PURPOSE: Limited studies have shown antifibrotic effects of pentoxifylline, captopril, simvastatin, and tamoxifen. No comparisons are available of the effects of these drugs on prevention of renal and bladder changes in partial urethral obstruction (PUO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were divided into six groups (n=7). The sham-operated rats (group I) only underwent laparotomy and did not receive any treatments. The PUO groups (group II-VI) received normal saline (PUO+NS), pentoxifylline (100 mg/kg/d; PUO+PEN), captopril (35 mg/kg/d; PUO+CAP), simvastatin (15 mg/kg/d; PUO+SIM), or tamoxifen (10 mg/kg/d; PUO+TAM) by gavage for 28 days. Then, the volume and/or length of the kidney components (tubules, vessels, and fibrous tissue) and the bladder components (epithelial and muscular layers, fibrous tissue, fibroblast and fibrocyte number) were quantitatively evaluated on the microscopic sections by use of stereological techniques. RESULTS: The volume of renal and bladder fibrosis was significantly ameliorated in the PUO+PEN group, followed by the PUO+CAP, PUO+SIM, and PUO+TAM groups. Also, the volume and length of the renal tubules and vessels and bladder layers were more significantly protected in the PUO+PEN group, followed by the PUO+CAP, PUO+SIM, and PUO+TAM groups. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of PUO with PEN was more effective in the prevention of renal and bladder fibrosis and in the preservation of renal and bladder structures.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Animals ; Captopril/*pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estrogen Antagonists/pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Kidney/*drug effects/pathology ; Male ; Pentoxifylline/*pharmacology ; Rats ; Simvastatin/*pharmacology ; Tamoxifen/*pharmacology ; Urethral Obstruction/*drug therapy ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction/*drug therapy

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hyperandrogenism, irregular menstruation, ovulatory dysfunction, and insulin resistance. Recent studies have reported the possible role of phytoestrogens in PCOS. This animal study aimed to evaluate the effects of genistein on insulin resistance, inflammatory factors, lipid profile, and histopathologic indices on PCOS. Methods: PCOS was induced by 1 mg/kg of letrozole in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats then received normal saline (PCOS group), 150 mg/kg of metformin, or 20 mg/kg of genistein dissolved in 1% methylcellulose solution for 42 days. Body weight, the glycemic and lipid profile, and inflammatory, antioxidative, and histopathological parameters were assessed at the end of the intervention. Results: Treatment with genistein significantly alleviated the increased level of fasting blood insulin (p=0.16) and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (p=0.012). In addition, the genistein group had significantly lower levels of serum malondialdehyde (p=0.039) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p=0.003), and higher superoxide dismutase enzyme activity (p<0.001). Furthermore, the histopathological analysis indicated that genistein administration led to an increase in luteinization and the development of fewer cysts (p<0.05). Conclusion Biochemical and histopathological analyses indicated that genistein administration to rats with PCOS induced significant remission in oxidative, inflammatory, and glycemic and histopathologic parameters (all p<0.05).

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hyperandrogenism, irregular menstruation, ovulatory dysfunction, and insulin resistance. Recent studies have reported the possible role of phytoestrogens in PCOS. This animal study aimed to evaluate the effects of genistein on insulin resistance, inflammatory factors, lipid profile, and histopathologic indices on PCOS. Methods: PCOS was induced by 1 mg/kg of letrozole in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats then received normal saline (PCOS group), 150 mg/kg of metformin, or 20 mg/kg of genistein dissolved in 1% methylcellulose solution for 42 days. Body weight, the glycemic and lipid profile, and inflammatory, antioxidative, and histopathological parameters were assessed at the end of the intervention. Results: Treatment with genistein significantly alleviated the increased level of fasting blood insulin (p=0.16) and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (p=0.012). In addition, the genistein group had significantly lower levels of serum malondialdehyde (p=0.039) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p=0.003), and higher superoxide dismutase enzyme activity (p<0.001). Furthermore, the histopathological analysis indicated that genistein administration led to an increase in luteinization and the development of fewer cysts (p<0.05). Conclusion Biochemical and histopathological analyses indicated that genistein administration to rats with PCOS induced significant remission in oxidative, inflammatory, and glycemic and histopathologic parameters (all p<0.05).

To evaluate the protoscolicidal effects of various concentrations of hypertonic glucose, live protoscolices of sheep were exposed to 10%, 15%, 25% and 50% glucose solutions. Cetrimide (0.5%), silver nitrate (0.5%) and hypertonic saline (20%) were used as positive controls, while physiological saline was used as a negative control. After 1, 2 and 5 min, the protoscolicidal effects were determined by 1% eosin. A 25% glucose solution had no significant protoscolicidal effect. However, a 50% glucose solution revealed higher protoscolicidal effect than 0.5% silver nitrate but weaker effect than 0.5% cetrimide; the effect was comparable with that of 20% hypertonic saline. The results showed that hypertonic glucose solution is highly effective in killing protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro.
Sheep Diseases/*parasitology ; Sheep ; Glucose Solution, Hypertonic/*pharmacology ; Echinococcus granulosus/*drug effects/isolation & purification ; Echinococcosis/*parasitology ; Animals

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have potential of differentiation and they secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors which make them appropriate for cell therapy. AIM OF THE WORK: Were to evaluate the healing effect of BM-MSCs transplantation on germinal cells of busulfan-induced azoospermic hamsters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present experimental case control study, BM-MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of donor albino hamsters. Five mature male recipient hamsters received two doses of 10 mg/kg of busulfan with 21 days interval to stop endogenous spermatogenesis. After induction of azoospermia, right testis of hamsters was injected with 106 BM-MSCs via efferent duct and the left one remained as azoospermia control testis. Five normal mature hamsters were selected as normal intact control. After 35 days, testes and epididymis of three groups were removed for histological evaluation. RESULTS: Histomorphological analyses of BM-MSCs treated testes and epididymis showed the epithelial tissue of seminiferous tubules had normal morphology and spermatozoa were present in epididymis tubes. Spermatogenesis was observed in most cell-treated seminiferous tubules. The untreated seminiferous tubules were empty. CONCLUSION: Transplanted BM-MSCs could successfully induce spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules of azoospermic hamster. Therefore, BM-MSCs can be an attractive candidate in cell transplantation of azoospermia.
Animals ; Azoospermia* ; Bone Marrow ; Busulfan ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Transplantation ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Cricetinae* ; Cytokines ; Epididymis ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatogenesis* ; Spermatozoa ; Testis ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants