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Endocrine Disrupting chemicals including bisphenols have contaminated the environment significantly and is known to damage spermatogenesis via increase in oxidative stress. The anti-oxidant properties of naturally occurring substances like curcumin have been well established. Objectives: To evaluate the protective effects of curcumin against bisphenol-A induced testicular damage. Study Design: Experimental Study. Setting: Department of Anatomy, University of Health Sciences, Lahore. Period: From March 2015 to December 2015. Material & Methods: Thirty six rats were divided into four groups A, B, C and D of 9 animals each. Group A (control) was given 5ml/kg/day of corn oil orally for 10 days. Group B (Bisphenol-A) was given 100mg/kg/day of Bisphenol-A dissolved in corn oil orally for 10 days. Group C (recovery) was given 100mg/kg/day of BPA dissolved in corn oil orally for 10 days and left untreated for 10 days. Group D (Curcumin + BPA) was given 100mg/kg/day of BPA and 100mg/kg/day of Curcumin, dissolved in corn oil orally for 10 days. Rats of group A, B and D were sacrificed on day 11 and those of group C on day 21. After weighing the euthanized rats, testes were removed, processed and tissue sections were stained with H&E for Johnson scoring and with PAS stain for assessment of basement membrane integrity. Results: Bisphenol-A administration caused a significant decrease in weight of animals, a significantly low Johnson score of seminiferous tubules and high frequency of disrupted basement membranes of the tubules in Group B as compared to control. The weight gain of animals improved in the with-drawl group C while no self-recovery was observed in other parameters. Curcumin co-administration improved the body weight gain of animals, increased the Johnson scoring of tubules significantly and partially restored the basement membrane integrity in group D, comparable to the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that co-administration of a potent antioxidant curcumin causes a significant antagonism of the histo-toxicity of testis produced by Bisphenol-A in albino rats.

No abstract available Keywords: gene tagging; insertion polymorphisms; molecular marker; next-generation sequencing; rice; transposable element.

Salinity is among the major abiotic stresses negatively affecting the growth and productivity of crop plants. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) -an external nitric oxide (NO) donor- has been found effective to impart salinity tolerance to plants. Soybean (Glycine max L.) is widely cultivated around the world; however, salinity stress hampers its growth and productivity. Therefore, the current study evaluated the role of SNP in improving morphological, physiological and biochemical attributes of soybean under salinity stress. Data relating to biomass, chlorophyll and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, activities of various antioxidant enzymes, ion content and ultrastructural analysis were collected. The SNP application ameliorated the negative effects of salinity stress to significant extent by regulating antioxidant mechanism. Root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll contents, activities of various antioxidant enzymes, i.e., catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were improved with SNP application under salinity stress compared to control treatment. Similarly, plants treated with SNP observed less damage to cell organelles of roots and leaves under salinity stress. The results revealed pivotal functions of SNP in salinity tolerance of soybean, including cell wall repair, sequestration of sodium ion in the vacuole and maintenance of normal chloroplasts with no swelling of thylakoids. Minor distortions of cell membrane and large number of starch grains indicates an increase in the photosynthetic activity. Therefore, SNP can be used as a regulator to improve the salinity tolerance of soybean in salt affected soils.

Background: Methylcobalamin is essential vitamin required for DNA synthesis during cell division therefore maintain the architecture of nervous tissue distorted by soft metals such as Lithium Carbonate. Accurate documentation of the thickness cerebellar cortical thickness was required in subjects who were injected with methylcobalamin distorted by Lithium Carbonate. Aim: To provide data of cerebellar gray matter thickness distorted by Lithium Carbonate by the anti-oxidant effect of methylcobalamin. Methods: Fifteen albino rats were maintained on food and diet in Animal House of the Basic Medical Sciences Institute, JPMC Karachi for a period of 6 weeks. Results: The results obtained of the thickness of cerebellar gray matter distorted by Lithium Carbonate was restored by methylcobalamin in our study. Conclusion: To observe the neuroprotective effect of B12 on distorted cerebellar cortex treated by Lithium Carbonate. Keywords: Methylcobalamin, Lithium Carbonate, Gray Matter, Cerebellum

Background: Zingiber Officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae family) is knownas Ginger. It is famous for its antioxidant properties. Objectives: To evaluate the effects ofGinger aqueous extract on the serum creatinine and paired kidney weight in Alloxan induceddiabetic nephropathy of albino rats. Study Design: Experimental study. Period: 06 months01-01-2013 to 30 June 2013. Setting: Anatomy Department, Sheikh Zayed, PGMI Lahore.Materials and Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced with Alloxan intraperitoneally (150 mg/kg body weight) in Experimental groups B & C. Then the rats of experimental group C received200mg/kg body weight of ginger aqueous extract by gavage daily for five weeks starting from8th day after Alloxan injection. Results: Serum creatinine levels increased more in experimentalgroup B as compared to experimental group C. Group wise comparison of creatinine levelrevealed that the difference among control (A group) and experimental (B & C Groups) wassignificant having p-value

Background: For a long time, Diabetes mellitus has been treated with medicines derived from plants. Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ginger aqueous extract on Glomerular mesangial matrix in Alloxan induced diabetic nephropathy of albino rats. Materials and Methods: In this study we induced diabetes mellitus with Alloxan intraperitoneally (150 mg/kg body weight) in Experimental groups B & C. Then the rats of Experimental group C received 200mg/kg body weight of ginger aqueous extract by gavage daily for five weeks starting from 8th day after Alloxan injection. Results: We observed that on histopathological examination, Experimental group B kidneys revealed highly increased mesangial matrix while the animals of experimental group C treated with ginger aqueous extract showed less increase in mesangial matrix as compared to experimental group B but it was more than control group A. Three groups had significant difference among them having p-values

Tocopherols are lipophilic molecules, ubiquitously synthesized in all photosynthetic organisms. Being a group of vitamin E compounds, they play an essential role in human nutrition and health. Despite their structural and functional attributes as important antioxidants in plants, it would be misleading to ignore the potential roles of tocopherols beyond their antioxidant properties in planta. Detailed characterization of mutants and transgenic plants, including Arabidopsis (vte1, vte2, vte4, and so on), maize (sxd1) mutants, and transgenic potato and tobacco lines altered in tocopherol biosynthesis and contents, has led to surprising outcomes regarding the additional functions of these molecules. Thus, the aim of this review is to highlight the past and present research findings on tocopherols' structural, biosynthesis, and functional properties in plants. Special emphasis is given to their suggested functions in planta, such as cell signaling, hormonal interactions, and coordinated response of tocopherols to other antioxidants under abiotic stresses. Moreover, some important questions about possible new functions of tocopherols will be discussed as future prospects to stimulate further research.