OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of lead exposure to rat placenta and pups during different gestation periods.

METHODSAll 108 Wistar rats (72 females, 36 males) were randomly divided into four groups. All rats were orally fed with 0.025% lead acetate during different gestation periods. Blood was obtained from the abdominal vena cava and the lead level in maternal blood was measured by means of atomic absorption spectrometry at the end of the pregnancy. The number of pups, their body weight, body length and tail length were measured. The effects of lead to rat placenta were observed by level of microscopy, optical microscopy and electronic microscopy.

RESULTSExperimental groups the blood lead level at the end of gestation were above 0.483 micromol/L. There were significant differences among, of pups, during different groups (P < 0.01). Among them the drinking lead group of whole distant was the lowest in placenta weight [(0.31 +/- 0.13) g] body weight of pups [(2.08 +/- 0.88) g] length and tail length of pups [(2.37 +/- 0.32) cm, (0.98 +/- 0.09) cm]. There were significantly differences between the experimental groups and controls. Maternal blood lead level was negatively related to placenta weight (r = 0.652, P < 0.01), and had no relation with the body weight of pups (r = -0.107, P = 0.46). In the experimental groups of lead poisoned rats, the placenta showed focus necrosis in the deciduas, and increased the trophoblastic giant cells and light staining cells in the trophospongium. Trophoblast in the labyrinth and trophospongium showed degeneration; fibrin deposition around the villi was increased. Microvilli around the trophoblast were shorter and less, mitochondrion was swollen and decreased in number, rough endoplasmic reticulum was distended and ribosomal number on membrane decreased.

CONCLUSIONLead exposure during different gestation periods should have a traumatic effect on the trophoblast, leading to interference of nutrition and oxygen exchange. Furthermore, the blood supply to the placenta and nutrition and oxygen exchange between mother and pups were also interfered, leading to reduction of placenta weight and retardation of development of pups.

Animals ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Lead ; toxicity ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Placenta ; drug effects ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To assess the effects of a single supraphysiological postnatal administration of a progestogen on uterine glands in dogs, 10 females were randomly assigned to a medroxyprogesterone acetate 35 mg (MPA; n = 6) or placebo (n = 4) group within the first 24 h of birth. The safety of the treatment was also evaluated. A transient mild clitoris enlargement appeared in MPA-treated females. Microscopic postpubertal uterine assessment revealed the presence of uterine glands in all cases without significant differences in the area occupied by the glands per µm2 of endometrium nor in the height of the uterine epithelium.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Clitoris/drug effects ; Dogs ; Epithelium/*drug effects ; Female ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate/*pharmacology ; Organ Size/drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Sexual Maturation/drug effects ; Uterus/*drug effects

Animals ; Male ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Testis ; drug effects ; Triazines ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS) injection on the volumes of different histological structures in the seminal vesicles of adult rats.

METHODSTwenty-seven male SD rats aged approximately 90 days were randomly divided into a control group (n = 14) and an EDS group (n = 13) to receive one intraperitoneal injection of normal saline and EDS (75 mg/kg bodyweight), respectively. At 7 and 12 days after treatment, the unilateral seminal vesicles were removed, methacrylate resin-embedded sections prepared and the total volumes of various structures in the seminal vesicles estimated using stereological methods.

RESULTSEDS treatment almost completely destroyed the Leydig cells in the testis, resulting in a drastic testosterone deficiency. The volume of the seminal vesicle (including the coagulating gland attached to the vesicle) was decreased by 53% in the 7 d EDS group (n = 6) in comparison with the 7 d control group (n = 7) ([138.2 +/- 12.9] vs [64.9 +/- 3.6] mm3, P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference between the 7 d and the 12 d EDS (n = 7) groups ([64.9 +/- 3.6] vs [55.4 +/- 7.7] mm3, P > 0.05). The total volumes of the glandular lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia were decreased by 96.7, 80.3, 57.6 and 67.0%, respectively, in the 12 d EDS group as compared with the 12 d control group (n = 7).

CONCLUSIONEDS induces drastic testosterone deficiency in adult rats, and significantly reduces the total volumes of the seminal vesicle lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia.

