A Ciclosporina A (CsA) é uma droga imunossupressora amplamente utilizada que está associada a diversos efeitos colaterais, dentre eles hepatotoxicidade. Heteropterys tomentosaé uma planta brasileira eficiente na redução dos danos causados pela CsA nos testículos e próstata de ratos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da CsA e H. tomentosa(administrados isolada ou simultaneamente) no fígado de ratos Wistar. Os animais foram tratados diariamente com água (controle), CsA (15mg/kg/dia), infusão de H. tomentosa ou CsA+H. tomentosa, por 21 ou 56 dias. Os tratamentos não alteraram a morfologia do fígado nem causaram fibrose. A administração de H. tomentosapor 21 dias aumentou o número de núcleos de hepatócitos e proporção volumétrica de células de Kupffer. Após 56 dias de tratamento, a administração de H. tomentosanão alterou os parâmetros analisados. As dosagens bioquímicas plasmáticas e a estereologia do fígado revelaram danos causados pelo tratamento com CsA por 21 dias; estes resultados não foram observados após 56 dias de tratamento. O tratamento simultâneo com CsA e H. tomentosapor 21 e 56 dias não atenuou ou acentuou os efeitos hepáticos da CsA. O presente estudo revelou que o tratamento com a CsA por 21 dias causou mais alterações ao fígado que o tratamento durante 56 dias; isso pode estar relacionado a recuperação hepática após o tratamento a longo prazo.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a widely employed immunosuppressive drug that is associated with several side effects, among then hepatotoxicity. Heteropterys tomentosais a Brazilian plant efficient in reducing damage caused by CsA on the rat testis and prostate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CsA and H. tomentosa(administered isolated or simultaneously) on the liver of Wistar rats. The animals were treated daily with water (control), CsA (15mg/kg/day), H. tomentosainfusion or CsA+H. tomentosa, for 21 or 56 days. The treatments did not alter liver morphology or cause fibrosis. H. tomentosaadministered for 21 days increased the number of hepatocyte nuclei and Kupffer cell volumetric proportion. After 56 days of treatment, H. tomentosaadministration did not alter the parameters analyzed. Biochemical plasma dosages and liver stereology showed impairment caused by CsA-treatment after 21 days; these results were not observed after 56 days of treatment. The simultaneous treatment with CsA and H. tomentosafor 21 or 56 days did not alleviate nor accentuate CsA hepatic effects. The present study showed that the 21 days treatment with CsA caused more alteration to the liver than the 56 days treatment; this could be related to hepatic recovery after the long term treatment.

This study was undertaken to determine whether colon cancer (CC) and chronic swimming exercise alter rat testis. Eleven weeks old rats were distributed into control group (n=6) and the groups that were induced to develop CC by dimethylhydrazine injections (nEG, EG0, EG2 and EG4; n=10 each group). In the group nEG, the rats did not swim, whereas groups EG0, EG2 and EG4, underwent a swimming program with distinct loads (0, 2 and 4% of body mass, respectively) for 35 weeks. The morphometry, stereology and cell counts showed damage caused by the CC on the germ epithelium. These results were noteworthy since this was the first report to associate the CC with testicular damage. Swimming exercise had no significant role in reducing, or increasing the CC effects on the testis, despite having slightly improved the testis structure of the exercised rats without load. In conclusion, CC caused testis impairment, which could not be avoided by the swimming exercise.

The species Heteropterys aphrodisiaca is commonly used as a stimulant by popular medicine in the Cerrado, a savanna-like biome, Brazil. Recent studies have proved its protective effects on testes of animals submitted to treatment using Cyclosporine A, as well as its stimulus effect in increasing testosterone secretion. Therefore, the present study was designed to analyze whether the association of the plant infusion and endurance exercise could potentiate the stimulating effect. The animals were separated into 4 groups: two control (sedentary and trained) receiving water and two treated (sedentary and trained) receiving the plant infusion daily (104mg/day). The proportion of the seminiferous tubule compartment and interstitium was analyzed. Within the seminiferous epithelium, the number of Sertoli and germ cells were counted in order to evaluate whether the treatment would alter the spermatogenic dynamics, analyzing: the spermatogenic yield, the mitotic and meiotic indexes, the total number of germ cells and the Sertoli cell support capacity. Trained and treated animals showed increased spermatogenic yield and spermatogonia mitosis, and no significant differences in apoptotic indexes. Despite the results showing the same pattern regarding yield and mitotic index, the meiotic index was higher in the sedentary/treated group. Therefore, the H. aphrodisiaca infusion increased both the testosterone production and the spermatogonia mitosis, thus increasing the spermatogenic yield.

This study was undertaken to detect protein components in both sperm types of the butterfly Euptoieta hegesia. These spermatozoa possess complex extracellular structures for which the composition and functional significance are still unclear. In the apyrene sperm head, the proteic cap presented an external ring and an internal dense content; basic proteins were detected only in external portions. In the tail, the paracrystalline core of mitochondrial derivatives and the axoneme are rich in proteins. The extratesticular spermatozoa are covered by a proteic coat, which presented two distinct layers. In eupyrene spermatozoa, acrosome and nucleus were negatively stained, probably because of their high compaction. In the tail, there is no paracrystalline core and the axoneme presented a very specific reaction for basic proteins. The lacinate and reticular appendages are composed of cylindrical sub-units and presented a light reaction to E-PTA and a strong reaction to tannic acid. A complex proteic coat also covers the extratesticular spermatozoa. We found similarities between both extratesticular coats, indicating a possible common origin. Both spermatozoon types are rich in proteins, especially the eupyrene appendages and the extratesticular coats. We believe that both coats are related to the sperm maturation and capacitation processes.

Spermatogenesis, with emphasis on spermiogenesis, is described for the lizard, Tropidurus itambere, using light microscopy, phase contrast and epifluorescence, as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cellular differentiation involves events of chromatin condensation, nuclear elongation and the formation of structural complexes, such as the acrosomal and axonemal ones. Other new characteristics, exclusive for this species, include various aspects of the subacrosomal granule, the insertion of the pro-acrosomal vesicle and the development of these structures to participate in the acrosomal complex. Radial projections occur just above the nuclear shoulders, which have been recognized already from the beginning of cellular elongation. The development of the midpiece, the dense bodies, formation of the flagellum and elimination of residual cytoplasm result in the final characterization of the mature spermatozoon. Comparisons between Tropiduridae and other lizard families are made.