[ effect of parental morphine addiction on rat's reproduction rate and pituitary - gonadal axis hormone profile of their adult offspring]

Opiates such as morphine administration, decrease serum level of pituitary-gonadal axis hormones in both sexes. On the other hand, morphine can be transferred from the mother the fetus and neonate via the placenta and milk. Thus maternal exposure to morphine during pregnancy and weaning may affect serum level of pituitary-gonadal axis hormones in off springs. Focus on the effect of the addiction of the pregnant mother on the health of the fetus and neonate has led to under recognition of possible male mediated effects. In this study, the effect of morphine addiction of the parents on the reproduction rate and pituitary gonadal axis hormone profile have been investigated. Forty female and 16 male albino Wistar rats [120-140 days old] were enrolled into the study. Animals were addicted by oral administration of incremental dose of morphine in drinking water for 21 days. Then male rats were placed with females in 6 groups: 1- male addict =test, 2-female addict=test 2, 3- male and female addict = test 3, and sham 1, sham 2 and the control group. Morphine administration was also continued during pregnancy and weaning as well. At the time of puberty, blood samples were collected from the off springs and pituitary-gonadal axis hormones were measured. Morphine was in dissolved 3% sucrose and added into the drinking water of groups 1-3. The same amount of sucrose was added into the drinking water of the two sham groups. In female offspring of group 1 [test 1] LH [0.086 +/- 0.04Iu/L] and 17beta estradiol [93.2 +/- 5.92 ng/L] were significantly reduced compared to the control values of 0.19 +/- 0.03 and 182.4 +/- 11.21 respectively. But no pituitary-gonodal axis hormones alteration occurred in male offspring of this group and offspring of group 2. There were no pregnancies in group 3. The results suggest that the female maternal morphine addiction disturb reproduction processes more them does male addiction

Effect of Satureja Khuzestanica on blood coagulation activity in rats

Satureja Khuzestanica is an endemic plant of Iran widely distributed in the southern part of the country. This plant is famous for its medical applications as an analgesic and antiseptic in folk medicine. To investigate the effect of oral administration of aqueous extract of Satureja Khuzestanica on hemostasis and body weight in vivo. This research was an experimental study carried out in Lorestan Medicinal Herbs Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khoram-abad, Iran. Thirty six rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. An equivalent of 50 mg of aqueous extract of Satureja Khuzestanica/kg was orally administered. For two weeks the rats in group 1 and 2 received an equal amount of extract once and three times a day, respectively. Control group received only pure water. Animals' weights were measured every day. Following two weeks, prothrombin time [PT], activated partial thromboplastin time [APTT] were determined. Data were analyzed using One-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey multiple comparison tests. As compared to control, the administration of aqueous extract of Satureja Khuzestanica as 3 separate dose/day resulted in a significant prolongation of APTT by 20.7% [p<0.001], PT by 15.7% [p<0.05] and a reduction of body weight by% 9.24 [p<0.001] after 2 weeks. Regarding our data, it seems that the aqueous extract of Satureja Khuzestanica induced some changes in coagulation activity shown by increased values for APTT and PT. Loss of body weight in rats was also observed when the extract administered three times a day

[Prevalence of alloimmunization against RBC antigens in thalassemia major patients of Lorestan province in 1383]

Thalassemia major patients should continuously receive blood to survive. Permanent blood injection will expose patients' immune system to a broad spectrum of new antigens located on the surface of injected RBCs. Continuous exposure to foreign antigens may provoke antibody production against them in the patients who lack those Ags. This phenomenon is termed alloimmunization and can cause problems for preparation of compatible blood for transfusion. 65 patients were studied in this research. At first, questionnaires eliciting information about age, race, date of blood injection, splenectomy, presence of any underlying diseases, and any certain drugs[in patients' records] were filled out by all patients. For alloantibody screening, patients' serum samples were tested by the panels prepared in IBTO. Phenotypes of RBCs for Ags of ABH and Rh[D, C, E, c, e] were also determined by relevant antisera. Out of 65 patients, only one case [1.53%] had been allommunized. The age range of males and females were 13 +/- 6 and 13 +/- 5 respectively. All of the patients were of Lurish race. The first blood transfusion in all of them occurred at the age below 3. Seventeen subjects were splenectomized. The reasons for low prevalence of alloimmunization against RBCs in thalassemia major patients may pertain to similarity of patients and donors by descent, blood transfusion before the age 3, and splenectomy in a few patients. Identification of alloantibodies by using the panel cells was the best method to provide patients with antigen negative and compatible blood for transfusion