ABSTRACT
Background: Busulfan [BU] has a destructive effect on the male reproductive system. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of olive leaf extract [OLE] as a source of antioxidants and phenolic compounds, on BU-induced damages in rat testes
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group [CTL] received a single intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], followed by oral administration of distilled water for 5 weeks. In BU group, BU [10 mg/kg] was administrated i.p. once. In co- treatment groups, first, received BU [10 mg/kg, a single i.p. injection] then, OLE was administrated orally at different doses of 250 mg/kg [BU+OLE 250], 500 mg/kg [BU+OLE 500] and 750 mg/kg [BU+OLE 750], for 5 weeks. Next, blood and sperm samples were collected. The left testis was removed to investigate testicular parameters and apoptosis by using H and E and TUNEL staining, respectively. All data were analyzed by SPSS software and a P<0.05 was considered significant
Results: There was a significant decline in sperm viability [P=0.017], number of primary spermatocyte [PS] [P=0.001] and Leydig cells [P=0.023] in the BU group versus the CTL group. OLE at three doses could repair these defects versus BU group. Increases in apoptotic spermatogonia cells [SG] due to BU were significantly reduced by OLE 250 and 500 mg/kg [P<0.01]. A reduction in germinal epithelium height and an increase in apoptotic SG were observed in BU+OLE 750 group vs. other groups [P<0.01] and alkaline phosphatase [ALP] was at the highest level, also Aspartate aminotransferase [AST] increased markedly vs. CTL [P=0.024]
Conclusion: Oral administration of OLE at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg could be helpful in ameliorating BU- induced toxicity in rat testes, while OLE 750 mg/kg not only did not cause positive effects, but also could exacerbate the harmful effects
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of aqueous extract of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. Viridis [ORG] on discrimination learning and long term potentiation [LTP] in CA1 region of the rat hippocampus. A group of adult male Wistar rats weighing 275 +/- 25 g received aqueous extract of ORG [150, 300, 450 mg/kg/day] by intraperitoenal injection for one week, and the other group received saline [n=6]. A wooden T-maze was used to evaluate the discrimination learning. In electrophysiological experiments, the effects of ORG leaves extract on induction and maintenance long term potentiation [LTP] in CA1 hippocampus area was determined. LTP was evaluated in CA1 region after high-frequency stimulation [200 Hz] of the Schaffer collaterals. Also, serum antioxidant levels were analyzed in the two groups [n=4]. Statistical analysis showed significant decreases in the number of total [significantly at the dose of 300 and 450 mg/kg] and wrong [significantly at the dose of 300 mg/kg] entrance into opposite box of T-maze procedure in ORG-treated animals [P<0.05]. In electrophysiological study, the rats which had received ORG [150, 300, and 450 mg/kg] showed an increase in both population spike amplitude [59.7 +/- 14.1%, 85 +/- 14.7% and 49.3 +/- 8.7% respectively, compared to 39 +/- 9.2% increase in saline group] and maintenance of LTP in hippocampus CA1 after high frequency stimulation in Schaffer collateral pathway. In serum antioxidant assay, level of antioxidants in ORG groups [300 and 450 mg/kg] remarkably increased in comparison to saline group [P< 0.05 and P<0.001, in turn]. Our result suggest that Origanum aqueous extract can improve the learning criteria in rats