ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Kindling can increase anxiety-like behavior in rodents. Oxidative stress has an important role in arousing anxiety. It is known that Matricaria Recutita has an antioxidant effect. Thus, the present study aimed at assessing the effects of this plant's extract. on anxiety-like behavior induced by kindling in rats
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar Albino rats [wt:200-250 g] were randomly divided into 4 equal groups; namely control [intact], kindling, diazepam [2 mg/kg], and aqueous extract of Matricaria Recutita [30 mg/kg] intrapertoneally. Kindling was done by a sub-convulsive dose of pentylenetetrazole [PTZ; 40 mg/kg, i.p.] in the remainder. Groups. Kindling parameters in all these animals were evaluated by a plus elevated maze. The percent of time spent in the open arms of maze [OAT %] and percent of entries in the open arms [OAE %] were accounted for anxiety evaluation. Increase in OAT % and OAE % indicated an anxiolytic effect. Finally, the obtained data was analyzed by means of Any-Maze software and P<0.05 was taken as the significant level
Results: Kindling significantly [P<0.05] increased anxiety response in rats for at least 24h following the last seizure [decrease in OAT % and OAE %]. Administeration of diazepam and Matricaria Recutita induced a significant increase in OAT % and OAE %, thereby. Displaying a decrease in the anxiety in the kindled rats [P<0.05]. Activity rate of the animals increased in the extract-treated group
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that Matricaria Recutita was able to improve elevated levels of anxiety in kindled rats. Therefore, further works are needed to elucidate the extent and mechanism of these effects
ABSTRACT
Oxidative stress in teratozoospermic semen samples caused poor assisted reproductive techniques [ART] outcomes. Among antioxidants, ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring free radical scavenger and as such its presence assists various other mechanisms in decreasing numerous disruptive free radical processes. The main goal of this study was to evaluate potential protective effects of ascorbic acid supplementation during in vitro culture of teratozoospermic specimens. Teratozoospermic semen samples that collected from 15 volunteers were processed, centrifuged and incubated at 37°C until sperm swimmed-up. Supernatant was divided into four groups and incubated at 37°C for one hour under different experimental conditions: Control, 10 micro m A23187, 600 micro m ascorbic acid and 10 micro m A23187+600 micro m ascorbic acid. After incubation sperm motility, viability, acrosome reaction, DNA damage and malondialdehyde levels were evaluated. Our results indicated that after one hour incubation, ascorbic acid significantly reduced malondialdehyde level in ascorbic acid group [1.4 +/- 0.11 nmol/ml] compared to control group [1.58 +/- 0.13 nmol/ml] [p<0.001]. At the end of incubation, progressive motility and viability in ascorbic acid group [64.5 +/- 8.8% and 80.3 +/- 6.4%, respectively] were significantly [p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively] higher than the control group [54.5 +/- 6.8% and 70.9 +/- 7.3%, respectively]. A23187 significantly [p<0.0001] increased acrosome reaction in A23187 group [37.3 +/- 5.6%] compared to control group [8.5 +/- 3.2%] and this effect of A23187 attenuated by ascorbic acid in ascorbic acid+A23187 group [17.2 +/- 4.4%]. DNA fragmentation in ascorbic acid group [20 +/- 4.1%] was significantly [p<0.001] lower than controls [28.9 +/- 4.6%]. In vitro ascorbic acid supplementation during teratozoospermic semen processing for ART could protect teratozoospermic specimens against oxidative stress, and it could improve ART outcome