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Introduction & Objectives: Recently, the findings of some studies have shown that, nitric oxide (NO) probably has an important role in differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of nitric oxide production inhibitor named, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), on rat mesenchymal stem cells differentiation to osteoblasts in vitro. Materials & Methods: This was an experimental study conducted at Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2009, in which rat bone marrow stem cells were isolated in an aseptic condition and cultured in vitro. After third passage, the cells were cultured in osteogenic differentiation medium. To study the effects of L-NAME on osteogenic differentiation, the L-NAME was added to the culture medium at a concentration of 125, 250, and 500 μM in some culture plates. During the culture procedure, the media were replaced with fresh ones, with a three days interval. After 28 days of culturing the mineralized matrix was stained using Alizarian red staining method. The gathered data were analyzed by SPSS software version 12 using one way ANOVA. Results: The findings of this study showed that in the presence of L-NAME, differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts was disordered and matrix mineralization significantly decreased in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: This study revealed that, inhibition of nitric oxide production using L-NAME can prevent the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblast. The results imply that NO is an important constituent in differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell to osteoblasts.

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Background & aim: Arginine by regulating the biological activity of the brain plays an important role in reducing stress. Today's, stress is one of the century disease that created many problem.  This study conducted to determine the protective effect of arginine on nitric oxide levels in maternal fetal brain tissue under stress.

Methods: Twenty pregnant Wistar rats (200-250 gr) were randomly divided into four groups. With and without stress groups received arginine (200 mg/kg) intraperitoneal from 5 – 20 days of pregnancies. Control with and sham without stress received 2 ml of normal saline. The pregnant rats were anesthetized by ketamine (100 mg/kg) on the day 20 then the fetuses removed and weighed. Twenty five brain of fetal brain rat from each group were chosen for measuring of forebrain thickness and brain volume. Another 25 brain were chosen for measuring of nitric oxide. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA.

Results: Nitric oxide Levels reduced in stress rats treated with arginine compared to control group (P<0.05). The mean thickness of forebrain and hippicampal formation decreased in stress rats versus unstressed, but was not significant. The mean weight decreased significantly in stress group compared to the unstressed group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Arginine could protect the brain tissue and fetal weight by reducing the level of oxidative stress in the pregnant rats.

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Background & aim: Angiogenesis is associated with tumor growth and metastasis of tumor cells, this processes directly linked with the production of nitric oxide. In this study anticancer effects of hydroalcohoic extract of M. chamomilla and avastin (bevacizumab) were investigated via dimethyl thiazol diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay and nitric oxide (NO) production level in colon cancer cell line (HT-29).

Methods: In the present experimental study, the HT-29 cell line was cultured in RPMI-1640 media supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS), 1% antibiotic solution (consisting of100 U/mL penicillin and 100 µg/ml streptomycin). After growing to a favorite confluent, 10⁴cells were seeded into separate 96-well culture microtiter plates and incubated at 37⁰C in an incubator with 5% CO₂ for 24 h prior to treatment. Every plate was treated with different   concentrations of the extract (1000, 1400, 1800, 2200, 2600 µg/ml of medium) and bevacizumab (100,200,300 µg/ml).  The production of NO was assessed by Griess reagent and the cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The results were compared by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer.

Result: The results of MTT assay indicated that the extract and bevacizumab anticancer effect is time and dose dependent. The highest percentage of cell death was observed after 48 h incubation which increased in the bevacizumab concentration (P<0.01). Fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC50) of extract in 24 h and 48h was 1881 and 1669 µg/ml, respectively. Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production was maximum in 2600 µg/ml extract concentration.

                                                                                                                                             

Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that bevacizumab and the hydroalcohoic extract of M. chamomilla had an inhibitory effect on NO production by HT-29. The production of NO by HT-29 was inhibited after treatment by the extract of M. chamomillamay contribute to angiogenesis via decreasing of NO production and has antimatastatic effect.

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Abstract:

Background and aim: Lack of physical activity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary function and sleep quality, but with regular physical activity, may reduce many of these risk factors. The aim of this study was to find the effects of aerobic training on serum levels of nitric oxide, pulmonary function parameters and quality of sleep in women with type 2 diabetes.

