ABSTRACT
Background: Male reproductive health has deteriorated in recent years as a result of industrialization, which has led to the use of desirable chemicals, like Bisphenol A (BPA), of underlying toxicity. Cucumeropsis mannii seed is a common soup thickener that produces vegetable oil as well as essential nutrients making it a source of nutraceuticals enlisted with a wide range of therapeutic effects. Methods: A total of 48 adult male Wistar rats (120 ± 200g) were used in this study. They were completely randomized and divided into six groups: A (1ml olive oil) irrespective of the weight, B [BPA 100 mg/kg body weight (bw)], C (CMSO 7.5 ml/kg bw), D (CMSO 7.5 ml/kg bw + BPA 100 mg/kg bw), E (CMSO 5.0 ml/kg bw + BPA 100 mg/kg bw), and E (CMSO 2.5 ml/kg bw + BPA 100 mg/kg bw). At the end of the administration via oral routes, rats were sacrificed and testes were collected for biochemistry and histological analysis. Results: BPA significantly (P < 0.05) decreased total testicular protein, epididymal sperm parameters (count, volume, and motility), Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP), body weight, testicular volume; and significantly (P < 0.05) increased testicular enzymes (alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase), testicular index; plus histological damages. Interestingly, co-administration of BPA and CMSO significantly (P < 0.05) reversed the biochemical and histological changes. Conclusions: CMSO prevented the biochemistry and histological alterations hence reducing the testicular toxicity. Therefore, CMSO has the potential to be a promising novel nutraceutical for the treatment and management of BPA-induced testicular toxicity.
ABSTRACT
A comparative retrospective analysis of maternal deaths at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, was carried out for two ten-year periods--1976-1985 and 1991-2000--in order to evaluate the effect of Safe Motherhood Initiative on maternal mortality in the hospital. Variables for the two periods were compared by means of the t-test at 95% confidence level. Maternal mortality ratio was significantly higher in Period II than in Period I (1406 versus 270 per 100,000, p = 0.00). The leading causes of maternal death were uterine rupture for Period I and septicaemia for Period II. Although from the first to the second ten-year period there was a significant decrease in the number of midwives, physicians and nurse anaesthetists, there was more than a proportionate decrease in the number of deliveries. There was also increase in the incidence of anaemia due to diminished standards of living and in the mean decision-intervention interval (1.5 +/- 0.5 versus 5.8 +/- 1.2 hours; p = 0.000) as a result of worker dissatisfaction and changes in hospital policies. We conclude that since the launching of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, MMR at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, has increased five-fold as a result of institutional delays and a deterioration in the living standards of Nigerians, both consequences of a depressed economy. To halt this trend, we recommend that the living standard of all Nigerians should be improved. Furthermore, healthcare personnel should be motivated through enhanced salaries and provision of working materials including efficient mobile telephone services.
