Sohail Ahmad

Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of Withania somnifera roots on semen profile, oxidative biomarkers, and reproductive hormone levels of infertile men. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Departments of Biochemistry and Urology, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow, India. PATIENT(S) Seventy-five normal healthy fertile men (control subjects) and 75 men undergoing infertility screening. INTERVENTION(S) High-performance liquid chromatography assay procedure for quantization of vitamin A and E in seminal plasma. Biochemical parameters in seminal plasma were estimated by standard spectrophotometric procedures. Estimation of T, LH, FSH, and PRL in blood serum by RIA methods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES(S) Before and after the treatment, seminal plasma biochemical parameters, antioxidant vitamins, and serum T, LH, FSH, and PRL levels were measured. RESULT(S) Withania somnifera inhibited lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content and improved sperm count and motility. Treatment of infertile men recovered the seminal plasma levels of antioxidant enzymes and vitamins A, C, and E and corrected fructose. Moreover, treatment also significantly increased serum T and LH and reduced the levels of FSH and PRL. CONCLUSION(S) The treatment with W. somnifera effectively reduced oxidative stress, as assessed by decreased levels of various oxidants and improved level of diverse antioxidants. Moreover, the levels of T, LH, FSH and PRL, good indicators of semen quality, were also reversed in infertile subjects after treatment with the herbal preparation.

Effect of herbal hypoglycemic agents on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in diabetic rats

In the present study the antioxidative potential ofMomordica charantia, Azadirachta indica, Allium sativum andOcimum sanctum was assessed in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Lipid peroxide levels were also measured in normal, diabetic and treated animals. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly higher and antioxidant activity was found low in diabetic groups as compared to the control groups, and significant alteration in both the MDA levels and antioxidant activity was also observed when the above herbal hypoglycemic agents were given to diabetic rats. On the basis of our results we conclude thatM. charantia, A. indica, A. sativum andO. sanctum are not only useful in controlling the lipid peroxide levels but are also helpful in further strengthening the antioxidant potential.

Protective effect of L. donovani antigens using glucan as an adjuvant.

Golden hamsters were immunized with various antigen fractions of Leishmania donovani promastigotes. Beta 1,3-glucan was used as an adjuvant in these vaccination experiments. The results indicate that immunization of animals with the microsomal fraction (subcellular fraction III) in combination with glucan confers considerable immune protection against L. donovani infection. The immune protection was confirmed by correspondingly lower parasite burden in the livers and spleens of test animals compared to controls. Additionally, the vaccinated animals showed positive skin test responsiveness after challenge, along with increased antibody titres. Immunization of animals with whole and particulate antigen fractions was also found to afford a high degree of resistance. The other subcellular and soluble antigen fractions conferred very little protection. In these experiments, glucan was found to be a potent adjuvant when injected, intraperitoneally, with Leishmania antigens. Similar doses of parasite extracts given without an adjuvant were able to confer only very little or no protection.

Immunization of guinea pigs against entamoebahistolytica using glucan as an adjuvant

Beta 1-3 polyglucose or glucan, an extract of cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been successfully employed in this laboratory as an effective immunopotentiator in experimental studies on amoebiasis. An antigen extract from Entamoeba histolytica was combined with beta, 1-3 glucan for immunizing guinea pigs. In order to study the effectiveness of such vaccine preparations, several batches of guinea pigs were immunized with amoeba antigen alone, and in combination with various immunoadjuvants. Antigen inoculations were carried out via intraperitoneal route. Protective immune responses were obtained against amoeba antigen by using glucan as an adjuvant partner. The study showed that glucan can be safely used as an effective immune enhancer.

Fixation using cannulated screws and fibular strut grafts for fresh femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution

Purpose. To evaluate the use of fibular grafting for fresh femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution. Methods. 18 women and 15 men aged 20 to 60 years underwent osteosynthesis and fibular strut grafting supplemented with 7.0-mm cannulated hip screws for Garden grades III (n=21) and IV (n=12) femoral neck fractures associated with posterior comminution. All fractures were reduced by closed methods, and no hip was aspirated. Clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated. Results. The mean delay in presentation after injury was 3.2 (range, 1–12) days. The mean delay in operation was 8.8 (range, 5–21) days. The mean follow-up period was 2 (range, 1–4) years. According to the Harris hip score, outcome was good to excellent in 20 patients, fair in 7, and poor in 6. 27 of the 33 patients achieved bone union after a mean of 4.7 (range, 4.2–7) months. In 5 patients, the bone was united with a mean of 10° of varus collapse and a mean of 1 cm of shortening. Six patients had nonunion. Other complications included screw migration in the joint space (n=1), graft migration into the joint space (n=3), and screw pullout (n=5). No patient had avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Conclusion. Osteosynthesis and fibular grafting for freshly displaced femoral neck fractures with posterior comminution is an inexpensive and technically less demanding procedure for retaining a stable, painless, mobile, and functional hip.

Increased macrophage migration inhibition factor production in hamsters sensitized by amoebic antigen and glucan.

Summary Well defined cell‐mediated immune responses were detectable following experimental immunization of hamsters with Entamoeba histolytica antigen, using glucan as an adjuvant. Peritoneal cells from amoeba antigen‐glucan sensitized animals, upon incubation with specific antigen in vitro, were found to release into the supernatant a macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF). Such supernatant fluids inhibited the migration of macrophages from non‐sensitized hamsters. The production of MIF was found to be greatly increased if glucan is added to amoeba antigen when sensitizing animals. The optimal concentration for maximum inhibition was recorded at 10‐8 dilution of the supernatant.

Use of antigen prepared from in vitro culture ofPlasmodium falciparum for the detection of antibodies in sera from patients exposed toPlasmodium vivax

The blood stage parasites frominvitro cultures ofPlasmodiumfalciparum were employed for the detection of malaria antibodies in patient sera havingP.vivax infections employing indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The antibody titres obtained for theP.vivax infected sera ranged from 1∶128 to 1∶1024. Control slides smeared with non-immune sera did not show any fluorescence. On the basis of the results of the present study it maybe concluded that antigen prepared frominvitro cultures ofP.falciparum cross-reacts withP.vivax antibodies.