Immunological Biomarkers Determined In Female Rats Administered With Pro-Fertility Extract Of Anthocleista Vogelii

OBJECTIVE:Anthocleista vogelii Planch, is a plant that has been widely used by Traditional medicine practitioners either singly or in combination with other plant materials to treat several diseases or ailments in humans, including infertility problems both in male and female. DESIGN: Ethanolic extract of Anthocleista vogelii were administered orally for 14 days to rats placed in different groups. Temporary infertility in female rats was induced with Micronor (norethisterone) or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) which was given orally for seven (7) days prior to other treatment. The rats were sacrificed after the completion of extract administration. Blood samples from experimental animal groups were collected through cardiac puncture and transferred into potassium ethylene diamine tetra acetate (K3EDTA) tubes and plain tubes. The absolute counts of clusters of differentiation CD4+ and CD8+ was performed using the Becton Dickinson’s (BD) FACS Count Automated technique. The haematological parameters were performed using the Sysmex® Automated Hematology Analyzer KX-21N. Oestradiol analysis was performed on sera obtained from the experimental animals using commercial standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULT / OUTCOME: The extract was found to possess Anthraquinones, Terpenoids, Flavonoids, Saponins, Alkaloids, Phenols and Phytosterols The obtained results of the ethanolic extract of Anthocleista vogelii administered group compared with control showed a statistically significant decrease (P<0.05) in CD4+ and CD8+ counts, from (851.33±96.34) to (451.00±21.02) and from (1058.67±93.31) to (636.00±28.93) for CD4+ and CD8+ cells respectively. The haematological parameters showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in absolute middle cells (basophils, eosinophils and monocytes) count. The obtained results showed a significant increase of estradiol concentration in the female rats, from (184.65±30.06 pg/ml) in the control group compared to (288.29±30.06pg/ml) in the extract treated group. These findings suggest that Anthocleista vogelii may have a role in creating the environment required for successful pregnancy by decreasing the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cytokines production and increasing monocytes and granulocytes activation. The plant can be used to induce oestrogen production therefore, supports the claims on the traditional use of Anthocleista vogelii to enhance fertility in female. KEY: Ethanolic extract, Anthocleista vogelii, WBC, RBC, female fertility, CD4+ and CD8+, `Oestradio

Modulation of brain antioxidant enzymes by methotrexate administration in animal model.

ArticleReactive oxygen species (ROS), when overproduced in a biological system can interact very rapidly with most biological molecules with usually harmful consequences. ROS initiate the process of degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids referred to as lipid peroxidation. It has been proven that reactive oxygen species/free radicals are involved in many pathological processes in humans and animals. The present study was initiated in order to investigate methotrexate (MTX)-induced oxidative stress and its modulatory effect on antioxidant enzyme and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) status in an animal model. Twenty-one male Wistar rats (aged 6-8 weeks) weighing averagely 171.7 g were randomly divided into three groups with 7 rats in a group. MTX was diluted with appropriate volume of distilled water to obtain desired concentration. The animals were orally administered MTX in the following pattern: group 1: control rats received standard rat diet and water; group 2: MTX-treated rats (13.4 mg/kg body weight/week, for 3 weeks) and group 3: MTX-treated rats (13.4 mg/kg body weight /week for 6 weeks). At the end of the feeding period, the animals were sacrificed, brain removed and immediately cleaned with ice cold saline and transferred to ice chamber. Selected biomarkers were determined according to standard biochemical procedures. The activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) did not differ significantly from the control group after 3 weeks of oral administration of MTX. However, these same enzymes were significantly altered after 6 weeks of MTX administration and with a significant increase in the level of TBARS indicating that MTX demonstrated adverse effects on antioxidant enzymes in rat brain homogenate