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Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in many physiological functions of mammalian sperm. Numerous endogenous antioxidants belonging to both enzymatic and non-enzymatic groups can remove excess ROS and prevent oxidative stress (OS). This study compares the modulation of OS by rooibos, Chinese green tea and commercial rooibos and green tea supplements in rat sperm. Male Wistar rats (n = 60) were supplemented with fermented rooibos, 'green' rooibos, Chinese green tea, rooibos supplement, green tea supplement or water for 10 weeks while OS was induced during the last 2 weeks. Sperm count and motility were significantly higher for rats consuming fermented rooibos and 'green' rooibos when compared with the other groups. Catalase activity was significantly higher in the sperm of rats consuming fermented rooibos, 'green' rooibos and both the rooibos and green tea supplements. Superoxide dismutase concentration in the sperm of rats supplemented with fermented rooibos, 'green' rooibos and green tea was higher. Sperm glutathione levels of rats consuming the fermented and 'green' rooibos were also significantly higher. Rooibos fermented and 'green' rooibos showed a tendency to lower the levels of ROS and lipid peroxidation when compared with the control group. In conclusion, both rooibos extracts could offer a measure of protection against induced oxidative damage by increasing the antioxidant defence mechanisms and thereby improving the sperm quality and function. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the education sector of most countries. One of the basic CDC prevention guidelines is the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to protect the health of students and staff members to curve the spread of COVID-19. The current study aimed to examine the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and practices of students at the Namibia University of Technology toward the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted using a closed-ended questionnaire. Data were collected from full-time students who were on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic between 29 January to 14 February 2021. The average knowledge about the modes of transmission, protective measures, and clinical symptoms ranged from 78% to 96%. About 31% of student respondents believed the virus was created in a laboratory, and 47% believed the vaccine has negative side effects and therefore, refused to take it. The three main sources of information about COVID-19 were social media (75%), television (63%), and friends and family (50%). The students had an overall positive attitude towards the implementation of NPIs. However, the importance of vaccine safety must be emphasized. Lockdowns should be lifted gradually to reduce the amount of time students are spending on online content. Reopening of classrooms for face-to-face study will bring unquestionable benefits to students and the wider economy.

Aim: The study examines limiting factors associated with cervical cancer Pap smear screening among participants of reproductive age attending a healthcare facility in Namibia., Design: A cross-sectional descriptive and exploratory study was conducted., Methods: The data were collected using a face-to-face interview (qualitative) and a structured questionnaire (quantitative). A total of 49 participants (10 qualitative and 39 quantitative) aged 17-45 years participated in the study., Results: The study revealed that 80% of participants have limited knowledge of cervical cancer, while 49% have never done the test before and 8% were not informed of the screening and risk of the disease. Furthermore, 49% of participants responded that the screening fees are not affordable. Meanwhile, all participants (100%) complained of the long waiting period. Other main barriers for not screening were missed announcements and unsuitable time allocation. Knowledge on cervical cancer and turn-up for Pap smear screening test was low among participants of reproductive age., (© 2022 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the leading malignancies globally and has taken third place in Namibia amongst women aged 15-44 years. Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been proven to increase women's susceptibility to developing cervical carcinoma. Sadly, Namibia carries a twin burden of HIV and cervical cancer. Namibians are aware of HIV/AIDS, but remain poorly informed about cervical cancer. Furthermore, among those who are aware of the disease, low utilisation of screening tests have been reported., Objective: The purpose was to explore perceptions and attitudes held by women about cervical cancer, reasons for low uptake of Pap smear testing amongst those who are aware of the malignancy as well as unearth motivation factors that has fuelled women to go for screening., Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling as a sampling technique. The survey instrument used was a self-administered questionnaire. It consisted of both closed and open ended questions. A total of 136 women were surveyed., Results and Conclusion: The level of awareness for cervical cancer (92.6%) and Pap smear (93.4%) were high. Most were able to identify that Pap smear test is used for screening for pre-cancerous lesions. However, knowledge about the impact of a HIV positive status along with co infection with HPV as the leading causes for progression of invasive cervical carcinoma was not well known. Knowledge about the other risk factors such as multiple sexual partners (39.7%), early sex debut (34.9%) and smoking was poorly demonstrated. This suggests that a high awareness level does not necessarily translate into having a good perception or understanding of a disease. A good attitude towards screening was observed although less than half of the study population reported ever having a test done., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This virus has become a global pandemic with unprecedented mortality and morbidity along with attendant financial and economic crises. Furthermore, COVID-19 can easily be transmitted regardless of religion, race, sex, or status. Globally, high hospitalization rates of COVID-19 patients have been reported, and billions of dollars have been spent to contain the pandemic. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 is a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, which has a significant role in the entry of the virus into the host cell. ACE2 is highly expressed in the type II alveolar cells of the lungs, upper esophagus, stratified epithelial cells, and other tissues in the body. The diminished expressions of ACE2 have been associated with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and immune system dysregulation. Overall, the potential drug candidates that could serve as ACE2 activators or enhance the expression of ACE2 in a disease state, such as COVID-19, hold considerable promise in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reviews the therapeutic potential and pharmacological benefits of the novel ACE2 in the management of COVID-19 using search engines, such as Google, Scopus, PubMed, and PubMed Central., (Copyright: © Oyagbemi, et al.)

