Motorcycle exhaust induces reproductive toxicity and testicular interleukin-6 in male rats

Motorcycle exhaust (ME) from two-stroke engines contains many toxicants and poses a potential health hazard. The major objectives of the present study were to investigate the male reproductive toxicity of ME and the underlying mechanisms of toxicity. Male Wistar rats were exposed to ME by inhalation 1 h each in the morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday. Exposures to 1:50 diluted ME for 4 weeks or to 1:10 diluted ME for 2 and 4 weeks showed concentration- and time-dependent decreases of testicular weight, spermatid number, and cauda epididymal sperm number. Subsequent studies were done using 4-week exposure to 1:10 diluted ME. ME caused histopathological changes including testicular spermatocytic necrosis and seminiferous tubule atrophy and cauda epididymal formation of clusters of pyknotic and necrotic sperm cells. ME-exposed male rats mated with untreated females showed decreases of male mating index and female fertility index and an increase of implantation site loss. ME decreased 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and superoxide dismutase activities but induced proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) messenger RNA (mRNA) in the testis. Male rats were exposed to ME with or without cotreatment with 50 mg/kg vitamin E orally for 4 weeks. ME decreased serum testosterone concentration. This effect was reversed by cotreatment with vitamin E. ME decreased testicular spermatid number and induced IL-6 mRNA and protein. These effects were also reversed by the vitamin E cotreatment. The present findings show that ME causes male reproductive effects and induces testicular IL-6 in rats by mechanisms involving induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of steroidogenesis

Efeito de extratos aquosos de estruturas de grama-seda no desenvolvimento inicial de plântulas de arroz, milho e trigo Effects of aqueous extracts of bermudagrass structures on initial growth of rice, corn and wheat seedlings

Objetivou-se verificar os efeitos de extratos aquosos de estruturas de grama-seda (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers) e de exsudatos radiculares presentes no solo no qual a planta se desenvolveu, sobre a germinação e o crescimento inicial de arroz, trigo e milho. O extrato aquoso das estruturas da parte aérea, subterrâneas e da planta inteira, assim como do estolão, da folha + colmo, estolão + folha + colmo, rizoma, raiz e de rizoma + raiz de grama-seda foi elaborado a partir de 100 g L-1 de material seco. Foram avaliados a protrusão da radícula e os crescimentos da radícula e da plúmula de cada espécie. A inibição ou o estímulo do desenvolvimento inicial de plântulas foi dependente da espécie avaliada e da estrutura vegetal empregada na elaboração do extrato. A protrusão da radícula foi mais inibida que os crescimentos da radícula e da plúmula. O estímulo do desenvolvimento da radícula e da plúmula foi mais evidente quando o extrato foi elaborado a partir das estruturas do sistema radicular, da parte aérea e da planta inteira que de estruturas individualizadas de grama-seda. De modo geral, o arroz e o milho foram mais inibidos por extratos elaborados a partir da parte aérea e subterrânea, respectivamente. Para o trigo, a inibição ou o estímulo foi dependente da variável analisada. O desenvolvimento da radícula e da plúmula de arroz, milho e trigo foi estimulado por extrato elaborado a partir da planta inteira. O extrato produzido a partir da fração argila + silte estimulou o desenvolvimento da radícula do milho e da plúmula do trigo.<br>The objective of this work was to study the effects of aqueous extracts of Bermudagrass structures (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers) and soil exudates, on the germination and initial growth of rice, corn and wheat seedlings. The aqueous extracts of above-ground and subterranean parts and of the whole plant, as well as of stolons, leaves + culm, stolons + leaves + culm, rhizome, root and rhizome + root of Bermudagrass, were prepared from 100 g L-1 of dry plant material. It was also investigated if these extracts and the one obtained from soil removed from the rhizosphere of the subterranean plant parts, and of the stolons would show any interference. Inhibition or stimulation of the initial seedling development was dependent on the tested species and the structure employed in the preparation of the extract. Radicle protrusion was inhibited more than radicle and plumule growth. The stimulus of radicle and plumule growth was more evident when the extract was prepared from the root system structures, above-ground plant parts and whole plant than from the separated plant structures of Bermudagrass. Rice and corn were more inhibited by extracts prepared from the above-ground and subterranean plant part respectively. Wheat inhibition or stimulation effects were dependent on the variable analysed. The development of radicle and plumule of rice, corn and wheat was stimulated by extract prepared from the whole plant. The extract prepared from the clay + silt soil fraction in which the grass grew stimulated growth of corn radicle and wheat plumule