Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Lawsonia inermis on Aluminum-induced Oxidative Stress and Adult Wistar Rat Pituitary Gland Histology.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect of aqueous Lawsonia inermis leaf extract on aluminum-induced oxidative stress and the histology of the pituitary gland of adult Wistar rats. METHODS: Thirty-five adult male Wistar rats weighing between 100-196g and 15 mice of the same weight range were included in the study. Lawsonia inermis extracts and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) were administered for a period of three weeks to five rats per group. The subjects in Group 1 (control) were given pellets and distilled water. Group 2 received 60mg/kg/d of aqueous extract of Lawsonia inermis. Group 3 was given 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3. Group 4 was administered 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 60mg/kg/d of aqueous Lawsonia inermis extract orally. Group 5 received 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 75mg/kg/d of aqueous Lawsonia inermis extract orally. Group 6 was given 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 100mg/kg/d of aqueous Lawsonia inermis extract orally. Group 7 was administered 0.5mg/k/d of AlCl3 and 5mg/Kg/d ascorbic acid in distilled water orally. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, the animals were weighed, sedated with chloroform, and had their pituitary glands located, removed, and weighed on an electronic analytical balance. RESULTS: Decreased cell counts were observed in the pituitary gland micrographs of the Wistar rats given 0.5mg of aluminum chloride, whereas the Wistar rats given 0.5mg of aluminum chloride and varying doses of Lawsonia inermis had increased dose-dependent cell counts. CONCLUSION: Aqeuous Lawsonia Inermis leaf extract increased the cell counts of the pituitary glands of adult male Wistar rats, in addition to alleviating aluminum-induced oxidative stress.

Histomorphometric evaluation of seminiferous tubules and stereological assessment of germ cells in testes following administration of aqueous leaf-extract of Lawsonia inermis on aluminium-induced oxidative stress in adult Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the 'Cytoprotective effect of Lawsonia inermis aqueous leaf-extract on aluminium-induced Oxidative stress in Histomorphometric of the Seminiferous tubule and Stereology of Germ Cells of adult male Wistar rats', assessing its effect on the Histomorphometry of the Seminiferous tubule and Stereology of Germ Cells. METHODS: Thirty-five adult male Wistar rats, weighing between 100-196g, and fifteen mice of the same weight range were used. Lawsonia inermis extracts and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) were administered for a period of three (3) weeks, with Five (5) rats per group. Group 1 (control), received rat pellets and distilled water. Group 2 received 60mg/kg/d aqueous extract. Group 3 received 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3. Group 4 received 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 60mg/kg/d of aqueous extract orally. Group 5 received 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 75mg/kg/d of aqueous extract orally. Group 6 received 0.5mg/kg/d of AlCl3 and 100mg/kg/d of aqueous extract orally. Group 7 received 0.5mg/k/d of AlCl3 and 5mg/Kg/d of ascorbic acid orally. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, the animals were weighed, sedated with chloroform and blood was collected. The testes were removed and weighed. RESULTS: There were statistically significant changes in the percentage of seminiferous tubular and seminiferous ductal diameter within the experimental animals in all the groups (p<0.05). Stereological findings revealed increase in spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, round Spermatids and elongated spematids, spermatozoa, Sertoli cells population of the control rats while the rats given 0.5mg of aluminum chloride per kg of body weight had the lowest value (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, we demonstrated the affected histomorphometry of the seminiferous tubule and stereology of germ cells in testes, where stress impacts were most felt and subsequently translated into drastic reproductive dysfunction and distortion of spermatogenesis.

