BACKGROUND The onset of diabetes causes disruption of respiratory epithelial mediators. The present study investigates whether diabetes modifies the epithelium mediated bronchial responses in hyper-reactive airway smooth muscle (ASM) primarily through nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase (COX), and epithelium derived hyperpolarizing factor (EpDHF) pathways. METHODS Experimental model of guinea p...

Recent studies have shown that intracerebroventricular administration of cimetidine (CIM) induces anti-nociceptive and anti–inflammatory effects in rats. However, the underlying mechanism of CIM effect has not been determined yet. This study was planned to determine the anti-nociceptive effect of CIM (50 mg/kg, i.p.) in male mice (25-30 g, n = 80) using tail flick test. Also, the role of ATP-se...

INTRODUCTION Mesangial cells (MC) may be involved in the glomerular alterations induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the response of immortalized MC (IMC) to 30 minutes of hypoxia followed by reoxygenation periods of 30 minutes (H/R30) or 24 hours (H/R24). METHODS The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca+2]i) was measured before (baseline) and after adding angio...

Apple (Malus pumila) procyanidins led to a potent vasorelaxation effect in 1.0 microM phenylephrine-contractive rat thoracic aorta. Relaxation was greatly reduced by 70 mM KCl as well as by removal of the endothelium, suggesting that it was associated with endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization. Neither cAMP synthesis inhibition nor NAD(P)H oxidase inhibition abolished the effect. In contrast,...

In this article, the effect of Nasturtium officinale (watercress, belonging to Brassicaceae) extracts on the blood glucose level was evaluated in diabetic rats. After inducing diabetes via streptozotocin injection, the animals were orally received various concentrations of N. officinale extracts (ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous) for short (one week) and long (two months) periods. Only 800 a...

introduction: numerous evidence indicates the involvement of insulin and k atp channel blockers in brain functions such as memory. materials & methods: in this study, by applying light (h & e staining) and scanning electron microscopies, we investigated the effect of intrahippocampal injection of insulin, glibenclamide experimental diabetic rats. may these reverse the cellularimpairment, and pr...