Purpose: Infertility has been defined as a couple's failure to conceive after regular and unprotected coitus for 1 year or six months, depending on the age of the female counterpart. Although infertility can result from both the male and/or the female, often the female partner faces pressure since it is believed in some African cultures that a woman without children is like a tree without leaves. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of successful pregnancy outcomes among infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment at the Cape Windhoek Fertility Clinic., Methods: This was a prospective and descriptive cross-sectional case reference study encompassing 178 infertile women visiting the Cape Windhoek Fertility Clinic for ART treatment., Results: The vast majority of the participants (81.5%) were married women. From the 178 infertile women, 96 (53.9%) suffered from primary and 82 (46.1%) from secondary infertility. The predominant cause of complications for infertility among the women studied was defective ovulation (28.7%) and the most common ART treatment administered was IVF/ICSI (52.2%). Only a third (33.1%) of the women who received ART treatment eventually fell pregnant., Conclusion: The outcome of this study may not give a clear indication of the prevalence of infertility among women in the entire Namibian nation due to the costs involved with ART treatment offered mainly at privately owned hospitals and/or clinics, thereby resulting in those who cannot afford treatment to be left out despite being infertile.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The COVID-19 pandemic has created unimaginable and unprecedented global health crisis. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of dollars have been spent, hospitalization overstretched with increasing morbidity and mortality. All these have resulted in unprecedented global economic catastrophe. Several drugs and vaccines are currently being evaluated, tested, and administered in the frantic efforts to stem the dire consequences of COVID-19 with varying degrees of successes. Zinc possesses potential health benefits against COVID-19 pandemic by improving immune response, minimizing infection and inflammation, preventing lung injury, inhibiting viral replication through the interference of the viral genome transcription, protein translation, attachment, and host infectivity. However, this review focuses on the various mechanisms of action of zinc and its supplementation as adjuvant for vaccines an effective therapeutic regimen in the management of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has brought unprecedented untold hardship to both developing and developed countries. The global race for vaccine development against COVID-19 continues with success in sight with attendant increasing hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Available drugs with anti-inflammatory actions have become alternative to stem the tide of COVID-19 with attendant global financial crises. However, Zinc is known to modulate several physiological functions including intracellular signaling, enzyme function, gustation, and olfaction, as well as reproductive, skeletal, neuronal, and cardiovascular systems. Hence, achieving a significant therapeutic approach against COVID-19 could imply the use of zinc as a supplement together with available drugs and vaccines waiting for emergency authorization to win the battle of COVID-19. Together, it becomes innovative and creative to supplement zinc with currently available drugs and vaccines., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The Catharanthus roseus plant has been used traditionally to treat diabetes mellitus. Scientific evidence supporting the antidiabetic effects of this plant's active ingredient-vindoline has not been fully evaluated. In this study, extracts of C. roseus and vindoline were tested for antioxidant activities, alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory activities and insulin secretory effects in pancreatic RIN-5F cell line cultured in the absence of glucose, at low and high glucose concentrations. The methanolic extract of the plant showed the highest antioxidant activities in addition to the high total polyphenolic content ( p < 0.05). The HPLC results exhibited increased concentration of vindoline in the dichloromethane and the ethylacetate extracts. Vindoline showed noticeable antioxidant activity when compared to ascorbic acid at p < 0.05 and significantly improved the in vitro insulin secretion. The intracellular reactive oxygen species formation in glucotoxicity-induced cells was significantly reduced following treatment with vindoline, methanolic and the dichloromethane extracts when compared to the high glucose untreated control ( p < 0.05). Plant extracts and vindoline showed weaker inhibitory effects on the activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes when compared to acarbose, which inhibited the activities of the enzymes by 80%. The plant extracts also exhibited weak alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory effects.

