Toxicity evaluation of Dolichandrone serrulata flower extract on vital and reproductive organs in adult male rats

Although Dolichandrone serrulata flower (DSF) aqueous extract has been shown to possess pharmacological properties, its systemic toxicity has still to be evaluated. The present study aimed to investigate the sub-chronic toxicity effect of DSF extract on biochemical parameters and histological structures of liver, kidney, testis, and epididymis plus vas deferens. Adult male rats were administered DSF at 100, 300, and 600 mg/kgBW via oral gavage for 48 consecutive days while control rats received distilled water. At the end of the experiment, blood, liver, kidney, testis, and epididymis plus vas deferens samples were collected to determine any changes to serum biochemical components including ALT, ALP, and creatinine levels and histological structures. The results revealed no significant difference in body weight and food or water consumption between control and the DSF-treated groups. It was found that DSF significantly increases the weight of epididymis plus vas deferens, while the kidney and liver showed a decrease in the high dose group (P value < 0.05). Histological changes in these vital and reproductive tissues including fibrosis were not observed after administration but ALT, ALP, and creatinine levels were significantly altered in the treated groups (P value < 0.05). These altered levels, however, were still within normal ranges. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that D. serrulata flower extract had no sub-chronic toxicity on vital and reproductive structures but slightly altered some liver and kidney functions.

Amelioration of ethanol reprotoxicity by aqueous Spinacia oleracea extract in male rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus

Spinacia oleracea “Spinach” is a plant rich in antioxidants; it leads to improved male reproduction. For this reason, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract of this plant on the fertility of adult male rabbits after their administration with ethanol. The rabbits were divided into four groups: control group, group treated with 150 mg / kg / day of aqueous Spinacia oleracea extract (Ep), group treated with 40% ethanol (EtOH), and group treated with 150 mg / kg / day of aqueous Spinacia oleracea extract + 40% ethanol (Ep + EtOH), for a period of five successive weeks. Treatment was administered orally. After sacrificing the rabbits, the reproductive organs were removed and weighed. Certain sperm parameters (concentration, mobility, speed, and vitality), the testosterone level and the weight of the testes and epididymis were assessed. The results obtained showed a decrease in the concentration, mobility, speed and vitality of sperm, accompanied by a decrease in testosterone levels, and in the weight of the testes and epididymis in the group treated with ethanol, on the other hand, treatment with aqueous Spinacia oleracea extract revealed an increase in these parameters. In conclusion, treatment with aqueous Spinacia oleracea extract can repair the damage caused by ethanol.

Withdrawal from repeated nicotine vapor exposure increases somatic signs of physical dependence, anxiety-like behavior, and brain reward thresholds in adult male rats.

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in nicotine vapor consumption via electronic nicotine delivery systems (i.e., e-cigarettes), particularly in adolescents. While recent work has focused on the health effects of nicotine vapor exposure, its effects on the brain and behavior remain unclear. In this study, we assessed the effects that cessation from repeated nicotine vapor exposure had on behavioral and neuronal measures of withdrawal. For Experiment 1, fifty-six adult male rats were tested for plasma cotinine levels, somatic withdrawal signs, and anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze, immediately following precipitated withdrawal from repeated exposure to 12 or 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor. In Experiment 2, twelve adult male rats were tested for intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) across 14 days of exposure to 24 mg/mL nicotine vapor and across the 14 days immediately following nicotine exposure. Results revealed that plasma cotinine, somatic signs, anxiety-like behavior, and ICSS stimulation thresholds were all observed to be elevated during withdrawal in the 24 mg/mL nicotine group, when compared to vehicle controls (50/50 vegetable glycerin/propylene glycol). The data suggest that cessation from repeated nicotine vapor exposure using our preclinical model leads to nicotine dependence and withdrawal, and demonstrates that the vapor system described in these experiments is a viable pre-clinical model of e-cigarette use in humans. Further characterization of the mechanisms driving nicotine vapor abuse and dependence is needed to improve policies and educational campaigns related to e-cigarette use.

