Abstract:Objective: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors including rosuvastatin do not only lower plasma cholesterol but also have non-cholesterol lowering effects on the vessel wall, which decrease cardiovascular complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of cooling (to 28 °C) on the vasodilatation induced by rosuvastatin (10 -9 -3x10 -4 M) on serotonin-pre-contracted calf cardiac vein and the role of nitric oxide in these effects. Material and methods: Ring preparations of veins obtained from calf hearts were suspended in organ baths containing 25 ml of Krebs-Henseleit solution, maintained at 37 °C and continuously gassed with 95% O 2 -5% CO 2 . After a resting period, preparations were contracted with serotonin (10 -6 M) at 37 °C. Results: Rosuvastatin produced concentration-dependent relaxation of calf cardiac vein precontracted with serotonin (10 -6 M). During cooling, the pIC 50 value, but not the maximal response, to rosuvastatin was signifi cantly higher than at 37 °C. Cooling to 28 °C in the presence of N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 -4 M) decreased the pIC 50 values to rosuvastatin. Conclusion:The results of the present study suggested that nitric oxide played an essential role in the coolinginduced changes of rosuvastatin in calf cardiac vein (Fig. 1, Ref. 23

OBJECTIVES: Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)) is a widely-used platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent which has dose-limiting side-effects. Also, the drug resistance is another instance that decreases treatment success in cisplatin chemotherapy. The growing body of evidence suggests that curcumin, a polyphenolic compound extracted from the spice turmeric, may exert synergistic effects and sensitize malign cells to cisplatin, while alleviating cytotoxicity-related side-effects. The present study was aimed to investigate mood-associated interactions between cisplatin and curcumin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups as control, curcumin (300 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 5 weeks), cisplatin (5 mg/kg/week, i.p. for 5 weeks), and curcumin plus cisplatin (same doses as above). The open fi eld, elevated plus maze, and forced swim tests were engaged to evaluate mood-associated behaviors. RESULTS: We demonstrated that depression-and anxiety-like behaviors were not altered by the administration of curcumin along with the chronic cisplatin treatment. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the present study, we concluded that curcumin might be regarded as a safe adjuvant in cisplatin chemotherapy in terms of the mood-associated behaviors (Fig. 4, Ref. 41).