ABSTRACT
Background: Severe burns cause a wide range of complications that challenge care in the short term and often leaves long term sequelae in survivors. Research evidence suggests that burns can affect testosterone secretion, and impair spermatogenesis and fertility. This study was designed to investigate the effects of fluid resuscitation on spermatogenesis and histology of the testes after major burns. Methodology: Third degree burns was induced on dorsal skin of 3 groups of male Wistar rats. Intra-venous resuscitation fluid was administered, ½ h and 3 h post-burn in the first 2 groups. A fourth group had sham burn only and served as negative control. After 8 weeks the animals were sacrificed evaluated for sperm parameters, testicular histology and assays of oxidative status. Main Findings: Fluid administration did not cause significant difference in sperm parameters or in levels of markers of oxidative stress among the animals with burn injury. Mean sperm density in groups 1 and 2 which had fluid treatment were 57.00±11.99 and 56.33±9.49 respectively compared to 49.00±6.24 in the untreated group 3 (p=0.921 and 0.947). However total counts were significantly lower in all burned groups than in the sham burn group. Fluid treatment produced a time-dependent relief from the histological disruptions associated with the burns. Tubules with germ cell loss were fewer in the fluid treated groups than in the untreated one. Conclusion: Fluid treatment in burn patients may not protect them from suppression of testicular function. Fertility damage in severe burns may involve mechanisms that do not depend on intravascular volumes and pressures.
ABSTRACT
Aims: The study was designed to investigate the testiculo protective effects of ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi on alloxan-induced testicular damage in diabetic rats. Study Design: Experimental diabetes using animal models. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, between January, 2013 and May, 2013. Methodology: Twenty male rats were divided into four groups: Group I consisted of nondiabetic rats that received only the vehicle; group II-IV was injected with a single dose of alloxan (ALX) of 150 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally; groups III and IV were given ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi orally, 3 days after the ALX administration, at daily doses of 250 and 500mg kg-1 respectively for a period of 30 days. After 4 weeks of treatments, all the rats were sacrificed. Results: Administration of 150 mg kg-1 of alloxan to male rats induced diabetes and significantly reduced the body and testicular weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility, significantly increased the glucose level and decreased the levels of antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic markers such as glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased. By contrast, rats given the ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi had significantly increase (p<0.05) in body weight gain, whereas the glucose levels significantly improved (p<0.05) in treated diabetic male rats. In addition, this extract improved the reproductive system of the diabetic male rats by significantly increasing the testis and epididymis weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility, reduced testicular GSH, CAT, SOD, GPx and significantly decreasing MDA.The extract had no deleterious effects and testicular cytoprotection damaged by ALX. Conclusion: We concluded that the treatment with the ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi could reverse the adverse effects of ALX-diabetes on reproductive system of male rats which exhibits antihyperglycemic and fertility activities.