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To estimate the repro-protective effect of royal jelly (RJ) on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anemia's detrimental effects, 24 mature mice were divided into control group (0.10 mL normal saline; intra-peritoneally), RJ group (100 mg/kg/day; orally), experimental anemia (EA) group that received only PHZ (6 mg/100 g/48 h; intra-peritoneally), and RJ + EA (according to the previous prescription) group. After 35 days, testicular histoarchitecture, RNA damage in germinal cells, sperm characteristics, testicular total anti-oxidant capacity and malondialdehyde as well as serum testosterone levels, pre-implantation embryo development and cyclin D1 and c-myc mRNA levels at two-cell, morula and blastocyst stages were analyzed. Spermatogenesis indices were ameliorated following RJ co-administration. Moreover, RJ co-treatment reduced germinal cells RNA damage, improved sperm characteristics, boosted pre-implantation embryo development and restored androgenesis, and oxidant/anti-oxidant status. Co-administration of RJ also decreased mRNA levels of cyclin D1 and up-regulated those of c-myc in two-cell embryos, morulas and blastocysts. The findings suggest that RJ can play a repro-protective role in PHZ-induced anemia in mice through anti-oxidant defense system reinforcement and androgenesis restoration as well as cyclin D1 and c-myc expressions regulation.

Background Based on the information from other SARS-CoV infections in the patients recovered from COVID-19, particularly cases in the reproductive age, gonadal function evaluation and andrological consultation comprising semen analysis are recommended. Main body Based on the COVID-19 infected patients’ seminal fluid analyses, SARS-CoV-2 may employ the male reproductive system as a transmission pathway. It has been also demonstrated that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) can be strongly expressed at the protein levels in the testicular cells. The high expression of ACE2 in testes suggests that testes in the COVID-19 infected males can have an important role in the viral persistence and this subject needs further investigations. Several researchers have examined males recovered from COVID-19, but still, large-scale experiments are needed to determine the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the male reproductive system as well as viral transmission risk. Conclusion Comprehensive researches are required to figure out the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in seminal fluid as well as its sexual transmissibility and impact on sperm characteristics.

Context Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of feedstuffs causes detrimental effects on animals and poultry. Dietary inclusion of microbial feed additives, such as probiotics and/or yeast, seems to be a useful approach for DON detoxification and reducing the toxin absorption from the gut. Aims This study was conducted to evaluate the synergetic effects of a probiotic (Lactobacillus spp.), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mycotoxin detoxifier on performance, serum chemical parameters and immune status of broiler chickens fed a DON-contaminated diet. Methods A total of 200 1-day-old female broilers (Hubbard®) were allocated to five dietary treatments with four replicates each in a completely randomised design. Experimental diets consisted of: (1) control diet (basal diet), (2) DON diet (basal diet contaminated with 10 mg/kg DON), (3) DON diet supplemented with 0.25% mycotoxin detoxifier (Mycofix® Plus), (4) DON diet supplemented with a combination of 0.4 g/kg probiotic and 1.5 g/kg yeast, and (5) DON diet supplemented with a combination of a probiotic, yeast and mycotoxin detoxifier. Key results The results showed that the DON diet significantly increased the feed conversion ratio compared with mycotoxin detoxifier and control diets. Administration of 0.4 g/kg probiotic along with 1.5 g/kg yeast to a DON-contaminated diet caused a significant enhancement of dressing percentage, leg relative weight and aspartate aminotransferase enzyme activity. The DON-contaminated diet reduced total protein, albumin, triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations, but consumption of a probiotic, yeast and mycotoxin detoxifier improved the levels of these parameters. The DON-treated birds showed a reduction in haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cells and blood lymphocyte percentage in comparison with control levels. The inclusion of a combination of a probiotic and yeast along with mycotoxin detoxifier diminished the increased heterophil: lymphocyte ratio by DON administration. The antibody titre against Newcastle disease virus vaccine increased by inclusion of a probiotic, yeast and Mycofix. Conclusions In summary, a combination of a probiotic and yeast along with mycotoxin detoxifier can improve the enzyme activity, immunity and haematological attributes, which are useful for DON-contaminated diet detoxification. Implications Dietary supplementation with a probiotic, yeast and mycotoxin detoxifier could be used as an alternative to detoxification DON in broiler chickens.

