Aim of the study was to characterize the locomotor and cognitive aspects of the behavior of experimental rats under intracerebroventricular colchicine administration in the open field test and the 8-arm radial maze, as well as identify a set of behavioral features of experimental animals that emerged during the study. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in two stages on 20 male Wistar rats aged 10–11 months. The first stage involved assessment of initial locomotor activity and cognitive functions in all intact rats. At the next stage, the rats were divided into two experimental groups (n = 10): the first group with intracerebroventricular injection of physiological NaCl solution, and the second group with intracerebroventricular injection of colchicine. In 14 days after the surgery, repeated recording of locomotive and cognitive activity indicators was performed. Results. The locomotor activity characteristics did not statistically differ between the animals before the surgical procedures and the rats of the first group. However, in the second group, the activity indicators were significantly higher than in the respective pre-surgery rats. In the intergroup comparison of the rats that entered the second stage of the experiment, it was found that among all the investigated parameters, only the indicator of high activity duration was significantly higher in the second group compared to the first group. At the same time, the animals in the second group showed significant cognitive impairments compared to the first group, as indicated by significantly lower memory index values, the number of correct entries into the maze arms, and a significantly longer time to make the first correct entry into the maze arm. Conclusions. Intracerebroventricular administration of colchicine to experimental rats is accompanied by increased locomotor activity and impairment of cognitive functions. The administration of a physiological solution is not accompanied by a statistically significant increase in locomotor activity, but it demonstrates a clear tendency to increase, which may indicate a certain influence of the procedure itself. The applied pharmacological model of neurodegeneration with subsequent comprehensive assessment of animal behavior in an open field and an 8-arm radial maze is legitimate and can be used to study the early development of neuroinflammation, neuroapoptosis, and synaptogenesis disorders in the experiment.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has devastating humanitarian, social, economic and environmental consequences. To assess them, it is important to monitor environmental pollutants in the eastern regions of Ukraine. This study analyses the chemical composition of surface and groundwater near the frontline in Zaporizhzhia region and justifies the need to develop a state plan for the restoration of damaged areas. Aim. To study the content of environmental toxins, organic compounds and heavy metals in surface and ground waters in the south-east of Ukraine near the frontline and to identify areas of high risk of pollution. Materials and methods. During the period of 2024, 70 drinking water samples were collected and examined from the centralised water supply networks of the city of Zaporizhzhia of the Municipal Enterprise “Vodokanal” and Enterprise of State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine. Groundwater samples were taken by professional hydrogeologists on November 9, 2024, near Tarasivka village (geographical coordinates: 47°46′41′′N 35°26′36′′E / 47.77806°N 35.44333°E) and near Vilne village (geographical coordinates: 47.57286°N 32.61995°E) of Komyshuvakha village, Orikhiv district, Zaporizhzhia region, at a depth of 5, 14 and 190 meters. The water was not preserved and was delivered to the laboratory within a few hours. The chemical analysis was carried out in the laboratory of Ukrkhimanaliz LLC of the Center for Preventive Medicine of the State Administration of Affairs. The presence of heavy metals and organic compounds (50 indicators in total) was studied by atomic emission spectral, photometric, titrimetric, ionometric, colorimetric, chromatographic and calculation methods. Results. Analysis of 70 samples of drinking water in Zaporizhzhia from the centralised water supply networks of the Municipal Enterprise “Vodokanal” and Enterprise of State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine showed that 67–96 % did not meet hygiene standards for trihalogen methanes. Chemical analysis of groundwater showed significant contamination of aquifers at the 5- and 14-meter levels near the frontline due to a significant increase in nitrate and aluminium content. The groundwater was characterized by high levels of salts, sulphates, calcium and magnesium. Such groundwater quality indicators may be related both to the natural features of the area, namely the chemical composition of the soil, and man-made factors caused by the hostilities. The high mineralisation and hardness of the water, and the excessive content of nitrates and heavy metals (aluminium) made the water unsuitable for drinking purposes. At a depth of 190 meters (interstitial water – artesian water), no chemical pollutants were detected, and the organoleptic, sanitary and toxicological indicators met the sanitary and hygienic requirements according to State Sanitary Rules and Norms 2.2.4-171-10 “Hygienic Requirements for Drinking Water Intended for Human Consumption”. Conclusions. Drinking water from centralised water supply networks in Zaporizhzhia in 67–96 % of cases does not meet hygiene standards for trihalogen methanes. Groundwater in Zaporizhzhia region near the frontline at a depth of 5 and 14 meters is highly mineralised, containing high concentrations of nitrates and aluminium, making it unsuitable for drinking. The artesian water in this region does not contain pollutants of man-made and military origin, which indicates that the interlayer is not damaged, and this water is suitable for drinking. High levels of salt and general hardness of groundwater are associated with the geochemical features of the area. The high nitrate content and 1.4 times higher aluminium levels are the result of soil contamination in the area.

