In this work, we explored the possible polypharmacological potential of the already established antimicrobials against gastrointestinal pathogens, 4‐(alkylamino)‐3‐nitrocoumarins, as antianxiety ...agents, using a battery of in vivo experiments. Three chosen coumarin derivatives, differing in the substituent (sec‐butylamino, hexadecylamino, or benzylamino) at position 4, at the doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg kg–1, were evaluated in light/dark, open‐field, horizontal wire and diazepam‐induced sleep models using male BALB/c mice. Depending on the applied dose, all three tested coumarins displayed a noteworthy anxiolytic‐like effect. 4‐(sec‐Butylamino)‐3‐nitro‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one and 4‐(hexadecylamino)‐3‐nitro‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one could be recognized as true anxiolytics in the lowest applied dose, based on three tests, without exerting any sedative effects. Thus, the 3‐nitrocoumarin core deserves further chemical diversity exploration in the ‘antianxiety’ direction.
Utilization of herbal products (HPs) is a common practice in the traditional medicine of people from southeastern Serbia. In this study, we focused on the usage of HPs as a self-medication practice ...among patients diagnosed with a mental illness, by aiming to ascertain the usage prevalence, the identity of the main plant taxa utilized, their formulations and target symptoms. This was accomplished through a cross-sectional study of psychiatric outpatients, conducted in the Clinic for Mental Health Protection in Niš, and which included a questionnaire on HP utilization and a non-structured psychiatric interview. Typically, single, middle-aged males, with a secondary education degree, utilized Matricaria chamomilla and/or Melissa officinalis in a form of an infusion (tea) for relieving anxiety and psychotic symptoms. In some cases, adverse effects were noted when HPs were used in combination with prescribed psychotropic medications. Our and previous results urge a thorough evaluation of possible benefits and/or harmful interactions of HP with standard medication in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
Animal models demonstrating skeletal muscle (SM) disorders are rarely investigated, although these disorders accompany liver disorders and can occur during prolonged exercise/training. In cases of SM ...disorders exogenous antioxidants, such as melatonin, could help by generally improving tissues antioxidant capacities. We aimed to analyze the potential of melatonin in preventing biochemical and structural changes in rat biceps muscle (BM) occurring after an acute exposure to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Biceps muscles obtained from male Wistar rats belonging to different experimental groups were biochemically (determination of tissue MDA, total antioxidant capacity, GSH, CAT, SOD and GPx activities) and pathologically analyzed. Also, serum levels of potassium, LHD and CK were analyzed in all experimental animals. The obtained results were statically compared with those from vehicle-treated control group. The applied melatonin prevented potassium and intracellular enzyme leakage (CK and LDH) that was induced by CCl4, as well as an increase in tissue MDA. From a panel of determined oxidative stress parameters melatonin was able to statistically significantly prevent changes in total antioxidative capacity and in CAT, SOD and GPx activities induced by CCl4. Microscopic analysis of BM from the animals exposed to CCl4 revealed significant muscle fiber disorganization and massive inflammatory cell infiltration. All these changes were significantly ameliorated in the group that received melatonin prior to CCl4. Changes in serum and tissue biochemical parameters accompanied the observed pathological changes, which demonstrated a significant influence of melatonin in preventing skeletal muscle damage induced by CCl4.
Background: Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) is the second most frequent form of breast cancer. While cancer cells are regularly investigated, tumor stroma represents a highly unexplored field. ...Aims: The aim of this study is to perform a detailed investigation of clinical, immunohistochemical, and morphometric characteristics of desmoplastic (D) and nondesmoplastic (ND) ILC. Materials and Methods: This study included twenty cases of ILC that were divided into two groups designated as D and ND groups. Medical histories and diagnosis data were obtained from the archives of the Center of Pathology, Clinical center Niš (Serbia). Morphometric analysis of hematoxylin and eosin stained slides was performed using ImageJ software, and the obtained data were further statistical processed. Results: Statistical analyses of the data revealed that no significant differences between D and ND groups when patient age, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) expressions and morphometrical parameters (such as the distance between groups of cancer cells and nucleocytoplasmic ratio) were compared. However, D and ND groups statistically, significantly differed in the occurrence of axillary lymph node metastasis, and when the ER and PR data were included, in certain nuclear parameters (cell/nucleus area, perimeter, Feret′s diameter, and circularity). Conclusions: Desmoplastic stroma was observed more frequently in patients without axillary lymph node metastases, whereas the expression of ER and PR had no influence on its development. According to the measured morphometric parameters larger cells/nuclei belonged to ND group.
Metabolomics has evolved into a particularly useful tool to study interactions between metabolites and serves as an aid in unraveling the complexity of entire metabolomes. Nonetheless, it is ...increasingly viewed as a methodology with practical applications in the clinical setting, where identifying and quantifying biomarkers of interest could prove useful for diagnostics. Starting from a concise overview of the most prominent analytical techniques employed in metabolomics, herein we present a review of its application in studies of brain metabolism and cerebrovascular diseases, paying most attention to its uses in researching aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Both animal models and human studies are considered, and metabolites identified as potential biomarkers are highlighted.
Herein we investigated the potential protective effects of methyl N-methylanthranilate (MA) and isopropyl N-methylanthranilate (IA), two naturally occurring plant constituents from Rutaceae taxa, in ...a rat model of acute intoxication with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) by tracking changes in kidney tissue morphology and function.