Third-party vocal intervention in the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus)

Vocal intervention is a triadic social interaction, where a third party responds vocally to a conflict between group members, minimizing the costs of aggression in response to the intervention. Because there is little information on vocal third-party intervention in nonhuman mammals, we investigated whether adult male proboscis monkeys use the bray vocalization as a vocal third-party intervention signal to intervene in intragroup conflicts. First, we audio-recorded 1,811 vocalizations from 17 free-ranging proboscis monkey groups in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, analyzing 378 vocal responses of the adult male to agonistic vocal exchanges (shrieks) of group members. Second, we video- and audio-recorded five habituated groups in the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary investigating the context of these vocalizations and the conflict dyads evoking vocal support. We found that adult males of one-male/multifemale groups mainly uttered bray vocalizations, whereas females, immatures, and infants uttered shrieks in intragroup conflicts or in response to other animal species. The adult male uttered significantly more often brays after agonistic shrieks than expected based on the overall occurrence of brays. Brays ended 65% of agonistic conflicts, which were accompanied by vocalizations of the conflict partners and occurred more often after conflicts between females than between offspring. This suggests that the bray functions as a vocal third-party intervention signal for intragroup conflict resolution. We suggest that living in the high canopies of the tropical rainforest might restrict direct access to conflict partners and prevent physical intervention, favoring the evolution of the bray as a third-party vocal intervention signal.

Ionizing Radiation Activates Mitochondrial Function in Osteoclasts and Causes Bone Loss in Young Adult Male Mice

The damaging effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on bone mass are well-documented in mice and humans and are most likely due to increased osteoclast number and function. However, the mechanisms leading to inappropriate increases in osteoclastic bone resorption are only partially understood. Here, we show that exposure to multiple fractions of low-doses (10 fractions of 0.4 Gy total body irradiation [TBI]/week, i.e., fractionated exposure) and/or a single exposure to the same total dose of 4 Gy TBI causes a decrease in trabecular, but not cortical, bone mass in young adult male mice. This damaging effect was associated with highly activated bone resorption. Both osteoclast differentiation and maturation increased in cultures of bone marrow-derived macrophages from mice exposed to either fractionated or singular TBI. IR also increased the expression and enzymatic activity of mitochondrial deacetylase Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3)—an essential protein for osteoclast mitochondrial activity and bone resorption in the development of osteoporosis. Osteoclast progenitors lacking Sirt3 exposed to IR exhibited impaired resorptive activity. Taken together, targeting impairment of osteoclast mitochondrial activity could be a novel therapeutic strategy for IR-induced bone loss, and Sirt3 is likely a major mediator of this effect.

Maternal Sweeteners Intake Modulates Gut Microbiota and Exacerbates Learning and Memory Processes in Adult Male Offspring

Background: There is increasing evidence that gut microbiota in offspring is derived in part from maternal environment such as diet. Thus, sweeteners intake including caloric or non-caloric during perinatal period can induce gut dysbiosis and program the offspring to develop cognitive problems later in life.Objective: To determine the effect of maternal high-sweeteners intake during gestation and lactation on gut microbiota shifts in adult male offspring rats and the impact on cognitive dysfunction.Methods: Thirty-four male pups from dams fed standard diet (Control-C, n = 10), high-sucrose diet (HS-C, n = 11), high-honey diet (Ho-C, n = 8), and high-stevia diet (HSt-C, n = 5) were fed standard diet after weaning, and body weight and food intake were recorded once a week for 26 weeks. Learning and memory tests were performed at week 23 of life using the Barnes maze. Fecal samples from the breastfeeding and adulthood periods were collected and analyzed by sequencing the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region of gut microbiota.Results: Maternal high-sucrose and stevia diets programmed the male offspring, and changes in microbial diversity by Shannon index were observed after weaning (p &lt; 0.01). Furthermore, maternal high-stevia diet programming lasted into adulthood. The increase of Firmicutes abundance and the decrease in phylum Bacteroidetes were significant in HS-C and HSt-C groups. This led to an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes index, although only in HS-C group was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). Of note, the downstream gram-negative Bacteroidales and the upregulation of the gram-positive Clostridiales abundance contribute to cognitive dysfunction.Conclusion: These results suggest that dams fed a high-sucrose and stevia diets during gestation and lactation favor a deficient memory performance in adult male offspring rats through shifts gut microbiota diversity and relative abundance at several taxa.