Pharmacology Commons^™

Morphine-Induced Tolerance Is Reduced By The Consumption Of A Ketogenic Diet, But Not A High Fat/High Carbohydrate Diet, Nina Beltran

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Opioid drugs like morphine are used medicinally for pain relief, but also have abuse liability that can lead to opioid use disorder (OUD), which contributes to nearly 70% of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Another rising health concern is the global obesity epidemic, and new evidence suggests that obesity and OUD might converge to impact individuals. For example, high body mass index (BMI) is associated with greater reports of pain among women. Further, opioid overdose risk is increased among individuals diagnosed with obesity, suggesting a potential relationship that might convey enhanced vulnerability among some populations. Given the high …

Targeting Delivery Of Bcl-2 Family Protein Inhibitor Has The Potential To Treat Cancer And Fibrosis, Mohammad Nurul Huda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Apoptosis is a naturally occurring cell death mechanism to remove the selective cell population. B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family protein plays a critical role in activating the upstream apoptosis signaling pathway, primarily the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The BCL-2 family consists of both pro-and anti-apoptotic proteins, which are structurally and functionally similar, containing up to four BCL-2 homologies (BH) motifs (BH1-4). Defecting apoptosis along this signaling pathway can lead to various events, including malignant cell transformation, tumor metastasis, tissue fibrosis, and drug resistance. In fibrosis, the aberrant apoptosis signaling also activates multiple effector proteins and growth factors, such as TGF-β, CTGF, and …

The Effects Of Eating A High Fat Diet On Sensitivity Of Rats To Methamphetamine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Kayla Galindo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Eating a high fat diet causes several negative health consequences, including dysfunction to dopamine systems. For example, eating a high fat diet enhances sensitivity of rats to methamphetamine-induced locomotor sensitization. However, it is not known if sensitivity to other (i.e., the rewarding) effects of methamphetamine are similarly enhanced in rats eating a high fat diet. Females are more sensitive than males to the behavioral effects of stimulants in general, and therefore might also be particularly vulnerable to the effects of diet on the rewarding effects of stimulant drugs. To test the hypoThesis that eating high fat chow enhances sensitivity of …

The Effect Of Waterpipe/Hookah On Platelet Function And The Impact Of Inhibition Of Gβγ Subunits On Hemostasis And Thrombogenesis, Ahmed Alarabi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract (Hookah)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD’s) is a major public health problem. Among CVD’s risk factors, tobacco smoking is considered the single most preventable cause of death, with thrombosis being the main mechanism of CVD’s mortality in smokers. While tobacco smoking has been on the decline, the use of waterpipe/hookah has been rising, mainly due to the perception that they are “less harmful” than regular cigarettes. Strikingly, there are few studies on the negative effects of waterpipes on the cardiovascular system, and none regarding their direct contribution to thrombus formation. We employed a waterpipe whole-body exposure protocol that mimics real‐life human …

Sex Differences In The Mechanisms That Modulate The Neurochemical Effects Of Nicotine, Kevin Uribe

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Prior behavioral studies in our laboratory revealed that overexpression of the stress peptide, corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), in the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway enhanced the reinforcing effects of nicotine. The latter effect was greater in female versus male rats, suggesting that females are uniquely susceptible to the effects of stress on nicotine reinforcement. The goal of this dissertation was to examine the neurochemical mechanisms by which overexpression of CRF in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a terminal region of the mesocorticolimbic pathway, modulates the behavioral effects of nicotine. Specifically, we examined whether nicotine-induced dopamine levels are altered by CRF overexpression via excitatory (glutamate) …

Insulin Modulates The Strong Reinforcing Effects Of Nicotine And Changes In Insulin Biomarkers In A Rodent Model Of Diabetes, Bryan Cruz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined whether the strong reinforcing effects of nicotine and changes in insulin biomarkers observed in diabetic rats are modulated via insulin. A model of diabetes was employed involving administration of streptozotocin (STZ), which produces hypoinsulinemia in rats. The present study included vehicle- or STZ-treated rats that received sham surgery or an insulin pellet. Two-weeks later, the rats were given extended access to intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of saline or nicotine. Concomitant changes in food intake, water responses, and body weight were assessed during 12 days of IVSA. After the last session, plasma levels of insulin, leptin, amylin, and glucagon-like …

Characterization Of Sex Differences In The Reinforcing Effects Of Nicotine, Rodolfo Jesus Flores Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

It is presently unclear whether ovarian hormones, such as estradiol (E2) promote the reinforcing effects of nicotine in females. Thus, we compared extended access to nicotine intravenous self-administration (IVSA) in intact male, intact female, and OVX female rats (Study 1) as well as OVX females that received vehicle or E2 supplementation (Study 2). The E2 supplementation procedure involved a 4-day procedure involving 2 days of vehicle administration and 2 days of E2 administration. Two doses of E2 (25 or 250 ug) were assessed in separate groups of OVX females in order to examine the dose-dependent effects of this hormone on …

The Effects Of Extended Access To Methamphetamine Self-Administration On Dopaminergic Markers In The Striatum, Joe Luevano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is a persistent problem in the U.S. and abroad. Escalation of METH use among independent users occurs for a variety of physiological and psychological reasons. Methamphetamine dependence may be attributed to the rewarding effect of this drug via the dopaminergic systems of the central nervous system (CNS). The presence of METH in the CNS increases synaptic release of dopamine. This increase in dopaminergic neurotransmission is thought to be directly attributed to the rewarding effects of METH. Following METH use, compensatory changes have been found to occur in the dopaminergic system during various periods of abstinence. It is …

Spectroscopic Study Of The Inhibition Of Calcium Oxalate Calculi By Larrea Tridentata, Luis Alonso Pinales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The causes of urolithiasis include such influences as diet, metabolic disorders, and genetic factors which have been documented as sources that aggravate urinary calculi depositions and aggregations, and, implicitly, as causes of urolithiasis. This study endeavors to detail the scientific mechanisms involved in calcium oxalate calculi formation, and, more importantly, their inhibition under growth conditions imposed by the traditional medicinal approach using the herbal extract, Larrea tridentata. The calculi were synthesized without and with Larrea tridentata infusion by employing the single diffusion gel technique. A visible decrease in calcium oxalate crystal growth with increasing amounts of Larrea tridentata herbal infusion …