Sperm parameters quality and reproductive effects of methanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves on senescent male rats

Assessment of Cinnamaldehyde's Potency on Heat Stress-induced Testicular Impairments in Wistar Rats

Background

Male sterility results from high testicular temperatures, which affect mammalian spermatogenesis. High testicular temperatures affect sperm motility, morphology and fertility according to their magnitude and duration.

Aim

The aim of the current study is to examine the effects of heat-induced oxidative stress and cinnamaldehyde on Wistar rat testicular structure and function.

Settings and Design

The rats used in this experiment were Wistar albino rats.

Materials and Methods

This research has six animals per group. Male Wistar albino rats of 2.5-3 months old and 275-300 g. (I) control, (II) heat stress (HS) in a closed chamber at 41°C for 14 days and (III) HS with cinnamaldehyde (CA) 50 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. (IV) CA alone. After the study, the animals were euthanised, and test samples were taken for sperm count, morphology, haematoxylin and eosin stain for normal cellular morphology, antioxidants and DNA integrity assessments.

Statistical Analysis Used

The data were analysed statistically using one- and two-way ANOVA tests for comparisons between groups.

Results

The stress group had significantly lower sperm counts and poor sperm morphology. The stress group's antioxidant capacity is much lower than that of the control group. Animals under stress have fragmented DNA. Treatment with cinnamaldehyde increased overall antioxidant capacity and seminal parameters, and rats behaved most like controls.

Conclusion

CA restores malondialdehyde levels, total antioxidant capacity, sperm characteristics and mitigates testicular damage in rats exposed to experimental HS.

Lauric acid improves hormonal profiles, antioxidant properties, sperm quality and histomorphometric changes in testis and epididymis of streptozotocin-induced diabetic infertility rats

Lauric acid, a 12‑carbon atom medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) has strong antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. However, whether lauric acid can ameliorate hyperglycaemia-induced male reproductive damage remains unclear. The study aimed to determine the optimal dose of lauric acid with glucose-lowering activity, antioxidant potential and tissue-protective effects on the testis and epididymis of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Hyperglycaemia was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by an intravenous injection of STZ at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight (bwt). Lauric acid (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg bwt) was administered orally for eight weeks. Weekly fasting blood glucose (FBG), glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were examined. Hormonal profiles (insulin and testosterone), lipid peroxidation (MDA) and antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) activities were measured in the serum, testis and epididymis. The reproductive analyses were evaluated based on sperm quality and histomorphometry. Lauric acid administration significantly improved FBG levels, glucose tolerance, hormones-related fertility and oxidant-antioxidant balance in the serum, testis and epididymis compared to untreated diabetic rats. Treatment with lauric acid preserved the testicular and epididymal histomorphometry, along with the significant improvements in sperm characteristics. It is shown for the first time that lauric acid treatment at 50 mg/kg bwt is the optimal dose for ameliorating hyperglycaemia-induced male reproductive complications. We conclude that lauric acid reduced hyperglycaemia by restoring insulin and glucose homeostasis, which attributes to the regeneration of tissue damage and sperm quality in STZ-induced diabetic rats. These findings support the correlation between oxidative stress and hyperglycaemia-induced male reproductive dysfunctions.

Phytochemical analysis, in silico study and toxicity profile of Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham seed in mice

Fruit of Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham has been used as medicine by the local community in some parts of the north eastern state of India. Despite its uses for different purposes, the safety assessment study has not been conducted. Therefore, we have evaluated the acute and the sub-acute toxicity of methanolic extract of C. pectinata fruit (CPFE) in a mice model via oral route of administration. Phytochemicals analysis was carried out by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The acute toxicity study was performed at a single dose of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg and the sub-acute toxicity study at a dose of 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg was administered daily for 28 days. The calculated Lethal dose 50 (LD50) of CPFE was found to be 4000 mg/kg. Both acute and sub-acute studies showed that 5000 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg dose was toxic to the mice. The results of acute toxicity showed CPFE could have a mild toxic effect on the kidney at a dose of 3000 and 5000 mg/kg, as some deteriorated changes in the kidney along with increase creatinine levels were observed. Acute toxicity also showed an increase in white blood cells (WBC) at a dose of 3000 mg/kg.However, sub-acute toxicity studies do not show any detrimental effects on liver, kidney and hematological parameters. Thus, it can be suggested that CPFE at a dose of 100 and 300 mg/kg would be safe for consumption. The phytochemicals analysis by LC-MS, NMR and FTIR showed the presence of 32 major chemical compounds with certain biological activity like anti-neoplastic, antioxidant, and possible modulator of steroid metabolism (cholesterol antagonist and agonist of testosterone 17β-dehydrogenase) as predicted by PASS analysis.

Effects of Sub Lethal Concentrations of Sodium Fluoride on Sperm Activity and on the level of Sex Hormones of Adult Male Albino Rats

In recent years, fluorosis caused many problems in humans and animals bodies. Dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, bone fractures, decreased birth rates, adverse effects on the male genital system, like damaging the structure of testes and epididymis and loosing fertilization ability can be considered as good examples of fluorosis. Thus, the current study aimed to determine the toxicity of sodium fluoride (NaF) on the activity of sperm and the level of sex hormones including testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. For achieving this purpose, thirty adult albino male rats, aged between 90-100 days, were divided randomly into two treated groups with 10 rats for each group which were treated with 150, 300 ppm of sodium fluoride,respectively. In addition, 10 rats were kept as a control group. Sodium fluoride was offered to the treated groups in the drinking water to evaluate the toxic effect of NaF on male reproductive system, sperm concentration, sperm motion, and sperm velocity compared with control group. The findings revealed a significant decrease in the sperm concentration, sperm count, sperm motion, sperm velocity and the level of sexual hormones in comparison with the control group. It can be concluded that NaF may reduce the efficiency of male reproductive system, and reduce the levels of sexual hormones in rats