Asli Aykac

Prolonged interaction with challenging life situations is a well-recognised risk factor for depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline, particularly among menopausal women. This research aimed to assess the effects of metformin (MF) on anxiety-like behavioural changes, cognitive impairment, brain neuroplasticity, and apoptosis induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in menopausal rats. To achieve this, we conducted the open field test (OFT) to measure anxiety- like behaviours and locomotor activity, the elevated plus- maze (EPM) to assess anxiety-like behaviour, and the novel object recognition test (NORT) to evaluate recognition memory. Additionally, we measured the levels of BDNF, SIRT 1, synaptophysin, and caspase-9 by ELISA in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and amygdala. Our experimental groups were categorised into five groups, with six rats in each group, as follows: Control, ovariectomized (OVX), OVX+CUMS, OVX+MF, and OVX+CUMS+MF. Four weeks after the OVX, the CUMS protocol was implemented, and MF treatment commenced following CUMS and continued for 14 days. Chronic administration of MF improved recognition memory and anxiety levels in rats subjected to CUMS, as assessed by the NORT, OFT, and EPM. MF increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor, synaptophysin, and sirtuin1, key markers of neuroplasticity in specific brain regions. We also found that MF treatment reduced pro-apoptotic caspase-9 levels. Histopathological analysis of the hippocampal DG and prefrontal cortex indicated neurodegenerative changes such as pyknotic nuclei, cytoplasmic sparseness, widespread vacuolization, and perivascular and pericellular oedema in the OVX and OVX+CUMS groups. However, these pathological features were significantly diminished in the MF groups, resulting in better preservation of neuronal integrity, fewer pyknotic cells, and reduced vacuolization. In conclusion, metformin appears to be a beneficial therapeutic agent that enhances neural plasticity, decreases apoptosis, and improves recognition memory and anxiety- like behaviours induced by OVX+CUMS

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are driven by complex, multifactorial mechanisms in which oxidative stress (OS) and neuroinflammation (NI) play central, mutually reinforcing roles. Their interaction is mediated through key signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2–Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Nrf2-Keap1), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction, microglial activation, and dysregulated redox homeostasis. Increasing attention has been directed toward understanding how Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved neuroprotective agents influence these interconnected processes. Drugs such as riluzole, edaravone, memantine, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors exhibit diverse effects on glutamate excitotoxicity, free radical production, inflammatory cytokine release, and microglial reactivity, yet their modest clinical efficacy highlights the limitations of single-target approaches. This review synthesizes current evidence on the mechanistic relationship between OS and NI in ALS and AD and evaluates how existing therapeutics modulate these pathways, emphasizing the need for multitarget strategies to achieve meaningful disease-modifying outcomes.

The search for new drugs to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) is ongoing, with the use of herbal extracts emerging as a current research focus in this field. This study primarily intended to investigate the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties of the ethanolic extract of Thymus longicaulis subsp. chaubardii (TLC) in vitro. Secondly, we aimed to perform an acetic acid (AA)–induced rat UC model and assess the effects of TLC extract (200 mg/kg/orally/day, during three days) using ELISA test in terms of IL‐1 β , TNF‐ α , IL‐17, IL‐10, Na ⁺ /K ⁺ ‐ATPase, TLR‐9, MMP‐3 level, caspase‐3 and caspase‐9, luminol, lucigenin, and SOD. In addition, we accomplished macroscopic and histological evaluations. Our phytochemical investigation revealed TLC contained secondary metabolites including total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total triterpenes in quite concentrated amounts. The extract demonstrated anti‐2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity that was 2.3 times more potent than ascorbic acid, anti‐2,2‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging activity that was 3.28 times less potent than Trolox, and antilipoxygenase Type V (LOX‐5) activity that was 1.31 times more potent than indomethacin in vitro. Due to colitis, increased luminol and lucigenin CL, TNF‐ α , IL‐1 β , IL‐17, TLR‐9, caspase‐3, caspase‐9, MMP‐3, and macroscopic and microscopic scores and decreased IL‐10, Na+/K + ‐ATPase levels in colon ameliorated with TLC and sulfasalazine (as reference drug) treatments. As a result, it can be said that TLC improves UC in rats, mainly on account of its free radical scavenging activity, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Origanum onites ethanolic extract (O. onites EE) in vitro and its effects on inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and tissue damage-related parameters in the acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) model in rats. Material and Method: Dried parts of O. onites were extracted with ethanol using the maceration method. Then, the extract’s anti-DPPH and anti-ABTS free radical scavenging, anti-5-lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, and total secondary metabolic quantities were evaluated in vitro. The rat groups were determined as control + saline (C), AA + saline (A), AA + O. onites EE (O), AA + Sulfasalazine (S). The treatments were applied once a day for 3 consecutive days. Result and Discussion: O. onites EE showed high amount of total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total triterpene contents, high antioxidant activity against ABTS, DPPH radicals, and anti-inflammatory effects against 5-LOX enzyme. Due to AA-induction, increased luminol-lucigenin, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17, TLR-9, caspase-3, caspase-9, MMP-3, macroscopic and microscopic scores attenuated by O. onites EE and sulfasalazine treatments. In conclusion, O. onites EE has a significant therapeutic effect on rats' colitis due to its total flavonoid, phenolic, and triterpene content, and its Anti-5-LOX and free radical scavenging activity.

