Effect of Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Ettingsh on female reproductive system in Wistar rats: a focus on antifertility efficacy

Background

This study was designed to assess the effect of one traditionally used antifertility plant, Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Ettingsh (Loranthaceae), on female reproductive system, fertility and safety, by oral administration to adult female Wistar rats.

Study Design

After the oral acute toxicity study, the hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial parts was administered at three doses. Treatment started at weaning and continued until Day 0 postpartum.

Results

The LD₅₀ value was found to be 4.55 g/kg body weight. Vaginal opening occurred earlier in treated females when compared with controls. Analysis of vaginal smears revealed that all animals were cycling, although the length of the diestrus was longer in treated groups. In postcoital testing, the extract was found to be more effective in causing significant anti-implantation activity and reduction in the number of litters born. The extract also exhibited weak estrogenic activity when given alone, and when given along with ethinyl estradiol, it exhibited slight antiestrogenic activity in immature ovariectomized rats.

Conclusion

All observations suggest that the extract has antifertility effect and is safe at effective doses employed in the study.     

A Cross-sectional study evaluating chemiluminescence and autofluorescence in the detection of clinically innocuous precancerous and cancerous oral lesions

BackgroundViziLite Plus with TBlue system (Zila Pharmaceuticals; now Zila, a division of Tolmar, Fort Collins, Colo.) and VELscope (LED Dental, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada) are oral cancer screening aids that have been developed to assist dentists in identifying precancerous and cancerous oral lesions.MethodsThe authors screened patients with an overhead examination light and then with VELscope or ViziLite. Patients with a clinically innocuous lesion underwent a biopsy, and the authors compared the results of tissue pathological analysis with findings from the screening aid tests to determine the sensitivity and specificity of each device. The authors tested these devices to determine their ability to aid in the decision-making process regarding whether further evaluation of a clinically innocuous lesion was required.ResultsThe authors biopsied 102 lesions and examined them with the ViziLite. They found three dysplasias and one malignancy, none of which were detected with the ViziLite (sensitivity = 0 percent, confidence interval [CI] = 0–60.2 percent; specificity = 75.5 percent, CI = 66.7–82.8 percent). The authors biopsied another 156 lesions and examined them with VELscope. They found 11 dysplasias and one malignancy, six of which were detected with VELscope (sensitivity = 50 percent, CI = 21.1–78.9 percent; specificity = 38.9 percent, CI = 30.8–46.9 percent).ConclusionsThe study results indicate that use of ViziLite or VELscope along with a conventional screening examination for lesions deemed clinically innocuous was not beneficial in identifying dysplasia or cancer. Additional clinical studies are needed before these devices can be recommended.Clinical ImplicationsClinicians and patients could have a false sense of security after obtaining a negative ViziLite or VELscope examination result because potentially large numbers of precancerous and cancerous lesions will be missed by both devices.     

Cytokine gene polymorphisms in acquired bone marrow failure

Some acquired aplastic anemia (AA) results from immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem cells. Cytokine gene polymorphisms are implicated in controlling cytokine production and increasing the susceptibility to some autoimmune diseases. We characterized the IL-6/-174, TNF-alpha/-308, IL-10/-1082, IFN-gamma/+874, TGFbeta1/-509 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP's) and the IL1-RA second intron variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) alleles in 73 patients with AA and compared the frequency of genotypes to established control populations. We found that some patients with acquired AA have polymorphisms which are linked to high production of proinflammatory cytokines, particularly TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma.     

Patient–Provider and Patient–Staff Racial Concordance and Perceptions of Mistreatment in the Health Care Setting