Objective: To scrutinize the protective role of royal jelly as an antioxidant on nicotine-induced changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, p53 expression, in vitro fertilization (IVF) rate, and early embryo development in adult female rats. Methods: A total of 56 adult female Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups (n=7 in each group). Group 1 served as an untreated control group, group 2, 3 and 4 received nicotine at a dose of 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg/kg respectively, group 5 received royal jelly at a dose of 100.00 mg/kg, and group 6, 7 and 8 received 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg/kg nicotine, respectively, with 100.00 mg/kg body weight royal jelly. Nicotine and royal jelly were administered daily for 49 days in the experimental groups intra-peritoneally and orally, respectively. At the end of the experimental period, p53 expression, IVF rate and early embryo development as well as MDA concentration were measured. Results: The IVF rate, number of cumulus oocytes, two-cell embryos and blastocysts decreased in the nicotine-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, p53 mRNA expression and MDA levels increased in the nicotine-treated groups. Royal jelly co-administration led to partial improvement in the aforementioned parameters. Conclusions: Royal jelly may have a repro-protective effect in nicotine-administered female rats in terms of its anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different levels of Lactobacillus species and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a toxin binder in deoxynivalenol (DON) diet on immune parameters, gut morphology and jejunal gene expression in broiler chickens. Three hundred sixty-one-day-old female broilers were assigned into nine treatments with four replicates each in a completely randomised design (3 × 3 factorial arrangement) including three levels of Lactobacillus (0, 0.20 and 0.40 g/kg) and yeast (0, 0.75 and 1.50 g/kg) in DON contaminated diets. The results showed that DON challenged birds showed suppressed spleen relative weight and reduced white blood cell and lymphocyte percentage, while inclusion the highest level of Lactobacillus sp. and yeast to DON diet improved these parameters (p

Background: Paraquat (PQ), an herbicide, is a very poisonous compound for both humans and animals. This study was conducted to examine the protective effect of the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in newborn rats from pregnant rats pre-treated with PQ. Methods: The experiments were conducted on 25 rats, divided in five groups randomly and equally: 1. Control Group received normal saline (0.1 ml/day); 2. PQ Group received PQ only (5 mg/kg/day); 3. PQ+CoQ10 Group received PQ (5 mg/kg) and CoQ10 (10 mg/kg) daily; 4. PQ+olive oil Group received PQ (5 mg/kg) and olive oil (10 mg/kg) daily; 5. Olive oil Group received olive oil (10 mg/kg/day). All of the injections were made intraperitoneally and started on the 16th day of pregnancy through to parturition. Sixteen days after parturition, the lungs were removed from the newborn rats, paraffin sections were made and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and analyzed histomorphometrically and stereologically. Results: The results revealed that interstitial tissue and lung alveoli had normal structures in the control and olive oil groups. In PQ and PQ-olive oil groups alveolar hemorrhage, inflammation, extensive fibrosis, decreased alveolar numbers, increased mast cells, and changes in the epithelia were observed. In PQ-CoQ10 Group there was a significant recovery in all of the histological alterations. Conclusion: Generally, Coenzyme Q10 had a protective effect against lung damages caused by PQ, but a complete recovery of the damaged lung tissue would probably take longer than 16 days after birth.

Background and Aim: Visceral leishmaniasis, a native disease in developing countries, can cause functional impairment in various organs, including the reproductive system, which can lead to infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stereological, morphometric and morphological changes of testicular histoarchitecture in an experimental murine model of visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 20 adult male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into two equal groups including control and experimental (infected with visceral leishmaniasis) groups. In the experimental group, infection was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 ml of a solution containing 12 × 106 promastigotes of Leishmania infantum in the stationary phase. 6 weeks after the start of the study, all the mice were euthanized after induction of anesthesia, then the spleens and testicles of the animals were removed immediately under sterile condition and examined for signs of infection and histological changes. Results: The experimental group showed significant reductions in the diameter, germinal epithelium height, cross-sectional area, quality, maturation and number of seminiferous tubules as well as obvious testicular morphological changes including severe and spermatogenic cell maturation arrest in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: The results indicated that visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice may lead to testicular histological injuries because of incitement of inflammatory reactions, microcirculatory disruption, and involvement of the hematopoietic system. Keywords: Histology, Mouse, Testis, Visceral leishmaniasis

