scholarly journals Antioxidant-Based Therapies in Male Infertility: Do We Have Sufficient Evidence Supporting Their Effectiveness?

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Maria Amorini ◽  
Ilaria Listorti ◽  
Gabriele Bilotta ◽  
Romina Pallisco ◽  
Miriam Wissam Saab ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Male Infertility ◽  
Nitrosative Stress ◽  
Biological Membrane ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Number Of Patients

Under physiological conditions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play pivotal roles in various processes of human spermatozoa. Indeed, semen requires the intervention of ROS to accomplish different stages of its maturation. However, ROS overproduction is a well-documented phenomenon occurring in the semen of infertile males, potentially causing permanent oxidative damages to a vast number of biological molecules (proteins, nucleic acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids of biological membrane lipids), negatively affecting the functionality and vitality of spermatozoa. ROS overproduction may concomitantly occur to the excess generation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), leading to oxidative/nitrosative stress and frequently encountered in various human pathologies. Under different conditions of male infertility, very frequently accompanied by morpho-functional anomalies in the sperm analysis, several studies have provided evidence for clear biochemical signs of damages to biomolecules caused by oxidative/nitrosative stress. In the last decades, various studies aimed to verify whether antioxidant-based therapies may be beneficial to treat male infertility have been carried out. This review analyzed the results of the studies published during the last ten years on the administration of low-molecular-weight antioxidants to treat male infertility in order to establish whether there is a sufficient number of data to justify antioxidant administration to infertile males. An analysis of the literature showed that only 30 clinical studies tested the effects of the administration of low-molecular-weight antioxidants (administered as a single antioxidant or as a combination of different antioxidants with the addition of vitamins and/or micronutrients) to infertile males. Of these studies, only 33.3% included pregnancy and/or live birth rates as an outcome measure to determine the effects of the therapy. Of these studies, only 4 were case–control studies, and only 2 of them found improvement of the pregnancy rate in the group of antioxidant-treated patients. Additionally, of the 30 studies considered in this review, only 43.3% were case–control studies, 66.7% enrolled a number of patients higher than 40, and 40% carried out the administration of a single antioxidant. Therefore, it appears that further studies are needed to clearly define the usefulness of antioxidant-based therapies to treat male infertility.

Effects of Submicellar Bile Salt Concentrations on Biological Membrane Permeability to Low Molecular Weight Non-Ionic Solutes†

Biochemistry ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 35 (24) ◽  
pp. 7936-7945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariela Albalak ◽  
Mark L. Zeidel ◽  
Stephen D. Zucker ◽  
Audrey A. Jackson ◽  
Joanne M. Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Bile Salt ◽  
Membrane Permeability ◽  
Biological Membrane ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Ionic Solutes

scholarly journals Association of the MTHFR 677C>T and 1298A>C polymorphisms and male infertility risk: a meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fereshteh Aliakbari ◽  
Farkhondeh Pouresmaeili ◽  
Nahal Eshghifar ◽  
Zahra Zolghadr ◽  
Faezeh Azizi
Keyword(s):  
Male Infertility ◽  
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Crude Odds Ratio ◽  
Mthfr Polymorphism ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background and objectives One of the possible male sterility risk factors are polymorphisms of Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). However, the epidemiologic investigations described inconsistent results regarding MTHFR polymorphism and the risk of male infertility. For that reason, we carried out a meta-analysis of published case-control studies to re-examine the controversy. Methods Electronic searches of Cochrane, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed were conducted to select eligible studies for this meta-analysis (updated to May 2019). According to our exclusion and inclusion criteria, only high-quality studies that remarked the association between MTHFR polymorphisms and male infertility risk were included. The Crude odds ratio (OR) with a confidence interval of 95% (CI) was used to assess the relationship between MTHFR polymorphism and male infertility risk. Results Thirty-four case-control studies with 9662 cases and 9154 controls concerning 677C/T polymorphism and 22 case-control studies with 5893 cases and 6303 controls concerning 1298A/C polymorphism were recruited. Both MTHFR polymorphisms had significant associations with male infertility risk (CT + TT vs. CC: OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.21–1.55, P = 0.00, I2 = 41.9%); (CC vs. CA + AA: OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.52–1.30, P = 0.04, I2 = 50.1%). Further, when stratified by ethnicity, the significant association results were observed in Asians and Caucasians for 677C/T and just Asians for 1298A/C. Conclusions Some of MTHFR polymorphisms like MTHFR 677C > T are associated with an elevated male infertility risk. To confirm our conclusion and to provide more accurate and complete gene-environment communication with male infertility risk, more analytical studies are needed.