Objectives To determine what roles patient–provider and patient–staff racial concordance play on patients’ perceptions within the health care setting. Design, Setting, Participants Data from the Commonwealth Fund 2001 Quality of Care telephone survey. Analysis focused on the subsample of 6,066 adults who live in the continental United States and who reported having a regular provider or a usual source of care (n = 4,762). Measurements and Results We analyzed patients’ responses about perceptions of disrespect, unfair treatment because of race and language, and the belief that he/she would have received better treatment if he/she belonged to a different race. We compared these perceptions of mistreatment with provider and staff racial concordance, controlling for sociodemographic variables. Contrary to our hypothesis, Hispanics were more likely to report being treated with disrespect if in a concordant relationship with their provider than if in a nonconcordant one (odds ratio [OR] 2.42, P < .01). Asians were less likely to report being treated unfairly because of race if in racially concordant relationships with providers than if in nonconcordant ones (P < .05). Hispanics were also less likely to perceive unfair treatment because of language when in concordant relationships with staff as compared to nonconcordant relationships with staff (P < .05). Conclusions Patients’ perceptions of health care relationships may partially depend on racial concordance with providers and staff. The nature of the association between racial concordance and perceived disrespect varies by racial group, indicating that other race-specific factors may also need to be examined. The topics discussed in this paper were presented as an abstract at a conference for the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine, May 2006.     

G protein-coupled receptors in haematopoietic disruption

Haematopoiesis is the process by which blood and immune cells are replenished from a finite number of resident bone marrow (BM) haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Regulatory molecules within the BM microenvironment contribute developmental signals to an interactive network capable of ensuring ordered biological processes. Many bioactive molecules contribute to the network through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are seven-transmembrane receptors that, following ligand binding, signal by activating coupled heterotrimeric G proteins. This review focuses on those bioactive molecules that regulate haematopoietic development through GPCRs. Chemokines (SDF-1alpha, MIP-1), opioids and tachykinins (SP, NK-A) are important G protein-coupled haematopoietic regulators. Their biology in normal and diseased haematopoiesis is discussed below, as well as their potential as therapeutic targets.     

Nonisotopic detection of microRNA using digoxigenin labeled RNA probes

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an important class of endogenously derived, small approximately 22 nucleotide noncoding regulatory RNAs that have recently become implicated in development, cell regulation and cancers of various tissues. Here we report a nonisotopic Northern analysis method for miRNA detection using 3'-digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled RNA oligo probes. Northern blot analysis was performed using miRNA or total RNA fractions extracted from human leukemic cell lines, and blots were hybridized with either 32P- or DIG-labeled RNA probe for miR-181, miR-155 or miR-16. A labeled probe for U6 small nuclear RNA served as an internal control. The use of DIG-labeled RNA probes was equally sensitive compared to 32P-labeled probes in detecting miRNA quantities as low as 50 ng. The ability to use nonisotopic methods and yet obtain sensitive and reliable results offers an advantage to investigators who prefer to avoid isotopes.     

Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock proteins 60 and 10 induce apoptosis in endocervical epithelial cells

Aim and objective  

The potential role of chlamydial heat shock proteins (cHSP) 60 and cHSP10 in apoptosis of primary cervical epithelial cells was investigated.     

Therapeutic potential of Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f) Ettingsh on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumorigenesis in female rats: effect on antioxidant system, lipid peroxidation, and hepatic marker enzymes

In this study, the therapeutic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f) Ettingsh (Loranthaceae; HEDF) on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinoma was investigated in Wistar female rats at 55 days of age. Thirty female rats were divided into five groups with six animals in each group: control, DMBA (25 mg in 0.5 ml olive oil by air pouch technique), and DMBA + HEDF (250, 475, and 950 mg/kg). After 90 days of induction, HEDF were administered for 28 days, by gastric intubations. The levels of lipid peroxides and activities of enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants were measured in serum, liver, kidney, and breast of both control and experimental groups. In addition to this, liver marker enzymes were also assessed. Rats treated with DMBA showed an increase in lipid peroxidation accompanied by high malondialdehyde levels along with lowered activities of enzymic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and nonenzymic antioxidants (glutathione, ascorbic acid, and α-tocopherol). A significant decrease in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase with a sharp increase in alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and 5′-nucleotidase was observed in the liver of mammary cancer-bearing animals. HEDF treatment caused the activity of these liver marker enzymes’ return to almost normal control levels. Furthermore, the breast tumor weight decreased significantly in the DMBA + HEDF-treated groups. This result suggests that HEDF shows antioxidant activity and play a protective role against DMBA-induced breast carcinogenesis.