Mikania cordata leaves extract promotes activity against pathogenic bacteria and anticancer activity in EAC cell-bearing swiss albino mice

This study was aimed to screen the activity of the methanolic extract of Mikania cordata leaves (MLME) againstpathogenic bacteria and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-induced cancer in mice. Antibacterial activity was testedagainst some Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis IFO 3026 and Sarcina lutea IFO 3232) and Gram-negative (Klebsiellapneumoniae ATTC 10031, Proteus vulgaris MTTC 321, Pseudomonas denitrificans KACC 32026, and Xanthomonascampestris IAM 1671) bacteria by disk diffusion and liquid microdilution assay. The anticancer activity wasassessed by EAC cell death, apoptosis, hematological parameters determination, and 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide test. The MLME exhibited prominent antibacterial activity against the test strains.The minimum inhibitory concentrations were ranged from 1.25 to 20 mg/ml for the bacterial strains that were foundampicillin resistant. The MLME exhibited remarkable anticancer activity on EAC in a dose-dependent manner. Oralintake of MLME at the dosage of 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w) exhibited the highest EAC cell death with remarkableapoptotic features including chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, and accumulation of apoptotic bodies.The MLME-treated EAC-bearing mice showed dose-dependently restored altered hematological parameters towardthe normal level. The IC50 value was 6.6 ± 1.91 µg/ml. These findings suggest that the M. cordata leaves have strongantibacterial and anticancer properties.

Oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage, a possible reason for male infertility

Sperm DNA damage is an important factor in the etiology of male infertility. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage with the pathogenesis of male infertility. The study comprised a total of 66 subjects, including fertile men [n=25] and infertile men [n=41] matched by age. Seminal malondialdehyde [MDA], phospholipid hydroperoxide [PHP], superoxide dismutase [SOD], total antioxidant status [TAS] and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy guanosine [8-OHdG] were estimated by spectrophotometric and ELISA based methods and the association with the sperm parameters was assessed. The percentages of motile and morphologically normal cells were significantly lower [p < 0.001, p <0.001, respectivly] in infertile men. Seminal levels of MDA, PHP and 8-OHdG were significantly higher [p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p=0. 02, respectively] while the SOD and TAS were significantly lower [p=0. 0003, p< 0.001, respectively] in infertile men. Sperm parameters were negatively correlated with MDA, PHP and 8-OHdG while positively correlated with SOD and TAS. A positive correlation of 8-OHdG with MDA and PHP and a negative correlation with TAS and SOD were also found. These results suggested that oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage might have a critical effect on the etiology of infertility. Therefore, evaluation of oxidative status, antioxidant defense systems and DNA damage, together with sperm parameters might be a useful tool for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility

Combined effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking increase the risk of cardiovascular complications

Premature atherosclerosis may result from conditions such as hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, hypertension and cigarette smoking. Any of these four conditions alone or in combination, stimulates the atherosclerotic process through mechanisms associated with a state of increased vascular oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the combined effect of type 2 diabetes [DM] and smoking on lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status, the primary risk factors of atherosclerosis. A total of 85 subjects were included in this study. Out of these, 65 were patients who attended the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders [BIRDEM] for regular medical check up and 20 were healthy non-smoker volunteers. To investigate the effect of smoking and DM on the risk factors of cardiovascular complications, we divided the study subjects into three groups. Group I consists of healthy non-smoker control subjects, group II was diabetic patients but non-smoker and group III was diabetic and smoker. In group III, the proatherogenic lipid profile [total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol] increased with a decrease in HDL cholesterol compared to control groups. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance [TBARS] and lipid hydroperoxide [LHP] increased in group III a sign indicative of increased lipid oxidation. Total antioxidant status [TAS] and antioxidant vitamin [vitamin-C] were significantly lower in group III [p<0.001] compared to other groups