This study describes the effects of royal jelly (RJ) on testicular injury induced by nicotine (NIC) in mice. Thirty-six male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6). Group 1 received normal saline, group 2 received 100 mg/kgBW/day RJ, groups 3 and 4 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg/kgBW/day, respectively, and groups 5 and 6 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg/kg BW/day, respectively, plus RJ. Following 35 days, the serum level of testosterone, histopathological changes, germ cell apoptosis, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and antioxidant indexes including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and catalase (CAT) activity were determined. In addition, the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis was investigated by assessing the Bcl-2, p53, and Caspase-3 mRNA levels expression by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Compared to NIC receiving groups, the concomitant administration of RJ could protect the testosterone reduction and histological damages. After RJ treatment, the level of tissue MDA content decreased, while tissue TAC and CAT levels were remarkably increased compared to NIC-exposed groups. Remarkable higher TUNEL-positive germ cells and low PCNA index were observed in NIC receiving groups. Besides, the expression level of Bcl-2 was significantly higher and the p53 and Caspase-3 levels were significantly lower in the RJ co-administration groups than NIC-only receiving groups. Our results confirmed that RJ effectively protects the testis against NIC evoked damages by antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects involving the up regulation of the antioxidant status, mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway prevention, and the proliferating activity improvement.

Introduction: Scrotal hyperthermia has been known as a cause of male infertility. Testicular heat-stress even for a single short period can induce destruction in testicular tissue and spermatogenesis disturbances. This study was conducted to determine the protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) against testicular damage and spermatogenesis following heat-stress induction in male rats. Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, 48 male rats were randomly divided into 8 groups (n=6( including: 1- Control, 2- RJ (100 mg/kg BW/day; PO), 3 , 4 and 5 heat-stressed (43, 39, and 37 for 20 min per day, respectively) and 6, 7 and 8 heat-stressed along with RJ (43, 39, and 37 for 20 min per day, respectively plus RJ at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW/day; PO). Heat-stress was induced through immersion of experimental rat scrotums in a water bath. After 48 days, the animals were sacrificed and left testes were removed and fixed. Five-micrometer testicular tissue sections were prepared and studied using a light microscope. Findings: The data revealed that diameter and germinal epithelium height of the seminiferous tubules, thickness of basement membrane, number of spermatogenic and Sertoli cells, and testicular weight decreased significantly (p

Testicular heat stress (HS) can lead to testicular tissue destruction and spermatogenesis disturbances. Royal Jelly (RJ) has been introduced as a potent antioxidant. We investigated the effects of RJ on testicular tissue, oxidative stress and sperm apoptosis in HS-exposed rats. Compared to HS-exposed groups, RJ co-treatment could improve testosterone reduction and histopathological damages. The RJ co-administration decreased MDA level in testicular tissue, while TAC and CAT levels were remarkably increased compared to HS-exposed groups. Moreover, significant higher expression level of Bcl-2 and lower expression levels of P53 and Caspase-3 were seen following RJ co-administration compared to HS-exposed groups. Our data suggest that RJ can effectively ameliorate experimental HS-induced testiculopathies in rats through testicular antioxidant defense system restoration and germ cells apoptosis regulation.

