International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Volume:14 Issue: 2, Feb 2016

Asparagus is a plant with high nutritional, pharmaceutical, and industrial values.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of asparagus roots on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones and oogenesis in female rats.

In this experimental study, 40 adult female Wistar rats were divided into five groups, which consist 8 rats. Groups included control, sham and three experimental groups receiving different doses (100, 200, 400 mg/kg/bw) of aqueous extract of asparagus roots. All dosages were administered orally for 28 days. Blood samples were taken from rats to evaluate serum levels of Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinal hormone (LH), estrogen, and progesterone hormones. The ovaries were removed, weighted, sectioned, and studied by light microscope.

Dose-dependent aqueous extract of asparagus roots significantly increased serum levels of GnRH, FSH, LH, estrogen, and progestin hormones compared to control and sham groups. Increase in number of ovarian follicles and corpus luteum in groups treated with asparagus root extract was also observed (p<0.05).

Asparagus roots extract stimulates secretion of hypothalamic- pituitary- gonadal axis hormones. This also positively affects oogenesis in female rats.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) represent one of the common endocrine disorders which influence around 8% of reproductive women whom usually suffering from obesity and increase cardiovascular risk. Serum homocysteine levels are associated with bad impact on endothelial functions and considered as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

The aim was to study the level of plasma homocysteine in obese and non-obese Iraqi patients with PCOS.

This study was carried out on 207 women. Of theme, 101 women with PCOS and 106 PCOS- free women served as controls. Blood sample was taken from each participant on the 2nd day of menstruation morning after an overnight fasting. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone and androstenedione were measured. Moreover, total lipid profile and plasma homocysteine levels were measured in both groups.

Sixty percent of PCOS women were overweight or obese and 56% of them had a waist circumference >88cm. Moreover plasma homocysteine concentrations were found to be higher in patients with PCOS (11.5±5.41μmol/L) as compared with control (8.10±1.89 μmol/L) (p<0.002). Furthermore the homocysteine concentrations were 13.19±5.97 μmol/L and 9.38±2.99 μmol/L in both obese and normal-weight PCOS women respectively which was significantly higher than obese (p<0.002) and normal-weight (p<0.004) control women.

Increase in body weight is not an independent risk factor to increase plasma homocysteine levels in PCOS women.

Sexual problems have different effects on the life of people by influencing their interpersonal and marital relationships and satisfaction. Relationship between sexual dysfunctions and infertility can be mutual. Sexual dysfunction may cause difficulty conceiving but also attempts to conceive, may cause sexual dysfunction.

This paper compares sexual dysfunction in fertile and infertile women.

In this cross-sectional study, 110 infertile couples referring to Montasarieh Infertility Clinic and 110 fertile couples referring to five healthcare centers in Mashhad were selected by class cluster sampling method. Data collection tools included demographic questionnaire and Glombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction. Data were analyzed through descriptive and analytical statistical methods by SPSS.

There was no significant difference in total score of sexual problems and other dimensions of sexual problems (except infrequency) in fertile 28.9 (15.5) and infertile 29.0 (15.4) women. Fertile women had more infrequency than infertile women (p=0.002).

There was no significant difference between fertile and infertile women in terms of sexual problems. Paying attention to sexual aspects of infertility and presence of programs for training of sexual skills seems necessary for couples.

The predominant phytoestrogen in soy and derived products is the isoflavone Genistein. Genistein has antioxidant properties. Morphine is a main psychoactive chemical in opium that can increase the generation of free radicals and therefore it could adversely affects the spermatogenesis.

The main goal was to investigate whether the Genistein could protect morphine adverse effects on sperm cells viability, count, motility, and testis histology and testosterone hormone and nitric oxide in blood serum.

In this study, various doses of Genistein (0, 1, 2, and 3 mg/kg) and Genistein plus morphine (0, 1, 2, and 3 mg/kg) were administered interaperitoneally to 48 male mice for 30 consequent days. These mice were randomly assigned to 8 groups (n=6) and sperm parameters (sperm cells viability, count, motility and morphology), testis weight and histology, testosterone hormone (ELISA method), FSH and LH hormones (immunoradiometry) and serum nitric oxide (griess assay) were analyzed and compared.

