Acute hepatotoxicity of DDT: Effect on glucocorticoid receptors and serum transcortin

452-456The hepatotoxic effect of 1,1 bis (p-chlorophenyl) 2,2,2 trichloroethane (DDT) treatment for 10 consecutive days has been examined in Wistar rats. DDT exposure increased relative liver weight, dose dependently, with a marked decrease of glycogen content and profound histological changes including cytoplasmic vacuolization, signs of necrosis and nuclear enlargement. The hepatomegaly induced by DDT (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight day-1) appeared not to be accompanied by a significant alteration of the hepatic glucocorticoid receptor concentration and affinity while, serum corticosteroid binding globulin level increased slightly with the lower dose of the pesticide. It is concluded that a short-term exposure to DDT did not lead to a status stress and, therefore, the hepatotoxic effect of organochlorine seemed not to be mediated by endogenous glucocorticoids

Decline in semen quality of North African men: a retrospective study of 20,958 sperm analyses of men from different North African countries tested in Tunisia over a period of 6 years (2013-2018)

International audienceBackground According to numerous studies from around the world, semen quality seems to have declined dramatically in recent times. However, the data available on male fertility status and semen quality in North Africa are limited. Aim To investigate the status of semen quality in North-African men and to understand its variations. Subjects & methods 20,958 sperm-analyses (Spermogram - Spermocytogram) of North-African men (19-77 years old) consulting for infertility, performed in a private laboratory of medical analyses (Tunis, Tunisia) over a period of 6 years (2013-2018), were investigated. All patients had at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse with their partners before the test. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0 software for windows. Results Libyan men presented a clear decline in all sperm parameters. A continuous decline in sperm morphology quality was shown in Tunisian and Algerian men. Mauritanian men presented a significant increase in sperm vitality with pseudo-stability in the rest of the sperm parameters during the whole study period. Conclusion North-African men presented remarkable decreases in their semen quality over the last decade. This data could confirm possible global common-causes that need to be identified in order to limit their negative impact on sperm quality, and consequently on male-fertility

Dieldrin initiates apoptosis in rat thymocytes

1147-1150In vitro <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";color:black"="">incubation for 6 hr to pesticide dieldrin resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of cell viability comparable to that of dexamethasone. <span style="font-size:14.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";color:black"="">In vivo experiments also demonstrated that dieldrin administration induced a dose-dependent thymic atrophy which appeared to be mediated by endogenous corticosteroids. Agarose gel electrophorosis analysis, revealed the <span style="font-size: 15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";="" color:black"="">generation of typical apoptotic oligosomal DNA fragmentation in presence of dieldrin. However, in responsc to high concentrations of pesticide, cells seemed to undergo necrosis pathway. Thus, it may be concluded that dieldrin induced apoptosis in rat thymocytes. </span

Antidiarrheal and antioxidant activities of Ajuga iva (L.) leave extract

We studied the effect of Ajuga iva leaves extract (AIE) on the intestinal absorption, motricity and its antioxidant capacity against diarrhea. Wistar rats were divided and received either: castor oil (CO), CO and loperamide or CO and different doses of AIE. AIE prevented dose-dependently CO-induced diarrhea. AIE at 800 mg/kg showed inhibition efficiency on defecation and diarrhea. The pro-oxidant effect of the CO in the small intestine was inhibited significantly in presence of AIE: increasing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and lowering oxygen free radicals (OH°, O2°-), carbonyl protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, co-administration of AIE in castor oil-exposed groups significantly increased the intestinal contents of calcium and magnesium. AIE exhibits significant anti-diarrheal activity, related in part to its antioxidant properties. Our investigation also provides experimental evidence for the traditional use of this medicinal plant in the treatment of diarrhea

Effects of oral administration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on reproductive parameters in male Wistar rats

International audienceThe 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is used worldwide in agriculture as a selective herbicide. It has been shown to produce a wide range of adverse effects on the health of both animals and humans from embryotoxicity and teratogenicity to neurotoxicity. In the present study, we have examined the effect of 2,4-D on male reproductive function of rats. Male Wistar rats received daily by force-feeding 100 or 200 mg of 2,4-D/kg body weight for 30 consecutive days. Rats exposed to 100 and 200 mg of 2,4-D/kg showed a significant decrease in body weights only after 24 days of treatment and in relative weights of testis, seminal vesicles and prostate at killing day, when compared with controls. Moreover, a decrease in testosterone and an increase in FSH and LH serum levels were detected in treated rats. Besides, exposure to this herbicide induced pronounced testicular histological alterations with enlarged intracellular spaces, tissue loosening and dramatic loss of gametes in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. In addition, a decreased motility and a number of epididymal spermatozoa with an increased sperm abnormality rate were found in treated rats in comparison with control. With the highest dose, histological observations of seminal vesicles indicated a considerable decrease of secretions in the lumen, a thinness of the muscle layer surrounding the epithelium with branched mucosal crypts and reduced luminal space. In prostate, the heights of the cells decreased while acinar lumen were enlarged and they lost the typical invaginations. Our results suggest that a subacute treatment of 2,4-D promotes reproductive system toxicity

Comparison of the effects of PACAP-38 and its analog, acetyl-[Ala15, Ala20] PACAP-38-propylamide, on spatial memory, post-learning BDNF expression and oxidative stress in rat

International audienceWe compared the effects of single intraveinous injection of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-38 (P38) to those of its analog, acetyl-[Ala15, Ala20]PACAP-38-propylamide (P38-alg) on spatial memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) using a weak massed-learning procedure, post-training brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and post-training oxidative stress biomarker assays in male Wistar rats. Acquisition of the MWM task following P38 (30 μg/kg) and P38-alg (30 μg/kg) treatments was similar to control group (Saline: 0.9% NaCl) and there was no interaction between treatments and performance. However, in the probe test, P38-treated group showed a specific interest for the target quadrant whereas the two other groups exhibited less focused place searching behavior. Moreover, P38 had an anxiogenic effect as measured by the distribution of swimming at the periphery of the pool. The swimming test resulted in a decrease in BDNF contents in the hippocampus. P38 but not P38-alg treatment restored BDNF expression. In terms of oxidative stress, both P38 and P38-alg treatments had antioxidative effects. The activity of antioxidative enzymes in the neocortex was increased. However only P38 reduced the levels of carbonylated proteins (CP). These data show that P38 and P38-alg have different behavioral and neurobiological effects. Thus, P38-alg and other analogs with specific functional profiles, inducing beneficial central effects (e.g. neuroprotection) while minimizing undesired peripheral effects may be useful for potential therapeutical use

Acute exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles does not affect the cognitive capacity and neurotransmitters levels in adult rats

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