Tomato, a Potential Yin Food, Protects against Stroke

Backgroud: Ischemic stroke is one of the challenge strategies nowadays due to the limitation of therapeutic efficacy. Yin deficiency and oxidative stress have been implicated in the mechanism of brain damage induced by cerebral ischemia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether tomato, a “Yang food” possessing antioxidant, may ameliorate brain damage in focal cerebral ischemia induced by right middle cerebral artery occlusion. Methods: Male rats were orally given tomato pomace (contained total phenolic compound 413.07 ± 34.45 mg of gallic acid equivalent/mg) at doses of 2, 19 and 50 mg/kg at a period of 2 weeks before and 3 weeks after the occlusion of right middle cerebral artery. Then, they were determined the brain ischemic volume and neurological score. Moreover, the markers of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde level and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in hippocampus, striatum and cerebral cortex were also determined. Result: The results showed that tomato pomace could mitigate brain damage and neurological impairment. The neuroprotective mechanism might occur partly via the decreased oxidative stress. Conclusion: Tomato may provide health benefit for those who are risk for stroke. However, further researches are required.

Anethum graveolens Linn.(dill) extract enhances the mounting frequency and level of testicular tyrosine protein phosphorylation in rats

Objective:To investigate the effect of Anethum graveolens(AG) extracts on the mounting frequency,histology of testis and epididymis,and sperm physiology.Methods:Male rats induced by cold immobilization before treating with vehicle or AG extracts [50,150,and 450 mg/kg body weight(BW)] via gastric tube for consecutive 1,7,and 14 d were examined for mounting frequency,testicular phosphorylation level by immunoblotting,sperm concentration,sperm acrosome reaction,and histological structures of testis and epididymis,respectively.Results:AG(50 mg/kg BW) significantly increased the mounting frequency on Days 1 and 7 compared to the control group.Additionally,rat testis treated with 50 mg/kg BW AG showed high levels of phosphorylated proteins as compared with the control group.In histological analyses,AG extract did not affect the sperm concentration,acrosome reaction,and histological structures of testis and epididymis.Conclusions:AG extract enhances the aphrodisiac activity and is not harmful to sperm and male reproductive organs.

辣木提取物对应激大鼠性能力具有增强作用(英文)

目的:探讨辣木叶提取物对改善应激条件下雄性性功能障碍的作用。创新点:根据氧化应激和多巴胺对雄性性功能的影响,推测具有抗氧化和单胺调节功能的辣木叶能改善应激条件下的雄性性功能障碍。方法:本文以雄性Wistar大鼠作为实验对象,通过对影响雄性性功能的各种因素进行测量及统计学分析,包括抗氧化性、B型单胺氧化酶(MAO-B)和5型磷酸二酯酶(PDE-5)活性、血清睾酮和皮质甾酮水平、睾丸内组织形态学变化。结论:研究结果表明,辣木叶提取物作为一种抗氧化剂具有抑制MAO-B和PDE-5活性的作用,同时能降低血清皮质酮水平,提高血清睾酮水平,增加睾丸间质细胞和精子的数量。睾丸间质细胞和精子的数量的增加可能是由于辣木叶提取物的抗氧化作用,插入阶段性功能增强可能是由于MAO-B和PDE-5活性的抑制和睾酮水平的增加。因此,辣木可以作为一种潜在的壮阳药。