Dyslipidaemia, an irregular aggregate of lipids in the blood is common in diabetes and cardiovascular disease sufferers. A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of dyslipidaemia was performed among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the Western Cape, South Africa. Patients ( n = 100) that participated in the study were within the age range of 19-68 years, of whom 89% were observed to have serum lipid abnormalities. Out of the 100 patients, 56%, 64%, 61%, and 65% were recorded to have high total cholesterol (TC), hypertriglycemia, increased low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C), and reduced high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. In male diabetic patients, a marked prevalence of (94%) dyslipidemia was noted, of which 52% were affected by high TC (5.3-7.9 mmol/L), with 70% having a high level of triglyceride (TG) [1.72-7.34 mmol/L], while 60% had a high LDL-C (3.1-5.5 mmol/L), including 78% with low HDL-C (0.7-1.1 mmol/L). In comparison, 84% of diabetic females had dyslipidemia, with high TC (5.1-8.1 mmol/L), hypertriglycemia (1.73-8.63 mmol/L), high LDL-C (3.1-5.6 mmol/L), and low levels of HDL-C (0.8-1.1 mmol/L) affecting 60%, 58%, 62%, and 52% of the patients, respectively. This study showed the importance of screening and the regular surveillance of dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients as there is a paucity of data on it in Africa.

A reference range is an essential part of clinical laboratory test interpretation and patient care. The levels of total serum protein (TSP) are measured in sera to assess nutritional, liver, and kidney disorders. This study determined the TSP reference range with respect to gender, age, and region in Namibia. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the TSP reference range among 78,477 healthy participants within the ages of less than one year to more than 65 yrs in 14 regions of Namibia. The reference range of TSP was 51-91 g/L for females and 51-92 g/L for males. A reduced TSP range of 48.00-85.55 g/L (2.5-97.5 percentiles) was established at <1-5 years and increased towards adolescence. An uttermost range of 54-93 g/L was observed from 36-65 years of age. At the age >65 years; a steady decline in the reference range (51.00-89 g/L) was recorded. An upper TSP range of 53-92 g/L (2.5-97.5 percentiles) was detected in Erongo, Zambezi, Hardap, Kavango East, and a comparable trend was also seen in Omusati with a 54-91 g/L range. Meanwhile; a reduced TSP range of 50-89 g/L was identified in Ohangwena. This study showed that gender, age, and geographical location can impact TSP levels with a significant clinical difference ( p < 0.05) between each category.

Vindoline, an indole alkaloid present in the leaves of Catharanthus roseus plant, has been recently reported to have insulotropic effects. This present study evaluated the possible hepatoprotective effects of vindoline in a type 2 diabetes mellitus rat model. Diabetes mellitus was induced by exposing rats to 10% fructose water for two weeks followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin (STZ). Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8) and treated daily for 6 weeks with the vehicle via oral gavage, vindoline (20 mg/kg) or glibenclamide (5 mg/kg). Weekly fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and body weight were measured and recorded. Administration of vindoline significantly (p < 0.05) reduced FBG by 15% when compared to the diabetic controls. Vindoline significantly (p < 0.05) decreased diabetes-induced hepatic injury shown by decreased levels of serum alanine transferase (ALT) (-42%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (-42%) and alkaline phosphatase (-62%) compared to the diabetic controls. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were also improved following treatment with vindoline. The results also showed decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-ɑ by (-41%) and IL-6 (-28%) which may have also contributed to the reduction of serum triglycerides (-65%) in the diabetic group treated with vindoline. Histopathological findings showed improvement of both the hepatic and pancreatic tissues following vindoline treatment. Overall, these findings suggest that vindoline may protect the diabetic hepatic tissue from injury via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertriglyceredemia mechanisms thereby retarding the development of diabetic complications., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

