Effect of methamphetamine on ultraweak photon emission and level of reactive oxygen species in male rat brain

Imaging Ultraweak Photon Emission from Living and Dead Mice and from Plants under Stress

The phenomenon of biological ultraweak photon emission (UPE), that is, extremely low-intensity emission (10-103 photons cm-2 s-1) in the spectral range of 200-1000 nm, has been observed in all living systems that have been examined. Here, we report experiments that exemplify the ability of novel imaging systems to detect variations in UPE for a set of physiologically important scenarios. We use electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) and charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras to capture single visible-wavelength photons with low noise and quantum efficiencies higher than 90%. Our investigation reveals significant contrast between the UPE from live vs dead mice. In plants, we observed that an increase in the temperature and injuries both caused an increase in UPE intensity. Moreover, chemical treatments modified the UPE emission characteristics of plants, particularly the application of a local anesthetic (benzocaine) to injury, which showed the highest emission among the compounds tested. As a result, UPE imaging provides the possibility of non-invasive label-free imaging of vitality in animals and the responses of plants to stress.

The impact of ketamine and thiopental anesthesia on ultraweak photon emission and oxidative-nitrosative stress in rat brains

Anesthetics such as ketamine and thiopental, commonly used for inducing unconsciousness, have distinct effects on neuronal activity, metabolism, and cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Ketamine increases heart rate and blood pressure while preserving respiratory function, whereas thiopental decreases both and can cause respiratory depression. This study investigates the impact of ketamine (100 mg/kg) and thiopental (45 mg/kg) on ultraweak photon emission (UPE), oxidative-nitrosative stress, and antioxidant capacity in isolated rat brains. To our knowledge, no previous study has investigated and compared UPE in the presence and absence of anesthesia. Here, we compare the effects of ketamine and thiopental anesthetics with each other and with a non-anesthetized control group. Ketamine increased UPE, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activity while reducing thiol levels. Conversely, thiopental decreased UPE, oxidative markers, and antioxidant enzyme activity, while increasing thiol levels. UPE was negatively correlated with thiol levels and positively correlated with oxidative stress markers. These findings suggest that the contrasting effects of ketamine and thiopental on UPE are linked to their differing impacts on brain oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity. This research suggests a potential method to monitor brain oxidative stress via UPE during anesthesia, and opens up new ways for understanding and managing anesthetic effects.

Efficacy of Oral Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Insulin in Reducing Oxidative Stress and Enhancing Tissue Integrity in a Diabetic Rat Model

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder, leads to systemic organ damage characterized by oxidative stress and structural alterations, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Traditional subcutaneous insulin therapy, while managing hyperglycemia, often falls short in addressing the oxidative damage and preventing organ-specific complications. This study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy of a novel oral nanoparticle-mediated insulin (nCOF/Insulin) against these diabetes-induced changes, comparing it with traditional subcutaneous insulin in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model.

Methods

We induced diabetes in Wistar rats, dividing them into four groups: standard control, diabetic control, diabetic treated with subcutaneous insulin, and diabetic treated with oral nanoparticle-mediated insulin (nCOF/Insulin). Assessments included organ and body weights, histopathological examinations, and oxidative stress markers (MDA and PCOs) across various organs, including the brain, muscle, intestine, spleen, heart, liver, kidney, and adrenal glands. Additionally, we evaluated antioxidant parameters (GSH and catalase) and conducted immunohistochemical analysis of E-cadherin to assess intestinal integrity.

Results

Our findings reveal that STZ-induced diabetes significantly impacts organ health, with subcutaneous insulin providing limited mitigation and, in some cases, exacerbating oxidative stress. Conversely, oral nCOF/Insulin treatment effectively restored organ and body weights, reduced oxidative stress markers, and mitigated histological damage. This suggests that oral nCOF/Insulin not only offers superior glycemic control but also addresses the underlying oxidative stress.

Conclusion

nCOF/Insulin emerges as a promising treatment for diabetes, with the potential to improve patient quality of life by ameliorating oxidative stress and preventing organ-specific complications. This study underscores the need for further investigation into the long-term effects and mechanisms of action of oral nCOF/Insulin, aiming to revolutionize diabetes management and treatment strategies.

Dihydropashanone Isolated from Lindera erythrocarpa, a Potential Natural Product for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Lindera erythrocarpa, a flowering plant native to eastern Asia, has been reported to have neuroprotective activity. However, reports on the specific bioactive compounds in L. erythrocarpa are finite. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects of the compounds isolated from L. erythrocarpa. Dihydropashanone, a compound isolated from L. erythrocarpa extract, was found to have protected mouse hippocampus HT22 cells from glutamate-induced cell death. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of dihydropashanone in mouse microglial BV2 and HT22 cells were explored in this study. The results reveal that dihydropashanone inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response and suppresses the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB in BV2 cells. In addition, dihydropashanone reduced the buildup of reactive oxygen species in HT22 cells and induced activation of the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase (HO)-1 signaling pathway in BV2 and HT22 cells. Our results suggest that dihydropashanone reduces neuroinflammation by decreasing NF-κB activation in microglia cells and protects neurons from oxidative stress via the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Thus, our data suggest that dihydropashanone offers a broad range of applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses.

Monitoring Alzheimer's disease via ultraweak photon emission

In an innovative experiment, we detected ultraweak photon emission (UPE) from the hippocampus of male rat brains and found significant correlations between Alzheimer's disease (AD), memory decline, oxidative stress, and UPE intensity. These findings may open up novel methods for screening, detecting, diagnosing, and classifying neurodegenerative diseases, particularly AD. The study suggests that UPE from the brain's neural tissue can serve as a valuable indicator. It also proposes the development of a minimally invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) photonic chip for monitoring and diagnosing AD, offering high spatiotemporal resolution of brain activity. The study used a rodent model of sporadic AD, demonstrating that STZ-induced sAD resulted in increased hippocampal UPE, which was associated with oxidative stress. Treatment with donepezil reduced UPE and improved oxidative stress. These findings support the potential utility of UPE as a screening and diagnostic tool for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.