Background: Co-administration of opioid agonists and antagonists at low doses has been reported to significantly enhance and/or prolong the analgesic effects and reduce or prevent tolerance to or dependence on opioids. Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating the naloxone effect on morphine-induced histopathological and hematologic changes in rats. Materials and Mehods: Thirty mature male Wistar rats were categorized into three groups (n = 10) in a random manner, including the control group receiving normal saline, the morphine-sole group receiving morphine (5 mg/kg/day), and morphine + naloxone group receiving morphine and naloxone (5 and 0.4 mg/kg/day, respectively). After 50 days, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were measured in the serum. Moreover, the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured to assess the serum antioxidant capacity. Histopathological changes were investigated via hematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff staining. Inter-group comparisons were made by GraphPad Prism software using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Results: The animals in the morphine + naloxone group showed higher AST, ALP, ALT, and CAT levels in comparison with the control and morphine-sole groups (P < 0.05). Our findings revealed no changes in the cholesterol, TG, SOD, and GPx levels among the groups (P > 0.05). However, the morphine-sole group exhibited higher serum levels of HDL compared with the controls (P < 0.05). The morphine-sole group showed fibrosis, local necrosis, immune cell infiltration, and diminished intra-cytoplasmic carbohydrate storage. Conclusions: The findings suggest that apart from unchanged serum markers, morphine can potentially induce hepatotoxicity, and at the same time, naloxone is able to ameliorate morphine-induced histopathological damages.

Foeniculum vulgare (FVE; fennel) is an aromatic plant belonging to Umbelliferae family, which is widely used in traditional societies because of its different pharmaceutical properties. To uncover the fennel-derived essential oil (FVEO)-induced effects on male reproductive potential, 24 mature male albino mice were divided into, control, 0.37, 0.75, and 1.5 mg kg-1 FVEO-received groups. Following 35 days, the animals were euthanized and the testicular tissue and sperm samples were collected. The histological alterations, tubular differentiation (TDI), spermiogenesis (SPI) indices, apoptosis ratio, and RNA damage of germinal cells were analyzed. Moreover, the sperm count, motility, viability, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation were assessed. Finally, the pre-implantation embryo development including; the percentage of zygote, 2-cell embryos and blastocysts were assessed. Observations showed that the FVEO, dose dependently, increased histological damages, resulted in germ cells dissociation, depletion, nuclear shrinkage and significantly (P

Introdution:. Increased plasma cholesterol causes hepatic damages through oxidative stress (OS) induction. There are many investigations about hawthorn effects on lipid reduction and atherosclerosis. The goal of current study was to determine the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Crataegus aronia fruit (HECA) and atorvastatin (AVS) on hypercholesterolemia-induced alterations in serum lipid profile and OS in hepatic tissue of female rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 42 female rats were assigned into 7 groups including control, diet-induced hypercholesterolemia (DIH), DIH + HECA (200 mg/kg/day; Per Oral (PO)), DIH + HECA (400 mg/kg/day; PO), DIH + AVS (10 mg/kg/day; PO), HECA (200 mg/kg/day; PO) and AVS (10 mg/kg/day; PO). After 30 days, blood and hepatic tissue samples were collected for biochemical and histological analyses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's statistical tests using SPSS software. Results: Hypercholesterolemia resulted in significant increases in levels of serum lipids, hepatic enzymes and malondialdehyde in hepatic tissue as well as reductions in total antioxidant capacity and catalase level in liver compared to control group. Moreover, DIH led to significant increases in diameters of hepatocytes and their nuclei along with inflammation and cellular necrosis in hepatic tissue. Administration of HECA and AVS significantly restored above-mentioned parameters compared to DIH group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that HECA can play a protective role against hepatic damages in hypercholesterolemic female rats According to the results of this study, the prevalence of obesity is not high in female students (3 %), but it is necessary to pay particular attention to information on obesity and girls' sports in universities, so that the prevalence of this disease is not increased

Objective Pulegone (PGN) is a monoterpene ketone, whose metabolites exert several cytotoxic effects in various tissues. The present study was conducted in order to evaluate the (R)-(+) PGN-induced alterations in ovarian aromatization, proto-oncogenes and estrogen receptorα (ERα) and ERβ receptors expressions. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, mature albino mice were divided into experimental (received 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg PGN, orally for 35 days) and control (received 2% solution of Tween 80 as a PGN solvent, orally) groups. The mRNA levels of Erα, Erβ, p53, Bcl-2, and cytochrome p450 (Cyp19) as well as ovarian angiogenesis were analyzed through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical techniques, respectively. Moreover, apoptosis of follicular cells, serum estrogen and progesterone levels and mRNA damage were investigated via using terminal transferase and biotin-16-dUTP staining, electrochemilunescence and fluorescent microscopy methods, respectively. Results The PGN reduced Erα, Erβ and Cyp19 expression at 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg doses, while significantly elevating p53 and reducing Bcl-2 expression. Finally, PGN impaired ovarian angiogenesis, increased apoptosis, elevated follicular atresia and reduced serum levels of estrogen and progesterone. Conclusion Chronic exposure to PGN (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg), severely affects ovarian aromatization, proto- oncogenes mRNA levels and expression of ERs.