The mechanism of the previously reported antidiabetic effect of Basella alba is unknown. This study investigated the role of B. alba aqueous leaf extract in the modulation of inflammatory cytokines and islet morphology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Forty male Wistar rats, between 8 and 10 weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10) and administered the following treatments: Healthy control (H-c) and Diabetic control (D-c) animals received normal saline 0.5 mL/100 g body weight daily, while Healthy Treatment (H-Ba) and Diabetic Treatment (D-Ba) rats received the plant extract 200 mg/kg body weight daily. All treatments were administered by oral gavage. Diabetes was induced in D-c and D-Ba rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body). The body weight and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels were recorded every week for 4 weeks, after which the rats were euthanized and samples collected for further analysis. After the experiment, FBS level was significantly reduced ( p < 0.0001) in rats in the D-Ba group, but increased ( p < 0.001) in rats in the D-c group. The absolute (H-c and H-Ba vs D-c, p < 0.05) and relative (D-Ba vs H-c, p < 0.05; D-Ba vs H-Ba, p < 0.005) weights of the pancreases were significantly higher after the experiment. The rats in the D-c group had significantly higher levels of serum interleukin-1β ( p < 0.001 vs H-c; p < 0.05 vs H-Ba and D-Ba) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 ( p < 0.0001), but lower levels of interleukin-10 ( p < 0.05) in comparison with the other groups. Histopathological examination revealed severe interstitial congestion, reduced islet area ( p < 0.0001), and increased islet cell density in the D-c group compared with those in the D-Ba group. From these findings, it was concluded that the aqueous extract of B. alba stimulates the recovery of beta-islet morphology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by modulating the peripheral production of inflammatory cytokines., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare no conflict of interest with regard to the publication of any part of this study.

