Ameliorating Effect of Pineapple Juice on the Obesity-Induced Testicular Impairment in Male Wistar Rat.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Obesity exerts negative influences on male reproductive capacity via changing the molecular and physical structure of male germ cells. This study was conducted to evaluate the mitigating effects of raw juice of pineapple on obesity-associated testicular impairment in male Wistar rats. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Rats included the control group (G_I, n = 6) who received a Normal Diet (ND) and the obese group (G_II, n = 18) who received a High-Fat Diet (HFD). Obese rats (G_II) were subdivided into 3 groups (6 rats each): G_II represents the untreated obesity group that continued to receive HFD with plain Drinking Water (DW), G_III received ND along with raw juice (15% v/v) in DW and G_IV continued to receive HFD with raw juice (15% v/v) in DW. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the trial and testis was processed for histopathology and immunohistochemistry. <b>Results:</b> Testis from obese rats revealed a significant increment in spermatogenic cell degeneration, pro-inflammatory Nuclear factor of kappa B (NF-κB) and pro-apoptotic Caspase-3 immunoreactivities. Yet, Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) displayed poor immunoreactivity in obese rats' testis relative to controls. Administration of raw juice of pineapple to obese rats significantly reduced degeneration of spermatogenic cells, NF-κB and Caspase-3 immunoreactivities. Additionally, treatment with the juice significantly increased immunoreactivity to PCNA in obese rats. These ameliorating effects were more obvious in rats who received juice along with ND (G_III) than in those who received it along with HFD (G_IV). <b>Conclusion:</b> Treatment of obese rats with pineapple juice restored testicular homeostasis, indicating its potential validity to overcome obesity-induced male fertility disorders.

Protective Effects of Taif Rosewater Against Testicular Impairment Induced By Lead Intoxication In Rats.

This study explored treatment with Taif rosewater (RW) to protect against lead acetate-(PbAc) induced male testicular impairment. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and provided drinking water containing 4% Taif RW, PbAc, 4% Taif RW followed by PbAc or normal water (controls). Serum for hormonal assays and testicular tissue for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations and molecular study were obtained. Epididymal spermatozoa were collected for analysis. PbAc significantly reduced serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH) and testosterone, as well as sperm count and motility percentage. It also caused a significant reduction in SOD and catalase activities, testicular CYTP450SCC , CYP17α, StAR mRNA expressions and the percentage of Bcl-2 immunoreactivity. The percentage of caspase-3 and NF-ĸB immunoreactivities, as well as sperm abnormalities, was increased, as did the testicular degeneration associated with vacuolation and necrosis of spermatogenic cells. Pretreatment with Taif RW significantly reduced the negative effects of PbAc as shown by the increases in serum gonadotropins level, SOD and catalase activities, and percentage of Bcl-2 immunoreactivity, decreases in the percentage of caspase-3 and NF-ĸB immunoreactivities, and improved testicular histology and sperm parameters. These data provide evidence that Taif RW protects against testicular toxicity caused by PbAc.

Physiological and molecular study on the anti-obesity effects of pineapple (Ananas comosus) juice in male Wistar rat.

The present study was performed to assess anti-obesity effects of raw pineapple juice in high fat diet (HFD)-induced fatness. Based on food type, rats were divided into normal diet and HFD groups. When animals of HFD group become obese, they were given pineapple juice along with either HFD or normal diet. Blood biochemistry, liver and muscle gene expressions were analyzed. HFD induced significant elevations in body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat accumulation, liver fat deposition and blood lipids while juice restored these parameters near to their normal values. Juice significantly decreased serum insulin and leptin while adiponectin was increased. Juice administration downregulated the increment of FAS and SERBP-1c mRNA expression in liver and upregulated HSL and GLUT-2 expressions. The muscular lipolytic CPT-1 expression was upregulted by juice treatment. Pineapple juice, therefore, may possibly be used as anti-obesity candidate where it decreased lipogenesis and increased lipolysis.

Protective potential of royal jelly against cadmium-induced infertility in male rats.

This study aimed to investigate the protective potential of Royal jelly (RJ) against cadmium (Cd)-induced testicular dysfunction in rats. Thirty-five adult male Wistar rats were assigned into five groups. G I; (control) injected intraperitoneally with saline, G II injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of CdCl2 (1 mg/kg BW), G III received RJ (100 mg/kg BW/day) orally, G IV was pre-treated with RJ for 1 week then, treated with CdCl2 , and G V was co-treated with RJ and CdCl2 . After day 56, serum and tissue samples were collected and analysed. The results showed decreased serum testosterone, luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, sperm motility and count while increased malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and sperm abnormalities, along with a severely damaged seminiferous tubules epithelium with cytoplasmic and nuclear disruptions following Cd toxicity. Additionally, Cd stimulated testicular mRNA expression of TNF-α while inhibited those of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme androgen binding protein, FSH-receptor, LH-receptor, androgen receptor, 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD), 17ß-HSD, and cytochrome P450 17A1. These negative alterations of cadmium were greatly reduced by RJ treatment. This study concluded that RJ protects against Cd-induced testicular toxicity.

Ethanolic extract of sharah, Plectranthus aegyptiacus, enhances healing of skin wound in rats.

Sharah, Plectranthus aegyptiacus (Forssk.) C. Chr. is a common native plant in the Taif region of Saudi Arabia. An ethanolic extract of freeze dried sharah leaves was added as 10% (w/w) to an ointment base of beeswax and sesame oil. The resultant ointment was examined as a potential enhancer of wound healing. Excision wounds in the nape region of the skin were induced in sixty albino Wistar rats. Animals were allocated in 4 groups (n=15) and kept individually in clean cages. The first group served as negative untreated controls without medication; the second group was treated with ointment base (vehicle); the third group represented the positive control and was treated with a reference ointment and the fourth one served as the experimental group and received the test plant extract (as ointment). Animal groups received the respective medications for 14 successive days. Wounds were measured and photographed every 3 days till the end of the experiment (day 21) in order to determine the wound closure rate (WCR). Specimens from wounds and surrounding skin were collected from sacrificed animals for histological and molecular studies. Both morphometric (based on WCR) and histological findings showed that the healing in animals treated with the sharah plant extract was better than those in control group or vehicle-treated group and was similar to that in the group that received the reference ointment. Moreover, the molecular findings concerning the expression levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor (c-Met) displayed a reasonable healing enhancing effect of the plant extract with the expression levels of both being higher in the extract-treated group than in the control group.

Synthesis of some quinolinyl chalcone analogues and investigation of their anticancer and synergistic anticancer effect with doxorubicin.

Two derivatives of 2-(4-acetylanilino)quinolines (IIIa, b) were synthesized as scaffolds for synthesis of open chalcone analogues (Va-f) through Claisen-Schmidt condensation with a set of aromatic aldehydes (IVa-d). Derivatives (Va, b) were further manipulated into cyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones by Michael-addition of acetylacetone and ethylacetoacetate affording derivatives (VI-VII). Deethoxycarboxylation of derivatives (VIIa, b) afforded cyclohexenons (VIIIa, b) allowing formation of a mini library of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones for screening their anticancer and synergistic anticancer effect with doxorubicin using colon cancer cell line (Caco-2). Two open enones, (Vb) and (Ve), showed significant anticancer activity with IC50 of 5.0 and 2.5 microM respectively. Only one cyclic enone, (VIa) showed synergistic anticancer activity with doxorubicin at 10 microM.

Identification of a new anti-diabetic agent by combining VOSO4 and vitamin E in a single molecule: studies on its spectral, thermal and pharmacological properties.

Vanadium(IV) complex of vitamin E (Vit E) ligand was reported. In this complex, binuclear ligand acts as a monodentate via oxygen of phenolic group. The vanadyl(II) ion is surrounded by two molecules of Vit E and two water molecules. The [VO(Vit E)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]2H(2)O complex was isolated by the reaction between VOSO(4) and vitamin E in ethanol/water solvent (50/50 w/w) at pH=8. The solid vanadyl(II) complex has been characterized by elemental analyses (CHN), photometric titrations, infrared spectra, molar conductivity, electronic spectra, TGA/DSC, SEM and XRD studies. Electronic and magnetic measurements are confirmed that the speculated geometry of vanadyl(II) complex is square pyramidal geometry. The microbial test was performed for the vanadyl complex against some kinds of bacteria and fungi. The [VO(Vit E)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]2H(2)O complex was proved effective in addressing diabetic of type I in case of experimental animal than other compounds were prepared in the literature.