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Editorial: Extremists hinder cures for age related diseases

3-8
Intra-articular injection of vitamin A:a rabbit model to study osteoarthrosis
by M. G. Grillo, G. Panzini, A. Di Virgilio, A. Corsi, M. Riminucci, P. Bianco, L. Politi, R. N. Lorenzini, R. Scandurra

An experimental model of osteoarthrosis (OA) induced by injection of vitamin A in knees of rabbits is pre-sented. This model represents a modification and improvement of a preexisting one (Boni et al., 1977;Benazzo et al., 1982)based on a higher number of vitamin A injections. In our model, two vitamin A injections were sufficient to induce OA without exposure of the subchondral bone. The advantages of this mod-el are: 1) the maintaining of articular cartilage could make the experimental joints suitable to test the reparative efficiency of candidate intra-articular pharmacological treatments, 2) animal stress and the risk ofinfections are strongly reduced in compliance with European legislation on laboratory animal welfare.

9-17
Hepatoprotective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil: A carbon-tetrachloride induced liver fibrosis model in rats
by Hanefi Özbek, Serdar Ugras, Irfan Bayram, Ismail Uygan, Ender Erdogan, Abdurrahman Öztürk, Zübeyir Huyut

Hepatoprotective activity of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) essential oil was studied using a carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis model in rats. The hepatotoxicity produced by chronic carbon tetrachloride administration was found to be inhibited by Foeniculum vulgare essential oil with evidence of decreased levels ofserum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Histopathological findings also suggest that Foeniculum vulgare essential oil prevents the development of chronic liver damage. The changes in body weights in the rats assigned to the study groups supported these biochemicaland histopathological findings. The results of this study clearly indicate that Foeniculum vulgare essential oil has a potent hepatoprotective action against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

39-47
Developmental stability in a cystic fibrosis mouse model
by Charlotte Stub, Helle Krogh Johansen, Nadine Hoffmann, Niels Høiby & Axel Kornerup Hansen

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic experimental lunginfection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa on developmental instability and behaviour in the transgenicCftrtm1Unc-TgN (FABPCFTR) mouse compared to different heterozygote (CFTR+/-) and wildtype (CFTR+/+) controls. Developmental instability measured as fluctuating asymmetry (FA), body weight and open-field behaviour were assessed in CFTR-/-, CFTR+/-and CFTR+/+mice. FA and different behavioural tests wereinvestigated in relation to tracheotomy and lung infection with P. aeruginosa. Body weight was in general decreased in the CFTR-/-mice and increased in the CFTR+/-mice. CFTR-/-mice had a significantly higherdegree of FA (4%-5.5%) than all other groups (1%-3%) (P<0.001), while having cystic fibrosis did not seem to influence the behaviour of these mice indicating that the clinical impact from the model is rather low, which is positive from a welfare point of view. FA and motor performance was influenced by neither the lung infection nor the tracheotomy. Tracheotomy increased the level of fear in the light-dark box(P<0.05), and the lung infection decreased activity in the open field (P<0.05). From this we may concludethat well-being expressed as changed behaviour is a result of the lung infection more than a consequenceof the mutation.

49-53
Effect of Nigella sativa L. on heart rate and some haematological values of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits
by I. Meral, N. Donmez, B. Baydas, F. Belge & M.Kanter

This study was designed to investigate the effect of an extract of Nigella sativa L. on the heart rate andsome haematological values in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Fifteen New Zealand male rabbits were divided into three experimental groups: control, diabetic and N. sativa L.-treated diabetic. At the end of the experimental period (2 months), animals in all three groups were fasted for 12 hours and blood samples were taken for the determination of glucose levels, RBC and WBC (red and white blood cell) counts,packed cell volume (PCV), and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Heart rates were also measured by a direct-writing electrocardiograph before the blood withdrawals. It was found that N. sativa L. treatment increased the lowered RBC and WBC counts, PCV and neutrophil percentage in diabetic rabbits. However, the WBC count of the N. sativa L. treated diabetic group was still lower than the control. N. sativa L. treatment also decreased the elevated heart rate and glucose concentration of diabetic rabbits. It is concluded that oral N. sativa L. treatment might decrease the diabetes-induced disturbances of heart rate and some haematological parameters of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.