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The effects of cadmium and diazinon administration on rat sperm motility parameters were performed using a Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer (CASA) system. CASA was made on semen samples collected 36 h following an intraperitoneal injection of physiological solution (control group), diazinon (20 mg/kg body wt), cadmium (2 mg/kg body wt), separately and in combination. Sperm kinematic measurements revealed significant decline in the percentage of motile spermatozoa (P

The aim of this work was to evaluate the microscopic changes in the small intestine of rats after administration of the pollen addition in diet. Experimental groups A, B and C (10 rats each) were given the addition of pollen in concentration of 0.2%, 0.5% and 0.75%, respectively for 90 days in food. Using the quantitative morphometrical methods, statistically significant increase of intestinal villi length (p

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of alcohol exposure on liver and kidney antioxidant systems in taurine exhibition during different time periods. Mice were divided into groups: I – control; II – alcohol (2.5 g/kg b.w.); III – taurine (42.84 mg/kg b.w.); and IV – alcohol + taurine. Treatments were provided for 24 h, 14 days, and 56 days. In the liver and kidney of the alcohol group, antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) activities, reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were decreased, as compared to the control group in all time periods. Taurine was found to be effectively inhibiting oxidative action of alcohol and increasing all the tested parameters in the liver (after 24 h) and kidney (after 24 h and 14 days). Moreover, the positive effect of taurine administration on GSH and MDA levels persisted in the kidneys of mice exposed to alcohol for 56 days. In conclusion, alcohol administration led to a significant influence on antioxidant system in the liver and kidney, but simultaneous intake of taurine, along with ethanol, partly attenuated the antioxidant changes in these organs.

Cyanogenic glycosides are present in several economically important plant foods. Amygdalin, one of the most common cyanoglucoside, can be found abundantly in the seeds of apples, bitter almonds, apricots, peaches, various beans, cereals, cassava and sorghum. Amygdalin has been used for the treatment of cancer, it shows killing effects on cancer cells by release of cyanide. However, its effect on bone structure has not been investigated to date. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine a possible effect of amygdalin application on femoral bone microstructure in adult rabbits. Four month old rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of three animals each. Rabbits from E group received amygdalin intramuscularly at a dose 0.6 mg.kg-1 body weight (bw) (group E, n = 3) one time per day during 28 days. The second group of rabbits without amygdalin supplementation served as a control (group C, n = 3). After 28 days, histological structure of femoral bones in both groups of rabbits was analysed and compared. Rabbits from E group displayed different microstructure in middle part of the compact bone and near endosteal bone surface. For endosteal border, an absence of the primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was typical. This part of the bone was formed by irregular Haversian and/or by dense Haversian bone tissues. In the middle part of substantia compacta, primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was observed. Cortical bone thickness did not change between rabbits from E and C groups. However, rabbits from E group had a significantly lower values of primary osteons' vascular canals and secondary osteons as compared to the C group. On the other hand, all measured parameters of Haversian canals did not differ between rabbits from both groups. Our results demonstrate that intramuscular application of amygdalin at the dose used in our study affects femoral bone microstructure in rabbits.

Flavonoids are a group of plant metabolites with antioxidant effects. One of the most abundant flavonoids in the human diet is quercetin. It is found widely in fruits, vegetables and has a lot of beneficial effects on human health. Quercetin has a positive pharmacological effect on bone metabolism and it prevents the organism against bone loss. However, its impact on the size of basic structural units of the compact bone is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate the impact of the quercetin on femoral bone microstructure in 5-month-old male rabbits. Five rabbits of Californian broiler line were randomly divided into two groups. In the experimental group (E group; n=3), animals were intramuscularly injected with quercetin at dose 1000 μg.kg-1 body weight (bw) for 90 days, 3 times per week. Two rabbits without quercetin administration served as a control group (C group). According to our results, intramuscular application of quercetin had an insignificant effect on cortical bone thickness in male rabbits. In these rabbits, changes in qualitative histological characteristics were present in the middle part of the compacta, where primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was present and expanded there from the periosteum. Also, a lower number of secondary osteons was found in these animals. From the histomorphometrical point of view, significantly decreased sizes of primary osteons' vascular canals and secondary osteons (p

