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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially myocardial injury. Due to their hypoglycemic effects, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are efficiently used for T2DM management. GLP-1RAs also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, and can improve cardiac function. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardioprotective effects of liraglutide, a GLP-1RA, on isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in rats. The study included 4 groups of animals. They were pretreated with saline for 10 days + saline on days 9 and 10 (control), saline for 10 days + isoprenaline on days 9 and 10 (isoprenaline group), liraglutide for 10 days + saline on days 9 and 10 (liraglutide group), and liraglutide for 10 days and on days 9 and 10 they were administered isoprenaline. This study evaluated ECG, myocardial injury markers, oxidative stress markers, and pathohistological changes. The results showed that liraglutide mitigated the isoprenaline-induced cardiac dysfunction recorded by ECG. Liraglutide reduced serum markers of myocardial injury such as high-sensitive troponin I, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, reduced TBARS, increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activity and increased reduced glutathione, and improved lipid profile. Liraglutide induced antioxidative protection and alleviated isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury.

Activities of Proximal Tubule Enzymes In Urine of Patients Treated With Gentamicin The activities of the enzymes dominantly localized within the proximal tubules, such as alanine aminopeptidase (AAP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and Nacetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), were measured in 12-h urine samples of patients suffering from Gram-negative infections and i.v. treated with gentamicin with the aim of determining the nephrotoxicity of this aminoglycoside antibiotic. The examined groups consisted of 3 - 10 years old children of both sexes, gentamicin-treated, and the control group, each including 30 patients. Urine samples were collected and analyzed five days before the gentamicin application and during the following 10 days of gentamicin treatment (a single i.v. injection per day in the dose of 2.5 mg/kg b.w.). Significant differences in the AAP and GGT activities expressed in U/mmol creatinine were observed between the gentamicin-treated group and the controls already on day 2 (p < 0.05) of the treatment, as well as in the activity of NAG on day 8 (p < 0.01) of the therapy. From these results it can be concluded that even standard gentamicin doses expressed nephrotoxic effects. Statistically significantly increased AAP and GGT activities in the gentamicin-treated group of children recorded already on the 2nd day of treatment demonstrate that these two enzymes represent extremely sensitive indicators of nephrotoxicity. On the other hand, statistically significantly increased NAG activity observed in the gentamicin-receiving group points to more severe gentamicin-provoked injuries of proximal tubules.

Background/Aim: Due to the numerous beneficial effects of pomegranate that can be explained through its antioxidative effects, the aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant potential of pomegranate peel extract (PoPEx) prepared from pomegranate that was harvested in the southeast region of Herze-govina (Bosnia and Herzegovina), through in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods: In PoPEx total phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and antho-cyanins content was determined, as well as several antioxidative assays, including 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH), 2,2'-azino bis(3-ethylbenzothi-azoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay (ABTS), iron (III)-2,4,6-tripyridyl-S-triazine complex assay (FRAP), reduction of copper(II) ions (CUPRAC) assay, Briggs-Rauscher oscillatory reactions, neutralisation of OH radicals and lipid peroxidation assay. In vivo studies were performed by administrating 100 mg/ kg of body weight of PoPEx to the rats by gavage for 7 days, after which the rats were euthanised and prooxidative parameters (thiobabrituric acid reactive substances-TBARS as an index of lipid peroxidation, nitrites-NO 2 , hydrogen peroxide-H 2 O 2 and superoxide anion radical O 2-) were determined in plasma, as well as antioxidative parameters (superoxide dismutase-SOD, reduced gluta-thione-GSH and catalase-CAT) in erythrocyte lysates. Results: High content of phenolic compounds was found in PoPEx, which resulted in high antioxidative potential in all in vitro tests performed. In vivo study showed that PoPEx administration caused a significant decrease in TBARS, NO 2-, as well as an increase in reduced glutathione (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group, while H 2 O 2 and O 2 * showed a lowering trend and SOD and CAT showed an increasing trend in PoPEx group, but without statistical significance. Conclusion: PoPEx demonstrated high antioxidative capacity measured in vitro and in vivo and can be potentially used as a supplement treatment in the prevention of various inflammatory conditions.