ABSTRACT
Background: Caverta (Sildenafil citrate), an oral therapy for Erectile Dysfunction (ED), being the citrate salt of Sildenafil, is a selective inhibitor of cGMP- specific phosphodiestrase type (PDE5). Aim: To study the drug- induced (i) changes in the trace element content of Testis and (ii) changes in the histoarchitecture of Testis of the experimental Albino rats. Materials and Methods: For the present study, totally 48 animals were selected on weight basis and divided into 8 groups (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 and S8) with six animals in each group. Control animals (S1) were fed with conductivity water while the experimental animals (S2, S3, S4 and S5) were treated with a single dose of Caverta (@ 1μg/g body weight). Control animals were sacrificed at zero hour while the experimental animals (S2, S3, S4 and S5) were sacrificed after 1 hour, 2½ hours, 4 hours and 24 hours of drug administration respectively S6, S7 and S8 group of animals were fed with a single dose of the chosen drug (@ 1μg/g body weight) daily for all the 15, 30 and 45 days respectively. These animals were sacrificed after 4 hours of the last dosage. Vertical ventral midline incision was made in the abdominal wall to collect the left and right Testes. Results: The spectral analysis indicates that the long term Caverta treatment of Albino rats results in the accumulation of Iron and Copper levels accompanied by a depletion of Nickel levels in the Testis. The histological studies indicate that long term exposure of Testis to Caverta leads to distorted histoarchitecture of the seminiferous tubules, interstitial space dilation and separation of Spermatogenic cells. Conclusion: Long term Sildenafil Citrate (Caverta) treatment of Albino rats will bring in adverse effects and will completely alter the histoarchitecture of the Testis.
ABSTRACT
Neurological manifestations of HIV infection and AIDS are being recognized with a frequency that parallels the increasing number of AIDS cases. Next to sub-Saharan Africa, India has the second largest burden of HIV related pathology, essentially caused by HIV-1 clade C in both the geographic locales, in contrast to USA and Europe. But the true prevalence of HIV related neuroinfections and pathology is not available due to inadequate medical facilities, social stigma and ignorance that lead to underdiagnosis. Neurotuberculosis, followed by cryptococcosis and toxoplasmosis in various combinations are the major neuropathologies reflecting the endemicity and manifesting clinically by reactivation of latent infection. Discordance in the clinical prevalence of various infections, when compared to pathological studies highlight similarities in clinical, radiological modalities of diagnosis and inherent problems in establishing definitive diagnosis. Viral infections appear to be relatively rare. Inspite of heavy burden of HIV/AIDS, HIV associated neoplasia is infrequent, including primary CNS lymphomas. HIV encephalitis and HIV associated dementia are considered infrequent, though systematic studies have just been initiated in various centres. Peripheral neuropathy characteristically manifests with vasculitic neuropathy while diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome (DILS) involving nerves has not been reported from India. Spinal cord pathology including vacuolar myelopathy is rare, even in asymptomatic cases. Till now the AIDS cases in India were drug naive but a new cohort of cases following initiation of HAART therapy as a national policy is soon emerging, altering the biology and evolution of HIV/AIDS in India. Lacunae in the epidemiology, diagnosis and study of biology of HIV/AIDS are outlined for future research.