The concentration of noradrenalin and corticosterone as the two nociception modulators change after fasting or stress situation. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of food deprivation on formalin-induced nociceptive behaviours and plasma levels of noradrenalin and corticosterone in rats. Food was withdrawn 12, 24 and 48 h prior to performing the formalin test, but water continued to be available ad libitum. The formalin solution (50 μL, 2%) was injected into plantar surface of hind paw. The nociception responses of the animals during the first phase (1-7 minutes), the inter-phase (8-14), the phase 2A (15-60) and the phase 2B (61-90) was separately evaluated. The plasma concentrations of noradrenalin and corticosterone were measured using specific ELISA and IRA kits, according to manufacturer''s instructions. In contrast to the increasing of 48 h food deprived animals during phase 2, the nociceptive behaviours of 12 and 24 h groups decreased through the interphase, phase 2A and phase 2B. The injection of formalin in the normal male rats significantly decreased the plasma level of noradrenalin and corticosterone. Food deprivation for 12 and 24 h increased noradrenalin level significantly in comparison with control group which has caused by fasting induced antinociceptive behaviours. There was no significant change in food deprivation for 48 h group. Food deprivation for 12, 24 and 48 h had no effect on corticosterone level in male rats. The present study emphasizes that the acute food deprivation diminished the nociceptive behaviours in the formalin test and show a correlation with increase in plasma noradrenalin level.

DHIPC (2,4-dichloro-2´-hydroxyl-4´,6´-diisoprenyloxychalcone) is a new chalcone compound. In this study, its antidepressant-like activity of compound DHIPC was evaluated by the forced swimming test and the tail suspension test in mice. The results showed that DHIPC significantly reduced the immobility time for 2 h after treatment through the oral administration at dose of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg in the forced swimming test and the tail suspension test, indicating a significant antidepressant-like effect. The maximal effect was obtained at 30 mg/ kg, which is similar to the positive control fluoxetine. The main monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in rat brain were also simultaneously determined. It was found that DHIPC significantly increased the concentrations of the main neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenalin, and also significantly increased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid contents in hippocampus, hypothalamus, and cortex in brain part. So, the probable mechanism of action of DHIPC is thought to be related to increase in serotonin and noradrenalin in the brain.

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is known as development of acute renal failure in a patient who usually has advanced liver disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the safety and the efficacy of noradrenalin in comparison with midodrine‑octreotide in patients with HRS. This study was registered to the Iranian Registry of Clinical trials (IRCT). This study was a single‑center, randomized, clinical trial that performed in Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Since March 2011 to January 2012, twenty‑three patients were enrolled in the study. Eligible patients were allocated in 2 groups. In the first group, patients received infusion of NA with the dose of 0.1–0.7 μg/kg/min, and in the other groups, patients received octreotide 100‑200 μg subcutaneously 3 times daily and midodrine 5‑15 mg orally 3 times daily. In both study groups, patient received albumin infusion in addition to noradrenalin or midodrine‑octreotide. Complete response of HRS was observed in 8 of the 11 patients (73%) treated with noradrenalin and in 9 of the 12 patients (75%) treated with midodrine‑octreotide (P > 0.05). HRS recurred after treatment withdrawal in 2 of 11 in NA and 3 of 12 in MO group. That shows no significant difference between 2 groups (P > 0.05). We deduce that NA has the same efficacy and safety with MO and can induce a complete response in high percentage of the patients. Moreover, we observed no significant differences in the recurrence rate and outcomes after 3 months among the patients in both study groups; this result could support the use of NA in HRS management. The IRCT ID is: IRCT201107217085N1.

Bee venom is a complex mixture of proteins, peptides and low molecular components: proteins (Enzymes): (Phospholipase, A2Phospholipase B, Hyaluronidase α – Glucosidase) -, peptides (Melittin, Apamine MCD peptide,Adolapine, Procamine A and B, Protease inhibitors)- low molecular components: Biogenic amines:(Histamine, Dopamine and Noradrenalin) - pheromones: Complex ethers- Sugars: (Glucose, fructose) - Amino acids (Aminobutyric acid, α-amino acids).Bee venom has many function in the field of medical and medicine, therefore, nowadays it is produced as a commercial product.

Appetite modulation is a set of physiological mechanisms that influence the various areas of the central nervous system. Noradrenaline, serotonin, and oxytocin have an important role in the central control of food intake in birds. On the other hand, nesfatin decreases food intake in birds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explain the synergistic effects of noradrenalin, serotonin, and oxytocin with nesfatin on food intake in neonatal broiler chickens.

A total of one hundred and forty-four neonatal chicks were randomly divided into three experimental groups. Each experiment had a control group and three treatment groups (n=12 in each group). In all experiments, 3-hour food-deprived birds received intracerebroventricular ‎injections of either control diluent or drug solution. Then, the birds had ad libitum access to the ‎food and fresh water, and then cumulative food intake (gr) was measured based on the ‎percentage of the body. In the first experiment, normal saline, noradrenalin, nesfatin, and noradrenalin plus nesfatin were injected.‎ In the second experiment, normal saline, serotonin, nesfatin, and serotonin + nesfatin were injected. In the third experiment, normal saline, oxytocin, nesfatin, and oxytocin plus nesfatin were injected.

The results of the present study showed that co-injection of noradrenalin and nesfatin, serotonin plus nesfatin, and oxytocin plus nesfatin significantly reduced food intake in broiler chickens (P<0.05).

According to the results of the present study, there is probably a synergistic effect between noradrenalin, serotonin, and oxytocin with nesfatin on food intake control of neonatal broiler chicks.

