Nieves Pedrón

Comparative Glycolytic Metabolism of Sperm from Normal, Asthenospermic, and Oligoasthenospermic Men *

The glycolysis of spermatozoa from normal, asthenospermic, and oligoasthen ospermic men was studied using a respirometry technique to measure glucose utilization by the production of 14CO2 from glucose 14C (U-L). Lactate and pyruvate were measured by a spectrophotometric method using DNA as reference. Human spermatozoa preferred glucose to fructose as the glycolytic substrate when concentrations of these hexoses did not exceed normal concentrations in the blood. Spermatozoa from oligoasthenospermic men produced an average of 3.5 times more 14CO2 (345, 457 dpm/mg DNA/hour) than did spermatozoa from asthenospermic (88,837 dpm/mg DNA/hour) and normal men (96,595 dpm/mg DNA/hour). They also formed four times more lactate (9.63 mumoles/mg DNA/hour) than spermatozoa from normal men (2.33 mumoles/mg DNA/hour) and 6.4 times more pyruvate (2.90 mumoles/mg DNA/hour compared to 0.45 mumoles/mg DNA/hour). Spermatozoa from asthenospermic men formed amounts of lactate (3.01 mumoles/mg DNA/hour) and pyruvate (0.63 mumoles/mg DNA/hour) similar to those produced by spermatozoa from normal men.

The zoapatle. XI: Effects elicited by Montanoa tomentosa and Montanoa frutescens on rat uterine strips

Zoapatle aqueous crude extract (ZACE) obtained from Montanoa tomentosa (M.t.) inhibits the in vitro spontaneous contractility pattern of rat uterine tissue. The opposite effect was observed with ZACE from Montanoa frutescens (M.f.) in the same preparation. Both plant extracts, M.t. and M.f., increased the in vitro spontaneous contractility pattern in the uterine guinea pig assay. In depolarized uterine tissue, propranolol (beta-blocker) inhibited the relaxing effect induced by M.t.. Atropine (cholinergic antagonist) abolished the increase in uterus contractility produced by the presence of M.f.

The zoapatle VII. Antiimplantation effect in the rat of zoapatle aqueous crude extract (ZACE) from Montanoa tomentosa and Montanoa frutescens

Intrauterine administration of zoapatle aqueous crude extract (ZACE) from Montanoa frutescens on the fourth day of rat pregnancy, at concentrations equivalent to 50 mg and 5 mg of dry leaves, was associated with total inhibition of implantation sites. On the other hand, ZACE from Montanoa tomentosa equivalent to 50 and/or 100 mg of dry leaves, prepared and administered in the same fashion, did not inhibit the number of implants by day 11 of pregnancy. However, most implants were found abnormal, of blue color, poor orientation or spacing; these morphological changes could be considered as reabsorption sites.

The zoapatle IV — Toxicological and clinical studies

The zoapatle aqueous crude extract has been used in Mexico for the last 5 centuries for the induction of labor, treatment of post-partum bleeding problems, and as a menses inducer. Today, it is sold in street markets, and its long documented history of use by humans could be taken as indirect evidence of a lack of toxicity. Rigorous pharmacological and clinical studies described here, fully confirm the empirical observations.

THE ZOAPATLE X. THE in vitro EFFECT OF ZOAPATLE AQUEOUS -- CRUDE EXTRACT (ZACE) AND HISTAMINE UPON RAT AND GUINEA PIG UTERINE STRIPS

In vitro histamine response in rat and guinea pig uterine strips was similar to the one observed with zoapatle aqueous crude extract (ZACE). The relaxing effect elicited by ZACE/tomentosa on the in vitro rat uterine strips was not mediated by activation of H-2 histamine receptors; moreover, the increase on uterine contractility elicited by ZACE/tomentosa on the in vitro guinea pig uterine strip was not mediated through the activation of H-1 histamine receptors.

The effect of post-partum IUD insertion on post-partum bleeding

Post-partum bleeding was measured for 72 hours in 66 volunteer healthy women after normal pregnancy and delivery at term. After complete placenta expulsion, a 220C Copper T was placed by the attending physician in 33 volunteer subjects before leaving the delivery room. Similar number of volunteer subjects served as a control. Post-partum bleeding during the 72 hours of study was 134.7 +/- 16.3 ml for the IUD group and 155.9 +/- 16.0 ml for the control group. No differences were detected among the two groups. Hemoglobin levels were the same for both groups, being at 72 hours after delivery, 11.9 +/- 0.28 gm/ml for the IUD group and 12.2 +/- 0.36 for controls. None of the women with immediate post-partum IUD insertion had any changes in the normal characteristics of their post-partum period.

The effect of acetylsalicylic acid on menstrual blood loss in women with IUDs

Fifty-three volunteer women using Copper T 220C IUDs, complaining of increased menstrual bleeding, received per os 1 g, three times a day, of acetylsalicylic acid, for 5 days, during their menstrual periods. Menstrual bleeding for each patient was measured at least once before treatment. Bleeding estimates were also performed from the second to the fifth treatment cycle. From the 53 women admitted to the study, only 13 subjects (24.7%) had pre-treatment menstrual bleeding of more than 80 ml; 40 subjects had less than 80 ml. The group with hypermenorrhea had slightly decreased (not significant) the amount of menstrual blood loss with acetylsalicylic acid intake. On the other hand, 67.1% of women with bleeding less than 80 ml observed a significant increase in menstrual blood loss.

The zoapatle. IX. In vitro effect of Montanoa tomentosa and Montanoa frutescens upon human sperm and red cells.

The effect of zoapatle aqueous crude extract (ZACE) was further studied and partially characterized upon human and rabbit spermatozoa. ZACE prepared from Montanoa tomentosa s.s.p tomentosa did not influence sperm motility or viability in a wide range of ZACE concentrations tested; on the other hand, ZACE prepared from Montanoa frutescens had immediate and constant inhibitory effect upon motility and decreased cell viability. Red cell lysis was readily observed with ZACE-frutescens, but not with ZACE-tomentosa. The effect of time on ZACE-frutescens potency for inducing red cell lysis was observed.

Estimates of post-partum bleeding.

Post-partum bleeding was estimated during the first 72 hours in 106 women with normal delivery at term, all had live child with a body weight between 2.5 and 3.5 Kg. Three groups of women were studied: Group 1 comprised 41 volunteers with normal deliveries to whom no medication had been administered; Group 2 comprised 39 volunteers receiving 20 IU of oxytocin in 250 ml of a 5% glucose solution, immediately after delivery; and in Group 3, 26 volunteers received 0.2 mg of ergonovine maleate, orally three times daily for three days. The average post-partum blood loss in Group 1 during the first 72 hours after delivery was 151.5 +/- 12.5 ml; for Group 2, 155.9 +/- 13.9 ml; and for Group 3, 135.5 +/- 15.9 ml. There were no significant differences among the groups and, most of the blood loss occurred during the first 24 hours after delivery.

Serum lipid levels before and after vasectomy in men

The blood lipid profile was determined in sixty-two men, 24 to 62 years old, before and two, six and twelve months after surgical occlusion of the vas deferens. No statistically significant differences were found in mean body weight, blood pressure, serum levels of non-esterified fatty acids, total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol and alpha, beta and prebeta fractions of the lipoproteins, which were measured before and after surgery. When the serum levels of the alpha and beta fractions were considered in the same subject, it was observed that 12 months after vasectomy a similar percentage of cases showed a predominance of either one of them. Hence, no modifications on the lipid profile of these subjects were found that could indicate an increased risk of arteriosclerotic disease.