Cadmium disrupts the blood-testes barrier, interferes with various antioxidant levels thus enhancing lipid peroxidation and ultimately leading to apoptosis and necrosis of testicular tissue. Moringa oleifera is a medicinal plant and a rich source of essential phytochemicals possessing antioxidant properties. The effect of aqueous leaf extract of M. oleifera on reproductive function following cadmium chloride induced oxidative stress in male Wistar rats was investigated. Forty adult male Wistar rats were assigned into five groups of eight rats each. Treatment was administered orally daily as follows: Group 1 (control): animal feed and tap water ad libitum; Group 2: 5 mg kg-1 cadmium chloride for 21 days; Group 3: 500 mg kg-1 of M. oleifera and 5 mg kg-1 of cadmium chloride for 21 days; Group 4: 5 mg kg-1 cadmium chloride for 21 days followed by 500 mg kg-1 M. oleifera for the next 35 days; Group 5: 5 mg kg-1 cadmium chloride for 21 days followed by 750 mg kg-1 M. oleifera for the next 35 days. At the end of treatment, blood was obtained by direct cardiac puncture for fertility hormone assay and testicular tissue specimens were harvested for semen analysis and determination of antioxidant levels. Results obtained indicated that rats treated with the various extracts had significantly increased superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde and catalase levels, increased serum concentrations of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and increased percentage of viable and normal spermatozoa compared to control and only cadmium chloride treated rats (p < 0.05). The results obtained suggest that treatments with M. oleifera extract could ameliorate possible cellular damage caused by administration of cadmium chloride.
The present study aims to investigate the anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of the rind of Citrullus lanatus on male albino Wistar rats. Two set of rat groups designated groups 1 to 5 and A to E were used respectively for the anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory studies. For the antipyretic study, fever was induced by subcutaneous injection of 20 ml/kg of a 20% suspension of brewer's yeast in normal saline. Group 1 served as negative control and received 2 ml/kg bw of extract vehicle, groups 2, 3 and 4 received 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg bw of the methanolic extract of the rind Citrullus lanatus, respectively and group 5 served as positive control and received 100 mg/kg of aspirin. Rectal temperatures were determined in all rats at hourly intervals for 4 consecutive times. For the antiinflammatory study, acute inflammation was induced by sub-plantar injection of 0.1 ml of egg albumin into the left hind paw. Groups A to E rats were treated similar as groups 1 to 5 rats. Paw circumference was subsequently determined with the aid of a Vernier caliper at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min post induction of inflammation. Significant reduction in rectal temperatures were observed for both groups 3 and 4 rats (p<0.05): reducing from an initial value of 38.16±0.67°C 18 h post induction of pyrexia to 36.33±0.21°C 4 h post treatment amongst group 3 rats. A significant reduction in hind paw circumference was also observed for both groups C and D rats (p<0.05). For instance, amongst group D rats, there was a significant reduction in hind paw circumference from 3.30±0.00 mm at 30 min to 3.04±0.06 mm at 120 min post induction of inflammation. In conclusion, the present study reports the potential anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of the rind of C. lanatus.
non-pregnant subjects in group A, compared to all the other pregnant subject groups: B, C and D (p<0.05). Furthermore, group B subjects were found to have significantly higher values of IgG and lower levels of IgM compared to groups C and D subjects (p<0.05). Values of IgA were significantly higher (P<0.05) in all pregnant groups compared to the non-pregnant subjects but highest in the GDM (group D) women.During the course of gestation, a graded decrease in the mean values of all three immunoglobulin classes was observed in the healthy
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