The results indicated that morphine administration significantly decreased testosterone (0.03 ng/mg) LH and FSH level, histological parameters, count, viability (55.3%), morphology and motility of sperm cells (1%), testis weight (0.08 gr) and increase nitric oxide compared to saline group (p=0.00). However, administration of Genistein and Genistein plus morphine significantly boosted motility, morphology, count, viability of sperm cells, seminiferous tubules diameter, germinal thickness, testosterone, LH and FSH while decrease nitric oxide level in all groups compared to morphine group (p<0.025).

It seems that Genistein administration could increase the quality of spermatozoa and prevent morphine- induced adverse effects on sperm parameters

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as two or more miscarriages before the 20th week of gestation and its etiology is unknown in 50% of the cases. Interleukin 6 is an immune mediator, plays a regulatory role in embryo implantation and placental development.

The purpose was to assess the association between IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism and, susceptibility to idiopathic RPL for the first time in Iran.

In total 121 women with RPL and 121 healthy women as control group were enrolled in this case-control study. This study was performed from August 2013 to October 2014 in the Molecular Genetics Laboratory of Arsanjan University. Candidate polymorphism was evaluated by PCR-RFLP method on extracted genomic DNA. Data was analyzed using the statistical SPSS package.

Our results showed an increased risk of RPL in patients with GG + GC genotype (OR=5.1, 95%CI: 1.04-25.3, p=0.04) in comparison to CC genotype. The frequency of mutant allele G in patients and controls was 0.75 and 0.66 respectively. The mutant allele G predisposes women to miscarriage 1.5 times greater than controls (OR=1.5, 95%CI: 1.03-2.27, p=0.036). The mean number of live births in RPL women (1.3±2.3) was significantly lower compared to control women (4.8±2.3).

This study indicated that the promoter polymorphism (-634C/G) of the IL-6 gene has likely influence on individual susceptibility to RPL.

Lithium has been the treatment of choice for bipolar disorder (BD) for many years. Although erectile dysfunction is a known adverse effect of this drug, the mechanism of action by which lithium affects erectile function is still unknown.

The aim was to investigate the possible involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in modulatory effect of lithium on penile erection (PE). We further evaluated the possible role of Sildenafil in treatment of lithium-induced erectile dysfunction.

Erectile function was determined using rat model of apomorphine-induced erections. For evaluating the effect of lithium on penile erection, rats received intraperitoneal injection of graded doses of lithium chloride 30 mins before subcutaneous injection of apomorphine. To determine the possible role of NO pathway, sub-effective dose of N (G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, was administered 15 min before administration of sub-effective dose of lithium chloride. In other separate experimental groups, sub- effective dose of the nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine, or Sildenafil was injected into the animals 15 min before administration of a potent dose of lithium. 30 min after administration of lithium chloride, animals were assessed in apomorphine test. Serum lithium levels were measured 30 min after administration of effective dose of lithium.

Lithium at 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly decreased number of PE (p<0.001), whereas at lower doses (5, 10 and 30 mg/kg) had no effect on apomorphine induced PE. The serum Li+ level of rats receiving 50 mg/kg lithium was 1±0.15 mmol/L which is in therapeutic range of lithium. The inhibitory effect of Lithium was blocked by administration of sub-effective dose of nitric oxide precursor L-arginine (100 mg/kg) (p<0.001) and sildenafil (3.5 mg/kg) (p<0.001) whereas pretreatment with a low and sub-effective dose of L-NAME (10mg/kg) potentiated sub-effective dose of lithium, (p<0.001).

These results suggest acute treatments with lithium cause erectile dysfunction in an in-vivo rat model. Furthermore it seems that the NO pathway might play role in erectile dysfunction associated with lithium treatment. Findings also suggest that Sildenafil may be effective in treatment of lithium-associated erectile dysfunction.

One of the affected aspects in infertile women that have not been given sufficient attention is sexual function. Sexual function is a key factor in physical and marital health, and sexual dysfunction could significantly lower the quality of life. Aim of this study was to assess the comparison sexual dysfunction in women with infertility and without infertility, admitted to Al- Zahra Hospital.

We decided to assess the prevalence of women sexual disorders in fertile and infertile subjects, admitted to Al-Zahra Hospital.

