Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Scientific Affairs Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy, held an in-person scientific seminar entitled “Comparison study of montelukast with dexamethasone for possible protection against endotoxic effect of lipopolysaccharide in bone marrow and spleen of male mice,” delivered by Pharmacist Rami Isam Kamal, a MSc student at the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department. The seminar aimed to highlight the potential protective effects of montelukast against septic shock induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice, in comparison with dexamethasone. The seminar included several topics, including the measurement of inflammatory markers in blood serum, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and others; the measurement of bone resorption markers in blood serum, such as osteoprotegerin and others; the measurement of oxidative stress markers in bone marrow, such as malondialdehyde and others, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique; the measurement of gene expression of both neutrophil elastase and cathepsin-G enzymes in spleen tissues using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, the seminar included studying histological changes in the bone marrow. The seminar concluded that montelukast has promising protective effects against the toxic effects of lipopolysaccharide, acting as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. It may potentially serve as an adjunctive and preventive option for inflammatory and oxidative complications in humans.
