Francis Ikechukwu Duru

Bromelain in the early phase of healing in acute crush Achilles tendon injury.

Bromelain, an enzyme extracted from the stem of the pineapple plant has been proposed as a treatment for reducing pain and swelling following acute muscle injuries but studies are yet to be done on its effect on tendon healing. This study therefore investigated the effects of bromelain on tenocyte proliferation and the tendon malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the early stage of healing in a crush injury to the Achilles tendon of Sprague‐Dawley rats.

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Bromelain and Fresh Pineapple Juice on the Early Phase of Healing in Acute Crush Achilles Tendon Injury

Bromelain, an enzyme extracted from the stem of the pineapple plant, has been reported to reduce pain and swelling in acute soft tissue injuries, but no study has been done to compare its effect with that of fresh pineapple juice on the healing of acute tendon injuries. This study compared the effects of commercial bromelain and fresh pineapple juice on tenocyte proliferation and the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the early stage of healing in a crush injury to the Achilles tendon of Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four male rats were divided randomly into three groups of eight rats each; all the rats had induced crush injury to the Achilles tendon: Group 1 (control), no treatment; Group 2, oral bromelain treatment at a dosage of 7 mg/kg of body weight daily; and Group 3, fresh diluted pineapple juice at a dosage of 30 mg/kg of body weight. Treatment was given over the first 14 days post-injury. On day 15 post-injury, the animals were sacrificed, and the tendons were excised and processed for histological study and MDA assay. Results show a significant difference in the tenocyte population between the bromelain group and the control (P < .05), whereas pineapple juice also increased the tenocyte population, although not significantly (P = .36). Pineapple juice, however, significantly lowered the MDA level compared with both the control and bromelain-treated groups. Based on this study, 600 GDU bromelain given at a dosage of 7 mg/kg had a better effect on tenocyte proliferation than fresh pineapple juice given once daily in acute tendon injury.

Stereological Evaluation of the Effects of Momordica charantia, antioxidants and Testosterone on Seminiferous Tubules of Rat

El consumo ubicuo de Momordica charantia ha girado en torno a su potencial participacion en el alivio de dolencias. El objetivo fue estudiar los efectos del extracto de la semilla de Momordica charantia (MC), acido ascorbico (C), alfa-tocoferol (E) y testosterona (T) sobre parametros histomorfometricos en testiculos de ratas. Noventa y cinco ratas machos Sprague-Dawley (S-D) maduras (6-8 semanas de edad) fueron asignadas al azar en seis grupos. Grupo I: alimentados con MC durante 16 semanas. Grupo II: MC administrado durante 8 semanas, luego agua destilada por otras 8 semanas. Grupo III: C, E, T administrados junto a una combinacion de las tres soluciones de prueba (CET) durante 8 semanas y luego alimentados con MC por otras 8 semanas. Grupo IV: MC inicialmente durante 8 semanas y posteriormente C, E, T y CET por otras 8 semanas. Grupo V: alimentado al mismo tiempo con el extracto, C, E, T y CET durante 8 semanas. Grupo VI (control): administrado con C, E, T, CET y agua destilada durante 16 semanas. Las dosis de MC, C, E y T fueron de 50 mg/100 g de peso corporal/oral/dia, 0,01, 20,0 y 0,05 mg/kg. Los animales fueron sacrificados y se estimo el volumen de los testiculos. El diametro, area de seccion transversal (AC), el numero de perfiles por unidad de area (NA), la densidad de longitud (LV) y la densidad numerica (NV) de los tubulos seminiferos fueron determinados. Los volumenes medio testicular, diametro de tubulos y AC mostraron una disminucion significativa (p 0,05) en los grupos I y III en comparacion con los controles. Al quitar MC, los valores se recuperaron al valor basal de control. Los grupos IV y V, no fueron significativamente diferentes de los controles (p 0,05). Hubo una diferencia significativa (p 0,05) con aumento de la NA, LV y NV de los tubulos seminiferos de los grupos I y III en comparacion con los controles. Los datos histomorfometricos apoyan la reversibilidad de los efectos nocivos de la MC en los testiculos.

