Diazinon is a widely used Organophosphate insecticide which is applied against plant pests. This compound has various side effects because it acts as an acetyl cholinesterase enzyme inhibitor.

The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of diazinon on pituitary–gonad axis and ovarian histological changes in rats.

In total 50 female wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 10 including control sham and experimental groups I II and III which orally received 50 100 and 150 mg/kg/bw diazinon for 14 days respectively. Diazinon was administered orally and 24 hours after the last treatment blood samples were taken from the heart centrifuged and sera were evaluated for the concentrations of estrogen progesterone and gonadotropins via RIA method. In addition ovaries were removed fixed and studied with steriological methods.

The results show no significant changes in body weight among various groups; while ovarian weight in experimental group III decreased significantly (p

Carbaryl is a carbamate insecticide widely used to control pests in agriculture and farm. Carbaryl adversely affect the reproductive endocrine systems in animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate Carbaryl effects on the pituitary-gonad axis in rats. In this experimental - analytical study, 60 adult male rats were divided into four equal groups: control, sham and experimental (1 and 2) groups that received 10 and 30 mg/kg Carbaryl via intraperitoneally injection. The sham group was subjected to intraperitoneally injection with olive oil while the control group did not receive any injection. Animals were sacrificed 35 days after the last treatment. Tissue sections were prepared from testes to investigate possible changes occurring in spermatogenic and Leydig cells. Blood samples were collected in which the levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormones (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured. The results showed significant reduction in testes weight (p=0.042) and seminiferous diameters (p<0.001) within the experimental groups compared with control group. Also, the number of germ cells, spermatocyts, spermatids and Leydig cells on the testes of the experimental groups was significantly decreased (p<0.001). Accordingly, significant decline in the testosterone levels (p<0.001) and increase in LH and FSH levels were observed (p<0.05). These results demonstrated that Carbaryl has capacity to exert adverse effects on fertility. Therefore, have to be taken to account in applying Carbaryl for any studies and or commercial use.

Azadirachta indica is a tree with most of the parts having various medicinal values. It is however popular because of its high potencies, as antimalarial and anti-fertility agents, which the locals still exploit.

We investigated the effect of the methanol leaf extract on the serum levels of the pituitary-gonad hormones and the histo-morphology of the ovary and uterus of adult female rats.

Eighteen adult female Wistar rats were divided into three groups (A, B and C) of six animals each. Group A was the control group that received distilled water orally, while groups B and C were the experimental groups that received 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg of the extract respectively by oral intubation for fourteen days. The animals were sacrificed on the fifteenth day, and blood was collected from the left ventricles of the hearts and subsequently spurned in heparinized bottles for serum hormonal assay. The ovaries and the uteri were then dissected out and preserved in Bouin’s fluid. Routine haematoxylin and eosin method was used to stain them.

There were significant (p<0.0001) lower serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the treatment groups, especially in the 400mg/kg group, while there were significant (p<0.0001) higher progesterone (PH) levels in the treatment groups. The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were however not different (p=0.0502) from the control. The histo-morphologic studies revealed no obvious pathological changes in the ovaries and uteri of the treatment groups.

200mg/kg and 400mg/kg of methanol extract of the leaf of A. indica does not have any obvious effect on the histo-morphologies of the ovary and uterus, but showed significant changes in the serum levels of LH and PH of female Wistar rat, implying that the effect of the extract may have been at a level other than these organs of study.

Successful reproduction relies on a functioning hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis. Damage to this axis disrupts the estrus cycle and reproductive capability.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of single or multiple platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections on repairing the damaged hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and restoring the estrus cycle in Wistar rats.

90 female Wistar rats (2-3 months old, 250-280 gr) with regular estrous cycles were divided into a control group and 8 experimental groups (n = 10/each). After bilateral stereotaxic chemical surgery of the ARC using quinolinic acid (500 nmol/2 μl), the experimental rats were categorized into several treatment regimens: ARC- (no treatment), 1 PRP injection (immediately, 24 hr, 48 hr, and 72 hr postsurgery), 2 PRP injections (immediately, 24 hr), 3 PRP injections (immediately, 24 hr, and 48 hr), and 4 PRP injections (immediately, 24 hr, 48 hr, and 72 hr). Vaginal smear cytology was performed daily for 2.5 months. In the end, rats brains were removed and divided for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin, as well as for ARC cell counting.

