Effects of hesperidin on formaldehyde-induced toxicity in pregnant rats

The Efficacy and Safety of the Zhuyun Formula and Auricular Acupressure for the Infertile Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF), a clinical disorder characterized by failure to achieve pregnancy after repeated (≥3) embryo transfer, is a challenge for reproductive demands worldwide. In our preliminary work, the Zhuyun formula (ZYF) with auricular acupressure, a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with a small sample size for RIF, can improve the clinical pregnancy rate (41.2% vs. 26.7%, treatment group vs. control group, p < 0.05). Based on the toxicological and pregnancy-related pharmacological analysis of ZYF for RIF, the T-cell receptor signaling pathway might be involved in the pharmacological activity. This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of the CAM therapy according to pregnancy outcomes and maternal and child health and investigating the changes of T-helper (Th) cells in the peripheral blood of unexplained RIF women.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a prospective, two-arms, randomized, nonblinded study. All eligible women were randomly assigned to the treatment group (TG) and the control group (CG) according to a computer-generated randomization list in sealed opaque envelopes. Blood samples were collected from the two groups, and serum Th1, Th2, and Treg were detected by flow cytometry. The cytokines were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The TG was administrated with ZYF and auricular acupressure for three months before ovarian stimulation, while the control group was on a waiting list for the same period. The primary outcome was CPR. The second outcomes were the serum levels of immune parameters. For the safety evaluation, the perinatal outcomes of maternal and child were obtained by follow-up. Post-hoc sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the effect of missing data.

Results

One hundred and twenty-three women were randomized into the TG (n = 62) and CG (n = 61). The CPR was increased significantly in the TG (45.2%) than CG (26.2%) (p = 0.029). Twenty blood samples were collected, and the Th2/Th1 and Treg expression level was significantly higher in the TG than in the CG. IL-2, IL-10, and Foxp3 were higher significantly in the TG than in the CG. The maternal and child perinatal outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

The ZYF with auricular acupressure was effective and safe in improving the pregnancy outcomes of RIF. It might be related to balancing the level of cytokines related to the immune tolerance of the maternal-fetal interface to protect the embryo from the maternal immune system. Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry; date: 14/Dec/2013; no. NCT03078205.

Ameliorative effects of hesperidin and N-acetylcysteine against formaldehyde-induced-hemato- and genotoxicity

This study investigated the hemato- and genotoxic effects of formaldehyde (FA) and the possible mitigating role of hesperidin (HP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), each alone and in combination. Sixty-four adult male albino rats were divided into eight equal groups; the study was conducted for 8 weeks; Group I (negative control: received no medication), Group II (positive control: received distilled water), Group III (received HP 50 mg/kg/day), Group IV (received NAC 50 mg/kg/day), Group V (received FA 10 mg/kg/day), Group VI (FA + HP), Group VII (FA + NAC), and Group VIII (FA + HP + NAC). Groups VI, VII, VIII received the same previously mentioned doses and for the same duration. All treatments were given by intraperitoneal administration. At the end of the study, complete blood count, oxidative stress, histopathological changes, immunohistochemical staining of inducible nitric oxide synthase, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen and genotoxicity by comet assay in the bone marrow of treated rats were assessed. FA administration caused significant hematotoxicity represented by elevated white blood cell numbers and serum malondialdehyde levels and reduced red blood cell numbers, platelets, and serum superoxide dismutase values. Histologically, it induced an increase in fat cell numbers in bone marrow tissue with a widening of marrow spaces and decreased cellularity of hematopoietic cells, megakaryocytes, and granulocytes. FA exposure significantly decreased immunoreactivity for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, whereas the immunoreactivity for inducible nitric oxide synthase was increased. Genotoxicity, as measured by comet assay, revealed a significant increase in comet% and tail length in FA-treated group when compared with other groups. The cotreatment with HP and NAC revealed their ability to protect against hematological changes, oxidative damage, histopathological, and immunohistochemical changes, and genotoxicity induced by FA.

Hesperidin improves the follicular development in 3D culture of isolated preantral ovarian follicles of mice

IMPACT STATEMENT

It has been stated that hesperidin has many pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, antimicrobial activity, and anti-carcinogenic activity; but hesperidin and its derivatives have been under investigation as anti-fertility factors for a very long time. However, our results show that hesperidin can improve mice follicular growth and maturation during in vitro 3D culture. Hesperidin as an antioxidant factor could enhance the mRNA expression levels of two important genes involved in folliculogenesis, PCNA, and FSH-R. Our results prove for the first time that hesperidin not only has deleterious effects on follicular development but can also increase rates of in vitro fertilization and embryo development.