The Effect of Eucalyptus globulus Hydroalcoholic Extract on LH, FSH and Testosterone Concentrations and Sperm Morphology.

Scientists have been paying attention to the life-giving properties of medicinal plants for many years. Among these plants is the eucalyptus plant. This plant has various compounds such as cineole and terpenes. It also contains compounds such as flavonoids, aliphatic aldehydes, sesquiterpene, quinotanen, catechins, salts, and vitamins. In the present study, the hydroalcoholic extract of Eucalyptus leaves with concentrations of 175, 350, and 700 mg/kg body weight, and spermatogenesis were studied in 40 adult Wistar rats in five groups of eight. Adult male mice received the extract at the above concentrations by gavage for 28 days. Control mice received only solvent and water, while control mice received no substance other than municipal tap water and normal food. After the last administration of the drug, the animals were weighed and anesthetized, and then blood samples were taken from their hearts. Concentrations of LH, FSH, and testosterone were measured by an ELISA kit. The results showed that body weight and testis, seminiferous tube diameter, Leydig cell diameter, epithelium thickness, number of Leydig cells, spermatogonium, spermatocytes, spermatids, sperm, and testosterone concentration increased significantly with the group. But no significant difference was observed in the concentration of FSH and LH hormones or the number of Sertoli cells. Therefore, it can be concluded that eucalyptus leaf extract may increase the proliferation of sex cells in the seminiferous tubules of rats.

Investigation of the Role of Zn/Cu Index and its Correlation with Physiological Activity of SOD 1 and GRx in Males with Acne Vulgaris.

It has been approved that the normal physiology of skin can be adversely affected by acne vulgaris (AV). This disorder leads to impairment of stratum corneum hydration and causes trans epidermal water loss. The normal physiology of the males' skin is different from the normal physiology of females' skin. Therefore, in case of any skin disorder, choosing the best strategy and treatment should be investigated seriously in each gender. Therefore the current study was designed to investigate the effect of two important trace elements (i.e., zinc [Zn] and copper [Cu]) on skin health and the correlation of Zn/Cu index with the physiological activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and glutaredoxins (Grx) in males with AV. In total, 100 samples were obtained from 60 males (in the age range of 17-20 years) with a definite diagnosis of AV (AVM group) and 40 males (in the age range of 18-20 years) with normal skin as the control group (CON group). The blood samples were obtained from each participant. The blood samples were centrifuged for the measurements of Zn, Cu, Zn/Cu index, SOD1, and GRx, and serum samples were preserved at -20°C until use. Moreover, Zn, Cu, and Zn/Cu index were determined using spectrophotometric kits. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as the preferred method, was performed for SOD1 and GPx measurements. On the other hand, in this study, body mass index (BMI) and age were considered to have a possible association with the incidence of acne in males. The recorded data showed that there were no significant differences between the AVM group and controls in terms of BMI. The recorded data showed that Zn (AVM:151±10.7; CON:189±9.7) and Cu (AVM:55±5.2; CON: 77±4.8) concentration was significantly reduced (P<0.05) in the AVM group, compared to controls. On the other hand, the Zn/Cu index was significantly lower in the AVM group (1.05±0.19), compared to the control group (1.78±0.08). The results of the SOD1 and GRx assay showed that the AVM group suffered from a significant reduction in the SOD1 and GRx concentration, compared to the group of control. Overall, it can be concluded that the improvement of the antioxidant enzyme activity and supplementation of trace elements may significantly reduce the incidence of AV in males.

Multiplex PCR in determination of Opiinae parasitoids of fruit flies, Bactrocera sp., infesting star fruit and guava.

Malaysia is a tropical country that produces commercial fruits, including star fruits, Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidales: Oxalidaceae), and guavas, Psidium guajava L. (Myrtales: Myrtaceae). There is a high demand for these fruits, and they are planted for both local consumption and export purposes. Unfortunately, there has been a gradual reduction of these fruits, which has been shown to be related to fruit fly infestation, especially from the Bactrocera species. Most parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) are known as parasitoids of fruit fly larvae. In this study, star fruits and guavas infested by fruit fry larvae were collected from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute. The parasitized larvae were reared under laboratory conditions until the emergence of adult parasitoids. Multiplex PCR was performed to determine the braconid species using two mitochondrial DNA markers, namely cytochrome oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b. Two benefits of using multiplex PCR are the targeted bands can be amplified simultaneously using the same reaction and the identification process of the braconid species can be done accurately and rapidly. The species of fruit flies were confirmed using the COI marker. The results obtained from our study show that Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Fopius arisanus (Sonan), and Pysttalia incisi (Silvestri) were parasitoids associated with Bactrocera carambolae (Drew and Hancock) (Diptera: Tephritidae) infested star fruits. Fopius arisanus was also the parasitoid associated with Bactrocera papayae (Drew and Hancock) infested guavas. Maximum parsimony was been constructed in Opiinae species to compare tree resolution between these two genes in differentiating among closely related species. The confirmation of the relationship between braconids and fruit fly species is very important, recognized as preliminary data, and highly necessary in biological control programs.