AIMTo evaluate the possible antifertility activity of Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb) Voigt. stem extract in male rats.

METHODMale rats were given 70% methanol extract of S. acidum stem orally at dose levels of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 60 days. Fertility was evaluated with mating test. Sperm motility and sperm density in cauda epididymides were also assessed. Biochemical and histological analyses were performed on blood samples and on the reproductive organs.

RESULTSS. acidum stem extract resulted in an arrest of spermatogenesis without any systemic side effect. Sperm motility as well as sperm density was reduced significantly. Treatment caused a 80% reduction in fertility at the 50 mg dose and complete suppression of fertility at the 100 mg dose. There was no significant change in RBC and WBC count, hemoglobin, haematocrit, sugar and urea in the whole blood and cholesterol, protein and phospholipid in the serum. The protein and glycogen content of the testes, fructose in the seminal vesicle and protein in epididymides were significantly decreased. Cholesterol in the testes was elevated. Treatment at both of the doses caused a marked reduction in the number of primary spermatocytes (preleptotene and pachytene), secondary spermatocytes and spermatids. The number of mature Leydig cells was decreased, and degenerating Leydig cells was increased proportionately.

CONCLUSIONS. acidum stem extract arrests spermatogenesis in male rats without noticable side effects.

Animals ; Blood Cell Count ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Contraceptive Agents, Male ; pharmacology ; Glycogen ; metabolism ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phospholipids ; blood ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatids ; drug effects ; Spermatocytes ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

Cervical cancer can be presented as an unusual and aggressive manner in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive women. There are case reports of psoas abscess which mimick metastasis from cervical carcinoma in HIV-positive patients. However, such cases are very rare in HIV-negative women with only few case reports available in the literature. We report one case of psoas abscess mimicking metastasis in a HIV-negative woman, which was initially diagnosed as spinal tuberculosis.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; HIV ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Psoas Abscess ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Background/Aims: Disaccharidase assay is used for assessing carbohydrate intolerance in children, but its usefulness in adults is not known. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of disaccharidase deficiency in patients with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods: A retrospective review of adults with chronic (> 1 year) abdominal symptoms and negative imaging and endoscopy/colonoscopy and who completed bowel symptom questionnaire and duodenal biopsy for lactase, maltase, sucrase, and palatinase was performed. A subset also underwent 25 g lactose breath test (LBT). Results: One hundred twenty patients (females = 83) were evaluated, of whom 48 also underwent LBT. Fifty-six (46.7%) patients had enzyme deficiency; 44 (36.7%) had single (either lactase or maltase), 1 had 3 enzyme deficiencies, 11 (9.2 %) had all 4 disaccharidase enzyme (pan-disaccharidase) deficiency, and 64 (53.0%) had normal enzyme levels. Baseline prevalence and severity of 11 gastrointestinal symptoms were similar between normal and single enzyme deficiency groups. The sensitivity and specificity of LBT was 78.3% and 72.0%, respectively and overall agreement with lactase deficiency was 75.0%. Conclusions Isolated disaccharidase deficiency occurs in adults, usually lactase and rarely maltase, and pan-disaccharidase deficiency is rare. Baseline symptoms or its severity did not predict enzyme deficiency.

The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels modulate and regulate cardiac rhythm and rate. It has been suggested that, unlike the HCN1 and HCN2 channels, the slower HCN4 channel may not exhibit voltage-dependent hysteresis. We studied the electrophysiological properties of human HCN4 (hHCN4) channels and its modulation by cAMP to determine whether hHCN4 exhibits hysteresis, by using single-cell patch-clamp in HEK293 cells stably transfected with hHCN4. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was also used to determine levels of expression of HCNs in human cardiac tissue. Voltage-clamp analysis revealed that hHCN4 current (I(h)) activation shifted in the depolarizing direction with more hyperpolarized holding potentials. Triangular ramp and action potential clamp protocols also revealed hHCN4 hysteresis. cAMP enhanced I(h) and shifted activation in the depolarizing direction, thus modifying the intrinsic hHCN4 hysteresis behavior. Quantitative PCR analysis of human sinoatrial node (SAN) tissue showed that HCN4 accounts for 75% of the HCNs in human SAN while HCN1 (21%), HCN2 (3%), and HCN3 (0.7%) constitute the remainder. Our data suggest that HCN4 is the predominant HCN subtype in the human SAN and that I(h) exhibits voltage-dependent hysteresis behavior that can be modified by cAMP. Therefore, hHCN4 hysteresis potentially plays a crucial role in human SAN pacemaking activity.
Biological Clocks ; physiology ; Cyclic AMP ; physiology ; Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels ; physiology ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels ; Muscle Proteins ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels ; Sinoatrial Node ; physiology ; Transfection