Carica papaya attenuates testicular histomorphological and hormonal alterations following alcohol-induced gonado toxicity in male rats.

Chronic alcohol consumption has been implicated in male infertility, whereas Carica papaya (CP) ripe fruit possesses antioxidant activity. This study investigated histomorphological and hormonal effects of ripened CP in alcohol experimental model. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into six groups of five animals each as follows; groups 1, 2 and 3 received distilled water 2 ml, 40% ethanol 5 ml, and 40% ethanol 5 ml + 50 mg Clomiphene citrate/kg body weight, respectively, while groups 4, 5 and 6 received 40% ethanol 5 ml + CP 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Sperm counts and motility were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in group 2 compared to group 1. Testosterone significantly increased (p < 0.05) in CP-treated groups, and luteinizing hormone was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) compared to the control. Group 2 showed spermatogenic cell distortions which were ameliorated in the CP-treated groups. CP exerted testicular protective potential against ethanol-induced testicular toxicity plausibly via its antioxidant mechanism.

Coconut Oil Extract Mitigates Testicular Injury Following Adjuvant Treatment with Antiretroviral Drugs.

Increased access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has made the management of drug toxicities an increasingly crucial component of HIV. This study investigated the effects of adjuvant use of coconut oil and HAART on testicular morphology and seminal parameters in Sprague- Dawley rats. Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153~169 g were distributed into four groups (A-D) and treated as follows: A served as control (distilled water); B (HAART cocktail- Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine); C (HAART + Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg). After 56 days of treatment, animals were killed and laparotomy to exercise the epididymis for seminal fluid analyses done whilst testicular tissues were processed for histomorphometric studies. Result showed a significant decline in sperm motility (P < 0.05) and count (P < 0.0001) in HAART-treated animals while there was insignificant changes in other parameters in groups C and D except count that was reduced (P < 0.0001) when compared with controls. Histomorphological studies showed HAART caused disorders in seminiferous tubular architecture with significant (P < 0.01) decline in epithelial height closely mirrored by extensive reticulin framework and positive PAS cells. Adjuvant Virgin coconut oil + HAART resulted in significant decrease in seminiferous tubular diameter (P < 0.05), but other morphometric and histological parameters were similar to control or Virgin coconut oil alone (which showed normal histoarchitecture levels). While derangements in testicular and seminal fluid parameters occurred following HAART, adjuvant treatment with Virgin coconut oil restored the distortions emanating thereof.

Rauwolfia vomitoria inhibits olfaction and modifies olfactory bulb cells.

The rising cost of orthodox medication has endeared so many to the use of herbs for the management of neurological conditions. Rauwolfia vomitoria (RV) one of such herbs is a rainforest shrub whose parts are used locally in the management of psychiatry and other medical issues. Its usefulness though not in doubt is wrapped with adverse reports as its active constituents depletes brain monoamine and dopamine stores. This motivated this research on the effects of the root bark extract on olfaction and the olfactory bulb of adult Wistar rats. Eighteen adult Wistar rats (220g average) were divided into three groups (n=6); control (placebo), 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV root bark extract, respectively. The oral administration lasted for seven days and on day 8, test of olfaction was carried out and the animals immediately anaesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride (i.p.) and perfuse-fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin. All the brains were processed for histology and immunoreactivity. Results showed loss of body weights and olfaction in the 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV groups. There was hypertrophy and atrophy of mitral cells respectively, in the 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg RV groups, while there was hyperplasia of cells in the internal granular and plexiform layers of both groups. There was decreased neuron specific enolase (NSE) and neurofilament (NF) expression in the 200mg/kg RV group, while NF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression was decreased in the 400mg/kg RV group. However, NSE expression was enhanced in the 400mg/kg group, while GFAP expression was enhanced in the 200mg/kg RV group. These results suggest that these doses of RV affect olfaction and appetite, and stimulate adverse cellular changes in the olfactory bulb.

