Introduction: Cardiac and blood vessel diseases are major problems in the developed and developing countries. The most important cause of these diseases is atherosclerosis, that high density of plasma lipids is considered the main factor in its appearance and development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of kombucha extract on plasma lipoproteins, and liver enzymes in male Wi star rats.Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into 4 groups: l) Control group which received normal water and food diet.2) Sham group which received water and high fat diet (included: 66.5g carbohydrate, 20.lg fat, and 4.49g protein).3) Experimental group 1 received high fat diet and kombucha extract.4) Experimental group 2, received food diet and kombucha extract. The kombucha extract was poured in a container and was put in access of the animals. The duration of the treatment has been continued for 8 weeks. After weighting, the animals were anesthetized with ether. After treatment for 8 weeks, blood serum was prepared and the concentrations of triglyceride, cholesterol, plasma lipoproteins and liver enzymes such as AST and AL T were measured.Results: The results showed that the serum level of cholesterol, LDL, AST and ALT in both experimental groups had no significant decrease as compared with control group, but serum level of HDL had decreased significantly as compared to the control group (p<0.05). On the other hand, serum level of TG in both experimental groups indicated significant decreases as compared to the control group (p<0.001).Conclusion: The use of the kombucha extract can decrease triglyceride and increase HDL serum. Therefore this extract might be used in treating diseases such as cardiac and blood vessel diseases.

Introduction: Obesity and increase of body weight are major problems in developed and developing countries and they are the most important cause of atherosclerosis, cardiac and blood vessels diseases.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of kombucha extract on the rate of compact visceral lipid and body weight and triglyceride in male Wistar rats.Methods: Animals were divided in 4 groups: 1) Control group which received water and food diet.2) Sham group which received water and high fat diet (included: 66.5g Carbohydrate, 20.1g Fat, and 4.49g protein). 3) Experimental group1 received high fat diet and kombucha extract.4) Experimental group 2, received food diet and kombucha extract. The duration of the treatment continued for 8 weeks.After weighting, the animals were anesthetized with ether. After treatment (8 weeks), blood serum was prepared and amount of triglyceride was measured, and the weight compact lipid in their body was collected and their weight was determined.Findings: The results showed that the weight of animals after the treatment period was decreased (p<0.05). On the other hand, the weight of visceral lipid in both experimental groups as compared with control group was significantly decreased (p<0.001).On the other hand, serum level of TG in both experimental groups were showed significant decrease as compared with control group (p<0.001).Conclusion: using of the kombucha extract can cause losing weight, and decrease lipid storage and also decrease triglyceride. Thus probably this extract could be used in treating diseases such as obesity and cardiac and blood vessel diseases.

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) play importand role for postnatal development and maturation. In this study, the effect of hypothyroidism on spermatogenesis 2 month age Wistar rats were investigated.Materials and Methods: The animals were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group were made hypothyroid by chemical thyroidectomy with propylthyourasil (PTU). The control were remind untreated. After 3 week, the animals were scarified and testes were fixed in formalin for histological studies.Results: Our data indicated that, hypothyroidism resulted n significant reduction in seminiferous tubule and lumen diameter. Control ras showed active spermatogenesis whereas in hypothyroid rats, the proliferation and differentiation of germ cells were arrested and their number was decreased.Conclusion: The present study clearly indicates that hypothyroidism adversely affects spermatogenesis; it also indicates that thyroid hormones are essential for normal spermatogenesis.

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) involves in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a cause of infertility in women during the reproductive age. The PCOS is now categorized as an inflammatory phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of NO, a proinflammatory agent, in this syndrome at histological and biochemical levels.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, animals were female Wistar rats (weighing 200-250 g) kept under standard conditions. L-Arginine (50-200 mg/kg), a precursor of NO, was injected intra-peritoneally (i.p.) through a period ranging from 9 to14 days/ once a day. The rats' estrous cycle was studied using Papanicolaou test; those showing phase of Diestrous were grouped into experimental and control groups. The control group solely received saline (1 ml/kg, i.p.) throughout all experiments. To evaluate the inflammatory effect of NO, the rats were treated an anti-inflammatory agent, naloxone hydrochloride (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.), prior to L-arginine. At the end of the treatment period all animals’ ovaries were assessed for histopathological and histochemical investigations. Also, activation of NO synthase (NOS) in the experiments was studied using NADPH-diaphorase technique.Results: The ovaries of rats treated with L-arginine showed polycystic characteristics in contrast to those collected from control or naloxone pretreated groups, based on image analysis. A difference in enzyme activation was also shown in the sections that belonged to the groups that received L-arginine when compared with the pre-naloxone and control groups.Conclusion: Based on these results, we believe that NO may play a major role in the pathophysiology of PCOS.

Background: The function of internal systems can be influenced significantly by hypernatremia, even anesthesia may be affected by this electrolyte imbalance. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a single anesthetic dose of ketamine in an experimental rat model of chronic hypernatremia.Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats, weighing 300 (±20)g, were allocated randomly to three groups: the control group received drinking water and test groups 1 and 2 received 1% and 2% NaCl, respectively, for 144 hours. We measured the parameters of sensitivity to the ketamine injection (125mg/kg) including length of times to the inhibition of the righting reflex, inhibition of the response to painful stimulus and the times to the reappearance of the response to painful stimulus and recovery from anesthesia. We also determined the mortality rates during anesthesia. Results: The times for inhibition of the righting reflex and response to painful stimulus for group 2 were significantly shorter than those for group 1 and the control group. The times for the reappearance of response to painful stimulus and full recovery from anesthesia in group 2 were significantly longer than those of group 1 and the control group.Conclusions: Hypernatremia affects ketamine anesthesia in the rat, increasing the speed of passing through the different steps of anesthesia. The duration of ketamine efficacy increases, while recovery from anesthesia is significantly delayed.

Introduction: With regard to the interactions between brain and spleen, in this research, the effect of splenectomy on PTZ-induced epilepsy in Wistar rats was studied.Methods: In this study, 48 male and female wistar rats were used in 3 groups. Experimental groups for each of the two sexes included the negative control, positive control and splenectomy. Negative controls did not undergo surgery. The incision was created in the positive control group, but the spleen was not removed. The spleen was removed in splenectomy group. After seven days, PTZ was injected and the initiation time of different convulsive stages in terms of seconds and score of seizures in the three groups with the same gender were compared using one-way ANOVA.Results: Second stage of convulsive seizures in the splenectomy group of male rats in comparison with control groups decreased significantly. Fourth stage of seizure in female splenectomized rats in comparison with negative control group decreased significantly. Also score terms of seizures in both male and female rats were not significantly different in the three groups.Conclusion: Splenectomy intensifies PTZ-induced seizures in Wistar rats.