Preliminary study on the antioxidant effect of Kigelia africana fruit extract (Bignoniacieae) in male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Testicular germ cells as well as epididymal maturing spermatozoa are endowed with enzymatic and non-enzymatic scavenger systems to protect lipid peroxidation damage. A number of pathologies and systemic challenges can lead to an antioxidant/pro-oxidant disequilibrium. With increasing interest in herbal therapies for management of some fertility-related and inflammatory conditions, we investigated the antioxidant effect of Kigelia africana fruit extract (KAFE) on normal rats. KAFE showed a non-dose dependent elevation in testicular catalase (p < 0.05), significant decline in malondialdehyde (p < 0.001) and an up-regulation of glutathione (p < 0.001) levels. Seminal parameters were also enhanced by KAFE with the lower dose producing better effects. Male infertility is frequently accompanied by increased testicular or seminal fluid oxidative stress. This result provides further scientific basis for the use of KAFE in the treatment of male infertility.

Palliative effect of Pausinystallia macroceras on testicular ischemic reperfusion injury in Wistar rats: a histological study

La torsion testicular es un trastorno que involucra el escroto resultando en un compromiso del suministro sanguineo. El objetivo fue investigar el efecto de Pausinystallia macroceras (PM) en la histologia testicular tras torsion-detorsion a intervalos de tiempo diferentes que van desde 1 a 4 horas en 65 ratas macho Wistar maduras, asignando aleatoriamente en siete grupos (desde A a G, mientras que E y F se dividieron en 4 subgrupos). Cada grupo/subgrupo estuvo compuesto por 5 ratas. Los testiculos se mantuvieron en posicion torsionada (T) durante 1, 2, 3 y 4 horas en los grupos A (AT1 + PM), B (BT2 + PM), C (CT3 + PM) y D (DT4 + PM). El grupo E, subgrupos (E1 + PM, E2 + PM + PM E3, E4 + PM) fueron operados por modelo sham sin torsion, que sirvio de control. El grupo F, subgrupos (F1T1, F2T2, F3T3 y F4T4) fueron torsionados como en A. Todos los animales (excepto los grupos F y G) fueron tratados con extracto de AM (0,1 g/kg peso corporal/dia) durante 56 dias. El grupo G fueron ratas control (control normal). Los testiculos fueron procesados para el estudio histologico. En AT1 + PM se observo preservacion de los tubulos seminiferos. BT2 + PM, revelo un numero variable de tubulos seminiferos con necrosis y apoptosis. El grupo de ratas CT3 + PM fue similar a BT2 + PM, aunque un porcentaje ligeramente superior de los tubulos seminiferos mostraron necrosis. En DT4 + PM, los cortes mostraron pocos espermatozoides viables dentro de los tubulos seminiferos. En comparacion con el grupo F torsionado mostro extensas areas de necrosis tubular (F3T3), asi como danos en el intersticio; mientras que en F4T4 no hubo tejido testicular viable. En conclusion, PM previno significativamente cambios celulares y la muerte celular observada, especialmente en el grupo AT1 + PM y BT2 + PM.

The protective role of ascorbic acid in burn-induced testicular damage in rats.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ability of ascorbic acid to protect the testes from damage in severe burns. DESIGN Experimental study. SETTING University of Lagos Medical School, Department of Anatomy. ANIMALS 28 adult male Wistar rats (250-300 g). INTERVENTION Third degree burn was induced on 40% body surface area of rats and they were given ascorbic acid at 4 mg/kg over 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURED Weight of reproductive organs and epididymal sperm parameters were measured. Oxidative status was assayed and a semi-quantitative assessment of histologic changes was also carried out. RESULTS Burn caused severe seminiferous tubular damage, especially germ cell loss (p<0.05). This was matched by significant reduction in sperm density and morphology (p<0.05). Burn also increased oxidative stress, with elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p<0.01) and changes in catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme levels. Ascorbic acid prevented the changes in all sperm parameters. It normalized MDA levels (p<0.01) and attenuated changes in the levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Ascorbic acid treatment also significantly reduced histologic damage to seminiferous tubules. CONCLUSION This study shows that severe thermal injury causes significant testicular damage and impairs spermatogenesis. It also shows that ascorbic acid protects the testis from such damage and therefore has the potential to be a useful adjunct therapy during treatment of young males with severe burns.

