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This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical composition and protective effects of methanol extract of Parquetina nigrescens leaf (MEPL) in male Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening, in vitro antioxidant assay, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and LD50 were determined. Forty male Wistar rats were grouped into eight and orally treated for 54 days as follows: Group 1 (10% tween 80), Group 2 (3 mg/kg As2O3) Groups 3, 4 and 5 (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg MEPL) and groups 6, 7 and 8, (250 mg/kg+As2O3, 500 mg/kg+As2O3 and 1000 mg/kg+As2O3). The animals were sacrificed on day 55 under anaesthesia. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture for heamatological studies. Liver concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were determined spectrophotometrically. Liver histology was also assessed. Flavonoids, tannin, alkaloids, saponin, and anthraquinone were present in MEPL, also, MEPL scavenged 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) and Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical (ABTS+). The IC50 of MEPL required to chelate metal was also low. The GC-MS revealed the presence of 24 essential oil. The LD50 was > 5000 mg/kg. Packed cell volume and red blood cell count were significantly reduced in 1000 mg/kg MEPL group, white blood cell count and SOD activity reduced (P

Cadmium (Cd) is known to affect reproductive functions adversely. Carpolobia lutea is a protective herbal derivative due to its antioxidant potential. This study investigates the steroidogenic activities of methanol extract of Carpolobia lutea root on cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in male Wistar rats. Carpolobia lutea root was obtained in Ijare via Akure. The plant was authenticated at the herbarium of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, Nigeria, with FHI number 109784. The methanol extract Carpolobia lutea root (MCL) was obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Thirty male Wistar rats (150-170g) were used in this study (n=5) and treated as follows: Control, Cd (2 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+100 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg), MCL (100 mg/kg), and MCL (200 mg/kg). The extract was administered orally for eight weeks, and a single dose of 2 mg/kg Cd was given intraperitoneally. Serum Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone levels, testicular hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs) activities and Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein (StAR) expression were evaluated. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysed using ANOVA at p

To assess the effect of methanolic leaf extract of Caladium bicolor on the histomorphology of gastrointestinal tissues of experimental animals. Twenty four Wistar rats (weighing between 175-190 g) were randomly and equally divided into four groups which include one control group (CG) and three treatment groups (TG I, TG II and TG III). The CG was administered with distilled water [2 ml/kg body weight (b.w.)] while TGs I, II and III were administered with 100 ml/kg, 200 ml/kg and 300 ml/kg (b.w.) of C. bicolor extract respectively. All administrations were done orally and once daily for a period of thirty days. The body weight of all animals was recorded at the beginning and end of study. After the period of study, gastric and small intestinal tissues of experimental animals were harvested, processed, converted to tissue blocks and sectioned. Tissue sections were stained using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) technique. Thereafter, stained sections microscopically examined for observable histopathological changes within study tissues. The results of this study showed that exposure to C. bicolor extract causes significant (p < 0.05) body weight loss in TGs I-III compared to CG. In addition, prominent histopathological changes were observed in gastrointestinal tissues of experimental animals in TGs I-III including gastric mucosal surface erosion and intestinal villi degeneration compared to normal gastrointestinal histomorphology of CG animals. These histopathological changes may be associated with toxic effect of phytochemicals constituents of the extract. Therefore, its application for therapeutic purposes needs to be thoroughly re-validated or perhaps disallowed where alternative therapeutic agents with minimal toxic potential exist.

Objective: To assess reparative effect of methanolic extract of Camellia sinensis on testicular histomorphology of male Wistar rats exposed to lead-induced testicular damage. Methods: Twenty four male Wistar rats were grouped into four A–D (n = 6). These include normal control group A (distilled water 5 ml/kg), test control group B (lead acetate 30 mg/kg), treatment group C (lead acetate 30 mg/kg + MECS 5 mg/kg) and treatment group D (lead acetate 30 mg/kg + MECS 10 mg/kg). Administrations were through oral route for a period of 60 days and body weight of study animals was recorded during days 0, 20, 40 and 60 of study. Phytochemical analysis of extract was done using GCMS. At the end of sudy, testicular tissue weight of study animals was measured followed by histopathological study. Results: The extract significantly ameliorated body weight loss and exhibited histo-reparative effect on testicular histomorphology of study animals following lead exposure. Conclusion: Methanolic extract of Camellia sinensis exhibits reparative effect against toxic effect of tissue toxicant due to its antioxidant activity. Keywords: Camellia sinensis, Lead toxicity, Testis histomorphology, Wistar rats