 

Methods: In the present quasi-experimental study, 20 type 2diabetic women were selected and randomly assigned into two exercise (n = 12) and control (n = 8) groups. Aerobic training program was performed for six weeks (4 times a week, with 50% to 80% heart rate reserve) who receive the time and intensity of exercise (50 to 80 HRR) was added. Main aerobic exercises presented in the form of 6 chain, each chain includes 32 motion. FVC, FEV1 Indices and nitric oxide levels were measured before and after the intervention and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaires were used to assess sleep quality. Statistical analysis were analyzed using t-test, analysis of covariance and correlation coefficient.

 

Results: Six weeks of aerobic exercise indicated a significant reduction in sleep quality scores and but a significant increase in the concentration of nitric oxide and lung volumes (FVC and FEV1) compared to the control group (p≤ 0.05), but no significant relationship between lung volumes and a score of sleep quality was observed.

 

Conclusion: It seems that aerobic exercise training can have a considerable impact on serum nitric oxide pulmonary functions and thereby improve the sleep quality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

 

 

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Background & aim: The leaves of the Aloe Vera plant (yellow aloe) have long been used in medicine and nutrition by various communities. Some physiological effects of this plant have long been used to treat some gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric ulcer and gastric acid return to the esophagus. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Aloe Vera leaf on the movements of the isolated colon of male rats and its interaction with cholinergic, adrenergic and nitric oxide systems.
 
Methods: In the present study conducted in 2016, 25 rats were included in the study. 20 mature male rats of Wistar race with the average weight between 180 to 250 grams and three months of age were randomly chosen. The mice were kept in light controlled conditions (12 hours cycle of lightness and darkness) and temperature of 22±2 degrees Celsius and enough food and water for one week. Adult male rats were anesthetized by ethyl ether, their colon tissue (ascending) separated and divided into 1 cm segments. The parts were connected to a force transducer longitudinally and inserted to an organ bath with oxygenated thyrod solution (37 ° C, pH = 7.4). The mechanical activity of their colon was recorded by force isotonic transducer  and Power Lab AD instrument in basal condition, and after administration of acetylcholine10^-6 M , atropine1.7×  10^-3 M, epinephrine 10^-6 M, propranolol 10^-6 M and L-NAME10^-4  M in the presence and absence of the extract. The collected data were analyzed using Independent Sample T-Test and considering p≤0.05 as a significant level. (P≤0.05 ).
 
Results: Tissue mechanical activity in the presence of extract was significantly reduced compared to the control group. Furthermore, a significant decrease in tissue mechanical activity was observed in the presence of combined extract and propranolol compared with the control group, but a significant difference in the presence of acetylcholine, atropine, epinephrine, nitric oxide synthetize inhibitor (L-NAME) and the extract in comparison with the control group was not observed (p≤0.05).
 
Conclusion: The present study indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of aloe vera leaf had a modulating effect on colonic movements, which may be related to the cholinergic and nitrogenous systems and is independent of the adrenergic system.
 
 

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Background & aim: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) is a common disorder of the renal system that may cause irreversible kidney damage and depends on the duration of the obstruction and the extent of renal tissue damage and dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of estradiol on oxidative stress index and nitric oxide levels in unilateral ureteral obstruction in ovariectomized rats.
 
Methods: In the present experimental study conducted in 2017, 84 rats underwent ovariectomy (180 20 20 g) and were randomly divided into 14 groups of 6. Group 1 (sham group) had no surgery and all groups 2 to 14 had unilateral ureteral obstruction and some of them were treated with medication. Thus; Groups 2-4 were sacrificed 3 days after UUO and receiving the drug (sesame oil, 0.1 and 0.5 mg / kg estradiol), respectively, group 5-7 3 days after UUO and receiving the unblocked drug (RUUO) were sacrificed the next day, groups 8-9 and 10-12 were sacrificed 1 and 3 days after RUUO and estradiol, respectively, and groups 14-13 were sacrificed 3 days after UUO and RUUO and received the drug in both models. Were. Quantitative detection tests for stable metabolites of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde in blood and tissue samples were performed using special kits. The collected data were analyzed using statistical tests and LSD test.
 
Results: The results of the present study indicated that in the UUO model, the level of nitrite and MDA of renal tissue in the obstructive groups decreased significantly compared to the sham group (p <0.05). However, administration of different doses of estradiol did not alter serum and tissue levels of nitrite and MDA between the treatment and control groups in the UUO and RUUO models (p> 0.05).
 
Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it can be stated that estradiol administration during UUO and RUUO times had no effect on nitrite and MDA levels. Although its protective effect may occur after a longer period of time than RUUO, the short-term damage caused by UUO can develop even after RUUO.