Animals ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; Male ; Mesylates ; pharmacology ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; pathology ; Testis ; cytology ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the in vivo effect of traditional chinese medicine (TCM) Shu-Gan-Liang-Xue (SGLX) decoction on estrogen in vivo in mice.

METHODSMice were randomly divided into control, tamoxifen (TAM), SGLX and SGLX + TAM groups. After SGLX decoction had been given to mice for 21 days, the serum hormone level of mice was tested by radioimmunological method, uterine weight index was obtained by uterine weight divided by body weight. Endometrial change was pathologically observed.

RESULTSSGLX decoction reduced the level of serum estrogen more than the control with significant difference (P < 0.001). Uterine weight index was more lowered in the SGLX group than the control giving a difference but not significant. The endometrium in the SGLX group showed no change when compared with that of the control, but the SGLX + TAM group showed slightly more endometrial hyperplasia than the TAM group.

CONCLUSIONSGLX decoction, having synergistic effect on TAM, can reduce serum hormone level and alleviate the endometrial hypertrophy side effect of TAM.

Animals ; Drug Synergism ; Endometrium ; drug effects ; pathology ; Estrogens ; blood ; Female ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology ; Uterus ; drug effects

Pressure overload diseases, such as valvular stenosis and systemic hypertension, manifest morphologically in patients as cardiac concentric hypertrophy. Prevention of cardiac remodeling due to increased pressure overload is important to reduce morbidity and mortality. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) is a major bioactive polyphenol present in green tea which has been found to be a nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxant and to be cardioprotective in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, we investigated whether EGCG supplementation could reduce in vivo pressure overloadmediated cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by suprarenal transverse abdominal aortic constriction (AC) in rats. Three weeks after AC surgery, heart to body weight ratio increased in the AC group by 34% compared to the sham group. EGCG administration suppressed the load-induced increase in heart weight by 69%. Attenuation of cardiac hypertrophy by EGCG was associated with attenuation of the increase in myocyte cell size and fibrosis induced by aortic constriction. Despite abolition of hypertrophy by EGCG, transstenotic pressure gradients did not change. Echocardiogram revealed that increased left ventricular systolic dimensions and deteriorated systolic function were relieved by EGCG. These results suggest that EGCG prevents the development of left ventricular concentric hypertrophy by pressure overload and may be a useful therapeutic modality to prevent cardiac remodeling in patients with pressure overload myocardial diseases.
Animals ; Blood Pressure/drug effects ; Cardiomegaly/pathology/*prevention & control ; Catechin/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Echocardiography ; Heart Rate/drug effects ; Histocytochemistry ; Male ; Organ Size/drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo determine the effect of the aqueous extract of Mondia whitei (Periplocaceae) roots on testosterone production and fertility of male rats.

METHODSAdult male Wistar rats were used. In the acute study, 20 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 4 animals each. Four treated groups were administered orally a single dose of Mondia whitei (400 mg/kg) and the controls received a similar amount of distilled water. One group of animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation 1, 2, 4 and 6 h after treatment, respectively. The controls were sacrificed at 6 h. Testicular testosterone was determined by radioimmunoassay. In the chronic study, 28 rats were divided at random into 4 groups of 7 animals each: Groups 1, 2 and 3 were given orally the plant extract (400 mg.kg(-1).day(-1)) for 2, 4 and 8 days, respectively. The animals of Groups 1 and 2 were sacrificed 24 hours after the last dosing. The controls (Group 4) received the same amount of distilled water for 8 days. The fertility was assessed only in Groups 3 and 4 and after that, the animals were sacrificed and the epididymal sperm density, the serum testosterone and the testicular testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol were assayed. The serum, testicular and epidydimal protein contents were also determined.

RESULTSIn the acute treatment groups, the serum and testicular concentrations of testosterone remained unchanged at all the time points. Chronic treatment for 8 days induced a significant increase in the testicular weight, the serum and testicular testosterone, the testicular protein content and the sperm density (P < 0.05-0.01), but did not affect the accessory gland weights, the serum protein contents, the testicular concentration of 17beta -estradiol and the fertility compared to the controls.

CONCLUSIONMondia whitei root extract possesses an androgenic property.