The therapeutic efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and zinc sulphate on di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)-induced testicular oxido-nitrergic stress in rats was investigated in 36 male Wistar rats (170 ± 10 g) randomly assigned into one of six groups (n = 6). Group 1 (control) received 2.5 ml/kg of distilled water for 42 days, while group 2 (vehicle) received 2.5 ml/kg of corn oil for 42 days. Groups 3,4,5, and 6 were administered DEHP (750 mg/kg/day) for 21 days, after which groups 4, 5, and 6 received zinc sulphate (0.5 mg/kg/day), NAC (100 mg/kg/day), and zinc sulphate (0.5 mg/kg/day) + NAC (100 mg/kg/day) for an additional 21 days respectively. After the experimental period, the animals were euthanized by light thiopental sodium, and their testes were carefully dissected out for histological and biochemical assays. The result shows a significant alteration in testicular levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, antioxidant enzymes, total antioxidant capacity, sulphydryl levels, dehydrogenases and testicular architecture following the administration of DEHP. These effects were reversed by coadministration of NAC and zinc sulphate in the study. We therefore concluded that the combined effects of NAC and ZnSO

Objective: Oxidative stress is a mechanism of cadmium-induced reproductive dysfunction. Carpolobia lutea is a free radical scavenger. Our study investigated the potential protective effects of Carpolobia lutea root methanol extract against cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity. Methods: We obtained the Carpolobia lutea root in Akure, and it was authenticated at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) herbarium, Ibadan, Nigeria, with FHI number 109784. We used Soxhlet extraction to obtain its methanol extract. We used thirty male Wistar rats (150-170g) in this study, (n=5 per group), and treated them as follows: Control (1 ml/kg normal saline), Cd (2 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+100 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg), MCL (100 mg/kg), MCL (200 mg/kg). We administered Carpolobia lutea orally for 8 weeks. We administered a single dose of 2 mg/kg of cadmium intraperitoneally. We assessed the sperm profile using a computer-aided sperm analyzer. Under microscopy, we determined the sperm acrosome reaction and the DNA damage. We measured the seminal fructose level using spectrophotometry, and the data were analyzed using ANOVA at p

Ageratum conyzoides Linn is a medicinal plant used for diverse ethnomedicinal applications including anti-ulcer treatment. Usually, protection of gastric mucosa from injury or ulceration is dependent on the efficacy of intrinsic or induced protective factors against erosive effects of aggressive factors. In this study, our aim was to ascertain the gastroprotective activity of methanolic leaf extracts of A. conyzoides L. and assess the associated roles of gastric mucous cells and p53 protein. This study involved 25 adult male Wistar rats divided into five groups (A-E). Groups A and E were used as normal and test controls while B-D were administered with extracts at 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight for 28 days. Gastric mucosal injury was induced via pyloric ligation method. Gastric tissues were processed, stained with periodic acid-Schiff and immunostained for p53 protein (using monoclonal antibody). Stained sections were quantified using image-J software, data obtained were statistically analyzed. The results showed significant increase (p

CTLA-4 protein expressed on activated T-cells is an important mole-cule involved in T-cell homeostasis and mutations in CTLA-4 gene have been linked with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). T1DM is caused by selective destruction of pancreatic β-cells and its onset is characterized by infiltration and accumulation of T-cells in pancreatic tissue until the trigger of autoimmune destruction of β-cells is activated. As a negative regulator of T-cell activation, the CTLA-4 gene expression may result in suppression of T1DM development. This study was carried out to assess the role of CTLA-4 gene in amelioration of alloxan-induced T1DM in rats treated with ethanolic extracts of Allium sativum. This study involved 40 adult male Wistar rats divided into five groups: Group 1 was the control while groups 2-5 were induced with a single intraperitoneal dose of alloxan (120mg/kg). Groups 3-5 were treated for 21 days with 100, 250 and 500mg/kg ethanolic extracts of A. sativum respectively. After the study period, experimental animals were sacrificed; pancreatic tissue was harvested for histological study. Blood was collected for genomic DNA extraction and CTLA-4 gene amplification done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR amplicons were run through agarose gel to produce visible DNA bands and 1kb plus DNA ladder was used as DNA molecular weight marker. The result showed regeneration of pancreatic parenchyma and islet cells in diabetic animals treated with ethanolic extracts of A. sativum. The observed up-regulation of CTLA-4 gene expression in treated animals is believed to contribute to down-regulation of auto-immune responses triggered by alloxan exposure and inhibit selective destruction of β-cell of pancreatic islets. Hence, activation of CTLA-4 gene may contribute to inhibition of onset and progression of auto-immune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus. [J Med Allied Sci 2019; 9(2.000): 90-95]