ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to identify the prevalence of HPV in the semen of men submitted to ART treatment and look into the possible impacts of the virus on sperm parameters. METHODS: Thirty-five patients treated for infertility from March to August 2016 were invited to join the study. Samples with a minimum concentration of 40x106 spermatozoa per milliliter were included in the study. After the evaluation of semen parameters, DNA extraction and PCR were performed to verify the presence of HPV by electrophoresis in 8% polyacrylamide gel. RESULTS: Patient age ranged from 27 to 68 years (mean 39.2 years). Semen analysis showed a mean volume of 2.5mL; mean concentration of 58.9x106; and mean motility of 51.8%. HPV DNA was identified in seven semen samples from 25 patients (28%). Ten samples with DNA concentrations below 10ng/µL were excluded from the study due to poor amplification quality. There was no statistical difference in sperm concentration when HPV-negative and HPV-positive samples were compared (65.9x106 vs. 62.3x106; p=0.70). However, sperm motility was significantly higher in HPV-positive semen (65% vs. 46.6%; p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: HPV prevalence was 28% in the semen of patients submitted to ART treatment. HPV-positive samples had statistically increased motility compared to negative samples (65% vs. 46.6%; p=0.02).
Subject(s)
Infertility, Male , Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification , Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted , Semen/virology , Adult , Aged , Brazil/epidemiology , Hospitals, Private , Humans , Infertility, Male/epidemiology , Infertility, Male/therapy , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted/statistics & numerical data , Semen Analysis/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Infusions of Aspidosperma nitidum (Apocynaceae) wood bark are used to treat fever and malaria in the Amazon Region. Several species of this family are known to possess indole alkaloids and other classes of secondary metabolites, whereas terpenoids, an inositol and the indole alkaloids harmane-3 acid and braznitidumine have been described in A. nitidum . In the present study, extracts from the wood bark, leaves and branches of this species were prepared for assays against malaria parasites and cytotoxicity testing using human hepatoma and normal monkey kidney cells. The wood bark extracts were active against Plasmodium falciparum and showed a low cytotoxicity in vitro, whereas the leaf and branch extracts and the pure alkaloid braznitidumine were inactive. A crude methanol extract was subjected to acid-base fractionation aimed at obtaining alkaloid-rich fractions, which were active at low concentrations against P. falciparum and in mice infected with and sensitive Plasmodium berghei parasites. Our data validate the antimalarial usefulness of A. nitidum wood bark, a remedy that can most likely help to control malaria. However, the molecules responsible for this antimalarial activity have not yet been identified. Considering their high selectivity index, the alkaloid-rich fractions from the plant bark might be useful in the development of new antimalarials.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Antimalarials/pharmacology , Aspidosperma/chemistry , Plant Bark/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plasmodium berghei/drug effects , Plasmodium falciparum/drug effects , Antimalarials/isolation & purification , Malaria/drug therapy , Malaria/parasitology , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Plant Extracts/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Infusions of Aspidosperma nitidum (Apocynaceae) wood bark are used to treat fever and malaria in the Amazon Region. Several species of this family are known to possess indole alkaloids and other classes of secondary metabolites, whereas terpenoids, an inositol and the indole alkaloids harmane-3 acid and braznitidumine have been described in A. nitidum . In the present study, extracts from the wood bark, leaves and branches of this species were prepared for assays against malaria parasites and cytotoxicity testing using human hepatoma and normal monkey kidney cells. The wood bark extracts were active against Plasmodium falciparum and showed a low cytotoxicity in vitro, whereas the leaf and branch extracts and the pure alkaloid braznitidumine were inactive. A crude methanol extract was subjected to acid-base fractionation aimed at obtaining alkaloid-rich fractions, which were active at low concentrations against P. falciparum and in mice infected with and sensitive Plasmodium berghei parasites. Our data validate the antimalarial usefulness of A. nitidum wood bark, a remedy that can most likely help to control malaria. However, the molecules responsible for this antimalarial activity have not yet been identified. Considering their high selectivity index, the alkaloid-rich fractions from the plant bark might be useful in the development of new antimalarials.