149 fertile and 147 infertile women who referred to infertility clinic of Al-Zahra Hospital during 2013-2014 were entered this cross-sectional study and Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire (FSFI) had been filled by all the cases. Most of women were married for 6-10 years (35.5%) and mean marriage time in participants was 9.55±6.07 years. Data were analyzed using SPSS software Ver. 18 andx2 test and logistic regression model has been used for analysis.

Results showed significant differences between desire (p=0.004), arousal (p=0.001), satisfaction (p=0.022) and total sexual dysfunction (p=0.011) in both groups but in lubrication (p=0.266), orgasm (p=0.61) and pain (p=0.793) difference were not significant.

Some of sexual dysfunction indices are high in all infertile women. Our findings suggest that infertility impacts on women’s sexual function in desire, arousal, satisfaction and total sexual dysfunction. Health care professional should be sensitive to impact that diagnosis of infertility can have on women’s sexuality.

Recently, there are increasing concerns and interests about the potential effects of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) on both human and animal health.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the harmful effects of 50 Hz non-ionizing EMF on rat oocytes.

In this experimental study 30 rats were randomly taken from laboratory animals and their ags and weights were determined. These 3 month's old rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. The control group consisted of 10 rats without receiving any treatment and kept under normal conditions. Experimental group 1 (10 rats) received EMF for 8 weeks (3 weeks intrauterine +5 weeks after births) and experimental group 2 (10 rats) received EMF for 13 weeks (3 weeks intrauterine +10 weeks after birth). After removing the ovaries and isolating follicles, granulosa cells were fixed in glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide. Electron microscopy was used to investigate the traumatic effects of EMF on follicles.

In control group nucleus membrane and mitochondria in follicle’s cytoplasm seemed normal in appearance. Theca layer of primary follicles in experimental group was separated clearly, zona layer demonstrated trot with irregular thickness and ovarian stroma seemed isolated with dilated vessels showing infiltration.

According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that EMF has harmful effects on the ovarian follicles

Tissue protective effect of compounds with antioxidant properties has been demonstrated. The alkaloids found in barberry root are considered as antioxidants.

According to barberry protective effects in different tissues, in this study, the protective effect of Berberis integerrima Bge. root)MEBIR) was evaluated against CCl4-induced testicular damages in Wistar rats.

40 mature male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: 1: Normal control, 2: Sham: received CCl4 diluted in olive oil (50% v/v; 1ml/kg bw), intraperitoneally, twice a week for 4 weeks, 3 and 4: Sham rats treated with MEBIR (250 and 500 mg/kg bw) for 28 days, 5: Sham rats treated with silymarin (50 mg/kg bw) for 28 days. After 28 days, serum testosterone level, absolute testis weight, catalase activity, malondialdehyde level, and histological parameters were investigated.

In the treated rats with MEBIR (250 and 500 mg/kg bw) or silymarin (50 mg/kg bw), there was a significant increase in the absolute testis weight, testosterone level, seminiferous tubules diameter (p<0.001), thickness of the epithelium, tubule differentiation index) p<0.001), spermiogenesis index (p<0.001), the activity of catalase, and a significant decrease in interstitial tissue thickness (p<0.001) and malondialdehyde level in comparison with CCl4-treated group. The effect of the MEBIR at dose of 500 mg/kg bw is more than that of the standard drug, silymarin (50 mg/kg bw).

From the results, it is suggested that the protective effects of MEBIR is possibly due to antioxidant effects of its bioactive compounds.

Lead is an industrial heavy metal that can decrease sperm motility.

The aim was to investigate the protective effects of calcium against lead on motility of spermatozoa.

In total 40 adult male Swiss white mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (control, lead of 1st wk, lead of 2nd wk, lead/calcium of 1st wk and lead/calcium of 2nd wk). The lead groups of mice were injected by a single dose of lead acetate (200 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Lead/calcium groups of mice were injected by a single same dose of lead acetate along with three doses of 80 mg/kg calcium chloride. The control group of mice was injected only with same volume of distilled water through the same route. Mice of 1st and 2nd wk groups were sacrificed through cervical dislocation one and two weeks after injections respectively.

Mean of the progressive motile spermatozoa of cauda epididymis in lead/calcium group of the first week was higher than the lead group of the first week and this difference was significant. There was not any significant difference among weight of testes and epididymides of all groups.

It can be concluded that calcium can decrease the effects of lead on sperm motility.