PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L K Kothari

Publications and source records attributed to L K Kothari.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The protective action of essential oils of onion and garlic in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

The effects of the essential oils of onion and garlic have been investigated in cholesterol-fed rabbits and have been compared with the effects of clofibrate. The marked rise in serum cholesterol and blood coagulability that followed 3 months of cholesterol feeding (0.2 g/kg/day) was significantly reduced by the essential oils of both onion and garlic. Fibrinolytic activity was actually increased even above the normal control levels. The essential oils of onion and garlic (equivalent to 1 g/kg/day of raw bulbs) proved more effective than clofibrate in the usual clinical dose of 33 mg/kg/day. Garlic was even more effective than onion. Cholesterol feeding increased the average lipid content of aorta from 5.95 to 13.75 mg/100 mg dry weight. With addition of clofibrate, onion or garlic the values were 7.79, 6.23 and 5.28 mg/100 ml, respectively. Thus it can be seen that the essential oils effectively prevent lipid acculation in the rabbit oarta.

Animals↗

The total Leydig cell volume of the testis in some common mammals.

Total Leydig cell volume has been quantitatively determined by a histometric point-counting method in six common mammals, including man. Although the size of the testis has increased from 1.3 +/- 0.1 ml in the rat to 19.8 +/- 6.9 ml in the buffalo, the composition has remained fairly constant with the Leydig cells making up 9--16% of the testicular volume. In absolute terms, the Total Leydig Volume has increased progressively with body size, from 0.11 +/- 0.02 ml/testis in rat to 2.44 +/- 0.64 ml/testis in buffalo, the value for man being 2.21 +/- 0.40 ml/testis. The significance of these findings, from the point of view of the comparative physiology of male reproduction, has been discussed.

Animals↗

Leucocyte and serum ascorbic acid levels in mothers and their newborn in semi-arid western India.

Leucocyte ascorbic acid (LAA) and serum ascorbic acid (SAA) have been estimated in 50 pregnant women, their newborn infants, and 14 non-pregnant women living in the semi-arid region of western India. LAA was significantly higher in the newborn as compared to their mothers, the mean values being 35.52 +/- 6.85 and 23.94 +/- 5.84 micrograms/10(8) cells, respectively (P less than 0.01). The sex and birth weight of the infant, however, did not influence its ascorbic acid status. Pregnant women had relatively lower SAA (0.81 +/- 0.22 mg/dl) and LAA (23.94 +/- 5.84 micrograms/10(8) cells) as compared to the matched non-pregnant group (1.01 +/- 0.26 mg/dl and 29.98 +/- 8.45 micrograms/10(8) cells). But despite the semi-arid, draught prone geographical region and the hemodilution which accompanies pregnancy, none of the mothers had a clearly subnormal vitamin C status.

Ascorbic Acid↗

Structural organisation within the epididymis and its functional implications.

The functional organisation of the epididymis has been studied in 20 adult albino rats. The gross divisions of Caput or head, Corpus or body, and Cauda or lower end show distinctive features which indicate functional specialisation. The Caput epididymis has strikingly tall columnar cells with a mean height of 124 mu, but little muscle tissue. It seems to be adapted as a distensible low-pressure reservoir to accomodate the testicular outflow and modify it by absorption and secretion; the prominent stereocilia (or microvilli) would favour this absorptive function. The Cauda, on the other hand, shows abundant muscle tissue around the widening duct and provides the mechanism for rapid delivery of sperms during ejaculation. The Corpus or middle part is peculiarly long and slender, accomodating only 2 or 3 ductules side-by-side. It might serve to separate the two functionally different upper and lower parts and protect the testis against any undue back-pressure. The epididymis weighed 67% of the corresponding testis, on an average. The capacity of the testis to tolerate any obstruction of the outflow tract might be related to the size and capacity of the epididymis in that species.

Animals↗

A correlative study of seminal biochemistry and testicular histology in infertile males.

Two androgen-dependent constituents of the seminal plasma, fructose and acid phosphatase, have been estimated in 50 infertile males along with a testicular biopsy. Azoospermics, as a group, showed a very wide range of fructose (16-600 mg%) as compared to 210-397 mg% in healthy fertile males. Oligospermics tended to have low values with a mean of 218 +/- 75.1 mg%. Acid phosphatase in the controls was 1927 +/- 164.6 K.A. unit/ml and was generally higher in the infertile groups. The state of spermatogenesis, as revealed by testicular biopsy, bore no consistent relationship with the seminal fructose or acid phosphatase. It appears that there may be no inter-relationship between the activity of the germinal epithelium and the secretion of the accessory glands and, although both are androgen-dependent, they can be affected separately by a multitude of factors in human infertility.

Acid Phosphatase↗