Background and Objective: Diabetes induces motor dysfunctions, Palmatine is an isoquinoline alkaloid, with anti-diabetic and antioxidant activities. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Palmatine on motor dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male wistar rats were randomly allocated into control, Palmatine-treated non-diabetic, diabetic and Palmatine-treated diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced by STZ administration at the dose of 55 mg/kg/bw, intraperitoneally. Palmatine hydrochloride was administered subcutaneous at doses of 10 mg/kg/bw per day for a period of 6 weeks, one week after induction of diabetes. Blood glucose level was measured 1, 3, 5, 7 weeks after STZ injection. Locomotor activity tests including Y maze, grip-traction and inclined plane tests were performed to determining locomotor activity.Results: In Y maze test, the number of arms entered significantly increased in Palmatine-treated diabetic group compared to diabetic group (P<0.05). Grip traction and inclined plane tests significantly increased in Palmatine-treated diabetic group compared to diabetics animals (P<0.05).Conclusion: Palmatine hydrochloride administration for 6 weeks improves motor dysfunctions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Objective: The cerebellum has been considered a key structure for the processes involved in sensori-motor integration ultimately leading to motor planning and execution of coordinated movement. Thus, motor deficits and behavioral changes can be associated with cerebellar degeneration.Materials and Methods: Here, the neurotoxin Pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic Acid (Quinolinic Acid, QA) used to create partially cerebellum degeneration in adult wistar rats suitable for use in mesenchymal stem cell transplantation studies. Stereotaxicaly administration of QA (0.2mmol) in the right cerebellar hemisphere (folia VI) caused noticeable motor disturbance in all treated animals. 48 h after causing lesion, rat bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplanted into damage cerebellar hemisphere. The efficiency of cellular transplantation for improvement of motor disorder was assessed by several motor tests, during seven weeks after engraftment.Results: These results indicate that transplantation of MSCs can significantly reduce the behavioral abnormalities of these animals.Conclusion: According to results of this assay, cell therapy by means of bone marrow derived adult stem cells promises for treatment of cerebellar diseases.

Introduction: Acrylamide is a chemical compound which can be produced while frying carbohydrates in high- temperatures. Since the neurotoxicity of acrylamide was reported in the previous studies, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of co-administration of Glycyrrhiza Glabra and Vitamin C on acrylamide-induced weight loss and motor deficits in rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 40 Wistar male rats aged 28 days were divided in to five groups of 8 rats including Control, Acrylamide, Acrylamide + Vitamin C, Acrylamide + Glycyrrhiza Glabra and Acrylamide +Vitamin C + Glycyrrhiza Glabra. All treatments were administered for 6 weeks. Thereafter, locomotor activity indices were measured using open field apparatus. In order to analyze the study data, One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test was used. Results: The results showed that motor activity was significantly increased in vitamin C + Glycyrrhiza Glabra group compared with Acryl amide group. While treatment with vitamin C or Glycyrrhiza Glabra alone did not cause any significant changes in locomotor activity indices. In addition, rats treated with the combination of vitamin C and Glycyrrhiza Glabra significantly improved weight gain deficiency induced by Acrylamide. Conclusion: The study findings revealed that the co-administration of vitamin C and Glycyrrhiza Glabra can retard the locomotor dysfunction and improve the weight gain in acrylamide-treated rats.

Background and purpose: Several adverse effects were reported for oral sildenafil. In this research after formulation of sildenafil topical gel, the effect of gel was compared with sildenafil tablet in a double-blind placebo-controled clinical trial. Materials and methods: After choosing the solvent system, several formulations were prepared and the most suitable gel was chosen for clinical trial. The study was a controlled randomized (block-random sampling), double blind, prospective, placebo-controlled trial. 94 patients, with clinically diagnosed erectile dysfunction were recruited. This includes men with ED of organic, psychogenic, and mixed causes. Patients were divided into two categories of age under and over 50. Six blocks were considered for including patients based on the nature of ED and age. All of the patients with ED from July 2003 to May 2004 diagnosed by one urologist were included in the study. The cases received 1% topical gel of sildenafil and placebo tablet, and the control group received sildenafil tablet (100 mg) and gel base (without drug) as placebo. The tablets were taken one hour before sexual action and the topical gel was used in 0.5g (approximately) on the glans of penis and were massaged for 5min, before the sexual activity. Results: In the case group that topical gel of sildenafil was administered, 5 patients (12.5%) had complete erection, 5 patients had moderate erection and erection was not observed in 30 (75%) of them. In control group, that sildenafil tablet was administered, these results were 28 (70%), 6 (15%) and 6 (15%) respectively. The onset of erection in case group (in-patients with complete erection) was 7.4 ± 3.6 min, but this time was 37.8 ± 14.9 min in control group. Four cases of mild headache were observed in-patients who administered topical gel of sildenafil. This was pain treated before 4 min. Two cases of severe headache were observed in-patients who were administered sildenafil tablet. The disorder on visual function was observed in one patient in control group. One case of severe dyspepsia was observed in this group too. Conclusion: Sildenafil delivery using transdermal formulation can be enhanced by several synthetic or natural percutaneous absorption enhancers, and appears to be a promising approach for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.  

Background: Spatial working memory (SWM) and mental imagery involve the processes of encoding, maintaining, and transforming spatial information. Patients with schizophrenia show impairments in both SWM and mental imagery. Yet, there is scarce evidence on the relationship between impairment in the two cognitive functions in the patients. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to investigate motor imagery ability and SWM function and their relationship in schizophrenic patients. Methods: The present case-control study compared the performance of 18 schizophrenic patients and 18 normal persons. The motor imagery was evaluated with the mental hand rotation task (HRT) and SWM was examined with the Dot test of visuospatial working memory (VSWM) across the three delays. Results: The comparison of HRTresults between the patients and the controls showed a slower and less accurate performance of the patients. On the Dot test of VSWM, performance was significantly less accurate at the three delays in schizophrenic patients relative to the controls. Moreover, there was a negative significant correlation between mental rotation accuracy and distance inaccuracy across the three delays in schizophrenic patients. Conclusions: These results provide further evidence that impaired passive maintenance of internal representation might be the underlying mechanism of motor imagery dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.