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BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is known to have an impact on the health of the male reproductive system. It is linked to low sperm quality, increased oxidative stress, and an increased generation of reactive oxygen species in the seminal fluid. Pomegranate extract has phenolic compounds and significant protective properties against oxidative stress, male sex hormone disruptions, and sperm abnormalities. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Pomegranate Peel Extract Nanoparticles (PPENPs) on male fertility in diabetic rats. METHODS: DM was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups, 6 rats in each group: control, DM, DM+empty NPs (60 mg/kg, orally), and DM+PPENPs (60 mg/kg, orally). RESULTS: Administration of PPENPs increased the levels of insulin, FSH, LH, testosterone, catalase, glutathione reduced, and semen fructose. PPENPs also improved sperm quality, as seen by improvements in sperm morphology, motility, count, and the ability of metabolically active spermatozoa to convert blue resazurin dye to pink resorufin. However, PPENPs decreased levels of glucose, malonaldehyde, nitric oxide, and sperm abnormalities. Also, histological investigation of the PPENPs showed improvement in testis tissue architecture and increased the diameter size of seminiferous tubules and germinative layer thickness. CONCLUSION: Our investigation proved that the treatment of PPENPs has a protective effect on the reproductive system of male diabetic rats, improving fertility parameters, healthy sperm profiles, and the antioxidant system.

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Global male infertility correlated to the rise of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including insecticides, has grown into a pressing problem. Thiacloprid is one of the most commonly used neonicotinoids that accounts for more than 25% of the global pesticide industry. However, its impact on the reproductive system and male fertility has not been fully elucidated. The object of this study was to explore the adverse effects of thiacloprid on male Wistar rats' reproductive system. Thirty healthy male rats were separated into one of three groups: control group, and two groups that were orally administered with low (22.5 mg/kg) and high dose (62.1 mg/kg) of thiacloprid for 56 days. Thiacloprid significantly (p<0.05) reduced body weight and relative testicular weight, as well as sperm quality (count, motility, viability, and morphology), in a dose-dependent manner. THIA-treated groups revealed a large effect (d > 0.8) on semen quality with Cohen's d of (6.57, 8.82), (20.14, 23.54), and (2.81, 9.10) for count, motility, and viability respectively. Meanwhile, the serum testosterone level dropped while the levels of luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones increased. 17ꞵ-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase and 3ꞵ-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase levels were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The activity of the tested antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione reduced (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) exhibited a considerable decrease compared to the control group with a significant elevation in the lipid peroxidation activity as indicated by malondialdehyde (MDA) level. The testicular histology revealed degenerative changes in spermatogenic cells and interstitial tissue. Comet assay revealed DNA fragmentation in treated groups' testicular tissue. Thiacloprid exposure interferes with reproductive function and impairs male Wistar rat fertility. Such harmful consequences may also develop in humans frequently exposed to thiacloprid.

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BACKGROUND: Silymarin is an antioxidant without side effects even at relatively high physiological dosage. Therefore, it is safely used as a herbal medicine for treating different diseases. AIM OF WORK: The purpose of this study was to examine the toxicity of cadmium (Cd) in pregnant rats and their fetuses and the ameliorative effects of silymarin (SL) against this toxicity. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 24 pregnant rats allocated into four equal groups. Control, silymarin (200 mg/kg), Cd (5 mg/kg), and a combination of Cd and silymarin concurrent from 6 to 20th gestational day. Number of corpora lutea, dams', gravid uteri, placental weights, and likewise fetal body weights and lengths were analyzed as physical parameters. Serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, creatinine, urea, uric acid, and maternal and fetal liver tissues for malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione activity were studied. The histology of hepatic and renal tissues for both mothers and fetuses was examined. Data were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance test and Duncan's multiple range test was used to compare group means. RESULTS: The findings evidenced that Cd causes teratogenic abnormalities and histopathological variation in hepatic and renal tissues of both mothers and fetuses. Cd triggers oxidative stress and disrupts liver and kidney function. In Cd + silymarin treated rats exhibited improvement in the pregnancy outcomes, reduced histopathological changes, oxidative stress as well as liver and kidney enzymes. CONCLUSION: We deduced that using of silymarin during gestation is effective and ameliorate the toxic maternal complications caused by cadmium.