Background: The babesias are the second common blood parasites in mammalian after trypanosomes and babesiosis as an emerging zoonotic disease has caused great concern. The aim of this study was to examine testicular histological alterations following experimental babesiosis induction by Babesia bigemina in mouse. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 24 adult male mice were randomly divided into four equal groups including untreated control, sham (receiving 2.0 ml normal saline intraperitoneally at the time of babesiosis induction), splenectomy and experimental babesiosis. Groups Experimental babesiosis was induced in splenectomized mice through 2.0 ml intraperitoneal injection of the infected heparinized blood sample belonging to a cow with confirmed B. bigemina infection. All animals were euthanized after 5 days and testicular histology was evaluated following confirmation of infection using microscopic and molecular analyses. Results: The experimental babesiosis caused a significant reduction in the cross-sectional area, quality, maturation and number of seminiferous tubules cross-sections as well as severe testicular morphological alterations such as distinct hypospermatogenesis and spermatogenic maturation arrest compared to control, sham and splenectomy groups. Conclusion: Findings of this study show that B. bigemina infection can lead to testicular damage in mice probably through microcirculatory disruption and blood flow reduction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: As a medicinal compound, nicotine has adverse effects on the male reproductive system. Since royal jelly can modify the oxidative stress through its antioxidant properties, this study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of royal jelly on testicular tissue and sperm parameters in adult mice treated with nicotine. METHODS: In this experimental study, 36 adult male mice were randomly divided into six groups of six. The first group received physiologic serum, the second group received royal jelly at 100 mg / kg / day, and the third and fourth groups received nicotine at 0.5 mg / kg / day and 1 mg / kg / day, respectively. The fifth and sixth groups received 0.5 mg / kg / day and 1 mg / kg / day royal jelly in addition to nicotine, respectively. After weighing and dissection, left testicles were used for histological studies and left epididymal sperm were used for sperm evaluations. FINDINGS: Nicotine caused a significant decrease in spermatogonial cells (0.5: 36.40±2.92 and 1: 31.80±5.12) and significant increase in non-motile (0.5: 36.40±2.92 and 1: 31.80±5.12), dead (0.5: 19.06±0.71 and 1: 25.38±1.41) and abnormal (0.5: 17.07±0.68 and 1: 32.25±1.27) sperm compared with the control group (8.12±0.27, 11.08±1.03 and 8.36±0.61, respectively) (p

Introduction: Cyclophosphamide (CP) as a widely used chemotherapeutic agent causes several side effects including reproductive toxicities. The Objective of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of lactoferrin (LFN) with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties against CP-evoked reproductive toxicity in mouse. Materials & methods: In this experimental study, 32 adult female NMRI mice were divided into 4 groups of 8. Cyclophosphamide was administered to two groups of mice at a dose of 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally on days 1 and 14. One of these groups received LFN at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg orally four hours after CP treatment. Vehicle-treated control group and LFN-only treated group were also included. In vitro fertilization was evaluated in all animals after 28 days. Findings: Cyclophosphamide administration resulted in significant reduction in fertilization and blastulation rates. Co-administration of LFN with CP restored above-mentioned parameters toward normal values. Discussion & conclusions: These findings indicate that LFN can have potential protective effects in CP-induced reprotoxicities.