Background: Oxidative stress is frequently identified as a key element in the pathophysiology of many complications of diabetes mellitus, including reproductive complications. The antioxidant potential of medicinal plants have been suggested for therapeutic focus of diseases in recent reports., Objective: To investigate the effect of Basella alba (Ba) aqueous leave extract on diabetes-induced oxidative stress., Materials and Methods: Forty male Wistar rats (8-10 weeks) were randomly divided into four groups ( n = 10) and treated as follows; Control (C + Ns) and Diabetic (D + Ns) animals received oral normal saline 0.5 ml/100 g body weight daily, while Healthy Treatment (H + Ba) and Diabetic Treatment (D + Ba) rats were given Ba extract at an oral dose of 200 mg/kg body weight daily. Treatment was by gavage and lasted 4 weeks in all groups. Diabetes was induced in D + Ns and D + Ba rats by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) recorded weekly in all rats afterwards. Animals were euthanized at the end of the experiment and blood samples, pancreas, testes, and epididymis were preserved for analysis of oxidative stress biomarkers., Results: Oral administration of aqueous leave extract of Ba significantly ( P < 0.0001) lowered FBS in D + Ba rats. There was significantly higher blood superoxide dismutase activity and serum ferric reducing antioxidant power, but lower serum concentration of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in D + Ba compared to D + Ns rats ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Ba exerts antioxidant effects in the gonads by enhancing antioxidant parameters in circulating blood, but not necessarily in the gonadal tissues., Summary: Oral treatment of diabetic rats with aqueous leave extract of Basella alba exerts antioxidant effects in the gonads by enhancing antioxidant parameters in circulating blood, but not necessarily in the gonadal tissues. Abbreviations Used: AP - Antioxidant parameters, Ba - Basella alba , CAT - Catalase, CDs - Conjugated dienes, DM - Diabetes mellitus, FBS - Fasting blood sugar, FRAP - Ferric reducing antioxidant power, GSH - reduced glutathione, Ns - Normal saline, ORAC - oxygen radical antioxidant capacity, RNS - reactive nitrogen species, ROS - reactive oxygen species, SOD - superoxide dismutase, TAC - Total antioxidant capacity, TBARS - thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TEAC - trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: The number of individuals with diabetes is increasing daily, and diabetes is presently estimated to affect about 422 million adults worldwide. Conventional drugs used to treat diabetes are not without severe side effects, accessibility, and affordability. This study elucidates the potential effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves extract to manage and treat diabetes induced in male Wistar rats., Materials and Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups ( n = 12/group): NC - nondiabetic rats (positive control), MO - nondiabetic-treated rats, DM - diabetic rats (negative control), DM + MO - diabetic-treated rats. Hepatic enzymes and biochemical parameters as well as antioxidant capacity and inflammatory cytokine levels were assessed. Levels of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol were evaluated., Results: Oral administration of methanolic extract of MO (250 mg/kg) to diabetic rats for 42 days showed a significant reduction in hepatic enzyme markers and normalized lipid profile parameters in the serum compared to normal control group. Treatment also increased the level of antioxidant capacity and alleviated inflammatory biomarkers of the liver. Histology sections of the liver tissue showed protective effect of MO in treated rats., Conclusions: MO showed hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering effects against streptozotocin-induced hepatotoxicity. Histological section demonstrated specific alterations in the liver of the diabetic and nondiabetic male Wistar rats while MO treatment revealed improvement in liver alterations., Abbreviations Used: IL 1: Interleukin 1, IL 6: Interleukin 16, MCP-1: Monocyte chemotactic protein, TNF-α: Tumor Necrotic factor alpha, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, MO: Moringa oleifera , STZ: Streptozotocin, SRC: Standard rat chow, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, ORAC: Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, LDL: Low density lipoprotein, HDL: High density lipoprotein, CHOL: Total cholesterol., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease of multiple aetiologies in insulin secretion. A deficiency in insulin results in hyperglycemia with metabolic disturbances of biomolecules. Moringa oleifera (MO) is endemic in the tropics with a variety of ethnomedicinal importance. The leaf of this plant has been reported to possess antioxidant and medicinal properties that may be helpful in the treatment and management of diabetes and its associated complications. Diabetes was induced intraperitoneally in rats by a single dose of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) and treated with methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera (250 mg/kg b.wt) for six weeks. Forty-eight (48) adult male Wistar strain rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control (NC), Moringa oleifera treated control rats (NC + MO), diabetic rats (DM) and Moringa oleifera treated diabetic rats (DM + MO). Estimation of antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols, flavonoids and flavonols content of Moringa oleifera extract was performed and serum biochemical markers were evaluated. Antioxidants such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, glutathione (GSH) and inflammatory biomarkers were determined in the kidney. Results showed high antioxidant capacities of MO extract and improved serum biochemical markers, whilst lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels were reduced in non-diabetic and diabetic rats after MO treatment when compared to normal control. Subsequent administration of MO led to an increased concentration of serum albumin, globulin and total protein with a decrease in the level of MDA, and improvements in CAT, SOD, GSH, GPx, (tumour necrosis factor-alpha)TNF-α and (interleukin-6)IL-6. MO contains potent phytochemical constituents that offer protective action against diabetic-induced renal damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation and could therefore play a role in reducing diabetic complications, particularly in developing countries such as in Africa where the majority cannot afford orthodox medicine.

Background. Hypoxis hemerocallidea is a native plant that grows in the Southern African regions and is well known for its beneficial medicinal effects in the treatment of diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. Aim. This study evaluated the effects of Hypoxis hemerocallidea on oxidative stress biomarkers, hepatic injury, and other selected biomarkers in the liver and kidneys of healthy nondiabetic and streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 50 mg/kg of STZ to induce diabetes. The plant extract-Hypoxis hemerocallidea (200 mg/kg or 800 mg/kg) aqueous solution was administered (daily) orally for 6 weeks. Antioxidant activities were analysed using a Multiskan Spectrum plate reader while other serum biomarkers were measured using the RANDOX chemistry analyser. Results. Both dosages (200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg) of Hypoxis hemerocallidea significantly reduced the blood glucose levels in STZ-induced diabetic groups. Activities of liver enzymes were increased in the diabetic control and in the diabetic group treated with 800 mg/kg, whereas the 200 mg/kg dosage ameliorated hepatic injury. In the hepatic tissue, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), catalase, and total glutathione were reduced in the diabetic control group. However treatment with both doses improved the antioxidant status. The FRAP and the catalase activities in the kidney were elevated in the STZ-induced diabetic group treated with 800 mg/kg of the extract possibly due to compensatory responses. Conclusion. Hypoxis hemerocallidea demonstrated antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects especially in the liver tissue.

