RESUMEN
Chemotherapeutic drugs have demonstrated effectiveness in treating various neoplastic conditions; however, they can also have detrimental effects on male gonadal function and fertility. Consequently, interest has grown in identifying novel approaches that can mitigate chemotherapy-induced testicular damage. Thymoquinone (TQ), the chief active component of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa (NS), has a wide range of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. The aim of this systematic review was to identify experimental animal studies that have evaluated the protective effects of TQ against testicular complications associated with chemotherapy. In accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a thorough search was performed across several databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost, Sage and Scopus) to identify experimental studies published from 2010 to May 2022 that focused on rodent models and compared the effects of TQ versus other chemotherapeutic drugs. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, comparing TQ with methotrexate (MTX), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), cyclophosphamide (CPA), bleomycin (BL), doxorubicin (DOX) or busulfan (BUS). The results of these studies consistently demonstrated that TQ significantly improved sperm parameters, the levels of oxidative stress (OS) markers, apoptosis markers, and hormones and testicular histopathology, indicating that TQ has protective effects against chemotherapy-induced damage. TQ mitigated chemotherapy-induced testicular toxicity by decreasing lipid peroxidation and enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes within chemotherapy-treated testes. These findings highlight the potential of TQ as a therapeutic agent that can ameliorate testicular complications associated with chemotherapy, thereby providing a basis for further research and potential therapeutic applications.
RESUMEN
Objective The objective of this article is to evaluate the morphometry and termination of conus medullaris (CM) in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Methodology The lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 179 citizens of Saudi Arabia were selected and divided into males and females. Parameters such as the level of termination of CM, the length/width of CM, and its termination were reported. Results The maximum number of males and females were observed in the less than 20 years age group as 23 (25.5%) and 22 (24.7%), respectively. The termination level of CM was at the (first lumbar vertebra) L1 vertebra in 51.4% of the Saudi population. The level of termination of CM is below the (second lumbar vertebra) L2 level in one patient at L3, L3-L4, L5, and L5-S1 levels. On comparing the length of CM, no statistically significant difference was observed between the different levels of the vertebra. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the width and the CM termination (p=0.02). The various age groups and CM termination had no statistically significant correlation (p=0.47). Conclusion The most common level of termination of conus medullaris was at the L1 vertebra. The level of CM termination is strongly associated with the width of CM.