The antioxidant capacity of IA and MA was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS+) assays and superoxide-scavenging test. Wistar rats were treated daily with MA and IA for seven days in a dose of 200mg/kg. Twenty-four hours after a CCl4 injection, rats were sacrificed and blood samples were used for the evaluation of urea and creatinine. Kidney tissue specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and Jones stain and evaluated for morphological changes. Quantification of structural changes determined by histological analysis of kidney tissue was assessed by a morphometric analysis of glomeruli using ImageJ software.
IA and MA applied in high doses on their own did not cause any significant damage to kidney tissue. A pretreatment with MA prior to the administration of CCl4 significantly prevented the increase of serum levels of decreased kidney function markers, while that of IA did not. Histopathological evaluation of the kidneys also revealed that MA reduced the incidence of kidney lesions.
Our experiments showed that methyl-, and not isopropyl-, N-methylanthranilate possesses a protective potential against CCl4-induced kidney damage in rats. The results are of interest due to the presence of natural or synthetic methyl N-methylanthranilate in the human diet and their potent analgesic properties.
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The objective of this study was to determine if the angular photogrammetric analysis of soft-tissue characteristics can determine similarities between parents and their offspring in the Serbian ...population.
A total of 15 families (52 participants) met the participation criteria of this study and their facial profile images were analyzed using the ImageJ software. Subjects were divided into groups of mothers and fathers and four groups of children (divided according to their age and gender). In total, twelve angular measurements were made on the standardized digital images of the profiles of the participants and the obtained data were compared using one-way ANOVA.
The obtained results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the values of the nasal and cervicomental angles, as well as the angle of the total facial convexity, between the group of fathers, on one side, and groups of male/female children, on the other.
This work represents the first photogrammetric analysis of facial soft-tissue characteristics of children and adults in the Serbian population. The data suggest that there are much more similarities between the facial soft-tissue angles of fathers and their male offspring. Furthermore, mothers tend to have statistically insignificant differences in angle sizes, compared to both male and female offspring.
Immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities of six gold(III) complexes and the corresponding N-donor ligands differing in denticity were assessed. Among the complexes, fully structurally and ...spectrally characterized, 1c caused the highest decrease in macrophage and splenocyte viability. 1c displayed excellent activity in both pre- and post-adhesion phases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-biofilm formation.
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Six gold(III) complexes with ligands of differing denticity, HGly-Met sulfoxideAuCl4 (1b), Au(en)Cl2Cl·2H2O (1c), Au(dien)ClCl2 (1d), Au(Gly-l-His)ClNO3·1.25H2O (1e), Au(l-Ala-l-His)ClNO3·2.5H2O (1f) and Au(Gly-Gly-l-His)Cl·H2O (1g), were synthesized and structurally characterized. These complexes, along with the starting compounds used for their synthesis, were tested for their immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities. Immunomodulation was investigated by assessing their cytotoxicity towards mouse spleen lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages. Their antimicrobial effect was tested against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains including ATCC strains and resistant isolates. Antimicrobial potential of 1b-g was further explored by evaluating their antibiofilm activity against biofilm-forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All gold(III) complexes inhibited biofilm production of P. aeruginosa strains, where ethylenediamine-containing gold(III) complex 1c exhibited the strongest reduction of biofilms superseding the activity of the used antibiotic, leaving only 10% of biofilm unaffected. All investigated gold(III) complexes inhibited biofilm formation after 72 h of incubation, showing long-term effectiveness, which was visualized by microscopy during this time. The mode of antibiofilm action was evaluated by testing the effect of this complex on P. aeruginosa motility forms. Among the all investigated compounds, 1c possesses the highest both cytotoxic and antimicrobial action, making this complex a good candidate for further pharmacological evaluations.
Two new natural products, alpha -furanopinguisanol (1) and furanopinguisanone (2), were identified in the liverwort Porella cordaeana(Porellaceae). Although alpha -furanopinguisanol was previously ...reported in the literature, herein, we present arguments that its structure was actually erroneously assigned to a different, related compound. Structure elucidation was accomplished by spectral means (various 1D and 2D NMR experiments, IR, UV, MS) and the structures corroborated by chemical transformations. The relative configuration of the compounds was additionally verified by an analysis of shift changes produced by a lanthanide shift reagent. Immunomodulatory properties of these two compounds were also investigated. Their influence on rat splenocytes (SPCs) was monitored through MTT, trypan blue and neutral red assays, microscopic investigation of cells, comet assay, and protein, RNA and DNA contents. It was shown that, in higher concentration (10 super(-4) M), compound 1 induced a blast-like transformation of SPCs, while in lower ones (10 super(-8) to 10 super(-6) M) it acted as a cytotoxic agent. On the other hand, compound 2 exerted prominent cytotoxicity in all concentrations. It the light of the obtained data, a possible mechanism of action of the two compounds was discussed.
Babesia spp. are tick-transmitted protozoan haemoparasites of great economic, veterinary and medical impact worldwide. Herein we reported the very high prevalence of autochthonous babesiosis in ...symptomatic dogs from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period from 2014 to 2016. Eighty dogs that did not leave the country were examined using parasitological and molecular analyses and babesiosis was diagnosed in 82.5% and 85.0% of them, respectively (p < 0.001). One species, Babesia canis was identified using molecular methodology (PCR and sequence analysis). Statistical analyses showed that epizootiological characteristics have no influence on the possibility of infection. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) analyses used for comparing the symptoms and clinical signs of infection in dogs pointed out that a high degree of anemia, followed by thrombocytopenia (89%), lethargy (100%), loss of appetite (95%), fever (66%) and icterus (61%) was dominant. In addition, results of the statistical analysis performed showed that more dogs with no data of tick prophylaxis (70%) were found Babesia infected. Those results point to further intensified epizootic surveys in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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