Introduction: It has been shown that mobile radiations (MRs) have detrimental effects on brain histoarchitecture and vitamin E as a powerful antioxidant can exhibit neuroprotective effects. This study was carried out to evaluate the protective effects of vitamin E against MRs-induced histological changes in rat brain. Methods: Adult female Wistar rats were randomly categorized into 4 groups (n₌6), including untreated control, experimental group1 (14 days exposure to mobile calls, 12 times every day and each time for 10 minutes by Huawei H30–U10 cell phone and then, sampling on day 15), experimental group2 (14 days treatment and then, sampling after 40 days) and experimental group3 (radiation + vitamin E 100 mg/kg intramuscularly before MRs exposure). Results: MRS-treatedrats showed significant reduction in body weight with an increase in brain relative weight. Moreover, MRS resulted in oxidative stress in brain tissue as well as increase in numbers of neurons with pyknotic nuclei in rats hippocampus. Interestingly, vitamin E co-administration led to oxidative stress suppression in brain tissue and nuclear pyknosis reduction in rats hippocampus. Conclusion: Vitamin E can attenuate MRs- induced histological alterations and oxidative stress in rat hippocampus probably due to antioxidant activities.

This study explores the effect of curcumin nano-micelle (NCMN) on the testicular anti-oxidant status and heat shock proteins (Hsp) 70–2a and Hsp 90 expression. Therefore, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into control, 7.50 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, and 30 mg/kg of NCMN-received groups. Following 48 days, the testicular total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, immunoreactivity of 8-oxodG, Hsp70–2a and Hsp90 expressions, germ cell’s DNA and mRNA damages, the spermatozoa count, motility and DNA integrity were assessed. With no change in the testicular TAC level, the TOS, MDA and GSH contents were increased in the NMC-received groups. However, CAT and GPX activities were decreased. The NCMN suppressed spermatogenesis, increased immunoreactivity of 8-oxodG, stimulated the Hsp70–2a and Hsp90 expressions, and resulted in severe DNA and mRNA damages. Moreover, the NCMN-received animals exhibited remarkable reductions in the spermatozoa count, motility and DNA integrity. In conclusion, chronic and high dose consumption of NCMN initiates OS, and in response to OS, the Hsp70–2a and Hsp90 expression increases. However, considering enhanced DNA and mRNA damages and suppressed spermatogenesis, HSPs over-expression can neither boost the anti-oxidant system nor overcome the NCMN-induced OS-related damages.

Introduction: Numerous studies suggest that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has adverse effects on male sexual function and testicular tissue. Vitamin E (Vit E) is a dietary compound with antioxidant scavenging function for toxic free radicals. Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (n=6) including control, Vit E (150 mg/kg/bw/day), PVC (200 mg/kg/bw/day), PVC (1000 mg/kg/bw/day), PVC (200 mg/kg/bw/day) + Vit E (150 mg/kg/bw/day), PVC (1000 mg/kg/bw/day) + Vit E (150 mg/kg/bw/day). The administration route was oral and experiment lasted 40 days. Each rat was weighed at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Left testis was transferred to 10% formalin. The right testis was transferred to -70 ◦C for determining oxidative stress markers. Data were analyzed in SPSS software using Tukey test. Results: Oral administration of PVC significantly decreased body and testes weights in the male rats. Furthermore, PVC significantly reduced height of germinal epithelium, diameter of seminiferous tubules, number of Leydig cells as well as catalase and total antioxidant capacity levels (p

Introduction: Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used antineoplastic compound, is associated with testicular damage and infertility. This study was carried out to disclose the possible preventive effects of simvastatin (SIM), a lipid lowering agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, against testicular morphometric-stereological changes due to DOX treatment in mice. Materials & methods: Male mice, five weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups of six mice each. The DOX was administered to two groups of mice in 5 equal intraperitoneal injections over a period of 4 weeks (4 mg/kg). One of these groups received 5 equal oral doses of SIM (12 mg/kg) along with DOX. A vehicle-treated control group and a SIM control group were also included. Morphometric measurement was determined using calibrated ocular micrometer. Findings: Histomorphometrical examinations revealed significant reductions in the seminiferous tubules diameters and their epithelial heights along with an increase in testicular capsule thickness and interstitial space widening in DOX-treated mice. All above-mentioned parameters recovered significantly by SIM co-administration. Discussion & conclusions: These results indicated that SIM may have a preventive role against morphometric-stereological changes caused by DOX in mouse testis.