The morphology of the healing tendon: a comparison of the effects of intrasound therapy and therapeutic pulsed ultrasound.

Background and Purpose: This study investigated the effects of low- and high-intensity intrasound therapy (LITR and HITR) and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on the morphology of the healing tendon. Methods: Forty-five male Sprague–Dawley albino rats, randomized into five groups, were further subdivided into groups A and B except Group 1. Groups 2–5 underwent an induced crush injury to the Achilles tendon. The groups were allocated to serve as controls (Group 1), received no treatment (Group 2), LIPUS once daily (Group 3), LITR twice daily (Group 4), and HITR twice daily (Group 5). Treatment commenced 24 hr post-injury over the first 14 days. Subgroup A animals were killed on day 15 and those in subgroup B were killed on day 31. The tendons were excised and processed for histological studies. Results: LITR and HITR given twice daily caused a significant (p < 0.05) proliferation of tenoblasts in the proliferative phase and enhanced their terminal differentiation to tenocytes in the remodeling phase compared with the untreated and LIPUS-treated groups. LITR and HITR also resulted in a significant increase in the volume fraction of collagen fibers compared with LIPUS. Conclusion: Intrasound therapy has a better morphological effect on the healing tendon than LIPUS and may be an option to consider in the treatment of acute tendon injuries.

Histological changes and testicular dysfunction in severely burned rats.

Histological Changes and Testicular Dysfunction in Severely Burned Rats Background: The immediate and early sequelae of burns such as vascular collapse and wound sepsis have been extensively studied. Some studies now show that burns cause significant changes in most body systems including the male reproductive system. Only few studies have addressed the reproductive consequences of burns in the male however. Objective: To delineate histologic changes induced in rat testes exposed to major burns. Setting: Medical School Anatomy department. Design: Experimental animal study. Materials & Methods: We induced 3rd degree burns in Wistar rats equivalent to 40% of total body surface area and observed them over several weeks. They were sacrificed at 8 and 16 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Epididymal sperm parameters, serum FSH, LH and testosterone (T) were measured. A semi-quantitative evaluation of histo-pathological changes in the testis was also carried out. Results: Burns caused significant reduction in all sperm parameters (p<0.05). FSH, LH and T were also significantly reduced at 8weeks. By 16 weeks however, only T was still reduced. The key histologic change was germ cell atrophy. In cases with chronic wounds, sloughing left only basal cells such as spermatogonia and Sertoli cells in many tubules. Conclusion: Burns impair spermatogenesis and damages testicular histology in rats.

3 Intrasound Therapy Reverses The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On The Healing Tendon And Augments Healing

