ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Estrogens has traditionally been known as the female hormone, but this idea has been challenged in early 1990’s and an essential physiological role for estrogen in male fertility was identified. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring non-steroidal plant chemicals that can act like the female hormone estrogen. The herbs ( anise alfalfa and vervain ) chosen in this study contain phytoestrogens. OBJECTIVE: Previous studies demonstrated controversy of the effects of phytoestrogens on the rat testes .Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to investigate the influence of typical dose of herbs containing phytoestrogen on the rat testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four apparently normal mature male rats were divided into four groups of 6 animals each. The first "control" group received only 4ml of distilled water as a placebo. The second group received 40mg/kg of anise seed; the third group received 53.3 mg/kg of dried herb of vervain and the fourth group received 400 mg /kg of alfalfa seeds. All experimental groups received the doses through orogastric tube daily for fourteen days. Testicular histology was evaluated by light and enzyme histochemistry. Plasma FSH and testosterone concentrations were taken to support our results. RESULTS: Histological examination of anise, alfalfa and vervain – treated groups showed an increase in the height of germinal epithelia. There was marked lipoprotein lipase activity in the whole of the interstitial tissue which is more in amount in experimental groups than that in control group. Acid phosphatase granules were infiltered the seminiferous epithelia mildly in control group , moderately in anise and vervain groups and markedly in alfalfa group. The number of interstitial cells showing marked acid phosphatase activity was higher in all experimental groups than that in control group. Alkaline phosphatase exhibited intense activity in the boundary tissue of the seminiferous tubules in testes of control and experimental groups but it appeared thicker in the latter. CONCLUSION: The low dose and short duration of treatment used in our study made these phytoestrogen – containing herbs to have a stimulatory effect on leydig cell steroidogenesis. This study also demonstrated that aniseed being the most potent of the three herbs followed by alfalfa in stimulating testosterone synthesis. This is possibly attributed to the coumarin constituent of aniseed and alfalfa. KEY WORDS: phytoestrogen-containing herbs, testis, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipoprotein lipase
Gamma - irradiation effect on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples has been studied using Positron Annihilation Lifetime (PAL) method. The orthopositronium (o-Ps) lifetime τ3, hence the o-ps parameters, the volume hole size (Vh) and the free volume fraction (Ꞙh) in the irradiated samples were measured as a function of gamma-irradiation dose up to 28.05 kGy. It has been shown that τ 3, Vh, and Ꞙh, are increasing in general with increasing gamma-dose, to reach a maximum percentage increment of 22.42% in τ3, 60% in Vh and 29.5% in Ꞙh, at. 2.55 kGy, whereas τ2 reaches maximum increment of 119. 7% at 7.65 kGy. The results s
... Show MoreRestoration of degraded lands by adoption of recommended conservation management practices can rehabilitate watersheds and lead to improving soil and water quality. The objective was to evaluate the effects of grass buffers (GBs), biomass crops (BCs), grass waterways (GWWs), agroforestry buffers (ABs), landscape positions, and distance from tree base for AB treatment on soil quality compared with row crop (RC) (corn [
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The chamomile is one of the most important medicinal plants recommended for treatment of asthma and some respiratory system diseases. This research was designed to research the effects of aqueous extract of chamomillarecutita on histological structure of Diaphragm of albino mice. The study included 40 male albino mice Musmusculus, their age ranged from (5-7) weeks.The mices were divided randomly to 5 groups and oral administered with 1 ml every day for 10 days:- First Group G1: consider as control group and treated with normal saline,Second Group G2: was treated with aqueous extract of chamomile with concentration of 3 gm /100 ml D.W, Third Group G3: was treated with aqueous extract of chamomile with concentration of 5 gm /100 ml D.W.Fourth
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The purpose of this study was to examine the histological structure of the kidney in snake Eryx gaculus gaculus. In present study, the snakes were collected from the city of Baghdad and transferred to the laboratory where their kidneys were dissected out. The samples were then processed to be prepared for histological examination microscopial observations showed that there is no border between the cortex and medulla regions of kidney. The kidney consists of nephrons which are composed of glomerulus surrounded by Bowman’s capsule; the other segments are proximal tubule, distal tubule and connecting tubule. The epithelial tissue lining of these segments simple cuboidal tissue.
The present study aimed to investigate the morphological description and histological structure of thyroid gland in Herpestes javanicus . The results revealed that thyroid gland in adult Herpestes javanicus is located in the neck region just below the larynx and attached to the trachea . Histological study revealed that thyroid gland in H. javanicus surrounded by a capsule of losse connective tissue and the thyroid gland mainly formed from follicles within different sizes. The results showed that the follicle consists of three compenets represented by follicular lining cells, basal parafollicular cells and the colloid. Microscopical examination revealed that the follicular lining tissue is either to be simpl
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Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the morphological description and histological structure of thyroid gland in Herpestes javanicus . The results revealed that thyroid gland in adult Herpestes javanicus is located in the neck region just below the larynx and attached to the trachea . Histological study revealed that thyroid gland in H. javanicus surrounded by a capsule of losse connective tissue and the thyroid gland mainly formed from follicles within different sizes. The results showed that the follicle consists of three compenets represented by follicular lining cells, basal parafollicular cells and the colloid. Microscopical examination revealed that the follicular lining tissue is either to be simple squamous or simple cub
... Show MoreThe aim of this study to investigate the tongue morphology and histology in house gecko Hemidactylus flaviviridis using light and scanning electron –microscopy (SEM ) technique.The morphology result revealed the presence of three parts : apex , body and lingual root .The light microscopy result showed that the tongue is covered with mucous membrane composed of non keratinized stratified squamous epithelium based on lamina propria which contain bundles of striated muscles its fibers in different directions including connective tissue , blood vessels and nerves. The lingual mucosa of the dorsal surface is covered with different pattern of lingual papillae which are widely distributed all over the dorsal surface except the apex. Noticed on t
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to investigate the morphological and histological structure of pancreas in the bat,(Pipistrellus kuhlii). Pancreas was represented by compact pancreatic tissue which is divided into three parts : head , body and tail, its color is whit to yellow. The pancreatic tissue is located in the abdominal cavity near to the mass of intestine in the mesenteric network , which is connected with the coiled region of the duodenum in one side and with the extended mesenteries between the dorsal part of stomach and the abdominal part of spleen from the other side. The pancreas gland is surrounded by a loose connective tissue, the trabeculae are extended from it and divided the gland into many lobules which are different in shape
... Show MoreMorphological and histological study was conducted to examine the structure of prosencephalon (Cerebrum) in Columba oenas (Linnaeus, 1758). Thirteen animals of C. oenas were used in the present study. The brains were excised, fixed and recessed for the preparation of microscope slides and used hematoxylin-eosin stain, methylene blue and Bielschowsky’s stain. The result of morphological study showed that the cerebrum is apportion of the prosencephalon and the largest part of the brain and the dorsal surface was smooth and convex and composed of two cerebral hemispheres. The cerebral hemisphere contains the cavity which called lateral ventricle. The hemispheres were connected by the anterior commissure. Histologyically the cerebral hemisphe
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