The protective action of essential oils of onion and garlic in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

The effects of the essential oils of onion and garlic have been investigated in cholesterol-fed rabbits and have been compared with the effects of clofibrate. The marked rise in serum cholesterol and blood coagulability that followed 3 months of cholesterol feeding (0.2 g/kg/day) was significantly reduced by the essential oils of both onion and garlic. Fibrinolytic activity was actually increased even above the normal control levels. The essential oils of onion and garlic (equivalent to 1 g/kg/day of raw bulbs) proved more effective than clofibrate in the usual clinical dose of 33 mg/kg/day. Garlic was even more effective than onion. Cholesterol feeding increased the average lipid content of aorta from 5.95 to 13.75 mg/100 mg dry weight. With addition of clofibrate, onion or garlic the values were 7.79, 6.23 and 5.28 mg/100 ml, respectively. Thus it can be seen that the essential oils effectively prevent lipid acculation in the rabbit oarta.

Evaluation of significance of AgNOR counts in differentiating benign from malignant lesions in the breast.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) have been identified by means of an argyrophilic technique (AgNOR) in routinely processed formalin-fixed paraffin sections of breast lesions. 85 cases of different breast lesions were examined. The AgNOR counts were, normal breast 1.2 (1.0-1.5) Fibroadenoma 1.74 (1.6-2.7), purely cystic disease 1.6 (1.5-1.82) adenosis 2.1 (1.7-2.8), Epitheliosis 2.4 (1.9-3.2) gynaecomastia 3.7 (3.6-4.7), Noninvasive caccinoma 2.8 (2.6-4.4) invasive carcimomas 3.89 (2.7-9.9) i.e. mean AgNOR counts between benign and malignant lesions. Also gynaecomastia, a benign condition had a high mean AgNOR count. There was no significant difference in the mean AgNOR count of various types of invasive breast caninoma. Higher the histological grade, higher was the AgNOR count. To conclude, AgNOR technique does not enable a clear distinction between benign & malignant lesions. But, it could be used with other prognostic indices to predict the behaviour of breast malignancy.

Study of sperm antibodies in the sera of vasectomized males.

PIP: Agglutination and immobilization tests were performed to detect the presence of sperm antibodies in the sera of 100 vasectomized men. Overall, 52% of subjects had sperm antibodies. 50% showed agglutinating antibodies, while immobilizing antibodies were present in 40%. Of the 52 positive cases, 23 showed agglutinating antibody alone in their sera. 73 had both agglutinating and immobilizing antibodies, and 3.8% had sperm immobilizing activity alone. The age incidence of the presence of sperm antibodies was as follows: under 35 years, 66%; 36-40 years, 50%; 41-45 years, 50%; and 46 years and above, 33.3%. The highest percentage of presence of sperm antibodies was recorded in men who had been vasectomized less than 1 year previously (75%). Significantly high titers of sperm agglutinating activity were found in 20% of the positive cases, while high titers of sperm immobilizing activity were noted in 40% of positive cases. It has been suggested that the development of sperm antibodies after vasectomy may prevent subsequent successful restoration of fertility by reanastomosis.^ieng