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Introduction Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HIV/AIDS have been demonstrated to induce endocrine/metabolic dysfunction with a consequential increase in morbidity/mortality due to organ toxicities. This study aimed at investigating the possible protective effect of Hypoxis hemerocallidea (HH) against metabolic and hepatic histomorphology of diabetic rats under HAART. Material and methods Sixty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a normoglycemic group A (n = 6) and 7 diabetic (110 mg/kg nicotinamide + 45 mg/kg streptozotocin) groups (B–H) (n = 8) and treated according to protocols. Concomitant treatment with adjuvant HH and HAART resulted in the least %body weight gain as the liver weight decreased in all treated animals. Results Significant changes in serum lipids were aggravated by treatment with HH and HAART, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were elevated (p < 0.001/0.05), but changes in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and total protein levels were insignificant. While artherosclerotic and cardiopulmonary indexes remained insignificant, concomitant use of HH with HAART in diabetes resulted in reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (p < 0.001), and increased triglyceride (p < 0.05) and total cholesterol (p < 0.001). The parameters of liver injury showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in ALT of animals treated with HH alone, HAART + HH and melatonin; however, an insignificant decline in AST level was recorded. Treatment with adjuvant HAART, HH and melatonin resulted in significant (p < 0.005/0.0001) up-regulation of ALP and total bilirubin levels. Histopathology derangement ranged from severe hepatocellular distortions, necrosis with reduced glycogen expression following co-treatment of HAART+melatonin, HH and HAART alone in diabetes. Conclusions Presumptive hypoglycemic use of HH with HAART by people living with HIV/AIDS requires caution as implications for hepatocellular injuries are suspected with further uncontrolled metabolic disorder.

As the roll-out of antiretroviral therapy continues to drive downwards morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), organ toxicities (especially the liver) are frequently becoming a major concern for researchers, scientists and healthcare planners.This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effect of Hypoxis hemerocallidea (AP) against highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-induced hepatotoxicity. A total of 63 pathogen-free adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 9 groups and treated according to protocols.While no mortality was reported, animals treated with adjuvant HAART and AP recorded least% body weight gain. Significant derangements in serum lipid profiles were exacerbated by treatment of with AP as LDL (increased p

Objective: Increased oxidative stress is associated with the progression of diabetic mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the ethanolic extract of Nigerian propolis (N. propolis) on markers of oxidative stress, histology of the liver and pancreas and glycaemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Alloxan-induced hyperglycaemic Wistar rats were treated with either metformin (150mg/kg/d) or N. propolis (200mg/kg/d and 300mg/kg/d)) for 28 days. At the end of treatment period, the rats were sacrificed; blood was collected for biochemical analysis while their pancreases and liver were excised and processed for histological studies. Results: Serum oxidative stress markers and blood glucose concentration were compared between the treated and control rats. In contrast to the non-treated diabetic rats, blood glucose concentration were not significantly different between treated rats and control (P

The consumption of alcohol by people living with HIV/AIDS is associated with a graver prognosis. Long-term use of antiretrovirals may have certain health challenges that may be aggravated by concomitant alcohol use. This study investigated virgin coconut oil (VCO) as an adjuvant to the deleterious effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and alcohol on the cyto-architecture and functioning of the testis. Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 165~176 g, were divided into eight groups and treated according to protocol. Testicular histology, stereological parameters, seminal fluid, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, the antioxidants marker malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were examined. The use of ethanol alone and ethanol + HAART showed extensive degeneration in the seminiferous epithelium, decreased semen quality, disorganized basement membrane and widened, hypocellular interstitium. GSH was significantly decreased in the ethanol alone treated group with no significant effect on testosterone, LH, and MDA levels. Adjuvant treatment with VCO at low dose (2.5 mL/kg/bw) improved sperm motility with a partial restoration of the histopathological alterations. High doses of VCO (5.0 mL/kg/bw) showed greater improvement with respect to sperm counts, increased FSH hormonal and GSH antioxidant levels, and a well-preserved testicular cyto-architecture.

The effects of Virgin coconut oil as an adjuvant to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were investigated on the testicular ultrastructure and biochemical markers in rats. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153-169 g were divided into four groups and treated as follows: control A (distilled water), B (HAART), C (HAART+Virgin coconut oil 10 ml/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil [VCO] 10 ml/kg). Testicular segments were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. Serum was assayed for testosterone, luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and testicular tissue for malondialdehyde and glutathione. Ultrastructure of basement membrane (Bm), mitochondria and spermatocytes was normal in the control group. HAART-treated group showed significant increase (p