Androgens ; Animals ; Fertility ; drug effects ; Gentiana ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sperm Count ; Testis ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

The present study was to investigate the effect of kinetin on ovary and uterus of D-galactose-induced female mouse model of aging. Aging female mice model caused by D-galactose were used as model group, the aging model mice intragastrically administered with kinetin solution (daily 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) were used as kinetin groups, and the mice with solvent as normal group (n = 20). To detect the effects of kinetin, estrous cycle, estradiol content, ovarian and uterine wet weight and organ index, SOD and GSH-Px activities, MDA and total protein contents, as well as the reserve function of ovaries were examined. The results showed that, kinetin-induced changes in two kinetin groups were observed, compared with the model group: (1) the estrous cycle was shortened; (2) serum estradiol content was significantly increased; (3) the wet weights of the ovary and uterus were increased significantly; (4) SOD and GSH-Px activities of ovary and uterus were significantly higher; (5) the MDA contents of the ovary and uterus were reduced significantly; (6) total protein contents of the ovary and uterus were increased significantly; (7) the numbers of mature oocytes in fallopian tubes were increased significantly. The results show that kinetin can protect ovary and uterus against oxidative damage, prevent low estrogen secretion caused by ovarian oxidative damage, shorten the estrous cycle in mice, and eventually maintain ovarian and uterine vitalities.
Aging ; Animals ; Estradiol ; metabolism ; Estrous Cycle ; drug effects ; Female ; Galactose ; Kinetin ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Organ Size ; Ovary ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the consequence of oral administration of Calliandra portoricensis (C. portoricensis) leaf extract on the stomach and pancreas in Swiss albino mice.

METHODSThree groups of mice (B, C and D) were treated with 4 mg/kg of C. portoricensis extract. Group A was the control and received an equivalent volume of distilled water. Group B received C. portoricensis leaf extract for 7 days, Group C received C. portoricensis leaf extract for 14 days, and Group D received C. portoricensis leaf extract for 28 days. At different stages in the study, the mice were sacrificed and the stomach and pancreas were excised and fixed in 10% formol saline for histological analysis.

RESULTSThe result showed a normal microstructural outline in groups B and C as compared with the control. However, animals in group D showed disorganization of the mucosa and discontinuation of epithelial lining of the stomach while the islets of Langerans in the pancreas were at various degree of degeneration as compared with the control mice.

CONCLUSIONSThe present finding suggests that chronic administration (28 days as seen in this study) of C. portoricensis leaf extract may inhibit the proper function of the stomach and pancreas.

Animals ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Mice ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Pancreas ; drug effects ; pathology ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Stomach ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antiandrogenic activities of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSTranscriptional activation assay based on MDA-kb2 cell was used to determine the antiandrogenic effect of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin in vitro. The cells were treated by 10(-8), 10(-7), 10(-6) and 10(-5) mol/L of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin with 1.0 nmol/L DHT at the same time. The effects of antagonism towards the androgenic receptor were studied. In in vivo assays, Hershberger assay was used to determine the antiandrogenic activities of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin. Six-week-old castrated male SD rats were administered by cypermethrin (7, 21 and 63 mg/kg) and beta-cypermethrin (6, 18 and 54 mg/kg). After 7-day treatments, all rats were euthanized and androgen-responsive tissues were excised and weighed respectively.

RESULTSThe in vitro experiments showed that 10(-6) and 10(-5) mol/L cypermethrin could inhibit significantly the antagonism activity towards the androgenic receptor of DHT. In in vivo tests, the weight of seminal vesicle, ventral prostate, dorsolateral prostate and preputial glands in the 63 mg/kg cypermethrin [(52.8 +/- 7.1), (42.4 +/- 8.9), (36.6 +/- 4.5) and (43.4 +/- 11.1) mg] decreased significantly compared with those in the control group. In 21 mg/kg cypermethrin treated group only the weights of ventral prostate and dorsolateral prostate decreased significantly, and in 7 mg/kg cypermethrin only the weight of dorsolateral prostate decreased (P < 0.05). For beta-cypermethrin, any antiandrogen effect in in vivo and in vitro experiments was not found in all the groups.

CONCLUSIONCypermethrin is a moderate antiandrogen that elicits antiandrogenic effects at least partly by antagonizing AR and beta-cypermethrin is not an antiandrogen in our experiments.

Androgen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Organ Size ; Prostate ; drug effects ; Pyrethrins ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; drug effects ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects