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Background & aim: Lately, it has been demonstrated that the signaling by the α7 nicotinic receptors produces the anti-inflammatory condition in both macrophages and T cells. Moreover, activation of macrophages and T cells play an important role in multiple sclerosis (MS).  In the present study, the therapeutic effect of nicotine on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, and its effects on T-helper cells responses was evaluated.

Methods: In the present experimental study, EAE was induced by homogenised guinea pig spinal cord and complete Freund’s adjuvant in wistar rats. Animals were allocated in two therapeutic groups (n=7 per group). Treatment with nicotine (2.5 mg/kg-daily) was started in treatment group when the treatment group developed a disability score (at day 12). At the same time, the control group received only the solvent with the same program. Signs of disease were recorded daily until the day 36 when animals were sacrificed. The Splenocytes were checked for proliferation by MTT test and cytokine production by ELISA. The level of nitric oxide in serum was checked by griess test. The data was analyzed using the Student t test and Mann-Whitney U.

Results: Nicotine administration in the treatment group significantly reduced the clinical symptoms after the onset of symptoms. Simultaneously with the decrease of the level of serum nitric oxide, nicotine significantly decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17 and IFN-γ. The levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 were not changed significantly. Lymphocyte proliferation was significantly decreased in treatment group compared to control group

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that nicotine had immune modulatory effects and could be used to control MS disease.

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Background & aim: In traditional medicine, medicinal plants containing flavonoid compounds were used for several years in the treatment of various diseases. Quercetin is one of the flavonoid composition family that has a maximum antioxidant flavonoid content. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological features of rats peripheral blood neutrophils treated with quercetin.

 

Methods: In the present experimental study, the rats peripheral blood neutrophils was isolated and then teated with various concentrations of quercetin (0, 5, 10 and 20 µg/ml). The metabolic activity, phagocytosis capabilities, germicidal and respiratory burst of neutrophils were measured. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the analysis.

 

Results: The results demonestrated that the respiratory burst of neutrophils treated by quercitine was significantly increased at minimum concentrations of 10 micrograms per ml. Simmilary, the phagocytic ability of neutrophils was significantly increased at minimum concentrations of 10 micrograms per ml. Albith, the phagocytic ability of neutrophils was increasesd in 5 micrograms per ml, howevet this finding didn’t show any significant change.Moreover, the application of quercetin at minimum concentrations of 10 micrograms per ml lead to a significant reduction in killing and survival of neutrophils in the treatment group compared to that of the control group (P<0/05).

 

Conclusion: Quercetin could be considered as a natural immunomodulator of innate responses. This might be due to the inflammation control of neutrophils.

 

 

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Abstract                

Background & aim: Glycyrrhizin is one of the most important pharmacological compounds of the Licorice plant which has anti-inflammatory properties. Ethanol is one of the most damaging substances in the brain, Increasing use of this substance has increases the amount of nerve damage. Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of glycyrrhizin on ethanol-damaged B92 glial cells.

 
Methods: The present experimental study was performed in 2018. B92 cells were obtained from the Pasteur institute cell bank of Iran, (1×10⁶ cell/ml) were transferred to 96 plates and incubated with various glycyrrhizin concentration (5, 10 and 25 µM) for 24 hours. At that point, the cells were exposed to absolute ethanol for 80 minutes at concentrations of 86 mM. Finally, the viability of the cells was evaluated with neutral red (NR) uptake and MTT tests.

Results: Glycyrrhizin reduced the level of the cell membrane and mitochondrial damages induced by ethanol in a dose-dependent manner, so that 10 and 25 µM concentration of glycyrrhizin reduced the membrane damage and the mitochondrial performance damage, significantly. Nevertheless, Glycyrrhizin at concentration of 5 µM didn’t show any protective role so that at this concentration the growth and proliferation of cells reduced. 

Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that licorice extract (glycyrrhizin) had a positive effect on survival rate of the cells and improves the vital capabilities of ethanol-damaged glial cells. Hence, glycyrrhizin dose dependently can protect the B92 cells against ethanol-induced damage.