Effect of bee bread on some biochemical parameters and skeletal muscle histology of high-fat diet-induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats.

The effect of bee bread (BB) on the biochemical parameters-body weights, calorie intake, Lee obesity indices, serum amylase, aspartate and alanine amino transferases, skeletal muscle activities of creatine kinase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, malondialdehyde, glutathione-S-transferase, total antioxidant activity, endogenous secretory receptor for advanced glycation end products (esRAGE), and muscle histology of high-fat diet (HFD) obese rats-was studied. Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: Control: received rat feed and water (1 ml/kg); HFD: received HFD and water (1 ml/kg): BB or orlistat preventive: received HFD and BB (0.5 g/kg) or HFD and orlistat (10 mg/kg; weeks 1 to 12); BB or orlistat treated: received HFD and BB (0.5 g/kg) or HFD and orlistat (10 mg/kg; weeks 6 to 12), following obesity induction. At week 12, HFD group had altered (p < .05) levels of some biochemical parameters which were modulated by BB and corroborated by muscle histology. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Obesity is a global health problem, which prevalence has continued to be on the increase due to changes in lifestyle and dietary behavior. Additionally, the approaches that currently are being used for the treatment of this disease have not been able to successfully reverse obesity and its associated complications. The current study which showed that bee bread prevented or attenuated obesity-induced muscular pathology, places bee bread in the spotlight as a functional food that could be useful in preventing or mitigating obesity-induced muscular pathology.

African Walnuts (Tetracarpidium conophorum) Modulate Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Obesity via Reciprocal Actions on HMG-CoA Reductase and Paraoxonase.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is characterized by increased body fat and involves an imbalance between the synthesis and degradation of lipids. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the effect of African walnuts (Tetracarpidium conophorum) on lipids storage and the regulatory enzymes of hepatic lipid metabolism in obese rats. METHODS: Nuts were extracted in ethanol (WE) and further separated to obtain the ethyl-acetate fraction (ET) and the residue (RES). These were administered orally to 3 groups of monosodium glutamate- obese rats (n = 6), respectively, for 6 weeks. Other groups in the study were: normal (NC), obese control (OC) and standard control (SC) which received orlistat. Hepatic total lipids, total phospholipids, triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TCHOL), 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase and paraoxonase were studied. RESULTS: Total lipids, TG and TCHOL which increased in OC compared to NC group, decreased. HMG-CoA reductase activity decreased in the 3 study groups relative to OC. Paraoxonase activity which decreased in OC was up-regulated, while the magnitude of hepatic cholesterol decreased from 94.32 % in OC to 52.19, 65.43 and 47.04 % with WE, ET and RES, respectively. Flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins and saponins were detected in the nut. GC-MS analysis revealed 16, 18 and 10 volatile components in WE, ET and RES, respectively. Unsaturated fatty acids (linolenic acids: 33.33, 47.95 and 50.93 %, and α-linolenic acids: 25, 19.66 and 26.63 %) in WE, ET and RES, respectively, are the most abundant, and likely to be responsible for the observed activity. CONCLUSION: African walnuts can prevent hepatic lipid accumulation through reciprocal actions on HMG-CoA reductase and paraoxonase in obesity.

Testicular and Epididymal Histology of Rats Chronically Administered High Doses of Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitors and Tramadol.

Testicular oxidative stress, endocrine disruption and abnormal spermatogenesis in rats exposed to high doses ofphosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) and opioids, with poor reversibility following withdrawal of treatment had beenreported. In this study, we examined the histopathological effects of high doses of sildenafil, tadalafil, tramadol andsildenafil+tramadol on the testes and epididymis of rats. Seventy male rats (180 - 200 g b.w) were assigned to one of fivegroups (n = 14), namely; A: control (0.2 mL normal saline), B: sildenafil (1 mg/100g b.w), C: tadalafil (1 mg/100g b.w), D:tramadol (2 mg/100g b.w) and E: sildenafil+tramadol group (dose as in groups B and D). The drugs were administered orallyfor 8 weeks. Seven rats were sacrificed per group while the remaining 7/group continued for 8 weeks without treatment.Histopathological examination was carried out at the end of both phases. After 8 weeks of treatment, mean Johnsen'stesticular biopsy score (MJTBS) and Leydig cell count decreased significantly (p=0.001) in all treated groups compared withthe control. The MJTBS and Leydig cell count decreased significantly in tramadol (p = 0.05) and sildenafil+tramadol (p<0.01)groups compared with tadalafil group. After recovery, MJTBS and Leydig cell count were significantly (p<0.05) lower in all the groups compared with the control. Histology of the testes of rats in groups B - E showed reduced germ cell andspermatozoa population in the seminiferous tubules after 8 weeks treatment. Additionally, their epididymis showed decreasedspermatozoa density. There was no complete reversibility of histopathological alterations following withdrawal of treatment.High doses of sildenafil, tadalafil, tramadol or sildenafil+tramadol impact negatively on testicular histology with poorreversal following withdrawal of treatment.

Cadmium chloride-induced testicular toxicity in male wistar rats; prophylactic effect of quercetin, and assessment of testicular recovery following cadmium chloride withdrawal.

This study assessed the effect of quercetin (QE) on cadmium chloride (CdCl2) - induced testicular toxicity, as well as the effect of withdrawal of CdCl2 treatment on same. Thirty male Wistar rats aged 10 weeks old and weighing 270-300g were assigned into 5 groups and used for this study. Rats in groups 1-4 were administered vehicle, CdCl2 (5mg/kg bwt), CdCl2+QE (5mg/kg bwt and 20mg/kg bwt, respectively) or QE (20mg/kg bwt) orally for 4 weeks. Group 5 rats received CdCl2, with 4 weeks recovery period. Results showed that cadmium accumulated in serum, testis and epididymis, decreased body weight, testicular and epididymal weights, sperm count, motility and viability. Cadmium decreased serum concentrations of reproductive hormones, but increased testicular glucose, lactate and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Cadmium decreased testicular enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (glutathione, vitamins C and E) antioxidants, and increased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. Cadmium down-regulated Bcl-2 protein, up-regulated Bax protein, increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-3 activity. Histopathology of the testis showed decreased Johnsen's score and Leydig cell count. These negative effects were attenuated by QE administration, while withdrawal of CdCl2 did not appreciably reverse toxicity. We conclude that QE better protected the testis from CdCl2 toxicity than withdrawal of CdCl2 administration.