effects of levofloxacin on testis tissue and spermatogenesis in rat

Levofloxacin is one of the Fluroquinoline antibiotic groups, which affect on controlling infections, especially in reproductive organs. It has therapeutic use in numerous countries, but little information exists on the effects of Levofloxacin on spermatogenesis when it is used for infectious treatment. The current study was designed to determine whether Levo- floxacin influences testis tissue and spermatogenesis in rats

In this survey 50 male Wistar rats 6-8 weeks [250 +/- 10 g] were used: normal salin as sham and control groups and 3 treatment groups [0.03, 0.06 and 0.08 mg Levofloxacin/kg body weight] during 60 days. The experimental groups were daily gavages. After 60 days, they were anesthetized with ether and testes were taken for histopathology studies, sperm parameters evaluation and several hormone concentrations

Although testosterone concentration was not affected by Levofloxacin levels, follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] concentration significantly increased by Levofloxacin consumption in 0.03 and 0.06 mg Levofloxacin/kg body weight groups [P<0.01]. Moreover, sperm concentration decreased linearly as Levofloxacin was increased [200, 192, 170, 128 and 75×106 sperm for control, sham, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.08 mg Levofloxacin/kg body weight, respectively, P<0.05]. Testis tissue cuts in experimental group when the amount dosage of Levofloxacin increased cells solidarity to the primary and secondary spermatogonia. Adding Levofloxacin linearly reduced spermatocyte cells and amount of all cells in semenifer pipes tube [P<0.05]

Levofloxacin as an antibiotic has histopathology effects on the spermatocyte cells, especially in high dose. Therefore, it might reduce fertility in male that requires further studies

Protective effect of Nigella sativa and thymoquinone on serum/glucose deprivation-induced DNA damage in PC12 cells

The discovery and development of natural products with potent antioxidant properties has been one of the most interesting and promising approaches in the search for treatment of CNS injuries. The most significant consequence of the oxidative stress is thought to be the DNA modifications, which can become permanent via the formation of mutations and other types of genomic instability resulting cellular dysfunction. Serum/glucose deprivation [SGD] has served as an excellent in vitro model for the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage during ischemia and for the development of neuroprotective drugs against ischemia-induced brain injury. Nigella sativa [N. sativa] seeds and thymoquinone [TQ], its most abundant constituent, have been shown to possess antiinflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive and anti-neoplastic effects both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, in this study we investigated genoprotective effects of N. sativa and TQ on DNA damage of PC12 cells under SGD condition. PC12 cells were cultured in DMEM medium containing 10% [v/v] fetal bovine serum, 100 units/ml penicillin, and 100 micro g/ml streptomycin. Initially cells were pretreated with different concentrations of N. sativa extract [NSE], [10, 50, 250 micro g/ml] and TQ [1, 5, 10 micro g/ml] for 6 h and then deprived of serum/glucose [SGD] for 18 h. The alkaline comet assay was used to evaluate the effect of these compounds on DNA damage following ischemic insult. The amount of DNA in the comet tail [% tail DNA] was measured as an indicator of DNA damage. A significant increase in the% tail DNA was seen in nuclei of cells following SGD induced DNA damage [p<0.001]. In the control groups, no significant difference was found in the% tail DNA between NSE- or TQ-pretreated and vehicle-pretreated PC12 cells [p>0.05]. NSE and TQ pretreatment resulted in a significant decrease in DNA damage following ischemic insult [p<0.001]. This suppression of DNA damage by NSE and TQ was found to be dose-dependent. These data indicate that NSE and TQ have a genoprotective property, as revealed by the comet assay, under SGD condition in PC12 cells