Sexual Function and Factors Affecting Menopause: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review study is to evaluate sexual function and its effective factors in menopause. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The key words of “menopause,” “postmenopause,” “postmenopausal,” “premenopause,” “pre-menopausal period,” “sexual function,” “sexual health,” “sexuality,” “sexual and gender disorders,” “sexual development,” “sexual dysfunction,” “sexual disorders,” “sexual behavior and “sexual activity” were used in combination with the Boolean operators OR and AND. After reviewing the selected articles, 27 papers were selected based on the criteria for entering the study and the goals set. The results of the reviewed articles showed that, in the physical domain, the factors affecting sexual function can be mentioned, age, hormonal changes, medical problems and reproductive history. Sexual disorders in menopause can be affected by some of the individual and social characteristics and psychological problems. Considering the fact that many psychological and social injuries occur in this period following sexual disorders; therefore, policies and programs for improving the quality of life of women in menopause should be aimed at eliminating sexual dysfunction, correcting attitudes and negative emotions and help to women for more comfortable in menopause.

The Study of Apoptosis-inducing Effects of Three Pre-apoptotic Factors by Gallic Acid, Using Simulation Analysis and the Comet Assay Technique on the Prostatic Cancer Cell Line PC3

Background: In this study, we demonstrated the effects of the Gallic Acid (GA) molecule on the prostate cancer cells line PC3 using the comet assay (Alkaline electrophoresis) technique and its effects on some important apoptotic factors including BAD (Bcl-2-Associated Death promoter), BAK (Bcl-2 homologous Antagonist/Killer), and BIM (Bcl-2-like protein 11) via simulation analysis by using the Auto Dock and Gromacs software. Methods: Following the MTT assay on the PC3 cells, and determining IC50, we used three concentrations of GA to around IC50 to treat PC3 cells. 100 comet pictures were obtained by alkaline electrophoresis and have been analysed with the CASP version 1.2.2 software; all the results were thereafter analysed by the SPSS version 21 statistical software. Results: The IC50 value for GA was determined to be 35 μM. The ratio of tail to head in alkaline electrophoresis for the three concentrations below the IC50 of GA in 25, 30, and 35 μM were measured as 24.7 (2.7), 44.5 (1.8), and 57.3 (1.3) percent, respectively. The results of the preapoptotic factors (BAD, BAK, and BIM) in the performed simulation in the absence and presence of GA showed that the GA protein causes the structural instability in the BAD protein, and the effect of GA can be explained by the creation of hydrogen bonds with proteins. Conclusion: GA is a polyphenol compound in plants that can suppress cell growth and induce apoptosis in PC3 cells in prostate cancer in the range of IC50 concentrations. The apoptotic properties of GA induce pre-apoptotic factors.