Major royal jelly proteins accelerate onset of puberty and promote ovarian follicular development in immature female mice

The major royal jelly proteins(MRJPs)are the central constituents responsible for the specific activities of royal jelly.Here MRJPs via oral administration daily for 45 consecutive days were evaluated the effects on the reproductive parameters in immature female mice(FM).Neonatal FM were divided into four groups fed MRJPs with doses of 0,125,250 and 500 mg/kg/body weight(M125,M250 and M500).The results in M125,M250 and M500 showed that the times of estrus were accelerated by 10.7%,15.5%and 10.7%,the secondary follicles number were increased by 50.7%,78.8%and 38.6%,the Graafian follicles were increased by 600.0%and 774.0%and 150.0%,respectively.M500 induced multi-oocyte follicles.The serum estradiol levels of the three groups were increased by 47.1%,64.9%and 31.1%,the action of MRJPs raising hormone secretion level is mainly via upregulating expression of ERˇgene.Antioxidant parameters of ovarian tissue showed that the malondialdehyde levels in M125 and M250 were decreased,the superoxide dismutase activities and glutathione peroxidase activities in M125 and M250 were increased.In conclusion,MRJPs may accelerate onset of puberty and promote follicular development in FM.Our findings would facilitate better understanding of the benefit effect of MRJPs as the key ingredient in royal jelly on promoting fertility performance.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound Mianbu Mixfang Is Effective in Treating Immunological Infertility: a Female Mice

Objective To study the therapeutic effectivess of Traditional Chinese Medicine compound mixture Mianbu Fang (Immunological infertility therapy) on immunological infertility caused by antisperm antibody (AsAb) in female mice. Materials & Methods Forty-two female Kunming mice were evenly divided into 7 groups by weight. Group A was control group; Group B was model of infertility. Group C, D and E were fed with normal, half and double dosage of Mianbu I respectively. Group F and G were fed with Mianbu II and prednisone Acetates respectively. Animal model of immunological infertility were set up by injecting mice sperm to the other 36 Kunming female mice except Group A. The AsAb levels in serum, cervical mucus were measured, the histological and immunohistochemistry changes in ovary and endometrium were observed, and the pregnancy indexes were compared in different groups. Results Compared with the infertility model group, the AsAb level in serum and cervical mucus in treatment group was lower. Less immune compounds in ovary and endometrium and atretic follicle of ovary was found in treatment group than in model and control group. The immune compounds in ovary and endometrium were less in the treatment group than that in the model and control group. Conclusion By regulating immunological system, Traditional Chinese Medicine compound mixfang Mianbu Fang lowers AsAb in the circulation system and special organs, eliminates immunological compound, repairs tissue impairment and increases pregnancy of female mice.

Immunotoxicity of Acrylamide in Female BALB/c Mice

Objective To investigate the immunotoxicity of acrylamide （ACR） in female BALB/c mice.Methods A total of 200 female mice weighing 18-22 g were randomly divided into four clusters based on body weight, and each weight-based cluster included five groups （10 mice per group）： negative control, positive control （cyclophosphamide）, low, intermediate, and high dose ACR groups, and all the groups were administered ACR by gavage for 30 days. At the end of the study, the immunotoxicological effects of the ACR were evaluated through immunopathology, humoral immunity, cellular immunity, and non-specific immunity. Results The terminal body weight, spleen and thymus weights, lymphocyte counts in the ACR-H group were decreased, pathological changes were observed in lymph glands, thymus and spleen. %T cells in blood lymphocytes were significantly increased in all ACR-treated groups, and a significant reduction of % natural killer（NK） cells and increase of %Th cells were observed in the ACR-H group. interleukin-6（IL-6）, Concanavalin A（ConA）-induced splenocyte proliferation and serum half hemolysis value （HCso） were also significantly suppressed in the ACR-H group. Conclusion ACR elicited an inhibitory effect on cellular and humoral immunity of mice after 30 day feeding.