Use of a Low-Molecular Weight Heparin (Enoxaparin) or of a Phenformin-like Substance (Moroxydine Chloride) in Primary Early Recurrent Aborters with an Impaired Fibrinolytic Capacity

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (03) ◽  
pp. 362-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Gris ◽  
Sylvie Neveu ◽  
Marie-Laure Tailland ◽  
Christophe Courtieu ◽  
Pierre Marès ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Low Molecular Weight Heparin ◽  
Venous Occlusion ◽  
Clot Lysis ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Occlusion Test ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Fibrinolytic Capacity ◽  
Venous Occlusion Test

SummaryAn impaired fibrinolytic capacity, defined as an insufficient venous occlusion-induced shortening of the plasma euglobulin clot lysis time, is a common feature in women suffering from primary early recurrent unexplained miscarriages (1,2). We investigated the therapeutic effect of a low-molecular-weight heparin and of a phenformin-like substance.In a prospective, randomized trial, 30 consecutive patients initially received either enoxaparin, 20 mg per day during one month, or moroxydine chloride, 1200 mg per day during one month. In case of fibrinolytic status normalization, they were treated during 6 months by the beneficial treatment which was planned to be continued during eventual pregnancies. Patients with hypofibrinolysis persistence received the alternative treatment during another month and a new evaluation was performed. No treatment was given when a persistent abnormal response to the venous occlusion test was evidenced. In case of positive response, the treatment was continued during 6 months. The primary study end-points consisted of any of the following: effect of the treatments on the fibrinolytic response; number of patients becoming pregnant during the 6 months following the last venous occlusion test; number of full-term pregnancies.Concerning the effects on the fibrinolytic system, 20 out of 29 women responded to the first or second-line enoxaparin treatment whereas only 1 woman out of 19 responded to moroxydine chloride (p=0.00002). Concerning the effects on fertility, responders to LMWH were more likely to initiate a new pregnancy than non-responders (16/20 vs 2/10, p=0.002). In patients conceiving, LMWH responders were more likely to obtain live births than nonresponders (13/16 vs. 0/2, p=0.02). The 9 women who had not responded to both treatments and the one who had responded to moroxydine chloride are still childless. Thirteen of the 20 previously childless women who had responded to enoxaparin had a successful pregnancy whilst taking the low-molecular weight heparin (p=0.0009).The low-molecular weight heparin enoxaparin was associated with successful pregnancies in patients with recurrent unexplained miscarriages associated with an impaired fibrinolytic capacity.

scholarly journals Low Molecular Weight Dextran Sulfate (ILB®) Administration Restores Brain Energy Metabolism Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 850
Author(s):  
Giacomo Lazzarino ◽  
Angela Maria Amorini ◽  
Nicholas M. Barnes ◽  
Lars Bruce ◽  
Alvaro Mordente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Nitrosative Stress ◽  
Dextran Sulfate ◽  
Subcutaneous Administration ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Post Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in people less than 40 years of age in Western countries. Currently, there are no satisfying pharmacological treatments for TBI patients. In this study, we subjected rats to severe TBI (sTBI), testing the effects of a single subcutaneous administration, 30 min post-impact, of a new low molecular weight dextran sulfate, named ILB®, at three different dose levels (1, 5, and 15 mg/kg body weight). A group of control sham-operated animals and one of untreated sTBI rats were used for comparison (each group n = 12). On day 2 or 7 post-sTBI animals were sacrificed and the simultaneous HPLC analysis of energy metabolites, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), oxidized and reduced nicotinic coenzymes, water-soluble antioxidants, and biomarkers of oxidative/nitrosative stress was carried out on deproteinized cerebral homogenates. Compared to untreated sTBI rats, ILB® improved energy metabolism by increasing ATP, ATP/ adenosine diphosphate ratio (ATP/ADP ratio), and triphosphate nucleosides, dose-dependently increased NAA concentrations, protected nicotinic coenzyme levels and their oxidized over reduced ratios, prevented depletion of ascorbate and reduced glutathione (GSH), and decreased oxidative (malondialdehyde formation) and nitrosative stress (nitrite + nitrate production). Although needing further experiments, these data provide the first evidence that a single post-injury injection of a new low molecular weight dextran sulfate (ILB®) has beneficial effects on sTBI metabolic damages. Due to the absence of adverse effects in humans, ILB® represents a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of sTBI patients.

Sentinel Headaches in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage: What is the True Incidence? A Systematic Review

Cephalalgia ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 935-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Polmear
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Recall Bias ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
True Incidence ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
History Of ◽  
Real Entity

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the incidence of sentinel headache reported by patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, and whether they are likely to be due to recall bias or to misdiagnosis of a previous haemorrhage. Nine studies of good quality, which reported the number of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage with a history of sentinel headache, gave rates of 10% to 43%. Two case-control studies, in which the frequency of a history of sentinel headache in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage was compared with that in controls with non-aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage or with stroke, gave an incidence of 5% (95% confidence interval 0.5, 16) in controls, suggesting that only a small number of apparent sentinel headaches are due to recall bias. Sentinel headaches appear to be a real entity. Their true incidence may vary from near zero to about 40% according to the rate of misdiagnosis in the community under consideration.

Biosynthesis of Photosynthates and Taxonomy of Algae

1982 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 761-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno P. Kremer ◽  
Gunter O. Kirst
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Comparative Analyses

The representatives of the major algal divisions including Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Heterokontophyta usually show specific patterns of accumulated photoassimilatory products. Among these compounds, the accumulated low-molecular weight carbohydrates such as mono­saccharides, disaccharides, alditols (i.e. polyhydroxy alcohols) and heterosides are of particular interest. Comparative analyses based on photosynthetic 14C-labelling provided sufficient evidence that occurrence and distribution of such compounds are in general indicative for particular algal taxa and in some cases useful biochemical parameters for a classiciation of lower taxa even at the ordinal or the generic levels.

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