Domestic cat testicular aromatase activity as assessed by the tritiated water-release assay

Lower testicular tetosterone:17β-estradiol (T:E2) ratio was found in teratospermic domestic cats (<40% morphologically normal sperm). The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the tritiated water-release assay (TWRA) to measure aromatase activity in domestic cat testes. Testicular T and E2 concentrations, measured by enzyme immunoassay, and sperm morphology were evaluated to verify the relationship between them. Aromatase activity was measured in microsomal fraction and in homogenates of cat testes. Rat ovaries and piglet testes were used for assay validation. Aromatase activity was not detected in cat testes microsomal fraction (n = 8), not even when the protein amount added to the assay was increased from 50 to 200 μg. In homogenates, however, it was detected (3.5 ± 0.5 pmol.g-1.h-1; n = 7), although in such low levels that no activity inhibition was detectedwhen homogenates were incubated with increasing fadrazole concentrations. Although none of the cats in this study were classified as teratospermic, some sperm defects were correlated with testicular T:E2 ratio (abnormal acrosome, r = -0.76) and with E2 concentration (proximal cytoplasmic droplet, r = 0.77). However, we did not find any correlation between aromatase activity and hormonalor sperm morphology data. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of testicular aromatase activity in domestic cats. Despite that, due to the low aromatase activity measured and the lack of correlation with other reproductive data, we could not infer that TWRA is a reliable method to detect differences in testicular aromatase activity in normospermic cats. Perhaps this method could be used in teratospermic individuals that probably havean increased aromatase activity. As an alternative, we suggest that more sensitive techniques should be used to compare aromatase activity between normospermic and teratospermic cats.(AU)

Domestic cat testicular aromatase activity as assessed by the tritiated water-release assay

Lower testicular tetosterone:17β-estradiol (T:E2) ratio was found in teratospermic domestic cats (<40% morphologically normal sperm). The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the tritiated water-release assay (TWRA) to measure aromatase activity in domestic cat testes. Testicular T and E2 concentrations, measured by enzyme immunoassay, and sperm morphology were evaluated to verify the relationship between them. Aromatase activity was measured in microsomal fraction and in homogenates of cat testes. Rat ovaries and piglet testes were used for assay validation. Aromatase activity was not detected in cat testes microsomal fraction (n = 8), not even when the protein amount added to the assay was increased from 50 to 200 μg. In homogenates, however, it was detected (3.5 ± 0.5 pmol.g-1.h-1; n = 7), although in such low levels that no activity inhibition was detectedwhen homogenates were incubated with increasing fadrazole concentrations. Although none of the cats in this study were classified as teratospermic, some sperm defects were correlated with testicular T:E2 ratio (abnormal acrosome, r = -0.76) and with E2 concentration (proximal cytoplasmic droplet, r = 0.77). However, we did not find any correlation between aromatase activity and hormonalor sperm morphology data. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of testicular aromatase activity in domestic cats. Despite that, due to the low aromatase activity measured and the lack of correlation with other reproductive data, we could not infer that TWRA is a reliable method to detect differences in testicular aromatase activity in normospermic cats. Perhaps this method could be used in teratospermic individuals that probably havean increased aromatase activity. As an alternative, we suggest that more sensitive techniques should be used to compare aromatase activity between normospermic and teratospermic cats.

Tratamiento con ácido fólico y zinc en hombres subfértiles: servicio de fertilidad Maternidad "Concepción Palacios" / Treatment with folic acid and zinc in subfertil men: service of fertility Maternidad “Concepcion Palacios”

Estudiar el efecto del tratamiento con ácido fólico y zinc, en pacientes masculinos subfértiles, con diagnóstico de astenospermia, oligospermia y/o teratospermia. Estudio prospectivo y descriptivo. Se administró tratamiento con ácido fólico (55 mg) y zinc (550 mg) diarios, por un período de 90 días, a pacientes con alteración de la motilidad, concentración y/o morfología espermática. Servicio de Fertilidad. Maternidad “Concepción Palacios ”. Caracas. Después de 90 días de tratamiento, la motilidad total aumento de 44,37 por ciento a 55,22 por ciento, (P=,0002). Las formas espermáticas normales pasaron de 54,11 por ciento a 55,46 por ciento (P=,0001) y las formas anormales disminuyeron e 44,29 por ciento a 4,25 (P=,0001). El tratamiento con ácido fólico y zinc, mejora significativamente la motilidad total y la morfología espermática, en el hombre sub-fértil.