Halil Yavuz

Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (AMC) is frequently implicated in drug-induced hepatic damage during antimicrobial therapy; however, the molecular mechanisms driving this adverse event remain poorly understood. Carvacrol (CRV), a monoterpenic phenol, exhibits potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate whether CRV exerts a hepatoprotective effect against AMC-induced liver injury. Male Wistar albino rats (n=28) were allocated into four groups: control, AMC (30 mg/kg), CRV (50 mg/kg), and AMC+CRV, administered via oral gavage daily for seven days. Hepatic damage was evaluated by assessing liver function markers, oxidative stress parameters, inflammatory pathways, autophagic markers, and histopathological alterations. AMC administration induced acute hepatic injury, significantly elevating serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. AMC also increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content, upregulated pro-apoptotic proteins (Caspase-3 and Bax), and elevated inflammatory markers [nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)], alongside autophagic markers [Beclin-1 and Light chain 3A (LC3A)]. Conversely, AMC suppressed glutathione levels, reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, and downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2). Co-administration of CRV with AMC significantly attenuated AST, ALT, MDA, NF-κB, IL-17A, IL-1β, Caspase-3, Bax, Beclin-1, and LC3A levels, while successfully restoring antioxidant defenses and BCL-2 expression. Furthermore, CRV markedly ameliorated AMC-induced histopathological tissue damage. Collectively, these findings suggest that CRV exerts a protective effect against AMC-induced hepatotoxicity, associated with the attenuation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation.

The main objective of this study was to assess the antioxidant capacity and the protective impact of carvacrol (CRV) against oxytetracycline (OXI)-mediated nephrotoxicity in albino rats. CRV, a naturally occurring phenolic compound found in various plant species, has significant antioxidant capacity, the ability to mitigate inflammatory processes, and tumor proliferation inhibiting properties. The study evaluated the efficacy of CRV in reducing oxidative stress-induced kidney damage in albino rats. Findings showed that CRV administration significantly reduced the kidney damage relative to the control group. Evaluation of the enzymatic antioxidant profile indicated a significant decrease in the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes and GSH levels in the OXI-treated group compared to the CRV group. Furthermore, CRV treatment decreased malondialdehyde (MDA), a key biomarker of lipid peroxidation. The protective properties of CRV were confirmed by histological examination of the kidney. CRV treatment markedly suppressed pro-inflammatory molecules, specifically diminishing the expression of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and mitigating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation. Furthermore, CRV administration attenuated OXI-induced increases in the proapoptotic proteins Bax and Caspase-3, while increasing the transcriptional activity of the antiapoptotic gene B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). CRV diminished OXI-induced kidney tissue damage by decreasing Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) and increasing Aquaporin-2 (AQP-2) levels. The study results indicate that CRV administration can alleviate tissue damage in the kidney caused by OXI toxicity.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of blood tubes with different anticoagulants and different spinning speed applications in the blood centrifuge on biochemical analyses. The study conducted with a total of 16 Gerze cocks, a native breed of Türkiye. In the first part of the study, 8 roosters were slaughtered and the blood taken was transferred to lithium heparinized tubes only. Then, the blood was centrifuged at 3000, 4000 and 5000 rpm for 10 minutes. Blood samples were taken into plain-tubes, K3EDTA and lithium heparin tubes, and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes. The study results indicated that, centrifugation speed had no statistically significant effect on the levels of plasma glucose (p = 0,691), triglyceride (p = 0,451), total cholesterol (p = 0,993), high-density lipoprotein [(HDL-cholesterol) (p = 0,917)], low-density lipoprotein [(LDL-cholesterol) (p = 0,990)], total protein (p = 0,860), inorganic phosphorus (p = 0,885), calcium (p = 0,980), amount of plasma (p = 0,903) and, aspartate aminotransferase activities [(AST) (p = 0,692)]. In the second part of the study 8 different cocks apart from first part of the study, were slaughtered and the blood taken into tubes with different contents as plain tubes (serum), lithium heparinized tubes (plasma) and K3EDTA tubes (plasma). Same parameters with first part of the study were investigated. The results showed that no statistical difference found between serum or plasma obtained from blood tubes with different contents (p˃0.05). Additionally, the calcium levels could not be analyzed with K3EDTA plasma. Consequently, we observed that centrifugation speeds up to 5000 rpm did not affect the parameters frequently investigated in scientific research and routine analysis in poultry Similarly, in the tube content experiment, no statistical difference was found in other parameters.

In this study, it was aimed to determine the differences in terms of race, age, and gender by examining the hemogram and biochemical parameters of healthy thoroughbred racehorses brought to the equine hospital for routine examination. The study material comprised 86 healthy horses (51 Thoroughbred and 35 Arabian Horses) of both genders (31 female and 55 male). The horses were divided into three groups according to their ages (3 years and younger, 4 years, and 5 years and older). Blood samples were analyzed on the hemogram and biochemistry devices after sampling. There was no statistically significant difference in the parameters examined between the breeds (p>0.05). Hematologically, it was determined that white blood cell (WBC), lymphocyte (LYM), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and red cell distribution width (RDW) values were at the highest level in those aged 3 and younger, and neutrophil (NEU), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and MCH values were at the highest level in 5 years and older. Biochemically, it was determined that aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin (ALB), and phosphors (P) values were at the highest level in those aged 3 and younger, and total protein (TP) values were at the highest level in those aged 5 and older. In terms of gender, WBC, red blood cell (RBC), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), RDW, AST, ALP, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), LDH, Creatine kinase (CK), creatinine (CREA), ALB, and P values were higher in males compared to females, while MCV, MCH, Mean platelet volume (MPV), and TP values were higher in females compared to males. As a result, although the Thoroughbred and Arabian Racehorses examined in the study were healthy, there might be significant differences in hemogram and biochemistry values in terms of age and gender.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exogenous melatonin administered by different methods at the beginning of the breeding season on estrus onset, fertility, plasma progesterone and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in Hasmer ewes. To this end, the ewes were divided into three groups: Group I (MEL): This group received subcutaneously 18 mg melatonin implant (RegulinTM, Ceva– Turkiye) Group II (MELPRO): This group received subcutaneously 18 mg of melatonin implant (RegulinTM, Ceva–Turkiye), followed by the intravaginal administration of a sponge containing 20 mg of flugestone acetate (Choronogest CRTM–France) for a period of 9 day. This was followed by the intramuscular injection of 250 µg of cloprostenol (SenkrodinTM– Vetas–Turkiye) as soon as the sponge was removed. Group III designated as the control group (CON), received 1 mL of saline was administered subcutaneously for placebo effect. Estrus was detected using teaser rams starting 24 h after the melatonin (Group MEL), PGF2α (Group MELPRO) and physiological saline (Group CON) applications twice a day (06:00 and 17:00). Ewes in oestrus were moved to separate compartments and mated with fertile rams. Blood samples were collected from the vena jugularis on the day of treatment initiation, on the day of mating, and on day 17 of gestation. Pregnancy examinations were performed between 25 and 30 days after mating, and heartbeats were monitored using a 5–8 MHz linear trans–rectal probe in the groups (DP 50 VETTM, Mindray Ltd. China). There was no statistical difference in the onset of first oestrus between the groups (P>0.05). A noteworthy finding was the increase in progesterone concentration on the 17th day of pregnancy in the group treated with melatonin alone, compared to other groups, at the beginning of the breeding season (P<0.05).

The invasion and metastasis of cancer cells transform localized cancers into systemic and life-threatening diseases, posing one of the most significant challenges in cancer treatment. This study tested the hypothesis that combined treatment with Caffeic acid (CA) and metformin (MTF) could inhibit or reduce effective signaling pathways involved in the proliferation, survival, and metastasis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Anti-proliferation analysis determined the IC50 values for MTF (4.5 mM) and CA (163 µM) after 72 h. Cell migration analysis showed that MTF and CA significantly inhibited MCF-7 cell migration by the 72nd hour, both alone and in combination, without affecting HME1 healthy cell migration from the 48th hour. Colony formation analysis revealed that CA completely inhibited colony formation in MCF-7 cells, while MTF reduced it by 19%. ELISA results indicated that neither CA nor MTF affected the levels of VEGF-A, E-cadherin, or TINAGL-1 proteins, which are involved in MCF-7 cell migration and invasion. However, MTF significantly reduced IL-1β protein levels, and CA significantly reduced IL-4 protein levels in MCF-7 cells. RT-qPCR results largely supported the ELISA findings. Overall, CA and MTF exhibited potential to inhibit MCF-7 cell apoptosis, migration, tumor microenvironment modulation, and metastasis. Graphical abstract