Objectives: In this study, Rosa damascena Mill. essential oil (RDEO) was aimed to evaluate its potential anti-inflammatory and mitochondria-mediated anti-apoptotic effects in vitro and in vivo in acetic acid (AA)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) rat model. Methods: In the UC rat model, RDEO (100 μL/kg, p.o.) or sulfasalazine (100 mg/kg/p.o.) was administered to the treatment groups. After decapitation, the UC activity index, colon mass index, and macroscopic and microscopic damages were determined in rat colon tissue. TNF-α levels and MPO activity were measured to evaluate the effect of the inflammation in the colon. Changes in the expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, casp-3, and casp-9 proteins, which are indicators of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis were determined by the Western blot method. Results: Our study results revealed that AA-induction caused a significant increase in colitis activity index (CAI), colon mass index (CMI), and macroscopic and microscopic damages in rat colon tissue. It shows that RDEO treatment has an effective curative effect by reducing AA-induced inflammation (TNF-α and MPO activity), CAI, CMI, pro-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2, Bax, Casp-3, and Casp-9), and morphological damages in rat colon tissue. Conclusions: All these results suggest that RDEO may have suppressed changes in colon tissue due to its ability to reduce AA-induced inflammation and apoptosis. The results of this study showed that RDEO was beneficial in UC and, like other herbal anti-inflammatory agents, RDEO did not cause gastrointestinal side effects.

Objectives: Cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) are thought to be an excellent source of bioactive compounds, making them an aspirant for the manufacture of health-promoting compounds. This study aims at exploring the pro-apoptotic effects of spiny and thornless OFI cladode extracts on the human immortalized myelogenous leukemia cell line (K562). Methods: The ethanol extraction method was used for preparing cladode extract. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assays. Membrane permeability/damage was detected by annexin V-binding assays, and mitochondrial damage/alteration was detected by mitochondrial membrane potential measurements. The protein expression quantities of Bax and Bcl-2 were assessed by western blotting. The pro-apoptotic potentials of the main spiny and thornless OFI extract constituents were investigated structurally and mechanistically using protein–ligand docking and interaction profiling. Results: Spiny OFI extract displayed a stronger cytotoxic effect than thornless OFI extract on K562 cells. In silico findings agreed with the pro-apoptotic action observed in vitro . Conclusions: Finally, our findings imply that OFI extracts cause apoptosis in K562 cells in order to have anti-cancer effects.

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic, which started to be seen in Northern Cyprus (NC) as of March 2020, has affected the psychological mood of many people in our country as well as all over the world.Objectives: It was aimed to evaluate the post-illness anxiety and depression levels of people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 positive, completed the quarantine period and then received a negative PCR report.Methods: Through the questionnaire used in the study carried out between 1-30 April 2021, the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and their personal experiences about COVID-19 were questioned and they were asked to answer the questions about the hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale.Results: The average score of the participants (n=120) in the HAD scale was determined as 11.66±5.90. According to the average scores of the scale, the anxiety and depression levels of the patients fall into the category of ‘11 and above abnormal'. The patients' general average scores of anxieties were 6.20±3.48 (normal) and depression was 5.46±3.55 (normal).Conclusion: Although it was determined that the HAD scores of the individuals from NC infected with COVID-19 were not high, most of them needed psychological support as they stated in their own statements.

Objectives: Rational antibiotic use (RAU), which is examined under the heading of rational drug use, draws an important road map in the prevention of antibiotic resistance development, which is a global problem that threatens future generations. It was aimed to evaluate the factors that determine the antibiotic use behaviors of students and the level of numeracy knowledge in health literacy, which is effective in reducing unnecessary or incorrect antibiotic use. Methods: In the study, in which 212 students voluntarily participated, a questionnaire consisting of questions was used, in which socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to antibiotic use were examined, as well as the level of numerical knowledge in health literacy. Results: It was found that the average age of participants was 20.33±2.50, and 53.8% were females. It was determined that 77.4% of the participants preferred to go to the doctor when they had any health problems, and the most common reason for using antibiotics was fever (51.4%). The answer given for the "disease that requires antibiotic use" question was bacterial infections with 64.6%. Participants' numeracy level in health literacy was questioned with six different questions, and their average score was determined to 8.1±2.0. It was determined that the highest numeracy knowledge level score among the departments belonged to the students of the anesthesia and first and emergency departments. Moreover, it was found that the numeracy knowledge level score in health literacy for females was higher than that of males. Conclusion: It has been determined that students studying in health sciences have sufficient knowledge about RAU and numeracy, but they do not have an excellent level of knowledge yet despite being health students. It is believed that the regulation of the " rational antibiotic use" course, which is included in the education curriculum, will be effective in solving this problem.