Cyclophosphamide (CP) causes infertility due to ovarian toxicity. The toxicity mechanism suggests oxidative stress. We assessed whether mirtazapine (MTZ) and hesperidin (HSP) could promote ovarian protection against damage due to CP chemotherapy. Female Wistar rats aged 14 weeks were used. Animals were divided into four groups: control vehicle group (n = 8); CP group (n = 8, rats received 150 mg/kg of CP, single intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection); CP + MTZ group (n = 8, rats received same dose of CP + 30 mg/kg of MTZ, orally, daily); and HSP + CP group (n = 8, rats received same dose of CP + 100 mg/kg of HSP, orally, daily). After eight days of medication, ovaries were removed and ovarian toxicity was assessed by counting follicles and corpora lutea. Nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were estimated in ovarian tissue. NO level, MDA level, and MPO activity were increased (P < 0.001), while, GPx and SOD activities were lowered significantly (P < 0.001) in CP-treated group compared with control vehicle. In addition, ovulation, number of follicles, and ovarian weight were reduced by CP treatment. On the contrary, rats pretreated with MTZ and HSP showed significant decrease in NO, MDA levels, and MPO activity, while, activities of SOD and GPx were increased (P < 0.001). Oxidative stress induced by CP in the rat ovary causes infertility in the female rats. HSP and MTZ could reverse this effect and provide protection of fertility against CP-induced toxicity.

Accurate estimation of time passed since death is a complicated task in forensic medicine especially in homicide or unwitnessed death investigations. Changes in oxidant/antioxidant parameters were investigated if it can be relied upon in estimating the early postmortem interval (EPI) in rat heart and kidney, and whether these changes were correlated with histopathological findings in these tissues. Heart and kidney tissues of 84 male albino rats were divided into 2 parts. One part used for estimation of levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and total thiol as well as the activity of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S transferase, and catalase. The second part was examined histopathologically. It was found that MDA and NO were significantly increased earlier in the heart than kidney tissues. Meanwhile, total thiol, catalase, glutathione S transferase, and GR were commenced to be significantly decreased in the heart before kidney tissues. Linear regression analysis of independent variables of heart was found to be of a high predictive value of 97.2% (EPI = 8.607 - 0.240 GR + 0.002 MDA + 0.014 NO). Structural deterioration of heart started 3 to 4 hours compared with renal sections that began 5 to 6 hours after death. The relationship between oxidant and antioxidant parameters is crucial in determining the EPI. The kidney was found to be more resistible to oxidative damage. Further research on humans is needed.