, an SSRI, and moclobemide, the only MAOI used in Turkey, were compared. The 71 patients diagnosed with SP according to DSM-III-R were randomly assigned to two subgroups; citalopram (n = 36) or moclobemide (n = 35). The study was an 8-week, randomized, open-label, rater-blinded, parallel-group trial. All patients were assessed by Hamilton anxiety rating (HAM-A), Liebowitz social anxiety (LSAS), clinical global impression-severity of illness (CGI-SI) and clinical global impression-improvement (CGI-I) scales. There was a similar percentage of responders (citalopram 75%, n = 27 and moclobemide 74.3%, n = 26), with a >50% or greater reduction in LSAS total score and ratings of "very much" or "much improved" on the CGI-I. None of the patients withdrew from the study. The results of the present study suggest that citalopram has shown promising results in patients with SP.     

Triterpene saponins from Eryngium campestre

Five new triterpene saponins, 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-beta,beta-dimethylacryloyl-A1-barrigenol (1), 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-angeloyl-R1-barrigenol (2), 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-acetyl-22-O-angeloyl-R1-barrigenol (3), 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-acetyl-22-O-beta,beta-dimethylacryloyl-R1-barrigenol (4), and 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-angeloyl-28-O-acetyl-R1-barrigenol (5), were isolated from the roots of Eryngium campestre. Their structures were established mainly by 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. Compounds 1-4 and 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-beta,beta-dimethylacryloyl-A1-barrigenol, previously isolated from the same plant, showed a weak cytotoxicity when tested against HCT 116 and HT 29 human colon cancer cells.     

Application of intravascular ultrasound in anti-atherosclerotic drug development

The background use of a number of established therapies presents a key challenge for the development of novel anti-atherosclerotic agents: how to predict potential efficacy before the completion of long-term trials with endpoints such as mortality. This challenge has stimulated the search to develop intermediate measures of efficacy. Recent advances now allow intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to provide an accurate assessment of atheroma accumulation within the arterial wall. Here we describe how IVUS can be applied to the serial assessment of atheroma burden in response to treatment with a range of anti-atherosclerotic strategies, which has resulted in its emergence as a key technology in the evaluation and approval of novel drugs.     

The contracting and relaxing responses of human internal mammary artery grafts harvested by two different methods

Perioperative spasm of internal mammary artery is a common experience in coronary artery bypass grafting. Many techniques were described of harvesting the internal mammary artery to prevent vasospasm. We investigated the comparison of the contracting and relaxing responses of human internal mammary artery grafts harvested by two different methods. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the harvesting technique. In the first and second groups arteries were harvested by classical and carbon dioxide insufflation techniques, respectively. In both groups, endothelial function of arteries was assessed by precontracting the rings with phenylephrine (10(-5)M) and dilatating them by cumulative acetylcholine (10(-8) to 10(-5)M) concentrations. Cumulative concentration-response curves for phenylephrine (10(-8) to 10(-4)M), noradrenaline (10(-9) to 10(-4)M), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (10(-9) to 10(-4)M) were obtained in all groups. Endothelial integrity of arteries were histopathologically evaluated. In both groups, acetylcholine caused concentration-dependent relaxations in rings precontracted with phenylephrine (10(-5)M). In arteries harvested by carbon dioxide insufflation technique, acetylcholine caused significantly higher relaxations compared to the rings obtained by classical technique (p<0.05). In all rings of study groups, phenylephrine, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine caused concentration-dependent contractions. There was not any significant difference in concentration-dependent responses of these contracting pharmacological agents between the groups. Histopathological evaluation revealed no major arterial damage in both groups. Carbon dioxide insufflation technique does seem not only to protect the integrity of the endothelium and the whole vessel, but also prevent the possible vasospasm of the internal mammary artery segments.     

2D:4D Digit Ratios in Adults with Gender Dysphoria: A Comparison to Their Unaffected Same-Sex Heterosexual Siblings,Cisgender Heterosexual Men,and Cisgender Heterosexual Women

Archives of Sexual Behavior - We compared gender dysphoria (GD) patients and their same-sex siblings in terms of their 2D:4D ratios, which may reflect prenatal exposure to androgen, one of the...     

AN INTERIM ANALYSIS OF A DOUBLE-BLIND SHAM-CONTROLLED STUDY ON THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION IN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

We describe the interim analysis of a double-blind sham controlled quasi-randomized study on the acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Twenty OCD patients were assigned to receive a single session of sham (n=10) or active (2mA) tDCS (n=10) for 30 minutes, with the cathode placed over the central supplementary motor area (SMA) and the anode on the supraorbital region. Assessments of outcome were made at baseline and one hour following tDCS using: a dot-probe task comprising images illustrating different OCD-related scenarios, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Challenge Scale (YBOCCS; a measure of symptoms in the preceding hour). Active and sham tDCS groups did not differ in terms of age, gender, medication use and baseline severity of OCD, depression and anxiety symptoms. Though a significant time-effect (before vs. after tDCS) was observed on YBOCCS, PANAS and dot-probe scores, there was no interaction between groups. However, exploratory analyses revealed that sham tDCS led to a significant decrease in OCD symptoms in the past hour, while active tDCS failed to do so. Although we did not observe acute effects of tDCS on OCD symptoms, this interim analysis suggests that inhibition of the SMA may interfere with sham response in OCD, probably through increasing vigilance towards OCD-related environmental stimuli.