A lot of kinds of crops are susceptible to fungal attack, leading to considerable financial losses and damage the health of humans and animals. Patulin, a toxic fungal metabolite, can be found mainly in apple and apple products, with much less frequent contamination in other food products. Because of its high incidence and harmful health effects, patulin belongs to a class of mycotoxins, which are strictly monitored. However, its effect on bone structure is still unknown. This study was designed to investigate the impact of patulin on femoral bone structure in adult male rabbits. Four month-old male rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of three animals each. Rabbits from the experimental group (group A, n=3) were intramuscularly administered with patulin at dose 10 μg.kg-1 body weight (b.w.) twice a week for 4 weeks. The second group without patulin administration served as a control (group B, n=3). At the end of the experiment, body weight, femoral weight and length, cortical bone thickness and histological structure of femoral bones from all rabbits were determined. The results did not show any significant differences in body weight, femoral weight and length between experimental and control groups of rabbits. On the other hand, intramuscular application of patulin induced a significant increase in cortical bone thickness (p periosteum and also in the middle part of the femoral bone in these rabbits. The values for the primary osteons' vascular canals were significantly lower (p

Bee pollen is often used as a dietary additive because it contains proteins and is rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. However, its impact on growth characteristics and bone microstructure is still poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of low administration of bee pollen on selected growth characteristics and histological structure of femoral bones in rats. For this purpose, 1-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of 5 animals each. In the control group (CG), rats were fed a commercial diet throughout the experiment (90 days). Rats of experimental group (EG) received standard diets with a 0.2% addition of bee pollen for the same time period of treatment. At the end of the experiment, macroscopical and microscopical structures of femoral bones from all rats were analysed using analytical scales, sliding instrument, polarized light microscopy and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The statistical analysis of obtained data did not reveal significant differences for body weight, femoral weight, femoral length, and cortical bone thickness between both investigated groups of rats. However, a higher number of primary and secondary osteons was observed in the central area of substantia compacta and near periosteal surfaces in rats from the EG group. Histomorphometrical data of primary osteons' vascular canals, Haversian canals and secondary osteons did not differ between rats from both groups. Also, concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn in the bones of rats from the EG group were similar to those from CG group. Our results indicate that 0.2% concentration of bee pollen in the diet significantly affects qualitative histological characteristics of femoral bones in rats. On the other hand, it has no impact on the size of primary and secondary osteons and on the content of Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn in the bones of male rats.

Food contamination from natural or anthropogenic sources poses severe risks to health of human and animals. Bone is a metabolically active organ, which can be affected by various toxic substances, such as cadmium (Cd) and diazinon (DZN), leading to disruption in bone metabolic processes. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of simultaneous peroral administration to Cd and DZN on femoral compact bone structure in adult male rats. A total of twenty 1-month-old male Wistar rats were randomized into two experimental groups. In the first group (EG), young males were dosed with a combination of 30 mg CdCl2/L and 40 mg DZN/L in drinking water, for 90 days. Ten 1-month-old males without Cd-DZN intoxication served as a control group (CG). After 90 days of daily peroral exposure, evaluations of femoral bone macro- and micro-structure were performed in each group. We found no significant differences in body weight, femoral weight, femoral length and cortical bone thickness between both groups (EG and CG). However, rats from the group EG displayed different microstructure in the middle part of the substantia compacta where primary vascular radial bone tissue appeared. In some cases, vascular expansion was so enormous that canals were also present near the periost. On the other hand, they occurred only near endosteal surfaces in rats from the control group. Moreover, a smaller number of primary and secondary osteons was identified in Cd-DZN-exposed rats. This fact signalizes reduced mechanical properties of their bones. Anyway, our results suggest an adaptive response of compact bone tissue to Cd-DZN-induced toxicity in adult male rats in order to prevent osteonecrosis.

The aim of our study was to monitor the impact of heavy metals and hyperthermia on the basic rabbit semen characteristics. Rabbit males (n=31) of New Zealand White line were exposed to different doses of nickel and zinc administered to feed mixture (P1 group - 17.5 mg NiCl2/kg, P2 group - 35.0 mg NiCl2/kg, P3 group - 17.5 mg NiCl2/kg + 30.0 mg ZnCl2/kg and P4 group - 35.0 mg NiCl2/kg + 30.0 mg ZnCl2/kg; experiment I) and to high ambient temperature (36 ± 3ºC; experiment II), and then compared to control C. Semen samples collected from each buck were analysed using CASA system in order to evaluate the concentration and motility parameters of rabbit spermatozoa. In the first experiment, highly significant differences were observed in the motility of spermatozoa between P3 and P1, P4 groups and C (p<0.001). P3 group had the lowest progressive motility of spermatozoa in comparison to groups P1, P4 and C (p<0.001). In the second experiment, the lowest motility was noted in the last experimental collection in comparison to the 1st collection (p<0.01). The highest progressive motility was found in the 1st collection comparing to the control collection and the 3rd collection (p<0.05). In conclusion, our study showed that the quality of rabbits semen and subsequently also fertility may be potentially negatively affected by exposure to heavy metals and hyperthermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]