Finding a suitable laboratory test that can diagnose schizophrenia in its early stages could be very important. According to the hypothesis of lack of noradrenalin balance in the brain, it is illustrated that the disorder severity has a negative correlation with the amount of urine noradrenalin metabolite [3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenyl glycol (MHPG) sulfate]. In this research, instead of measuring 24-hour urine MHPG sulfate level by standard expensive HPLC method, 24-hour urine organic sulfate mixtures were measured and compared between schizophrenic patients and control group by colorimetry. Forty schizophrenic patients (20 males and 20 females) diagnosed by two psychiatrists according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and 40 controls (20 females and 20 males) with nearly the same diet and physical activity levels were included. After primary laboratory tests and ruling out general medical conditions in both groups, all medications in schizophrenic patients were tapered. For all subjects, 24-hour urine samples were collected and organic sulfate was measured by colorimetry method. Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case and control groups were 0.465 ± 0.03 and 0.475 ± 0.04, respectively (p= 0.219). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case females was 0.46 ± 0.028 g/dl. In control females, this amount was 0.47 ± 0.044 g/dl (p= 0.393). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case males was 0.47 ± 0.031 g/dl. In control group, it was 0.48 ± 0.039 g/dl (p= 0.382). Measuring organic sulfate by colorimetry method cannot help to distinguish schizophrenic patients from normal individuals.

We aimed to compare hemodynamic and endocrine alterations caused by stress response due to Proseal laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube usage in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Sixty-three ASA I-II patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of endotracheal tube and Proseal laryngeal mask airway. Standard general anaesthesia was performed in both groups with the same drugs in induction and maintenance of anaesthesia. After anaesthesia induction and 20 minutes after CO2 insufflations, venous blood samples were obtained for measuring adrenalin, noradrenalin, dopamine and cortisol levels. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters were recorded at the 1st, 5th, 15th, 30th and 45th minutes after the insertion of airway devices. No statistically significant differences in age, body mass index, gender, ASA physical status, and operation time were found between the groups (p > 0.05). Changes in hemodynamic and respiratory parameters were not statistically significant when compared between and within groups (p > 0.05). Although no statistically significant differences were observed between and within groups when adrenalin, noradrenalin and dopamine values were compared, serum cortisol levels after CO2 insufflation in PLMA group were significantly lower than the ETT group (p = 0.024). When serum cortisol levels were compared within groups, cortisol levels 20 minutes after CO2 insufflation were significantly higher (46.1 (9.5-175.7) and 27.0 (8.3-119.4) in the ETT and PLMA groups, respectively) than cortisol levels after anaesthesia induction (11.3 (2.8-92.5) and 16.6 (4.4-45.4) in the ETT and PLMA groups, respectively) in both groups (p = 0.001). PLMA usage is a suitable, effective and safe alternative to ETT in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients with lower metabolic stress.

The negative symptoms of schizophrenia remain a major clinical challenge. Nortriptyline is a serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor and belongs to secondary amine tricycles. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of nortriptyline on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This study is a six-week randomized placebo-control trial of nortriptyline or placebo as an adjunctive to haloperidol (5 mg) in the treatment of 50 patients with Diagnostic and statistical manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for chronic schizophrenia. The primary finding of the trial was a significant reduction in Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) in the nortriptyline group compared to placebo at the end of 6 week. All the subscales of SANS demonstrate significant improvement. This study suggests a potential role for nortriptyline in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

To determine the effects of Ramadan fasting on serum levels of stress neurohormones in Iranian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).This study was a clinical trial and was performed during July 2011(month of Ramadan) in Royan institute, Tehran. A total of 40 women who were aged 20-40 years and known cases of PCOS and had no other medical diseases were included in the study. They were divided into two groups as follows: (i) study group (n=20) who participated in Ramadan fasting and (ii) control group (n=20) who did not participate in fasting. For evaluating Ramadan’s effect on the level of neurohormones serum level of the following variables were evaluated before and after Ramadan: cortisol, adrenaline (A), noradrenalin (NA), beta-endorphin (β-End), insulin, as well as sex hormones including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone.In the study group after Ramadan serum cortisol and nor-adrenaline levels were significantly lower than the initial levels obtained at beginning of Ramadan (p < 0.05) as compared to control group.This study indicates that Ramadan fasting decreases stress neurohormones in women with PCOS.

This study aimed to investigate the vascular effect of geraniol, a monoterpene essential oils that is found in some medicinal plants, in rat thoracic aorta. The thoracic aorta was isolated, cut into rings, mounted in organ-bath chambers containing Krebs’s solution (37°C, 95%O2 and 5%CO2) and equilibrated in resting tension (2g) for 60 min. Isometric tension was recorded under the treatments with vasoconstrictors, geraniol, and various drugs as pharmacological interventions. The effect of geraniol on the contractions evoked by noradrenaline (10μM) was tested after 20 min pre-incubation of aortic rings with increasing concentrations of geraniol in the bath. In various experiments the endothelium- intact or -denuded aortic rings contracted by 80 mM potassium chloride. When contraction was stable geraniol was applied. Relaxation was expressed as % reduction or reversal of initial contraction induced by vasocative agents. The possible participation of nitric oxide (NO), intracellular cyclic GMP and prostacyclin in the relaxant effects of geraniol, were studied by incubating (for 20 min) some rings with the NO synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 200 μM), methylene blue(10 μM) and indomethacin (10μM), respectively. Geraniol in dose dependent manner reduced the contractile response to noradrenalin and relaxed of KCl induced active tone in rat aorta. Relaxant effects of geraniol on the KCl induced contraction was not modified by L-NAME, methylene blue and indomethacin. In conclusion geraniol induced dose dependent relaxation in rat aorta, which was endothelium-independent.