Intermittent hypoxia has been studied for many years as a promising non-pharmacological method of cardiovascular disease prevention. Hypoxic effects are accompanied by structural and functional changes in the myocardium. There is a direct link between the duration of hypoxic exposures and the severity of left ventricular myocardial remodeling. A range of histochemical markers of myocardial remodeling (cardiotrophin-1, titin, collagen type 1, annexin V) characterizing parenchymal-stromal relationships in the myocardium has shown high informativeness and prognostic value. The aim of the study was to examine cardiotrophin-1, titin, collagen type 1, annexin V and the morphofunctional state of the left ventricle of the heart in experimental rats exposed to intermittent 15-day (IH15) and 60-day hypoxia (IH60). Materials and methods. Intermittent hypoxia was modeled using 30 normotensive male Wistar rats, 7–8 months old, which were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups of 10 animals each: 1) INT – a control group – intact animals (196.3 ± 6.8 g); 2) IH15 – 15-day hypoxia (205.6 ± 4.1 g); 3) IH60 – 60-day hypoxia (201.1 ± 5.5 g). The study compared the effects of intermittent hypoxia of varying duration: 15-day and 60-day hypoxia. Experimental modeling of intermittent hypoxia of 2 terms revealed a number of differences between the effects dependent on this factor duration through functional (blood pressure measurement, echocardiography) and immunofluorescent studies. Results. Blood pressure in rats of both groups was in the normotensive range, but an increase in systolic by 10 % and diastolic by 19 % was found in IH60 group compared to IH15 group (p < 0.05). In IH15 group, there was a significant decrease in end-diastolic dimension by 20 %, end-systolic dimension by 22 %, an increase in the thickness of left ventricular posterior wall by 44 % and interventricular septum by 33 % as well as left ventricular mass by 12 %, indicating concentric remodeling of the left ventricle, the development of which was confirmed by a 76 % increase in relative wall thickness compared to that in the control group (p < 0.05). Along with these changes, a decrease in end-diastolic volume by 47 %, end-systolic volume by 48 %, stroke volume by 49 % and cardiac output by 50 % with preserved ejection fraction was revealed (p < 0.05). While the parameters of IH60 rats were characterized by an increase in the thickness of interventricular septum by 33 % and left ventricular posterior wall by 17 %, as well as left ventricle mass by 23 %, relative left ventricular wall thickness was 15 % higher than the control value (p < 0.05). At the same time, diastolic volume was 9 % decreased and systolic volume was 24 % increased (p < 0.05). Also, cardiac output was increased by 58 % compared to that in 15-day hypoxic rats with an 8 % decrease in ejection fraction (p < 0.05). The concentrations of markers in IH60 group exceeded those in IH15, namely: cardiotrophin-1 by 39 %, titin by 70 %, collagen type 1 by 60 % and annexin V by 130 % (p < 0.05). Conclusions. 15-day hypoxia forms concentric left ventricular hypertrophy according to echocardiography findings; the study of marker profile of myocardial remodeling has revealed the development of moderate hypertrophy with increased resilient-elastic properties and decreased intensity of cardiomyocyte death. Remodeling caused by 60-day hypoxia is characterized by the eccentric pattern of changes with severe hypertrophy, significant fibrosis associated with apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Such morphofunctional state of the myocardium may indicate the initial stages of maladaptation, increasing the risk of heart failure development.