Introduction: Therapeutic strategies such as chemotherapy can affect gonadal adipose depots. The present study was conducted to assess stereological, morphometric and morphological changes in mouse testicular histoarchitecture structure following bilateral epididymal white adipose tissue lipectomy (BiEWATx) Methods: In this experimental study, adult male mice were divided into three equal groups (n=6). In the lipectomy group, following induction of anesthesia, both epididymal white adipose tissues (EWATs) were harvested by a posterior abdominal incision, with adequate precautions to prevent any damage to neural and vascular structures of the testis. In the sham group, after induction of anesthesia, an incision was made in the posterior abdomen and after manipulation without removal of the adipose tissue, the incision was stitched. In the control group, animals received 100 mg per kilogram of body weight of intraperitoneal ceftriaxone at the time of opening the abdomen in the other two groups. After 35 days, testis of all animals were harvested and histological assessments were subsequently performed. Results: Bilateral epididymal white adipose tissue lipectomy (BiEWATx) led to a significant reduction in diameter, the height of the germinal epithelium, cross-sectional area and numerical density of seminiferous tubules, the number of sections of seminiferous tubules per unit area of testis, and severe morphological changes in the testis tissue compared to the control and sham groups. Conclusion: It appears that BiEWATx can provide the grounds for structural changes in the mice testis.

Background: The effects of cyclosporine (Cs), a fungal cyclic polypeptide with potent immunosuppressive activity, on fertility have assumed greater significance with the increasing numbers of transplantations being performed all over the world. Current study was undertaken to investigate the potential of Satureja khuzestanica Essential Oil (SEO) as an antioxidant to mitigate Cs-induced reprotoxicity. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study (April-July 2012), thirty-two adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 8 animals each. Two groups of rats were administered Cs [40 mg/kg/day, per oral (p.o.)] for 45 days. One of these groups received SEO (225 mg/kg/day, p.o.) four hours after Cs administration. A vehicle-treated control group and a SEO control group were also included. Epididymal sperm characteristics, in vitro fertilizing capacity as well as embryo development were evaluated. For statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test were used, and the value of P

178 Background: The basic pathophysiologic phenomenon in testicular torsion, a common urologic emergency, is ischemia followed by reperfusion. In this study, we evaluated the effect(s) of simvastatin (SIM), a lipid lowering agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on mouse epididymal sperm fertilizing potential and the subsequent in vitro embryo development in experimentally-induced unilateral testicular ischemia-reperfusion (IR). Methods: Adult male mice were divided into four groups (n = 6, each). Following anaesthesia, IR was induced by clamping the left testicular vessels with an atraumatic microvascular clamp for 30 minutes in the IR group. In IR+SIM group, in addition, the mice received SIM (20 mg/kg per day) orally for 3 days starting from the day of induction of the experimental IR. A vehicle-treated control group and a SIM-only treated group were also included. Ipsilateral and contralateral epididymal sperms fertilizing capacity was analyzed in four groups after 35 days. Results: Significant reduction in fertilization as well as blastulation rates were observed in the IR group. However, the SIM treatment considerably attenuated the IR-induced negative alterations in the above-mentioned parameters. Conclusion: These findings revealed the repro-protective effects of SIM on the murine model of IR through the inhibition of oxidative injuries and inflammatory reactions.

Background and Objectives: Phenylhydrazine (PHZ), as a known hemolytic agent, causes toxicity in different tissues at various levels. The aim of the current study was to examine the possible protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) against PHZ-induced histological injuries of small intestine in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, adult male mice were randomly divided into four groups of 8 mice each. PHZ was administered intraperitoneally to two groups of mice (at a dose of 60mg/kg) every 48 hours for 35 days. One of the groups received RJ (100mg/kg) orally 4 hours before PHZ administration. The third group only received RJ, and the forth group was considered as control. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, different segments of small intestine were dissected out, then histological sections were prepared and quantitative morphometric assessments were performed. To compare the groups, one-way ANOVA and multiple comparative Tukey tests were used. The significance level was considered to be p

Mast cell (MC) as a free cell type can be found in connective and epithelial tissues throughout the body as well as peritoneal and thoracic cavities in rodents [1].The MCs are located in subepithelial areas in connective tissue surrounding blood cells, smooth muscle, mucous and hair follicles and have been detected in all vascularized tissues except for the central nervous system and the retina [2]. The cytoplasm of MC contains 50-200 large granules storing a variety of substances with potent physiological activities including histamine, heparin, serotonin, cytokines, chondroitin sulfate and neutral proteases [3-5].

