7^th Global Experts Meeting on Neuropharmacology July 30-31, 2017 Milan, Italy

Asmaa Khalifa is currently working as a lecturer assistant of pharmacology and toxicology at Pharos University at Alexandria (PUA). Her specialty is pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. Asmaa has worked on the topic of ischemia for more than 2 years. She has a high interest to explore the effect of ischemia throughout the body. In addition she continues to search for new trends that can help to protect against the local and distant negative actions of organ ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI).

Background: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a major clinical problem. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial involving oxidative stress, cytokine overproduction, and inflammatory responses in the kidney and remote organs. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of celecoxib (CEB) and pentoxifylline (PTX) on kidney and liver changes after renal I/R in rats.rnrnRenal ischemia was induced by clamping renal pedicles for 1h followed by reperfusion for another 1 h. The rats were assigned to five groups: sham control, untreated I/R, CEB + I/R, PTX + I/R, and (CEB + PTX)+I/R. Drug treatment was given for 7 d before I/R. Serum and tissue biochemical and histomorphologic changes were evaluated after reperfusion.rnrnRenal I/R caused changes in kidney and liver histology with a significant reduction in the function of both organs. An increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, myeloperoxidase, and malondialdehyde levels with a decrease in glutathione content and superoxide dismutase activity was observed in kidney and liver tissues. Pretreatment with CEB, PTX, or CEB + PTX attenuated all these changes and the extent of improvement was similar in all drug-treated groups.rnrnFinally, this study is the first experimental work demonstrating the simultaneous nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effects of CEB and PTX after renal I/R. It seems likely that both drugs protect the kidney and liver by reducing oxidative stress, attenuating tumor necrosis factor-alpha production and inhibiting neutrophil tissue infiltration. No additive protective effects were observed in rats received the combined treatment. Thus, our results may imply a promising therapeutic approach by using CEB or PTX to protect the kidney and liver against the hazardous consequences of renal I/R. Moreover Hepatorenal ischemia may have a negative impact on the brain as one of the affected distant organs which requires furtherinvestigationsrn

AIM: Beta-endorphin is an endogenous neuropeptide found in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of humans but there have been varying reports of the relationship between the plasma and CSF levels in different clinical conditions. However, the relationship between β-endorphin levels in the plasma and CSF of children with cerebral malaria has not been reported. Thus, we set out to determine the relationship between β-endorphin levels in the CSF and plasma of children with cerebral malaria. \r\nMETHODS: In this study conducted on forty Nigerian children admitted with the diagnosis of cerebral malaria, one millilitre each of venous blood and CSF obtained from the subjects was used for the determination of β-endorphin levels. \r\nRESULTS: The plasma β-endorphin levels significantly correlated positively with CSF β-endorphin (r = 0.568, p = 0.001) such that for every unit rise in plasma β-endorphin, CSF β-endorphin rises by 0.252 pmol/ L (Confidence interval 0.132 to 0.371 pmol/ L).\r\nCONCLUSION: The finding of positive correlation between plasma and CSF β-endorphin levels in this study may suggest a possible communication between the plasma and CSF in cerebral malaria probably from the disruption of the blood-brain barrier which has been reported in cerebral malaria.\r\n