Gongronema latifolium modulates Rauwolfia vomitoria-induced behaviour and histomorphology of the cerebral cortex / Gongronema latifolium modula los cambios de comportamiento e histomorfología de la corteza cerebral inducidos por Rauwolfia vomitoria

Rauwolfia vomitoria (RV) has potent sedative effect, which may result in severe unpleasant consequences if not controlled. This necessitated this study on the effect of Gongronema latifolium (GL) on RV-induced behaviour, biochemical activities, and histomorphology of the cerebral cortex. Eighteen male Wistar rats of average weight 266 g were grouped into three (1­3). Group 1 was the control administered 0.5 mL of Tween®20, while groups 2 and 3 were administered 150 mg/kg of RV, and a combination of 150 mg/kg of RV and 200 mg/kg of GL (RV+GL), respectively for seven days. Twelve hours after treatments, open field neurobehavioral test was carried-out and the animals euthanized. Their sera were analyzed, and their cerebral cortices routinely processed by H&E method. There was lower (p<0.05) ambulatory, rearing and freezing activities in the RV group, while there was no difference in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, as well as serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels in all the groups. Cerebral cortical neurohistology of RV and RV+GL groups showed most neurons appearing hypertrophied with pyknotic nuclei in some, and less cellular population compared with the control group. RV produces sedative behaviour, and cerebral cortical neurohistological changes, which GL combination may help modulate.

Rauwolfia vomitoria (RV) tiene un efecto sedante potente, el que puede provocar graves consecuencias si no es controlado. Se estudió el efecto de Gongronema latifolium (GL) sobre el comportamiento inducido por RV, como también en las actividades bioquímicas, e histomorfología de la corteza cerebral. Dieciocho ratas macho Wistar con un peso promedio de 266 g, fueron separadas en tres Grupos (1­3). El Grupo 1 (control) recibió 0,5 mL de Tween® 20, mientras que a los Grupos 2 y 3 se les administró, durante siete días, 150 mg/kg de RV y una combinación de 150 mg/kg de RV y 200 mg/kg de GL (RV + GL), respectivamente. Doce horas después de los tratamientos y pruebas neuroconductuales de campo abierto, los animales fueron sacrificados. Se analizaron los sueros y cortezas cerebrales, los cuales fueron procesados y teñidos on HE. Se observó menor actividad ambulatoria y de congelación (p<0,05) en el grupo RV, mientras que no hubo diferencia en la actividad aspartato aminotransferasa sérica y de fosfatasa alcalina, así como tampoco en los niveles de colesterol y triglicéridos séricos en todos los grupos. La neurohistología cortical cerebral de los grupos RV y RV + GL mostró que la mayoría de las neuronas aparecen hipertrofiadas con núcleos picnóticos, y una menor cantidad celular en comparación con el grupo control. La RV produce un comportamiento sedante, y cambios neurohistológicos a nivel de la corteza cerebral lo que podría ser modulado al combinarse con GL.

Cerebellar neurohistology and behavioural effects of gongronema latifolium and Rauwolfia vomitoria in mice.

Rauwolfia vomitoria and Gongronema latifolium are medicinal herbs used for the treatment of hypertension, malaria, mental and intestinal disorders. G. latifolium is known to prevent the side effects reported for R. vomitoria. Therefore we decided to investigate what effects a combination treatment of G. latifolium and R. vomitoria would have on mice. Thirty male mice weighing 15-26 g were divided into 4 groups of 6 mice each. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were the treatment groups, and were treated with 150 mg/kg of R. vomitoria root bark extract, 200 mg/kg of G. latifolium leaf extract, and combination of both extracts, respectively. The control group received 0.5 mL of 20% Tween. The treatments were by oral gavages and lasted for 7 days. The open field maze neurobehavioural test was performed on day 8 to ascertain locomotion, exploration and anxiety, and the animals were immediately sacrificed. Results indicate lower body weights, though no difference was seen in the brain weights and behavioural test parameters in the treatment groups compared with the control group. Neurohistology of the cerebellum showed slight hypertrophy of Purkinje cells, with brain matrix loss in treatment groups 2 and 3, but group 4 showed no apparent histopathology. The cellular population was higher, while the cellular sizes and total cellular areas were lower in all the treatment groups. This study showed that R. vomitoria root bark and G. latifolium leaf extracts may individually cause cerebellar cytoarchitecture changes, which may be prevented with the combination of both remedies.