In order to conduct this study, eight adult turkey heads were obtained. Pituitary glands were harvested following cranial bones removal and examined morphologically and anatomically as well as topographically. Then, tissue sections were prepared and stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin, Alcian blue, orange G and periodic acid-Schiff staining techniques. The results showed that turkey pituitary gland as a pea-sized structure is located in the ventral part of the cerebrum and composed of adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis parts. Moreover, histological analyses revealed that sinusoids are well-developed at the distal part of the adenohypophysis and irregular masses of endocrine cells exist among them. Distributions of basophilic cells in the distal part of adenohypophysis were significantly higher than those of other endocrine cells, while the acidophilic cells had the lowest distribution. Lower and higher numbers of chromophobe cells were also found compared to those of basophilic and acidophilic cells, respectively. These findings were mostly similar to the other birds’ pituitary gland anatomical and histological features, but there were also differences in cellular elements distributions along with infundibular cavity topography.

This study evaluated the possible protective effect of royal jelly (RJ) on sperm parameters and sperm malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and in vitro fertilizing potential in nicotine (NIC) exposed male mice. Thrtiy-six male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6). Group 1 received normal saline, group 2 received 100 mg kg-1 per day RJ, groups 3 and 4 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg kg-1 per day, respectively and groups 5 and 6 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg kg-1 per day, respectively plus RJ. Caudal epididymal sperm characteristics, lipid peroxidation and in vitro fertilizing capacity and embryo development were evaluated after 35 days. The NIC treatment caused a significant decrease in sperm motility and viability and fertilization rate along with poor blastocyst formation and increased sperm DNA damage and MDA levels. Moreover, the incidences of chromatin abnormality in spermatozoa were significantly higher in NIC-exposed mice than those of control. Nevertheless, RJ treatment improved sperm parameters and in vitro fertilization outcome as well as sperm lipid peroxidation level. Data from the current study suggest that RJ has a potential repro-protective action against NIC-induced sperm abnormalities and embryotoxicity in mice.

Introduction: Application of doxorubicin (DOX), an anticancer anthracycline antibiotic, carries the risk of serious dose-dependent toxicity to non-target tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate whether DOX-induced spermatotoxicity could be prevented by using the Satureja hortensis hydroalcoholic extract (SE). Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of six rats each. DOX was administered to two groups of rats in 5 equal intraperitoneal injections over a period of 4 weeks (accumulated dose of 20 mg/kg). One of these groups received SE at a dose of 100 mg/kg per day subcutaneously for 28 days along with DOX. A vehicle treated control group and a SE control group were also included. Results: Epididymal sperm analyses revealed that DOX caused significant decreases in sperm concentration, viability and motility along with elevated sperm abnormality, while SE co-administration provided marked normalization in the sperm quantity and quality compared to the DOX-only treated group. Conclusion: It is reasonable to suppose that protective effects of SE against DOX-induced reproductive toxicity might have been related to the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of this substance.

Background: Stanozolol (ST) is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid often abused by athletes. An increasing body of evidence points towards the role of ST misuses in the pathogenesis of a wide range of adverse effects including reprotoxicity. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the possible reproprotective effect of royal jelly (RJ) as an efficient antioxidant in ST-treated mice. Materials and Methods: Adult male mice were divided into four groups (n=5). Two groups of mice received ST (4.6 mg/kg/day) via gavage for 35 days. RJ was given orally to one of these groups at the dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight per day synchronously. Untreated control group and RJ-only treated group were also included. Epididymal sperm characteristics and in vitro fertilizing capacity were evaluated after 35 days. Results: ST treatment caused a significant (p