[Investigation of Securigera Securidaca seeds extract and different fractions on serum glucose, blood factors and liver morphology in diabetic animals]

Introduction: Securigera securidaca seed is used as a hypoglycemic agent in Iranian folk medicine. In this study, potential effect of oral administration of whole seed extract its fractions were investigated on Streptozosin diabetic mice and rats [200 mg/kg, ip]. Materials and Methods: In acute study, diabetic mice were received different doses of whole seed extract, its fractions including chloroform, methanol, or mixture of chloroform and methanol, along with glibenclamide [10 mg/kg] and normal saline, by gavage. Blood glucose levels were assessed at baseline and again during 1, 2 and 4 h after gavage. Diabetic rats were received a mixture of chloroform and methanol fraction [30:70] in a dose 500 mg/kg, along with regular and NPH Insulin [30:70], glibenclamide and normal saline, by gavage, two times a day for two weeks. Blood glucose levels were measured at baseline and again after one and two weeks. Blood biochemical measures and liver histology examination were done after two weeks. Results: Acute study showed that chloroform fraction reduced blood glucose level after 1 h wherease methanol fraction and mixture of fractions decreased blood glucose levels toward a normal range, after 4 h. In sub-acute study, no significant change was not observed in blood glucose and biochemical parameters, after administration of fractions. Compared to rats received mixture of fractions, liver cells destruction was lower in groups receiving insulin and glibenclamide. Conclusion: Acute dose of S. securidaca seed could reduce blood glucose by similar mechanism as insulin

[Molecular study of partial deletions of AZFc region of the Y chromosome in infertile men]

The most significant cause of infertility in men is the genetic deletion in the azoospermia factor [AZF] region that is caused by the process of intra- and inter-chromosomal homologous recombination in amplicons. Homologous recombination could also result in partial deletions in AZF region. The aim of this research was to determine the association between the partial AZFc deletions and infertility. The blood samples were taken from 100 infertile men, who referred to the Infertility Center of Isfahan, Iran. 100 healthy matched people were also selected as the control group. The five markers of sY1201, sY1206, sY1161, sY1291, and sY1191 were applied in order to study partial deletions. Partial deletions were analyzed in AZF region using the Multiplex-STS-PCR technique. The chi-square test was conducted to check the difference between pretest and posttest. Differences were considered significant if P < 0.05. 9% of studied persons showed gr/gr deletion [in the patient group]. Only one case of gr/gr deletion was observed in the control group. Five patients showed b2/b3 deletion. One b2/b3 deletion was seen in the control group. The b2/b4 deletion was observed in 3 patients. In conclusion, partial deletions were observed in 14% of the patients. The statistical analysis of the gr/gr deletion in the study indicates a meaningful difference, but b2/b3 deletion does not represent a meaningful difference. Our results suggest that gr/gr deletions are associated with spermatogenic failure, and there is no association between b2/b3 deletion and infertility

[Comparison of serum lipoprotein [a] values in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy persons]

One of the complications in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is the early cardiovascular events. In recent years, lipoprotein [a] [LP [a]] is considered to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disorders. To compare the serum LP [a] levels in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] and the healthy persons. This was case-control study conducted at Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad [Iran] in a period between the years 2003-2005. Both groups were matched for age and sex. SLE was diagnosed based on ACR criteria and also the SLEDAI standards for activity score. The LP [a] values and also other blood lipids of 30 patients with recently diagnosed SLE were compared with 30 healthy persons. The data were analyzed using SPSS. The most obvious clinical finding in patients was skin lesions [96%] and a positive ANA test as the most prominent laboratory result. The mean LP [a] in patients and the healthy persons was 32.64 and 21.64 mg/dl, respectively [p<0.015]. Patients with SLE showed increased levels of LP [a] and other blood lipids compared with those in healthy persons. It seems that the patients with SLE are at higher risk for atherosclerosis and coronary diseases