Aim. To examine the composition of ultrafine aerosol in the air generated by the trench candle burning and compare combustion products with proven carcinogens according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification. Materials and methods. The content of ultrafine aerosol emitted from trench candle burning was studied using a NanoScan 3910 portable scanning spectrometer. The number, area, surface volume and mass concentration of particles were measured at 0.5 and 1.5 meters above the floor level before and after the trench candle burning for 10 minutes. The chemical composition was assessed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES, PerkinElmer Optima 2100 DV, USA). The morphological characteristics of suspended particles were studied by scanning electron microscopy (TESCAN VEGA3, Czech Republic). Results. High concentrations of suspended particulates in the ultrafine particle size range outnumbering the background content by almost 985 times (p ≤ 0.001) have been found to be emitted from the trench candle burning into the indoor air at the breathing level. The ultrafine aerosol contained carcinogenic heavy metals according to the IARC classification (chromium, cadmium, and cobalt). Conclusions. The use of trench candles during the Russian–Ukrainian war relates military and civilian populations to a risk group, that requires wartime carcinogenic effects on the Ukrainian population to be studied and demands the development of a National Program for primary and secondary prevention of cancer as soon as today.

The aim of the work is to ascertain the character of changes in the hormonal profile (concentrations of corticosterone, insulin, and adrenocorticotropic hormone) in conjunction with metabolic alterations and elevated blood pressure, which are induced in rats by restraint stress at 6th, 15th and 21st weeks of environmental space restriction. Materials and methods. A total of 55 normotensive male Wistar rats, aged 6–10 months, were assigned into 4 experimental groups (1 – intact control (10 rats); 2, 3 and 4 (15 rats each exposed to restricted space allowance)). All the animals were subjected to blood pressure (BP), blood glucose level and body weight measurements twice: at the stage of forming groups and at the 6th, 15th and 21st weeks. Plasma hormone concentrations (insulin, corticosterone, and ACTH) were examined by the immunoenzymatic method using commercial kits (Monobind, USA). Results. The body weight of the animals was significantly reduced by 20.72 % after 6 weeks of space allowance restriction, it was restored to baselines by the 15th week and exceeded control values by 26.1 % at the 21st week. BP levels showed an increasing trend, a dynamic increase in systolic pressure by 7 %, 17 % and 26 % was detected, respectively, as well as diastolic from the 15th week to the 21st week by 21.4 % and 37.0 %, respectively. Glucose concentration was within the euglycemic range. Changes in the hormonal profile showed an increase in the concentration of ACTH by more than 50 % and a decrease in insulin – by 34 % at the 6th week with a subsequent twofold decrease in the insulin concentration (at week 15) and a further more than twofold increase in ACTH at the 21st week. As for changes in the concentration of corticosterone, a peak increase of 3.77 times was noticed at the 15th week, followed by a decrease and restoration to the normative values by the 21st week. Conclusions. Even minor and unremarkable continuously acting stressors, which cannot be coped, become important triggers for hormonal profile and carbohydrate metabolism alterations as well as for a persistent increase in blood pressure, which manifest first by hypoinsulinemia, an increase in the level of ACTH, and a constant concentration of corticosterone. Long-term stress exposure contributes to a transient “peak” increase in the corticosterone level, a significant increase in insulin and a sustained increase in ACTH. Multidirectional changes in the levels of the studied hormones occur amidst a gradual increase in blood pressure and a stable increase in the level of glycemia.

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving inflammation, hemostasis, and tissue regeneration, and its impairment may delay recovery and lead to clinical com-plications. Medicinal plants have long been used in traditional medicine to support wound repair and control bleeding. Among these, Symphytum officinale L. (comfrey) is widely used in European traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds, fractures, and soft tissue injuries. However, the pharmacological basis of these effects and the contribution of different plant organs remain insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to characterize the phytochemical composition of extracts obtained from different organs of S. officinale and to evaluate their hemostatic and wound-healing activities in vivo, in order to identify the most active plant parts. Extracts from the roots, leaves, and flowers of S. officinale were prepared using solvents of different polarity. Phytochemical composition was analyzed by spectrophotometric assays and UPLC–MS/MS. Hemostatic and wound-healing activities were evaluated in vivo in rats, and cytological analysis of wound exudate was performed. Distinct organ-specific differences in phytochemical composition were observed, with leaf and flower extracts richer in phenolic compounds and amino acids, while root extracts contained higher levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Leaf (S7) and flower (S13) extracts showed the strongest biological activity. S13 accelerated wound healing, achieving complete closure by day 10, while S7 exhibited the most pronounced hemostatic effect. Cytological analysis indicated reduced inflammation and enhanced fibroblast activity. The findings support the traditional use of S. officinale in wound treatment and highlight the importance of organ-specific phytochemical composition. Aerial parts showed strong wound-healing and hemostatic effects, suggesting their relevance alongside the traditionally used root and indicating a multi-component basis for its activity.