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of hydrogenrich water alleviate ethanol-induced fatty liver in mice

AIM To investigate the effects of hydrogen-rich water(HRW) treatment on prevention of ethanol(Et OH)-induced early fatty liver in mice.METHODS In vitro reduction of hydrogen peroxide by HRW was determined with a chemiluminescence system. Female mice were randomly divided into five groups: control,Et OH,Et OH + silymarin,Et OH + HRW and Et OH + silymarin + HRW. Each group was fed a Lieber-De Carli liquid diet containing Et OH or isocaloric maltose dextrin(control diet). Silymarin was used as a positive control to compare HRW efficacy against chronic Et OH-induced hepatotoxicity. HRW was freshly prepared and given at a dosage of 1.2 m L/mouse trice daily. Blood and liver tissue were collected after chronic-binge liquid-diet feeding for 12 wk.RESULTS The in vitro study showed that HRW directly scavenged hydrogen peroxide. The in vivo study showed that HRW increased expression of acyl ghrelin,which was correlated with food intake. HRW treatment significantly reduced Et OH-induced increases in serum alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,triglycerol and total cholesterol levels,hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammatory cytokines,including tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) and interleukin(IL)-6. HRW attenuated malondialdehyde level,restored glutathione depletion and increased superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities in the liver. Moreover,HRW reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels but increased IL-10 and IL-22 levels.CONCLUSION HRW protects against chronic Et OH-induced liver injury,possibly by inducing acyl ghrelin to suppress the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 and induce IL-10 and IL-22,thus activating antioxidant enzymes against oxidative stress.

Development of An ICR Mouse Bioassay for Toxicity Evaluation in Neurotoxic Poisoning Toxins-Contaminated Shellfish

Objective To develop an ICR （female） mouse bioassay （MBA） for toxicity confirmation and evaluation of neurotoxins （brevetoxins）-contaminated shellfish. Methods Brevetoxins （BTX-B） as a causative agent of neurotoxic shellfish poisoning （NSP） under different shellfish matrices were intraperitoneally injected at different doses into mice to study their toxic effects and to differentiate the range of lethal and sublethal dosages. Their sensitivity and specificity were analyzed with 2 competitive ELISA kits for quantitative determination of standard BTX-B and dihydroBTX-B under different shellfish matrix-diluent combinations. Detection rates of MBA and two antibody-based assays for BTX-B from field NSP-positive shellfish samples were compared. Results BTX-B could be detected in shellfish tissues at concentration of 50-400 μg/100 g under shellfish matrix-Tween-saline media, which were appropriate to identify toxic shellfish at or above the regulatory limit （80 μg/100 g shellfish tissues）. The LD 50 identified was 455 g/kg for BTX-B under general shellfish matrices （excluding oyster matrices） dissolved in Tween-saline. The presence of shellfish matrices, of oyster matrices in particular, retarded the occurrence of death and toxicity presentation in mice. Two antibody-based assays, even in the presence of different shellfish matrix-diluent combinations, showed acceptable results in quantifying BTX-B and dihydroBTX-B well below the regulatory limit. Conclusion The two ELISA analyses agree favorably （correlation coefficient, r 0.96; Student＇s t-tests, P〉0.05） with the developed bioassay.

Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicity of Tetrandrine in Intravenously Exposed Female BALB/c Mice

Objective： To evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of intravenously administered tetrandrine（TET） in female BALB/c mice. Methods： The median lethal dose（LD_（50）） of intravenously administered TET was calculated in mice using Dixon＇s up-and-down method. In the acute toxicity study, mice were intravenously administered with TET at a single dose of 20, 100, 180, 260 and 340 mg/kg, respectively and were evaluated at 14 days after administration. In the sub-acute toxicity study, mice were intravenously administered various doses of TET（30, 90 and 150 mg/kg） each day for 14 consecutive days. Clinical symptoms, mortality, body weight, serum biochemistry, organ weight and histopathology were examined at the end of the experiment, as well as after a 1-week recovery period. Result： LD_（50） was found to be 444.67±35.76 mg/kg. In the acute toxicity study, no statistically significant differences in body weight, blood biochemistry, or organ histology were observed between the administration and control groups when mice were intravenously administered with single dose at 20, 100, 180, 260 and 340 mg/kg of TET（P〉0.05）. In the sub-acute toxicity study, no significant changes in body weight, biochemistry and organ histology were observed with up to 90 mg/kg of TET compared with the control group（P〉0.05）, however, in the 150 mg/kg administered group, TET induced transient toxicity to liver, lungs and kidneys, but withdrawal of TET can lead to reversal of the pathological conditions. Conclusions： The overall findings of this study indicate that TET is relatively non-toxic from a single dose of 20, 100, 180, 260 or 340 mg/kg, and that up to 90 mg/kg daily for 14 consecutive days can be considered a safe application dose.