Effects of Spirulina on Cyclophosphamide-Induced Ovarian Toxicity in Rats: Biochemical and Histomorphometric Evaluation of the Ovary

Cyclophosphamide (Cyc) is known to cause ovotoxicity and infertility in women. Our aim is to investigate the possible ovotoxic effects of Cyc and possible antioxidant and protective effects of blue-green algae, Spirulina (Sp), in rat ovaries. Eighteen rats were given: group I (n=6, control); group II (n=6, CP), a single dose Cyc; group III (n=6, Sp+Cyc), 7 days Sp+single dose Cyc. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities are assessed biochemically. Normal and atretic primordial and primary follicle counts for all sections obtained for each ovary are calculated. Mean number of follicle counts for each group are compared. In Sp+Cyc group, tissue MDA levels were significantly lower than those in the CP and higher than those in the C group (CP>Sp+Cyc>C). Tissue SOD activity was significantly higher in Sp+Cyc group than that in the CP group and lower than that in the C group (C>Sp+Cyc>C). No statistically significant difference was found between the ovarian CAT activities in any group. Histomorphometrically, there was also no significant difference between the mean numbers of normal and atretic small follicle counts. Our results suggest that single dose Cyc has adverse effects on oxidant status of the ovaries and Sp has protective effects in Cyc-induced ovotoxicity

Evaluation of cervical cytological abnormalities in Turkish population

Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most common female malignancy with high mortality rates in developing countries. Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of cervical cytologic abnormalities in population (strict Islamic religious area) and the detection rate of epithelial abnormalities by cervical cytology (CC). Materials and Methods: A total of 32,026 conventional pap smear tests collected between January 2006 and January 2010 from three hospitals are retrospectively analyzed. Results: Total of 900 (2.8%) cases had epithelial abnormalities. The numbers and rates of epithelial abnormalities were as the followings: Atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASCUS; n=615 [1.9%]); atypical squamous cell suspicious for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H; n=27 [0.1%]); atypical glandular cell of undetermined significance (AGUS; n=73 [0.2%]); low- grade squamous intraepitelial lesion (LSIL; n=147 [0.5%]); high- grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; n=35 [0.1%]); and squamous cell carinoma (SCC; n=3 [0.0%]). Conclusion: The prevalence of cervical cytological abnormality in our study was 2.8%. Recently, some conflicting results from the same population were published. More prospective studies with larger numbers are needed