ABSTRACT
Background: Asparagus is a plant with high nutritional, pharmaceutical, and industrial values
Objective:The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of asparagus roots on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones and oogenesis in female rats
Materials and Methods:In this experimental study, 40 adult female Wistar rats were divided into five groups, which consist 8 rats. Groups included control, sham and three experimental groups receiving different doses [100, 200, 400 mg/kg/bw] of aqueous extract of asparagus roots. All dosages were administered orally for 28 days. Blood samples were taken from rats to evaluate serum levels of Gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH], follicular stimulating hormone [FSH], Luteinal hormone [LH], estrogen, and progesterone hormones. The ovaries were removed, weighted, sectioned, and studied by light microscope
Results: Dose-dependent aqueous extract of asparagus roots significantly increased serum levels of GnRH, FSH, LH, estrogen, and progestin hormones compared to control and sham groups. Increase in number of ovarian follicles and corpus luteum in groups treated with asparagus root extract was also observed [p<0.05]
Conclusion:Asparagus roots extract stimulates secretion of hypothalamic- pituitary- gonadal axis hormones. This also positively affects oogenesis in female rats
ABSTRACT
Visceral larva migrant's syndrome by toxocara affects mainly children between 2 and 5 years old, it is generally asymptomatic, and the seroprevalence varies from 3 to 86% in different countries; as well as, the secondary stage larvae cause ocular, respiratory and neurotic disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of anti-toxocara antibodies in children blood that showed chronic cough having eosinophilia in rural part of Shiraz, Iran. In a cross sectional study during a tuberculin survey rural area of Shiraz, a city in Southwest Iran, a number of 610 children were selected by randomized two-stage cluster sampling. Children with chronic cough were investigated for toxocariasis. Initially, the absolute eosinophil count was determined. Then, children having eosinophilia were tested by toxocara-IgG - ELISA kit [Ibl, Hamburg]. Of total 80 children with chronic cough, 12 [15%] were eosinophilic, among them 6.25% were hypereosinophilic, 9 [11.25%] were toxocara ELISA-IgG positive. No correlation between intestinal parasites and toxocariasis was detected. There was also no significant interdependence between age, gender, and dwelling difference in toxocara antibody amount. Presence of eosinophilia and the risk factors evaluated in this population were frequently associated to human toxocariasis. Anti toxocara antibody was detected in more than half of children with chronic cough, thus, toxocariasis among children in schools should have been noticed in schools by both education and hygiene ministry