Influence of vitamin E and vitamin E-selenium combination on arginase activity, nitric oxide level and some spermatological properties in ram semen.

The effects of vitamin E and vitamin E-selenium combination on seminal plasma arginase activity and nitric oxide level and some spermatological properties in rams were investigated in this study. For control group, animals were injected intramuscularly with physiological saline. For vitamin E group, rams were injected intramuscularly with 300 mg/ram vitamin E. For vitamin E + selenium group, animals were injected intramuscularly with 5 ml/ram vitamin E + selenium. The semen was collected by artificial vagina at 1st, 4th, 24th, 48th and 72nd hr after administration in each group. Significant decreases in seminal plasma arginase activity (at 1st, 24th and 48th hr), nitric oxide level (at 72nd hr) and abnormal sperm rate (at 1st, 24th and 72nd hr), and significant increases in semen volume (at 24th hr), semen mass activity (at 24th and 48th hr), sperm motility (at 24th, 48th and 72nd hr) and concentration (at 1st hr) were observed in vitamin E group compared with control group. Similarly, significant increase in semen volume (at 1st, 24th and 48th hr), mass activity, (at 48th hr), motility (at 48th and 72nd hr) and concentration (at 4th, 24th and 48th hr), and significant decrements in abnormal sperm rate (at 1st, 24th, 48th and 72nd hr), seminal plasma nitric oxide level (at 1st, 4th, 24th and 48th hr) and semen pH (at 24th and 48th hr) were detected in vitamin E + selenium group in comparison to the control group. As a result, it is suggested that vitamin E and/or vitamin E + selenium applications may improve reproductive performance.

Grape seed extract supplement increases bone callus formation and mechanical strength: an animal study.

BACKGROUND: The positive effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) on bone health, which is a potent antioxidant, are known but its effects on fracture healing are not sufficiently covered in the literature. This study aims to investigate the effects of GSPE on fracture healing and biomechanics of healing bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four adult Wistar-Albino male rats were divided into 8 groups of 8 animals in each group. Osteotomy was performed to the right femurs of all groups except the negative control (G1) and positive control (G2) groups, and intramedullary Kirchner wire was used for fixation. GSPE was given to half of the rats (G2-G4-G6-G8) 100 mg/kg/day by oral gavage. The rats were sacrificed on the tenth (G3-G4), twentieth (G5-G6), and thirtieth (G1-G2-G7-G8) days, respectively, and histopathological, radiological, and biomechanical examinations were performed. RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the specimens from the callus tissues revealed that bone healing was more prominent in the groups supplemented with GSPE (G4, G6, G8). There was a statistically significant improvement in radiological recovery scores and callus volumes in groups with GSPE. When biomechanical strengths were evaluated, it was found that GSPE increased bone strength not only in fracture groups but also in the positive control group (G2). CONCLUSIONS: As a result, this study showed that GSPE, a potent anti-oxidant, had a positive effect on bone healing and improved mechanical strength of the healing bone.

Evaluation of ameliorating effect of lycopene against testicular toxicity due to diethylnitrosamine using biochemical, spermatological and histopathological data.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible therapeutic or protective effects of lycopene on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced testicular lipid peroxidation and on the associated changes in spermatological parameters and histopathological architecture of rat testis. DEN is a carcinogenic substance that can be derived from chemicals used in agriculture, such as insecticides and nitrate. The rats were assigned to control, lycopene, DEN(1), DEN(2), lycopene + DEN(1), lycopene + DEN(2), DEN(1) + lycopene and DEN(2) + lycopene groups. During the study, lycopene was administered by oral gavage at a dose of 10 mg kg-1  bw-1 every other day for 10 days and DEN was administered at a dose of 200 mg  kg-1  bw-1 as a single dose intraperitoneally. DEN was applied for 30 days in group DEN(1) and for 90 days in group DEN(2). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, antioxidant enzymes activities, spermatological parameters, the weight of the reproductive organs (v. seminalis, prostate, testis and epididymis) and the histopathological structure were determined. MDA levels significantly increased, while GSH and antioxidant enzymes' activities decreased in DEN groups (p < 0.001). There was an increase in the rate of abnormal spermatozoa and a decrease in sperm density and motility, and reproductive organ weight (the weight of the right and left testis) in both DEN groups. Lycopene has normalised biochemical and spermatological parameters and reproductive organ weight. The histopathological examination of testicular tissue showed that the most significant histopathological change in DEN groups was the seminiferous tubule dilatation. These results suggest that besides the protective effects, the therapeutic effect of lycopene is possibly due to its antioxidant effects on DEN-induced testicular toxicity.