Vaginal smear cytology indicated that PRP administration gradually restored the estrous cycle. Compared to the ARC- group, PRP treatment significantly increased ARC cell density (p = 0.012) and mRNA levels of kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin (p < 0.001).

These findings not only emphasized the importance of the ARC for the regularity of estrous cycle, but also showed the potential effects of local PRP treatment in contribution to the protection/reconstruction of ARC.
 

This article has been extracted from Ph.D. Thesis. (Elham Abbasi)

Hyperprolactinemia is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. The prevalence of pituitary tumors is 25-30% among infertile participants with hyperprolactinemia.

The aim of this study was to describe the causes of hyperprolactinemia in infertile women referred to Yazd Infertility Center.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 182 infertile women with hyperprolactinemia who were referred to Yazd Infertility Center from February 2018 to October 2019. Serum prolactin was assessed by the human prolactin ELISA kit according to the Padtan Gostar Isar protocol. The age, duration of infertility, causes of hyperprolactinemia, and type of infertility treatment were noted. The MRI findings were added.

The mean age of participants was 28.9 ± 0.36 yr and the prolactin level was 76 ± 8.97 ng/ml. The etiology of hyperprolactinemia among the study participants was 35 participants (19.2%) with pituitary adenoma, 47 participants (25.8%) with polycystic ovary syndrome, 14 participants (7.7%) with pituitary adenoma and polycystic ovary syndrome, and 86 participants (47.3%) with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia. The results of this study showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean prolactin levels in participants with different causes of hyperprolactinemia (p = 0.31).

Idiopathic hyperprolactinemia and polycystic ovary syndrome are the most common reasons for hyperprolactinemia.

Due to myelin and axonal insults in multiple sclerosis individuals, motor coordination problems and endocrine imbalance may develop.

This study aims to evaluate the role of chronic demyelination on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in the mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

20 adult C57/BL6 male mice were divided into 2 groups (n = 10/each) as follows: the control group (CONT) received a regular diet for 17 wk; and the experimental group (cuprizone [CPZ]) was fed with 0.2% CPZ for 12 wk and, then CPZ was withdrawn for 5 wk. Serum testosterone, histopathology of the brain and testis, and sperm analysis were evaluated.

The hypothalamic myelin content was significantly decreased in the arcuate nucleus following the 12 wk of CPZ consumption compared to the CONT group, and the statistical difference remained until 17 wk. Testosterone levels declined significantly in the CPZ group compared to the CONT group in the 12th and 17th wk. A significant decrease was observed in the height of the seminiferous epithelium and the interstitial tissue area, and the number of seminiferous epithelial cells in the CPZ group compared to the CONT group in the 12th and 17th wk. The sperm count, motility, and viability in the CPZ group significantly decreased compared to the CONT group in the 12th and 17th wk of the study.

Chronic demyelination induced by CPZ intoxication, maybe through damage to the hypothalamus arcuate nucleus, leads to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis disturbance and damage to the testis and spermatogenesis subsequently.

An important part of male infertility of unknown etiology may be attributed to various environmental and occupational exposures to toxic substances, such as lead. The reproductive effects of lead are complex and appear to involve multiple pathways, not all of which are fully understood. It is still unclear, for example, if male reproductive issues in lead-exposed persons are mostly related to the disruption of reproductive hormones, whether the problems are due to the lead’s direct effects on the gonads, or both? This question has been difficult to answer, because lead, especially at high levels, may adversely affect many human organs. Although lead can potentially reduce male fertility by decreasing sperm count and motility, inducing abnormal morphology and affecting functional parameters; not all studies have been able to clearly demonstrate such findings. In addition, research has shown that the blood-testis barrier can protect testicular cells from direct exposure to high levels of blood lead. For these reasons and considering the wide spectrum of lead toxicity on reproductive hormones, the present review suggests that lead’s main influence on male reproduction probably occurs by altering the reproductive hormonal axis and the hormonal control on spermatogenesis, rather than by a direct toxic effect on the seminiferous tubules of the testes. As blood lead concentrations below the currently accepted worker protection standard may still adversely affect male fertility, future studies should aim to establish more concrete links between lead exposure (especially at low levels) and subsequent male infertility. Research should also pay more attention to lead’s effects on reducing male fertility rates based on not only hormonal axis alteration, but also on the changes in sperm characteristic among exposed subjects.

Troxerutin is a flavonoid antioxidant that protect different organ against damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of troxerutin in reducing the damages caused by ischemia-reperfusion in rat's testis.

40 Male Wistar rats (2 month old) were divide to four groups (n=10). Group1 (sham), Group 2 (control, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) without treatment), Group 3 (I/R힝 mg/kg of troxerutin), and group 4 (I/R mg/kg of vitamin C). Treatment of group 3 and group 4 during torsion (twists 720 counter clock at 90 min) followed by 50 days detorsion. After 50 days, blood samples were collected and rats in all study groups were killed and their testes were removed, and fixed with Bouin’s solution. Testis was stained with hematoxylin and eosin dye and the level of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured with ELISEA methods. TUNEL was employed to detect apoptosis. Epididymis caudal part was removed and total sperm count was determined. Johnson techniques were used for assessment of seminiferous tubules quality.

Troxerutin treated group has higher Johnson score’s (p≤0.001), antiapoptotic properties (p≤0.001), sperm count (p=0.065), and higher LH (p≤0.001), FSH (p≤0.001) and testosterone (p=0.002) levels than control group. Vitamin C treated group showed increase level of testosterone but didn’t show significant differences on the number of apoptotic cells, Johnson scores, LH, FSH and sperm count than control group.

Troxerutin has protective effects on testicular torsion induced injury and can ameliorate spermatogenesis in the torsion-detorsion models.

General concern is that the pregnancy rate is higher with GnRH-agonist as a protocol of pituitary suppression. GnRH-antagonist protocol provides a shorter period of administration and an easy flexible protocol. In this study, the outcomes of GnRH agonist and antagonist in ICSI cycles are compared in normo responder patients. In this randomized clinical trial, 300 normoresponders undergoing ICSI were randomly divided to GnRh agonist (n=150) and GnRh antagonist (n=150) groups. The main outcome measurements were chemical, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates (PR). The mean duration of stimulation were 9.6±1.6 and 8.2±1.6 days in agonist and antagonist groups respectively (p=0.001). The mean number of MII oocyte retrieved in agonist and antagonist groups were 7.7±4.0 and 6.9±4.3 respectively (p=0.03). There was no significant difference between two groups regarding mean number of gonadotrophin ampoules, follicles, occytes, total embryos and good quality embryos, OHSS incidence, and abortion rate. Chemical pregnancy rate was 35.3% in agonist and 39.3% in antagonist group. Clinical pregnancy rate was 35.3% in agonist and 34% in antagonist group. Ongoing pregnancy rate was 45 (31.3%) in agonist and 44 (29.3%) in antagonist group. There was no significant difference between two groups in pregnancy rates. In this study antagonist protocol was shown to be an easy, safe and friendly protocol in Iranian normoresponder patients, having similar outcomes with standard agonist protocol but shorter period of stimulation.

The task force on plants for fertility regulation in men continued with its program to identify novel prototypes in plants alleged to have fertility regulating properties. Nigella Sativa seeds are frequently used in folk medicine in the Middle East and some Asian countries for the promotion of good health and treatment of many ailments. To evaluated the role of alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa on fertility potential, Pituitary-testicular axis hormones and Testosterone in male rats. 24 male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups; control, group A and group B, each group comprising of 8 rats. Animals in control group received 1 ml of normal saline and treatment groups (A and B) received (gavage) graded doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seeds on a daily basis for 60 days. At the end of treatment period, fertility parameters such as body and reproductive organs weight, sperm motility, viability and count, epididymal sperm reserve (ESR), daily sperm production (DSP), blood testosterone concentration, Gonadotropins levels and fertility index were measured. There was a significant difference in testes and epididymidis weight, sperm count, ESR, DSP, blood testosterone concentration, LH and fertility index in both the lower dose group and the higher group as compared to the control group. The results of this study showed that alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seed especially in higher doses could increase fertility potential, LH and testosterone concentration in male rats.