Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex disease affecting the whole metabolic balance of the body and resulting in multiple organ complications: cardiovascular, neuronal, renal, etc. Our study focuses on investigating the effect of zinc chloride (Zn) on certain blood parameters suggestive for assessing the metabolic disturbances, the liver and kidney function, the oxidative stress and the immune defense capacity in experimental-induced DM with streptozotocin (STZ) and cholesterol in rats. Materials and Methods: The animals were assigned to three groups, as follows: Group 1 (Control): buffer citrate solution 0.1 mL/100 g body; Group 2 (STZ): 20 mg/kg body STZ and fat diet (10 g cholesterol/100 g diet); Group 3 (STZ+Zn): 20 mg/kg body STZ + 5 mg/kg body Zn chloride and the same fat diet. DM was induced by administering STZ in a single take daily, for three consecutive days, Zn and citrate buffer were administered orally for a month. The protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University ‘Grigore T Popa’ Iasi, in agreement with the International Regulations about the handling of laboratory animals. Results: The use of STZ in rats fed with cholesterol was correlated with important weight gain, hyperglycemia, the intensification of the transaminases activity and the increase in serum alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine and in malondialdehyde. Conclusions: The treatment with Zn resulted in weight loss and a decrease in blood sugar in diabetic rats. Supplementation with Zn notably reduced oxidative stress, preserved the pancreatic architecture and restored the liver and kidney function and structure in STZ-induced DM in rats.

The purpose of our study was the obtaining, characterization and biocompatibility estimation of novel carrier systems for diclofenac. Diclofenac is a potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with frequent gastrointestinal side effects, impairing the quality of the patient’s life. Original diclofenac-loaded micro-vesicles coated with chitosan were prepared and physico-chemical analyzed. We investigated their in vitro hemocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility in rats. The animals were treated orally as follows: group 1 (Control): distilled water 0.3 mL/100 g body weight; Group 2 (CHIT): 0.3 mL/100 g body weight 0.5% chitosan solution; Group 3 (DCF): 15 mg/kg body weight diclofenac; Group 4 (DCF-ves): lipid vesicles loaded with diclofenac 15 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected for assessing: red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit and leukocyte formula. A series of specific parameters of the liver and kidney function, some markers of immune defense, as well as the activity of some enzymes involved in oxidative processes, were also investigated. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and fragments of liver, kidney and stomach were collected for histopathological examination. No blood hemolysis was evidenced by the in vitro test with the administration of diclofenac vesicles. The animals treated with diclofenac lipid vesicles stabilized with chitosan did not display any notable differences in their hematological and biochemical profile compared to control animals. These data correlated with the histological results, which showed the absence of architectural changes in the examined tissues. Biological in vitro and in vivo evaluation revealed that the microvesicles containing diclofenac are biocompatible, with potential to be used as delivery systems to modify the drug release, thus making them an attractive candidate for biomedical applications.

Background/Aims: The present study investigates the effects of pregabalin (PGB), acetaminophen (ACET) and tenoxicam (TNX) administration in somatic and visceral nociception, using the tail flick test and the writhing test in mice. Methods: In the tail flick test, the substances were administered orally and the latency time response was recorded 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after administration. In the writhing test, pain responses were scored every 5 min during a 30-min period after intraperitoneal injection of diluted acetic acid. Results: Our study demonstrated that oral administration of the combination PGB-ACET resulted in a stronger increase of latency reaction - statistically significant after 15 min compared to TNX and after 30 min compared to PGB in tail flick test. In the writhing test, the combination PGB-ACET, but also PGB-TNX, resulted in a stronger decrease of writhe numbers - statistically significant compared to the effects of the separate administration of each substance. This decrease was more intense in animals treated with the combination PGB-ACET than with PGB-TNX. Conclusion: These results suggest an antinociceptive activity which may be a consequence of the synergic action of the substances.

Nanoantibiotics have proved improved pharmacokinetic characteristics and antimicrobial features. Recent studies have shown non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidemic, and hepatocyte protective actions, among other advantages of chitosan-based nanoparticles. The purpose of our study was the structural analysis of novel chitosan-coated vesicles entrapping erythromycin (ERT) and the assessment of their biocompatibility in mice. According to the group in which they were randomly assigned, the mice were treated orally with one of the following: distilled water; chitosan; ERT; chitosan vesicles containing ERT. Original nanosystems entrapping ERT in liposomes stabilized with chitosan were designed. Their oral administration did not produce sizeable modifications in the percentages of the leukocyte formula elements, of some blood constants useful for evaluating the hepatic and renal function, respectively, and of some markers of oxidative stress and immune system activity, which suggests a good biocompatibility in mice. The histological examination did not reveal significant alterations of liver and kidney architecture in mice treated with chitosan liposomes entrapping ERT. The results indicate the designed liposomes are a promising approach to overcome disadvantages of conventional ERT treatments and to amplify their benefits and can be further studied as carrier systems.

Background and Objectives In the past few decades, the studies concerning the natural polysaccharide chitosan have been centered on a new direction: its hepatoprotective action. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of previously designed chitosan lipid vesicles on the liver damage induced by alcohol consumption in mice. Materials and Methods The study involved the oral administration of substances in one daily dose as follows: Group 1 (control): water; Group 2 (control alcohol): 5% alcohol in water; Group 3 (CHIT): 0.1 mL/10 g body weight chitosan solution in animals treated with alcohol; Group 4 (CHIT-ves): 0.1 mL/10 g body chitosan vesicles in animals treated with alcohol; Group 5 (AcA): 200 mg/kg body ascorbic acid in animals treated with alcohol. In order to evaluate liver damage after alcohol consumption, the following hematological parameters were tested: the activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase; serum values of urea and creatinine; the phagocytic capacity of polymorphonuclear neutrophilsin peripheral blood;serum opsonic capacity;bactericidal capacity of peritoneal macrophages; and the activity of malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and lactate dehydrogenase. Results and Conclusions The treatment with chitosan vesicles decreased liver enzyme activity and reduced the oxidative stress disturbances in alcoholic mice, thus repairing the hepatic functional and structural damages. These beneficial activities of chitosan vesicles were comparable with ascorbic acid effects in alcoholic mice.