Aim: The use of Azathioprine (AZA) in the prevention of organ rejection during transplantation has been documented for different organs of the body. In this study, we investigated the effects of azathioprine on the integrity of the testis of Wistar rats using histological and histochemical techniques. Methods: Eighteen adult male Wistar rats with mean weight 210±2.65 g were randomly assigned into three groups. Group I (control) received 1 ml of normal saline “per os” (p.o), group II animals received 10 mg/kg AZA (p.o) while group III animals received 20 mg/kg AZA (p.o). Treatment lasted for 21 days. Twenty-four hours after treatment, animals were sacrificed; their testes excised, weighed and fixed in Bouin’s fluid for histological evaluation using Haematoxylin and Eosin while histochemical studies were carried out using Gordon and Sweets, and Masson’s Trichrome staining techniques. Testicular homogenate was used to assay for testosterone level. Results: Treatment with Azathioprine reduced testosterone level while the histological and histochemical findings of the testicular sections revealed cyto-architectural distortions and reduced staining intensity of collagen and reticulin connective tissue fibers in AZA treated animals compared to the control group. Conclusion: Results from the study reveal that the immunosuppressive drugazathioprine when used at a concentration above 10 mg/kg disrupts the testicular integrity of adult Wistar rats. Keywords: Azathioprine, Testis, Collagen, Reticulin

BACKGROUND Nephrotoxicity has become an important public health problem following the success recorded with highly active antiretroviral therapy, and there is paucity of literature reporting the attenuating influence of plant-based adjuvants that can mitigate the effects. METHODS Sixty three adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 9 groups (A-I) and treated as follows: group A received HAART cocktail (lamivudine, stavudine and nevirapine), group B received HAART and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (HH) extract (200 mg/kg), group C received HAART and HH (100 mg/kg), group D received HAART and vitamin C, group E received HAART and vitamin E, group F received HAART, vitamin C and vitamin E, group G received HH extract (100 mg/kg), group H received HH extract (200 mg/kg), and group I received saline as placebo. After 56 days, animals were euthanized, kidneys harvested and prepared for H&E staining and blood samples were collected for BUN and serum creatinine analyses. RESULTS The results from histological slides showed distorted glomerular and epithelial components with extensive loss of Bowman's capillary integrity in HAART-treated group. Adjuvant treatment with HH both high and low doses did not show any remarkable attenuating influence. However, HH100mg/kg-alone treated group showed improved histological layout as compared to the higher dose. Co-administration of HAART and vitamins C and E did not improve the parameters examined. The serum creatinine and BUN levels were significantly increased (P

Increased access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has made the management of drug toxicities an increasingly crucial component of HIV. This study investigated the effects of adjuvant use of coconut oil and HAART on testicular morphology and seminal parameters in Sprague- Dawley rats. Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153~169 g were distributed into four groups (A-D) and treated as follows: A served as control (distilled water); B (HAART cocktail- Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine); C (HAART + Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg). After 56 days of treatment, animals were killed and laparotomy to exercise the epididymis for seminal fluid analyses done whilst testicular tissues were processed for histo-morphometric studies. Result showed a significant decline in sperm motility (P < 0.05) and count (P < 0.0001) in HAART-treated animals while there was insignificant changes in other parameters in groups C and D except count that was reduced (P < 0.0001) when compared with controls. Histomorphological studies showed HAART caused disorders in seminiferous tubular architecture with significant (P < 0.01) decline in epithelial height closely mirrored by extensive reticulin framework and positive PAS cells. Adjuvant Virgin coconut oil + HAART resulted in significant decrease in seminiferous tubular diameter (P < 0.05), but other morphometric and histological parameters were similar to control or Virgin coconut oil alone (which showed normal histoarchitecture levels). While derangements in testicular and seminal fluid parameters occurred following HAART, adjuvant treatment with Virgin coconut oil restored the distortions emanating thereof.

Although the successful introduction and rollout of antiretroviral therapy has impacted positively on morbidity and mortality of HIV-positive patients, its interaction with plant-based adjuvants remain sparsely investigated. We report the interaction and effects of adjuvant treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and Hypoxis hemeocallidea (HH) extracts on testicular structure of rats. A total of 63 pathogen-free adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into nine groups and treated according to protocols. HAART cocktail predisposed to significant negative testicular parameters of sperm count, motility and seminiferous tubular epithelial height (quantitatively) (p

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The use of azathioprine (AZA) in the prevention of organ rejection during transplantation has been noted in different organs of the body. This study investigates the effect of ascorbic acid on azathioprineinduced alteration in the testes of adult Wistar rats. Thirty male adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 5 groups comprising a Control group A and four Treatment groups B to E. Animals in treatment groups B and D received 10 and 20 mg/kg of AZA respectively; while rats in treatment groups C received 10 mg/kg AZA + 25 mg/kg ascorbic acid, and group E received 20 mg/kg of AZA + 50 mg/kg of ascorbic acid. The control group animals received equal volume of normal saline via orogastric tube, and treatment lasted for 21 days. The testes were excised, weighed and fixed in Bouins’ fluid for tissue histology. Tissue homogenate was used to assay testosterone level, while blood was also obtained intracardially for glutathione peroxidase studies. Findings revealed significant histological changes in the treatment groups, decreased testosterone levels, and elevated glutathione peroxidase activity in all the treatment groups, compared with control. However, the treatment groups that received ascorbic acid had minimal, but significant reduction in the glutathione peroxidase activity compared to treatment groups without ascorbic acid intervention. Use of azathioprine induces significant damage to testicular structure, and this cannot be ameliorated by the use of ascorbic acid. Keywords : Ascorbic acid, azathioprine, glutathione peroxidase, testes, testosterone.