title: Does hypericin boost the efficacy of high-power laser? A preliminary experimental study on rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lasers are widely used in treating symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. In current practice, potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) lasers are the most common type of laser systems used. The aim here was to evaluate the rapid effect of high-power laser systems after application of hypericin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental animal study conducted in the Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey, in 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen rats were randomized into four groups: 120 W KTP laser + hypericin; 120 W KTP laser alone; 80 W KTP laser + hypericin; and 80 W KTP laser alone. Hypericin was given intraperitoneally two hours prior to laser applications. The laser incisions were made through the quadriceps muscle of the rats. The depth and the width of the laser incisions were evaluated histologically and recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To standardize the effects of the laser, we used the ratio of depth to width. These new values showed us the depth of the laser application per unit width. The new values acquired were evaluated statistically. Mean depth/width values were 231.6, 173.6, 214.1 and 178.9 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The most notable result was that higher degrees of tissue penetration were achieved in the groups with hypericin (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The encouraging results from our preliminary study demonstrated that hypericin may improve the effects of KTP laser applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sarikamis Military Hospital, Kars, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zor
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Selcuklu Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Rize University, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Unal Orhan
authors.initials: UO
authors.lastname: Zorba
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seref
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basal
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bilal Firat
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Alp
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erogul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013848:Thigh / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin