The neuroprotective effect of melatonin on the hippocampus exposed to diclofenac sodium during the prenatal period

A Maternal High-Fat Diet Causes Anxiety-Related Behaviors by Altering Neuropeptide Y1 Receptor and Hippocampal Volumes in Rat Offspring: the Potential Effect of N-Acetylcysteine

The children of obese mothers are known to have a high risk of obesity and metabolic disease and are prone to developing cognitive deficits, although the underlying mechanism is not yet fully understood. This study investigated the relationship between neuropeptide Y1 receptor (NPY1R) and anxiety-like behaviors in the hippocampi of male rat offspring exposed to maternal obesity and the potential neuroprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC). A maternal obesity model was created using a high-fat (60% k/cal) diet. NAC (150 mg/kg) was administered by intragastric gavage for 25 days in both the NAC and obesity + NAC (ObNAC) groups. All male rat offspring were subjected to behavioral testing on postnatal day 28, the end of the experiment. Stereological analysis was performed on hippocampal sections, while NPY1R expression was determined using immunohistochemical methods. Stereological data indicated significant decreases in the total volume of the hippocampus and CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions in the obese (Ob) group (p < 0.01). Decreased NPY1R expression was observed in the Ob group hippocampus (p < 0.01). At behavioral assessments, the Ob group rats exhibited increased anxiety and less social interaction, although the ObNAC group rats exhibited stronger responses than the Ob group (p < 0.01). The study results show that NAC attenuated anxiety-like behaviors and NPY1R expression and also protected hippocampal volume against maternal obesity. The findings indicate that a decrease in NPY1R-positive neurons in the hippocampus of male rats due to maternal conditions may be associated with increased levels of anxiety and a lower hippocampal volume. Additionally, although there is no direct evidence, maintenance of NPY1R expression by NAC may be critical for regulating maternal obesity-induced anxiety-related behaviors and hippocampal structure.

Effects of diclofenac on the swimming behavior and antioxidant enzyme activities of the freshwater interstitial crustacean Bryocamptus pygmaeus (Crustacea, Harpacticoida)

Diclofenac (DCF) is one of the most widespread pharmaceutical compounds found in freshwaters as a pseudo-persistent pollutant due to its continuous release from point and diffuse sources, being its removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants incomplete. Moreover, DCF is particularly persistent in interstitial habitats and potentially toxic for the species that spend their whole life cycle among the same sediment grains. This study is aimed at offering a first contribution to the assessment of DCF effects on freshwater invertebrate species living in the interstitial habitats of springs, rivers, lakes and groundwaters. The Crustacea Copepoda are one of the main components of the freshwater interstitial communities, with the primacy taken by the worm-like and small-sized harpacticoids. A sub-lethal concentration of 50 μg L^-1 DCF significantly affected six out of the eight behavior parameters of the burrower/interstitial crustacean harpacticoid Bryocamptus pygmaeus recorded by video tracking analysis. DCF exposure reduced swimming speed, swimming activity, exploration ability and thigmotaxis, and increased swimming path tortuosity. The biochemical approach revealed a reduced level of the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 in individuals exposed to DCF. It could be explained by a decline in mitochondrial performance or by a reduced number of functional mitochondria. Since mitochondrial dysfunction may determine ATP reduction, it comes that less energy is produced for maintaining the cell functions of the DCF-exposed individuals. In addition, the increasing energy demand for the detoxification process further contributes to decrease the total energetic budget allocated for other physiological activities. These observations can explain the changes we have observed in the swimming behavior of the copepod B. pygmaeus.

Hazardous impact of diclofenac on mammalian system: Mitigation strategy through green remediation approach

Diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory drug used as an analgesic. It is often detected in various environmental sources around the world and is considered as one of the emerging contaminants (ECs). This paper reviews the distribution of diclofenac at high concentrations in diverse environments and its adverse ecological impact. Recent studies observed strong evidence of the hazardous effect of diclofenac on mammals, including humans. Diclofenac could cause gastrointestinal complications, neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hematotoxicity, genotoxicity, teratogenicity, bone fractures, and skin allergy in mammals even at a low concentration. Collectively, this comprehensive review relates the mode of toxicity, level of exposure, and route of administration as a unique approach for addressing the destructive consequence of diclofenac in mammalian systems. Finally, the mitigation strategy to eradicate the diclofenac toxicity through green remediation is critically discussed. This review will undoubtedly shed light on the toxic effects of pseudo-persistent diclofenac on mammals as well as frame stringent guidelines against its common usage.

Occurrence, interactive effects and ecological risk of diclofenac in environmental compartments and biota - a review

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug has turned into a contaminant of emerging concern; hence, it was included in the previous Watch List of the EU Water Framework Directive. This review paper aims to highlight the metabolism of diclofenac at different trophic levels, its occurrence, ecological risks, and interactive effects in the water cycle and biota over the past two decades. Increased exposure to diclofenac not only raises health concerns for vultures, aquatic organisms, and higher plants but also causes serious threats to mammals. The ubiquitous nature of diclofenac in surface water (river, lake canal, estuary, and sea) is compared with drinking water, groundwater, and wastewater effluent in the environment. This comprehensive survey from previous studies suggests the fate of diclofenac in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may predict its persistence in the environment. This review offers evidence of fragmentary available data for the water environment, soil, sediment, and biota worldwide and supports the need for further data to address the risks associated with the presence of diclofenac in the environment. Finally, we suggest that the presence of diclofenac and its metabolites in the environment may represent a high risk because of their synergistic interactions with existing contaminants, leading to the development of drug-resistant strains and the formation of newly emerging pollutants.

