<abstract>Aim: To identify possible spermicidal agents through screening a number of edible medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity. Methods: Initial screening was made on the basis of ram cauda epididymal ...<abstract>Aim: To identify possible spermicidal agents through screening a number of edible medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity. Methods: Initial screening was made on the basis of ram cauda epididymal sperm immobilization immediately after addition of extracts. The most potent extract was selected and was evaluated on both ram and human spermatozoa. To unravel its mode of action several sperm functional tests were carried out, namely viability of cells, hypo-osmotic swelling test for membrane integrity and assays of membrane-bound enzyme 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal marker enzyme acrosin. Results: The crude aqueous extract of the bulb of Allium sativum L. showed the most promising results by instant immobilization of the ram epididymal sperm at 0.25 g/mL and human ejaculated sperm at 0.5 g/mL. Sperm immobilizing effects were irreversible and the factor of the extract responsible for immobilization was thermostable up to 90 癈. On boiling at 100 癈 for 10 minutes, this activity was markedly reduced. Moreover, this extract was able to cause aggregation of ram sperms into small clusters after 30 minutes of incubation at 37 癈. However this property was not found in human spermatozoa. More than 50 % reduction in sperm viability and hypo-osmotic swelling occurred in treated sperm as compared with the controls, indicating the possibility of plasma membrane disintegration which was further supported by the significant reduction in the activity of membrane bound 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal acrosin. Conclusion: The crude aqueous extract of A. sativum bulb possesses spermicidal activity in vitro.展开更多
Chemical extraction methods are generally used to evaluate trace element concentrations in soils. The adequacy of these soil tests is commonly assessed by comparing the extraction results with the metal contents in th...Chemical extraction methods are generally used to evaluate trace element concentrations in soils. The adequacy of these soil tests is commonly assessed by comparing the extraction results with the metal contents in the plants. In this study, soil and leaf samples were collected in the southwest area of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Garlic (Allium sativum L.), onion (Allium cepa L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are species of great regional economic importance. These crops need good mineral nutrition for optimum growth and sustainable production. Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe micronutrient uptake by plants was analyzed together with the trace element contents in the soil in which those plants were grown. A single EDTA-extraction procedure was performed to determine soil micronutrients. The amount of extractable-trace elements increased as the concentration of the chelating agent EDTA increased. The range of total element content in soil was: 15.68-31.5 mg·kg-1 for Cu, 75.0-386.3 mg·kg-1 for Zn, 542.5 -1686 mg·kg-1 for Mn and 28,325-32,675 mg·kg-1 for Fe. Micronutrient contents in mature leaf tissue were determined by the acid digestion method. Total and available micronutrient content in soil as well as total content in leaves were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Total micronutrient content and the available extractable-fraction in soils were below the critical values for plant growth. This was in agreement with the amount of micronutrients present in the leaf tissue. A strong relationship between the extraction data and the soil-plant transfer coefficients suggested an appropriate exchange of trace elements from soils to garlic, onion and tomato plants.展开更多
文摘<abstract>Aim: To identify possible spermicidal agents through screening a number of edible medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity. Methods: Initial screening was made on the basis of ram cauda epididymal sperm immobilization immediately after addition of extracts. The most potent extract was selected and was evaluated on both ram and human spermatozoa. To unravel its mode of action several sperm functional tests were carried out, namely viability of cells, hypo-osmotic swelling test for membrane integrity and assays of membrane-bound enzyme 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal marker enzyme acrosin. Results: The crude aqueous extract of the bulb of Allium sativum L. showed the most promising results by instant immobilization of the ram epididymal sperm at 0.25 g/mL and human ejaculated sperm at 0.5 g/mL. Sperm immobilizing effects were irreversible and the factor of the extract responsible for immobilization was thermostable up to 90 癈. On boiling at 100 癈 for 10 minutes, this activity was markedly reduced. Moreover, this extract was able to cause aggregation of ram sperms into small clusters after 30 minutes of incubation at 37 癈. However this property was not found in human spermatozoa. More than 50 % reduction in sperm viability and hypo-osmotic swelling occurred in treated sperm as compared with the controls, indicating the possibility of plasma membrane disintegration which was further supported by the significant reduction in the activity of membrane bound 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal acrosin. Conclusion: The crude aqueous extract of A. sativum bulb possesses spermicidal activity in vitro.
文摘Chemical extraction methods are generally used to evaluate trace element concentrations in soils. The adequacy of these soil tests is commonly assessed by comparing the extraction results with the metal contents in the plants. In this study, soil and leaf samples were collected in the southwest area of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Garlic (Allium sativum L.), onion (Allium cepa L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are species of great regional economic importance. These crops need good mineral nutrition for optimum growth and sustainable production. Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe micronutrient uptake by plants was analyzed together with the trace element contents in the soil in which those plants were grown. A single EDTA-extraction procedure was performed to determine soil micronutrients. The amount of extractable-trace elements increased as the concentration of the chelating agent EDTA increased. The range of total element content in soil was: 15.68-31.5 mg·kg-1 for Cu, 75.0-386.3 mg·kg-1 for Zn, 542.5 -1686 mg·kg-1 for Mn and 28,325-32,675 mg·kg-1 for Fe. Micronutrient contents in mature leaf tissue were determined by the acid digestion method. Total and available micronutrient content in soil as well as total content in leaves were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Total micronutrient content and the available extractable-fraction in soils were below the critical values for plant growth. This was in agreement with the amount of micronutrients present in the leaf tissue. A strong relationship between the extraction data and the soil-plant transfer coefficients suggested an appropriate exchange of trace elements from soils to garlic, onion and tomato plants.
