Some of the environmental toxicants acting as endocrine disruptors have been associated with health hazards in human and wildlife by modulating hormonal actions. The widely used herbicide; atrazine (ATZ) is a potent endocrine and testicular disruptor. However, studies on it remain largely inconclusive especially whether the effects are reversible or permanent. We therefore designed this study to evaluate the histological and hormonal changes associated with differential ATZ exposure. Twenty (20) adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (5 rats per group) control and three experimental groups. Control received the vehicle; the 3 groups received ATZ, 38.5, 77.0 and 154.0 mg/kg bw/day for 30 days respectively. The effects of Atrazine were assessed through histopathological observation, spermatozoa quality examination and reproductive hormone levels. Results showed that irrespective of the ATZ dose, there was significant decrease in weight, severe pathological changes in testicular tissue, decrease in the quality of semen and altered luteinizing hormone (LH) of the rats. Taken together, our findings showed that ATZ exposure could lead to poor reproductive ability in male Wistar rats

Sleep deprivation can be described as inadequate quantity or quality of sleep characterized by insufficient sleep duration, delayed sleep onset, and occurrence of napping episodes during the day. Sleep deprivation in animals and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in human was reported to be associated with increased oxidative stress. Glycyrrizha glabra (licorice) is a medicinal plant known to be a highly efficacious medicinal herb with several pharmacological effects. Hence, the aim of this study was to demonstrate whether or not licorice root extract will regulate the imbalance between the reactive oxygen species and production of antioxidant enzymes in the brain of sleep deprived rats. Twenty - five 6-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups to undergo sleep deprivation and recovery for 5 days each. Group I (Control): Group II: sleep deprivation (SD); Group III: sleep deprivation and recovery (SD+SR) all received distill water (10ml/kg) orally; Group IV: sleep deprivation and licorice (SD+Lic), Group V: sleep deprivation, recovery with licorice (SD+SR+Lic) both received licorice (150mg/kg) orally once daily. MDA concentration among rats in Groups II (51%), III (46.7%) and IV (31.3%) were significantly higher when compared with control. Rats in Group III (20.5%), Group IV (24.6%) and Group V (30.8%) showed increased significant change in GSH concentration when compared with Group II. The concentration of CAT among rats in Group II was significantly lower than those rats in Group III (43.8%), Group IV (53.8%) and Group V (72.9%). These results clearly show that sleep deprivation significantly affects the oxidative status of rats. In conclusion, licorice root extract has ameliorative effect on the imbalance between the reactive oxygen species and production of antioxidant enzymes in the brain of sleep deprived rats.
Sleep ; Sleep Deprivation ; Oxidative Stress, Rats