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Lufenuron is a benzoylurea pesticide that causes significant histological and histochemical damage in mammals. Avocado is a common food in the human diet that contains antioxidant and antitumor properties. In male rats, avocado oil's protection against lufenuron-induced reproductive deterioration, oxidative stress, and DNA damages was investigated. Twenty-eight mature male rats were selected and distributed into four groups: Group 1, control group were administered distilled water orally; Group 2 received 4 ml/kg avocado; Group 3 was given lufenuron (1.6 mg/kg), and Group 4 was given avocado oil/lufenuron. The findings show that lufenuron treatment reduces reproductive hormone levels, sperm count, motility, viability and causes negative histopathological changes in testicular tissue, such as decreased epithelial height and increased luminal diameter degenerated spermatogenesis. Furthermore, lufenuron reduced the content of antioxidant enzymes while increasing the level of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and corresponding DNA damage. Results showed that lufenuron is associated with testicular function impairment, which leads to infertility. Treatment with avocado oil improved reproductive hormone secretions, enzymatic activity, histological and DNA damage parameters in testis tissues, reducing the negative effects of lufenuron, proving that it may have a therapeutic role against lufenuron-mediated testicular toxicity.

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Filgrastim is a recombinant protein used in treatment neutropenia caused by myelosuppressive medications for patients with non-myeloid cancer. However, its effect in male fertility is not clear. So, the current work aims to clarify the effect of Filgrastim on the reproductive state in Wistar rats. Eighteen (18) male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (6/each). Group (I) where the rats were injected with 0.5 ml/kg/day of distilled water and served as Control Group. The Group (II) animals received intraperitoneal injection of therapeutic dose of 30.83 mcg/kg/day of Filgrastim for one week. The Group (III) rats received the same dose by the same route of Filgrastim for two weeks. Sera of blood samples were processed for serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (TS). Semen analysis and resazurine reduction test (RRT) were performed. Assaying for malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) was done. The testes were retrieved for histopathological and immunohistochemical studies for caspase-3 detection. Our results revealed that filgrastim affects sperm morphology, significantly decreased the RRT and the reproductive hormones level, elevated the oxidative stress status and induced several histopathological changes in testes with an increased in immunoexpression of caspase-3 in testes tissues. The results of this work demonstrated that Filgrastim may had a deleterious effect on male fertility.

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ABSTRACT Histopathological studies in placenta, liver, kidney, apoptotic DNA damage and p53 mutation estimation of pregnant rats and their offspring exposed to dietary supplement yeast tablets, were carried out. Pregnant female albino rats were orally administrated yeast tablets at concentration 41.1 mg/kg during gestation period. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were used for examination. Neutral comet assay was performed to assess the apoptotic DNA damage and single strand conformational analysis was performed to screen the mutations inductions in p53 exons 7 and 8. Statistical analysis is applied to found the relation of apoptotic fraction in liver, kidney and placenta of pregnant rats and their offspring. Oral administration of yeast tablets to pregnant rats induced histopathological alterations in the hepatic, kidney tissues of both mothers and fetuses and placenta tissues. In addition, it induced apoptotic DNA damage as revealed by the significant elevations in apoptotic fractions (p<0.001) in liver and kidney tissues of both treated rats and their fetuses and even in the placenta (p<0.001). On contrary, no any mutation was induced in p53 exons 7 and 8 by yeast administration either in pregnant rats or their fetuses examined organs. The histopathological changes and apoptotic DNA damage recorded in female rats and fetus's tissues which can result in definite hormonal and atrophic effects on adult rats and the fetuses, the possibility of early or late physiological effects in the mature and progeny under the administration of yeast tablets must be taken into consideration.

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ABSTRACT Halfa-bar (Cymbopogon proximus), is an aromatic grass widely growing in Upper Egypt. This herb is recommended for medical purposes as an effective diuretic, renal or abdominal antispasmodic agent. Objectives of this study: Evaluate the potential effects of Halfa-bar on the pregnant albino rats during the gestation period. Material and methods: The virgin female rats mated with male then the pregnant rats treated orally with Human Equivalent Dose (HED) of the proximol which equivalent 0.05 mg/ kg rat from 5th -18th Gestational Day (GD). At day 20 of pregnancy, all rats were anesthetized and killed to obtained maternal -fetal data (placenta). Results: The current study indicated that, there is statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction in the treated placental weight. Also, the light microscopic examination of the placental specimens using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining revealed the presence of various vacuoles in the cytoplasm and nuclei of the giant cells. There is an increase in the number of apoptotic cells and irregular dilatation of maternal sinusoids in the labyrinth zone. Else, microscopic investigation showed a depletion of the glycogen content in the basal and labyrinth layers and a positive caspase-3 in the spongitrophoblast cells. In the treated group, reduction in level of catalase activity (CAT) and significant elevation (P ≤ 0.05) in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were recorded. Conclusion: The pathological effects in placenta may be due to the accumulation of proximal and transplacental passage.