Background: Diabetes mellitus characterized by hyperglycaemia could affect sperm quality as a result of increased oxidative stress. This study was performed to investigate the effects of red palm oil (RPO), aqueous rooibos tea extracts (RTE) as well as their combination (RPO + RTE) on sperm motility parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats., Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced by a single administration of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) and the rats were treated with red palm oil (2 ml/day) and / or aqueous rooibos tea extract (2%) for 7 weeks. Sperm motility parameters were measured using Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer (CASA)., Results: Hyperglycaemia negatively affected the sperm progressive motility significantly at p<0.05. There was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in sperm linearity (LIN) in the diabetic group when compared with the normal control group. RPO supplemented diabetic rats exhibited increased progressive sperm motility, sperm linearity (LIN) and wobble (WOB). Significant decreases (p<0.05) in straight line velocity (VSL) and average path velocity (VAP) of the sperms were observed in all the diabetic groups when compared to the control group. Significant (p<0.05) elevated levels of WOB and LIN were observed following RTE treatment and co-administration with RPO respectively., Conclusion: The present study suggests that red palm oil and / or rooibos administration exhibited no adverse effects on sperm motility parameters but rather showed some beneficial effects.

Male Wistar rats (n = 54) received daily supplementation of red palm oil (RPO: 0, 2, 4 ml). Subgroups were subsequently injected with saline, cumene hydroperoxide (cHP, 10 μm) or t-butyl hydroperoxide (tbHP, 20 μm) over a 60-day period after which animals were sacrificed. Epididymal sperm motility, concentration, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and enzymes were measured. Sperm concentration, motility, superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration, glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activities were significantly lower, while dichlorofluorescein (DCF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were higher in sperm of hydroperoxide-treated animals compared to controls (P < 0.05). DCF and MDA levels were significantly lower, while SOD, CAT and GSH were significantly higher in the sperm of rats supplemented with RPO in combination with hydroperoxide treatment when compared to those receiving hydroperoxide and no RPO supplementation (P < 0.05). Moreover, the DCF, SOD, CAT and GSH levels in the RPO hydroperoxide groups did not differ from control values (P > 0.05). RPO supplementation can successfully attenuate the oxidative stress-induced sperm damage due to organic hydroperoxide exposure. We therefore propose that a daily intake of RPO supplement to the diet might be helpful in protecting males against the adverse effects of high ROS in sperm function and help preserve fertility., (© 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

In this study, two commercially available superoxide scavengers, tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin (Mn[III]TMPyP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as red palm oil (RPO), a natural vegetable oil, had been used to investigate their possible in vitro effects against the toxic effects of superoxide (O(2).) on human sperm motility. Semen samples were obtained from 12 normozoospermic healthy volunteer donors aged between 19 and 23 years. The O(2). donor 2,3-dimetoxyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (DMNQ) (2.5 micromol L(-1)-100 micromol L(-1)) was added to normozoospermic post-swim-up sperm in the presence or absence of Mn(III)TMPyP (50 micromol L(-1)), SOD (50 IU) or RPO (0.1% or 0.5%). Computer-assisted semen analysis was used to analyze various motility parameters. The parameters of interest were percentage of motile cells, progressive motility, rapid cells and static cells. Concentrations of higher than 25 micromol L(-1) DMNQ were detrimental to sperm motility. Mn(III)TMPyP was able to attenuate the effect of O(2). on the motility parameters. In vitro addition of SOD and RPO showed harmful effects on sperm motility.