Prenatal exposure to oxcarbazepine increases hippocampal apoptosis in rat offspring

This study assessed apoptosis in the offspring of rats exposed to oxcarbazepine (OXC) from day 7 to 15 of gestation. Three groups of pregnant Wistar rats were used: 1) Control, treated with saline solution; 2) treated with 100 mg/kg OXC; 3) treated with 100 mg/kg of carbamazepine (CBZ, as a positive control for apoptosis); the route of administration was intragastric. Apoptosis was detected at three postnatal ages using the TUNEL technique in the CA1, and CA3 regions of the hippocampus and in the dentate gyrus (DG); neurogenesis was assessed in the DG using an antibody against doublecortin. The litter characteristics were recorded. OXC increased apoptosis in all regions (p < 0.01) at the three ages evaluated. Lamination disruption occurred in CA1 and CA3 due to the neuron absence and to ectopic neurons; there were also malformations in the dorsal lamina of the DG in 38% and 25% of the pups born from rats treated with OXC and CBZ respectively. CBZ also increased apoptosis. No clear effect on neurogenesis in the DG was observed. The size of the litter was smaller (p < 0.01) in the experimental groups. Nineteen-day OXC fetuses had low weight (p < 0.01), but 21 and 30 postnatal days old CBZ and OXC pups were overweight (p < 0.01). The results demonstrate that OXC administered during gestation is pro-apoptotic, alters the cytoarchitecture of the hippocampus, reduces litter size, and probably influences postnatal weight. We provide evidence of the proapoptotic effect of CBZ when administered early in gestation.

Prenatal exposure of diclofenac sodium alters the behavioral development of young Wistar rats

Diclofenac sodium (DS), a potent inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, reduces the release of arachidonic acid and formation of prostaglandins. Being a nonsteroid drug that shows antiinflammatory action, the possible side effects of fetal DS administration gain importance in public and medical applications. Herein, the effects of DS administration (1 mg/kg) during gestational days 5–20 were investigated on the performance of Wistar rat pups in a variety of behavioral tasks. Four-week-old pups were subjected to sensory motor tests, a plus maze, an open field, the Morris water maze, and a radial arm maze. Fetal DS disrupted some sensory motor performances, such as visual placing and climbing in both females and males. In the open field, DS females had a higher level of anxiety and male DS pups habituated to the environment slowly compared to controls. The DS pups showed slower rates of learning, whereas no substantial between-group differences were found in the performance of spatial memory compared to both controls. Furthermore, working memory was negatively affected by fetal DS. In conclusion, it was indicated that DS administration during pregnancy had slight behavioral impacts with a delay in learning and a defect in the short-term memory in juvenile rats.

Protective effects of betanin against paracetamol and diclofenac induced neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption in rats

Context: Overconsumption of paracetamol (PAR) and diclofenac (DF) have been reported to induce neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Objective: The current study was designed to explore the protective potential of betanin against PAR and DF inducing neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption in a rat model. Material and Methods: Forty rats were equally divided into five groups: group I served as control, group II received PAR (400 mg/kg), group III received PAR plus betanin (25 mg/kg), group IV received DF (10 mg/kg) and group V received DF plus betanin orally for 28 consecutive days. Thyroid axis hormones, sex hormone, neurotransmitters, paraoxonase-1, hemeoxygenase-1 and nuclear factor-2 were measured by ELISA. While, the oxidative stress markers were colorimetrically estimated. Moreover, DNA damage and histopathological picture of the brains were investigated. Results: A marked reduction in thyroid axis hormones, brain neurotransmitters and serum testosterone as well as enhanced oxidative stress and brain DNA damage accompanied by drastic changes in the brain histopathological picture were recorded in the challenged PAR and DF groups. Betanin supplementation ameliorated most of the biochemical and histopathological changes induced by PAR or DF. Conclusion: The study suggests betanin of potential protective effects against neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption induced by PAR and DF overconsumption.

Melatonin promotes neuroblastoma cell differentiation by activating hyaluronan synthase 3-induced mitophagy

Neuroblastoma is the second most common pediatric malignancy and has a high rate of spontaneous remission. Uncovering the mechanisms underlying neuroblastoma cell differentiation is critical for therapeutic purposes. A neuroblastoma cell line (N2a) treated with either serum withdrawal (<2.5%) or melatonin (>0.1 nmol/L) for 24 hours was used as a cell differentiation research model. Interestingly, the hyaluronan synthase 3 (HAS3) protein was induced in differentiated N2a cells. N2a-allografted nude mice received an intraperitoneal injection of melatonin (40 or 80 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks). The mean tumor volume in mice treated with 80 mg/kg melatonin was smaller than that in PBS-treated mice (1416.3 and 3041.3 mm³ , respectively, difference = 1625 mm³ , *P = 0.0003, n = 7 per group). Compared with the vector control group, N2a cells with forced HAS3 overexpression showed significantly increased neuron length (*P = 0.00082) and neurite outgrowth (*P = 0.00059). Intracellular changes in autophagy, including distorted mitochondria with abnormal circular inner membranes, were detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our study demonstrated that HAS3-mediated signaling activated by physiological concentrations of melatonin (>0.1 nmol/L) triggered significant N2a cell differentiation. These results provide molecular data with potential clinical relevance for therapeutic drug development.