Functional abnormalities in wound structure has been identified as a potential complication if a patient consumes alcohol prior to injury and studies suggest that even a single incidence of acute ethanol exposure can perturb the tissue response to trauma significantly. Ethanol ingestion has been shown to result in delayed and abnormal tendon healing 3 weeks after injury. This study investigated the effects of low intensity intrasound therapy (LITR) given twice daily on the morphology and antioxidant parameters in the healing tendon following an acute injury in rats exposed to prior ethanol consumption. Fifteen male rats, randomised into three groups all underwent induced crush injury to the Achilles tendon. Groups 2 and 3 had prior administration of 30% ethanol for six days. The three groups were allocated to: serve as controls (Group 1), received no treatment (Group 2), LITR twice daily (Group 3). LITR was commenced immediately post-injury and was given twice daily over the first 6 days. The animals were sacrificed on day 20 post-injury and the tendons were excised, and processed for histology and anti-oxidant and MDA assay. The tendons in group 2 showed disordered and haphazard collagen formation with neutrophilic infiltrates and high tenoblast population at 20 days post-injury while the LITR treated tendon had dense, well-ordered, parallel collagen deposits with fewer tenoblasts. LITR also significantly improved the antioxidant parameters and lowered the MDA compared with the alcohol-exposed untreated tendon (p < 0.05). LIRT thus reverses the deleterious effect of ethanol on the healing tendon and resulted in near-normal morphology of the healing tendon 20 days post-injury. Abstract 3 Figure 1 L/S of tendon of rat. A: control, B: alcohol fed with no treatment and C: alcohol fed and treated with LITR. (H&E) X200. A shows moderately aligned collagen fibres (C), B shows disorganized collagen fibres (C) with neutrophilic infiltrates (N) while C shows orderly and parallel collagen deposits (C) and elongated tenocytes (T) Abstract 3 Table 1 Correlation of antioxidants with MDA Spearman’s Correlation (r) Groups SOD Catalase GRP 1 -0.63 -0.63 GRP 2 0.37 0.37 GRP 3 -0.98 -0.97 Group 1: Control (Nil alcohol, nil treatment) Group 2: Alcohol, nil treatment Group 3: Alcohol, LITR twice daily Abstract 3 Table 2 Population of tendon cells Total number of cells (N)/Unit Area Groups TB TC Ratio of TB to TC p-value X ± SD X ± SD GRP 1 710 ± 353 334 ± 120 2 : 1 0.12 GRP 2 693 ± 206 210 ± 52 3 : 1 0.02* GRP 3 572 ± 385 445 ± 76 1: 1 0.59 TB: Tenoblasts; TC: Tenocytes Group 1: Control (Nil alcohol, nil treatment) Group 2: Alcohol, nil treatment Group 3: Alcohol, LITR twice daily * Significant at p < 0.05 References Aiyegbusi et al . Connective Tissue Research. 2012;53(6):478–484 Novasonic. www.novasonicwest.com/novasonic. 2007 Molina et al. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2002;26(1):120–8 Sommers MS. Crit Care Nurse. 1994;14:82–86, 88–93

The effect of unilateral vasectomy on testosterone and testicular parameters in the adult male African giant rat ( Cricetomys gambianus )

BACKGROUND The effects of vasectomy on spermatogenesis and reproductive parameters are recognized to be specie-dependent with marked differences in levels of perturbations observed. OBJECTIVES To assess the impact of unilateral vasectomy on testosterone level and other testicular parameters in the male African giant rat (AGR) (Cricetomys gambianus). METHODS Sixteen adult male AGRs weighing 500-1300 g were recruited for the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into three experimental groups (1-3) and one control (sham operated) group with four rats per group. Experimental vasectomy was done by carefully ligating the vas deferens of the right testis of all the experimental groups (1, 2, and 3) and animals were allowed either 8, 6 and 2 weeks respectively before sacrifice. Sham-operated animals served as the control. Blood samples were collected and assayed for testosterone while testicular tissue was further processed for seminal fluid and histo-pathological analyses. RESULTS Spermatogenic parameters indicate a pattern of decline in sperm count and motility between the experimental groups and the control and azoospermia in the eight-week group. Histological alterations were marked by atrophy of seminiferous tubules which was proportional to the duration of vasectomy. Serum testosterone levels were significantly reduced at eight weeks. There was no statistically significant difference between sperm counts of right and left testes except for group 3. Results suggest that unilateral vasectomy of the AGR may have negative impact on the contralateral testis in the male African giant rat. CONCLUSION These preliminary results reveal that unilateral vasectomy in the AGR may result in perturbations of the histo-architecture of the testes with possible decline in function.