Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction

97-101

Authors: Mazin Barry, Magdoleen A. Barry

Objective: To compare the effects of coronaviruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), on pregnant women in Saudi Arabia, and to understand the disease dynamics of these coronaviruses so as to konw how to provide care and management of infected pregnant women and infants. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of all published papers on MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections in pregnant women in Saudi Arabia to identify knowledge gaps. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on the PRISMA system. The search included all papers which were published between September 1, 2012 and November 29, 2020 on pregnant women with MERS-CoV and/ or COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Of 26 papers screened, five were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 11 pregnant women with MERS-CoV and four with COVID-19 were reported in Saudi Arabia in the medical literature during the review period. The mean ages of the women were 33 and 31 years old for MERS-CoV and COVID- 19, respectively. Maternal and fetal mortality in cases of MERS- CoV were 35% and 30%, respectively, while no maternal or fetal mortalities were reported in COVID-19 cases. Conclusions: Very limited data has emerged from Saudi Arabia on pregnant women MERS-CoV and COVID-19. With such high mortality observed with MERS-CoV compared to COVID-19, there is a need for greater reporting of cases to truly grasp the extent of these infections in pregnant women in a country where both coronaviruses are circulating.

113-120

Authors: Joseph Babatunde Dare, Abdulfatai Olakunle Ojewale, Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan, John Adakole Adole, Gloria Enevwo Okotie, Christopher Oloruntoba Akintayo, Ayobami Dare

Objective: To evaluate the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Adansonia (A.) digitata L on dexamethasone-induced testicular damage in male Wistar rats. Methods: Twenty adult male Wistar rats weighing 170-190 g were divided into four groups. Group Ⅰ received 0.5 mL of phosphate buffer orally for 28 days and served as the normal control group; group Ⅱ received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) intraperitoneally for 7 days and 0.5 mL of phosphate buffer orally for 21 days, group Ⅲ received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone for 7 days and 800 mg/kg of A. digitata extract orally for 21 days; group Ⅳ received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone for 7 days and 300 mg/kg of vitamin-E orally for 21 days. Dexamethasone was administered intra-peritoneally for 7 days and all administration lasted for 28 days. The rats were sacrificed by anesthesia with diethyl ether and the testes of each animal were harvested. The testis was homogenized in 0.25 M sucrose at 4 ℃ for biochemical and histological analyses. Results: Administration of dexamethasone significantly decreased body weight, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P<0.05), and significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) activities (P<0.05). The degeneration in the population of spermatogonia and vacuolation and abnormal widening of the interstitial spaces were observed in the rats treated with dexamethasone. However, administration of A. digitata significantly increased SOD, GPx, G6PDH, and LDH levels, significantly decreased MDA activities and improved the histoarchitecture of the testis (P<0.05). Conclusions: A. digitata may have an ameliorative effect on dexamethasone-induced testicular damage in Wistar rats because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

127-136

Authors: Sukhjinder Kaur, Ashwani Kumar Singh, Mrigank Honparkhe, Ajeet Kumar, Prahlad Singh, Udeybir Singh

Objective: To assess the effect of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic profile, endocrine concentrations, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), body composition variables, and reproductive performance of sows. Methods: All the 21 crossbred Large White Yorkshire sows were considered in the study period starting at day 1 of current farrowing when the feeding of specific supplemental ration was started until the day of subsequent farrowing (days 150-155) and were equally allocated into three groups. Group 1 served as the control group and followed their normal feeding schedule. Group 2 and group 3, in addition to their normal feeding schedule, were supplemented with flaxseed at a rate of 0.5% and 1.0% of the dry matter, respectively. Blood samples were collected 15 days prior to farrowing, on the day of farrowing (day 0), at weekly intervals until day 28 of lactation and at monthly intervals during gestation to harvest the plasma. Plasma was used to assess the metabolic and endocrine status of sows. Body weight of each sow and individual birth weight of all piglets born were measured. Results: Flaxseed supplementation led to decrease in plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the supplemented groups than in the control group (P<0.05). Plasma estradiol-17 β level was higher in group 2 than that in group 1 and 3 on day 90 of the gestation period (P<0.05). The mean plasma level of insulin-like growth factor 1 was higher in group 3 than that in group 1 and 2 both in late lactation (day 28) as well as in early gestation (day 30) (P<0.05). Plasma NEFA and weight gain were greater in sows of group 2 and 3 compared to those fed with the normal control diets (P<0.05). The proportion of pregnant sows relative to sows bred was 100.0% in group 2 and 3 and 85.7% in the control group. Piglet mortality was lower in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (P>0.05). Conclusions: Flaxseed improves endocrine profiles, NEFA concentrations and body weight, resulting in better pregnancy rate and litter size.