Safety profile of Alpinia calcarata Roscoe, used in traditional medicine in Sri Lanka / Perfil de seguridad de Alpinia calcarata Roscoe usada en medicina tradicional en Sri Lanka

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Alpinia calcarata Roscoe (Family: Zingiberaceae) rhizomes have any toxic effects in rats. Wistar rats were used as the experimental model and orally administered hot water extract (HWE) and hot ethanolic extract (HEE) of A. calcarata rhizomes at a dose of 1500 mg/kg respectively for 42 consecutive days. Administration of the HWE or HEE to rats did not result in any chronic toxic effects as evident from their effects on (a) liver function (b) kidney function, (c) hematological parameters such as red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (d) external morphology and wet weights of selected organs. Further, the HWE and the HEE did not appear to mediate any unacceptable effects on food and water intake, percent weight gain, consistency of faeces and color of urine. In conclusion, the results of this study have revealed that the HWE and the HEE of A. calcarata at the doses tested do not produce any serious toxic side effects in rats.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar si los rizomas de Alpinia calcarata Roscoe (Familia: Zingiberaceae) tienen algún efecto tóxico en las ratas. Se utilizaron ratas Wistar como modelo experimental y administrado por vía oral de extracto de agua caliente (EAC) y el extracto de etanol caliente (EEC) de A. rizomas calcarata a una dosis de 1500 mg / kg, respectivamente, durante 42 días consecutivos. La administración de la EAC o EEC a las ratas no produjo ningún efecto crónico tóxico como se desprende de sus efectos sobre la (a) función hepática (b) la función renal, (c) los parámetros hematológicos, como conteo de los glóbulos rojos (GR), conteo de glóbulos blancos celular (GB) y hemoglobina (Hb), (d) morfología externa y el peso húmedo de los órganos seleccionados. Además, el EAC y el EEC no parecen mediar efectos inaceptables en la ingesta de alimentos y agua, porcentaje de aumento de peso, la consistencia de las heces y el color de la orina. En conclusión, los resultados de este estudio han revelado que los extractos EAC y la EEC de A. calcarata en las dosis utilizadas no producen graves efectos secundarios tóxicos en ratas.

Relationship between seminal plasma zinc and semen quality in a subfertile population.

RATIONALE: Current knowledge on the relationship between seminal zinc levels and different parameters of human semen is inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between seminal plasma zinc and semen quality using two markers; zinc concentration (Zn-C) and total zinc per ejaculate (Zn-T). DESIGN: The study was carried out as a cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Semen parameters of 152 healthy men undergoing evaluation for subfertility were assessed. Seminal plasma zinc levels were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Zn-C, expressed as µg/mL, was multiplied by ejaculated volume to calculate Zn-T. Mann Whitney U test and Chi-square test were used to compare the zinc levels between different seminal groups when appropriate. Correlations were observed with Pearson's correlation of coefficient. Analysis was carried out using SPSS 10.0 for windows software. RESULTS: Zn-C was low in 23 (15%) samples, while in 32 (21%) of the samples Zn-T was abnormal. The number of subnormal samples was high in the low-zinc groups compared with the normal-zinc groups, 15 vs. 8 (P > 0.05) for Zn-C and 28 vs. 4 (P < 0.001) for Zn-T. Zn-C was significantly high in the asthenozoospermics compared with the normal motile group; 138.11 µg/mL (83.92) vs. 110.69 11 µg/mL (54.59) (P < 0.05). Zn-T was significantly low in samples with hyperviscosity compared with samples with normal viscosity; 220.06 µg (144.09) vs. 336.34 µg (236.33) (P < 0.05). Conversely, Zn-T was high in samples with low viability compared with those with normal viability; 437.67 µg (283.88) vs. 305.15 µg (221.19) (P < 0.05). Weak correlations were found between Zn and some semen parameters. However, the correlation was negative between pH and Zn-C (r = -0.193, P < 0.05) as well as Zn-T (r = -0.280, P < 0.01). On the other hand, correlations were positive between Zn-T and sperm count (r = 0.211, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Count, motility, viability, pH and viscosity are affected by variations of seminal plasma zinc. Seminal plasma Zn-T is the better marker for assessing the relationship between zinc and semen quality.