title: Oral administration of avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) reduces ischemic damage in the rat hippocampus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The beneficial effects of avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) are known as an antiarthritic agent. This experimental study presents the effects of ASU on oxidant/antioxidant systems and the number of apoptotic neurons of hippocampal formation after ischemia and reperfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen rats were divided into three equal groups: group I rats were used as controls; group II rats were fed with standard diet and group III rats were fed with standard diet plus ASU pills for 10 days. One day after electrocauterization of bilateral vertebral arteries for groups II and III, bilateral common carotid arteries were occluded for 30 min and then reperfused for 30 min. After these procedures, rats of all groups were sacrificed. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured in the left hippocampus. The number of apoptotic neurons was counted by Tunel method in histological samples of right hippocampus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MDA and NO levels increased in group II compared with group I rats (p = 0.002, p = 0.015). In group III, MDA and NO levels decreased as compared to group II (p = 0.041, p = 0.002). SOD and CAT activities increased in group III as compared to group II rats (p = 0.002, p = 0.002). The number of apoptotic neurons was lower in group III as compared to group II rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that ASU could decrease oxidative stress and apoptotic changes in ischemic rat hippocampus. Dietary supplementation of ASU may be beneficial to prevent or ameliorate ischemic cerebral vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. yaman@aku.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosar
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bas
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mollaoglu
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fidan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Songur
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D027421:Persea; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013025:Glycine max; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010938:Plant Oils; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase