ABSTRACT
Environmental temperature rises are powerful stimuli that can alter both the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA). Heat stress has been shown to harm pregnancy outcomes such as causing spontaneous abortion, low birth weight, growth retardation and stillbirth. Supplementation of bee bread in pregnant rats under heat stress exposure has been shown to improve the pregnancy outcomes. However, whether supplementation of bee bread during heat stress exposure may also reduce the level of the stress hormone, corticosterone has yet been reported. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of bee bread on corticosterone level, progesterone level, oestradiol level and zonation of the adrenal cortex of pregnant rats under heat stress exposure. Pregnant rats were randomly categorised into four groups (n = 6): Control (C: standard feeding), Treatment 1 (T1: 0.5 g bee bread/kg body weight/day), Treatment 2 (T2: standard feeding with heat exposure), and Treatment 3 (T3: 0.5 g bee bread/kg body weight/day with heat exposure). Bee bread (0.5 g/kg body weight/day) was force-fed to pregnant rats through oral gavage beginning on day 0 of pregnancy and continuing until delivery. Heat stress was generated experimentally by putting both T2 and T3 rats in an egg incubator for 45 min daily at a temperature of 43°C till delivery. On a postnatal Day 21, dams were euthanised to assess serum corticosterone, progesterone, oestradiol levels and adrenal gland histology. Rats in the T2 group had a significantly (P < 0.05) increase in the zona fasciculata thickness (94.95 ± 1.55 µm) and higher corticosterone levels (49.57 ± 1.57 ng/mL) compared with control. However, supplementation of bee bread during heat stress was able to show an improvement in adrenal zona fasciculata thickness by decreasing to 79.89 ± 3.08 µm and corticosterone level reduced to 35.31 ± 1.73 ng/mL significantly (P < 0.05). Therefore, these findings may imply that bee bread is effective as a neutralizer in lowering the production of stress hormone.
ABSTRACT
Reproductive health and male fertility are closely related to dietary practices. In recent years, Malaysia has shown a lot of interest in using herbal plants as dietary supplements or in the treatment of numerous diseases. Aquilaria malaccensis, commonly known as karas or gaharu, has recently gained attention for its potential to cure many diseases due to its pharmacological properties. However, studies on its effect on male fertility and reproductive organs are very scarce. This study was conducted to determine the effect of A. malaccensis on male reproductive organs' weight (testis, epididymis, prostate gland and seminal vesicle) and sperm quality (sperm count, sperm morphology and sperm motility) in adult Sprague Dawley rats. Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into four treatment groups; Control (C: 1 mL of distilled water, n = 6), Treatment 1 (T1: 1 g A. malaccensis/kg body weight, n = 6), Treatment 2 (T2: 2 g A. malaccensis/kg body weight, n = 6) and Treatment 3 (T3: 3 g A. malaccensis/kg body weight, n = 6), respectively. Distilled water and A. malaccensis were administered by oral gavage once daily for 28 days. The rats were euthanised on Day 29 for assessment of reproductive organs' weight and sperm quality. Result shows that weight of testis, epididymis, prostate gland, seminal vesicle and sperm motility did not differ (p > 0.05) among control and treated groups. A significant increase (p < 0.05) of sperm number (1.36 × 10-6) and a decrease (p < 0.05) in percentage of the abnormal sperm (8.17%) were observed in T1 group when compared to Control group. Incremental dosage of A. malaccensis seemed to decrease number of sperm (T3: 0.78 × 10-6 < T1: 1.36 × 10-6 with p < 0.05) and increase percentage of abnormal sperm (T3: 18.83% > T2: 12.17% > T1: 8.17% with p < 0.05). In conclusion, the administration of either 1, 2 or 3 grams of A. malaccensis did not alter the reproductive organs' weight and sperm motility. However, the higher concentration of A. malaccensis consumed by the rats seemed to have detrimental effects on the number and morphology of sperm.
Kesihatan reproduktif dan kesuburan lelaki berkait rapat dengan amalan pemakanan. Beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, Malaysia telah menunjukkan minat yang mendalam dalam penggunaan tumbuhan herba sebagai makanan tambahan atau rawatan dalam pelbagai penyakit. Aquilaria malaccensis, yang biasanya dikenali sebagai karas atau gaharu, telah mendapat perhatian kerana berpotensi dalam menyembuhkan pelbagai penyakit disebabkan sifat farmakologinya. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian terhadap kesannya kepada kesuburan lelaki dan organ reproduksi sangat terhad. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk menentukan kesan A. malaccensis terhadap berat organ reproduksi lelaki (testis, epididimis, kalenjar sperma dan vesikel mani) dan kualiti sperma (kepekatan sperma, morfologi sperma dan motiliti sperma) terhadap tikus dewasa Sprague Dawley. Dua puluh empat tikus jantan Sprague Dawley telah dibahagikan kepada empat kumpulan rawatan; Kawalan (C: 1 mL air suling, n = 6), Rawatan 1 (T1: 1 g A. malaccensis/kg berat badan, n = 6), Rawatan 2 (T2: 2 g A. malaccensis/kg berat badan, n = 6) dan Rawatan 3 (T3: 3 g A. malaccensis/kg berat badan, n = 6). Air suling dan A. malaccensis diberi secara suapan gavaj sekali sehari selama 28 hari. Semua tikus dimatikan pada hari ke-29 untuk penilaian terhadap berat organ reproduksi dan kualiti sperma. Hasil yang diperolehi menunjukkan bahawa berat testis, epididimis, kalenjar prostat, vesikel mani dan motiliti sperma tiada perbezaan (p > 0.05) antara kumpulan kawalan dan rawatan. Peningkatan yang signifikan (p < 0.05) dalam kepekatan sperma (1.36 × 10−6) dan penurunan yang signifikan (p < 0.05) dalam peratusan sperma tidak normal (8.17%) dapat dilihat dalam kumpulan T1 jika dibandingkan dengan kumpulan rawatan. Peningkatan dos A. malaccensis telah menunjukkan pengurangan kepekatan sperma (T3: 0.78 × 10−6 < T1: 1.36 × 10−6 dengan p < 0.05) dan peningkatan peratusan sperma tidak normal (T3: 18.83% > T2: 12.17% > T1: 8.17% dengan p < 0.05). Kesimpulannya, pemberian sama ada 1, 2 atau 3 gram A. malaccensis tidak mengubah berat organ pembiakan dan motiliti sperma. Walau bagaimanapun, kepekatan A. malaccensis yang lebih tinggi yang dimakan oleh tikus nampaknya mempunyai kesan buruk terhadap bilangan dan morfologi sperma.
ABSTRACT
Wound healing is a well-coordinated process that restores skin integrity upon injury. However, some wound treatment poses harmful effects on the skin, which delay the normal wound healing process. Marphysa moribidii, a marine baitworm or polychaete, represents unique ability to regenerate posterior segment after injury, which may be beneficial in the wound healing treatment. The effectiveness of the polychaete as wound healing treatment was discovered through skin irritation, microbial testing, animal wound model, and chemical identifications. Three polychaete extracts (PE) emulsifying ointment (0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0%) were topically applied to the full thickness wound model once daily for 14 days. Interestingly, PE 1.0% revealed the most rapid wound healing effects as compared to other treatments, including gamat (sea cucumber) oil (15% w/v) and acriflavine (0.1% w/v). Histopathological analysis using Masson's trichrome staining further confirms that PE treated wound exhibited minimal scar, high collagen deposition, and the emergence of neovascularisation. The extract also displayed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.4 g/ml against Escherichia coli and absence of skin irritation, infectious bacteria, and heavy metals from the extract. Moreover, chemical compounds such as alkaloid, flavonoid, amino acids, and organic acid were detected in M. moribidii extracts, which could contribute to wound healing activity. In conclusion, this study further justifies the beneficial use of polychaete in treating wound healing and could be developed as a novel bioactive agent in nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical drugs.
ABSTRACT
Diopatra claparedii which is colloquially known as Ruat Sarung can be found along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The species has a unique ability to regenerate anterior and posterior segments upon self-amputation or injury, thus having potential as a wound healing promoter. In this study, the wound healing potential of D. claparedii aqueous extract on acute wound model in rats was revealed for the first time. Various concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0% w/w) of D. claparedii ointment were formulated and tested on Sprague Dawley rats through topical application on full-thickness skin wounds for 14 days. The wound healing effects were investigated via behaviour observation, wound contraction, and histopathological analysis. Quality assessment was performed via skin irritation test, microbial contamination test (MCT), and heavy metal detection. The study also included test for antibacterial activities and detection of bioactive compounds in D. claparedii. One percent of D. claparedii ointment showed rapid wound healing potential with good soothing effects and more collagen deposition in comparison to the commercial wound healing ointments such as acriflavine (0.1% w/v) and traditional ointment gamat (sea cucumber extract) (15.0% w/v). No local skin irritation, microbial contamination, and insignificant concentration of heavy metals were observed, which indicate its safe application. Moreover, the aqueous extract of D. claparedii exhibited antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value at 0.4 g/ml. 1H NMR analysis of the aqueous extract of D. claparedii revealed some metabolites that might be responsible for its wound healing properties such as amino acids, halogenated aromatics, organic acids, vitamins, and others. Altogether, these results suggested that the aqueous extract of D. claparedii could be utilised as an alternative natural wound healing promoter.
ABSTRACT
Daily intraperitoneal injection of 5-30 microg/kg body weight of leptin for 42 days to adult rats decreases sperm count and increases the fraction of abnormal sperm.
