Carbon monoxide (CO) has been found to be produced in every living cell in a biochemical reaction catalyzed by heme-oxygenase (HO) enzyme which degrades heme into biliverdin, CO, and iron. Endogenous CO is not a waste product, but acts as a chemical messenger mediating and modulating many intracellular biochemical reactions that regulate physiological functions. This study was designed to investigate the effect of inhibition of endogenous CO production by zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an HO inhibitor, on the gastric secretion and ulceration induced by cold-restraint stress (CRS) in adult male albino rats. Rats were pylorically ligated and divided randomly into the following groups (six rats each): control, ZnPP treated (50 μmol/kg/day, s.c. for 10 days), CRS, and stressed ZnPP treated groups. Blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital sinus of anesthetized rats for determination of CO concentration. We found that ZnPP pretreatment significantly decreased HO-1 level, CO level, and volume of gastric juice as compared to the control non-stressed rats. In the present study, ZnPP pretreatment proved to be protective against development of ulcerative lesions in CRS model as evidenced by reduction of the ulcer index, and this could be mediated through reduction of free and total acidity of gastric secretion and decreased lipid peroxidation but with significantly decreased gastric protective nitric oxide and prostaglandin E(2) levels. In conclusion and according to our results, the protective effect of ZnPP on CRS-induced gastric ulcers despite of inhibition of endogenous CO could be attributed to the presence of zinc which is known to have a protective anti-ulcer effect.

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Background: Microcurrent electrical stimulation (MES) is a promising line for treating a variety of conditions. Its outcome on the peripheral nerves remains vague. Objective:The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of MES on nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of the median nerve and pressure pain threshold in healthy people. Subjects and Methods: It was a randomized single blind controlled trial that was conducted on sixty healthy students of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University. Participants were assigned randomly into two groups: control and study groups; who were exposed to MES for 30 minutes using a frequency of 10 Hz, an intensity of 100 µA at the volar aspect of the non-dominant forearm. Median NCVs (motor and sensory) and pain pressure threshold were assessed before, immediately after and 30 minutes after the MES application. Results: Concerning the pain pressure threshold, there was a significant difference between both control and study groups favouring the study group (p value < 0.05), and between pre and post measures of the sensory distal latency and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) in the study group (p-value < 0.05). While, no significant results on median nerve motor parameters were recorded (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion:Within the limitation of this study, a single application of MES over the course of median nerve in healthy subjects was effective in increasing pressure pain threshold, and sensory distal latency; and decreasing SNCV, So, upon these results MES could be promising in treating painful conditions.

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Inosine -a naturally occurring purine-was long considered to be an inactive metabolite of adenosine. However, recently inosine has been shown to be an immunomodulator and anti-inflammatory agent. The aim of the present study was to determine whether inosine can affect the development of type 1 diabetes in mice. Type 1 diabetes was induced chemically by multiple low doses of streptozotocin. (MLDS). Mice were treated with inosine (100 or 200 mg/kg/day) and diabetes incidence was monitored. The effect of inosine on oxidative stress also was determined. The results showed that inosine reduced the incidence of diabetes in streptozotocin-induced diabetes and also decreased the oxidative stress. The purine exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the pancreas, which is its likely mode of action. The use of inosine should be considered as a potential preventive therapy in humans susceptible to develop Type 1 diabetes.