Browsing by Author "Finelli, Renata"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Alternative medicine and herbal remedies in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: A systematic review
    (Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group., 2021) Leisegang, Kristian; Finelli, Renata
    Objectives: To systematically review and discuss the current evidence from placebo-controlled clinical trials that investigated the use of alternative medicines and herbal remedies in the management of erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)- based systematic review using specific keyword combinations was conducted on the PubMed and Scopus databases. Randomised controlled trials investigating herbal medicine in at least one group and using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) as an outcome in patients primarily diagnosed with ED were included for review. Results: Following the literature search, screening and eligibility analysis, a total of 42 articles were included. The 42 articles were categorised as single herb extractions (n = 14), combination herbal formula (n = 5), combination of herbal formula and non-herbal nutraceuticals (n = 7), non-herbal nutraceuticals (n = 5), acupuncture and moxibustion (n = 2), diet and nutrition (n = 3), exercise (n = 5), and topical treatments (n = 1). Based on the results, Korean ginseng, Pygnogenol and Prelox, Tribulus terrestris, Lepidium meyenii, L-arginine, acupuncture and lifestyle interventions were the more predominantly investigated treatments interventions for ED. Conclusions: Panax ginseng, Pygnogenol, Prelox and Tribulus terrestris have promising evidence as herbal products, alongside L-arginine as a nutritional supplement, for ED based on IIEF outcomes, and warrant further clinical investigation. The mechanisms of action remain unclear, but each of these appears to in part increase nitric oxide synthesis. Importantly, improved diet and exercise should be considered, particularly in patients with obesity or diabetes mellitus.
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    The efficacy of zingiber officinale on dyslipidaemia, blood pressure, and inflammation as cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review
    (Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2022) Daniels, Chelsea Courtney; Isaacs, Zaiyaan; Leisegang, Kristian; Finelli, Renata
    Background & aims: Hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and chronic inflammation contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Zingiber officinale has been suggested to reduce these CVD risk factors; however, the clinical evidence remains unclear. This systematic review aims to analyse the effect of Z. officinale as a sole intervention on these risk factors. Methods: In this PRISMA-based systematic review, we included randomised clinical trials from PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (July 2020) analysing triglycerides, low- and highdensity lipoprotein (LDL, HDL), total cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin 1, 6, 10, systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure as outcomes. Quality of studies was evaluated by JADAD and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. Results: A total of 24 studies were included, mostly (79.2%) showing low risk of bias. These were based on obesity and cardio-metabolic derangements (33.3%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (37.5%), and miscellaneous conditions (29.2%). While total cholesterol and triglycerides levels mostly improved after Z. officinale, results were inconsistent for other blood lipids markers. Inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-a) were more consistently reduced by Z. officinale, while only 3 studies reported a non-significant reduction of blood pressure. Conclusions: Although there remains a paucity of studies, Z. officinale may be beneficial for improving dyslipidaemia and inflammation.
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    The impact of Covid-19 vaccines on male semen parameters: A retrospective cohort study
    (University of the Western Cape, 2023) Henkel, Ralf; Leisegang, Kristian; Finelli, Renata
    The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the development of adequate vaccines. Despite vaccines being demonstrated to be safe and effective for preventing severe disease and death, vaccine hesitancy remains. Reasons include concerns over adverse effects on male fertility, which have not been widely investigated. Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on semen parameters in a retrospective cohort study of South African males undergoing fertility assessment. The patients for this study were adult men who have previously undergone routine semen analysis for fertility assessment at Androcryos Andrology Laboratory (Johannesburg, South Africa) between March 2021 and March 2022. They also received vaccination within 3 months following a semen analysis and underwent a second semen analysis any time post-COVID-19 vaccination. From 277 records analysed, 46 patients met the inclusion criteria, receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b1) (63%), Johnson and Johnson (JNJ-78436735/Ad26.COV2S) (34.8%), and the AstraZeneca (AZD1222) (2.2%) vaccines. Sperm concentration significantly increased postvaccination (P = 0:0001), with no significant changes in semen pH, volume, total sperm count, progressive motility, normal sperm morphology, or chromatin condensation. Results were not influenced by age, type of vaccine received, and the number of days following vaccination, as depicted by multiple regression analysis. In conclusion, there is no evidence of a negative impact of COVID-19 vaccination on male semen parameters, which is consistent with the emerging literature on COVID-19 vaccination and male fertility. COVID-19 vaccinations should not be dismissed based on fear of adverse effects on male fertility parameters.
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    Reactive oxygen species in male reproduction: A boon or a bane?
    (Wiley, 2020) Finelli, Renata; Henkel, Ralf; Baskaran, Saradha
    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are free radicals derived from oxygen during normal cellular metabolism. ROS play a crucial role in the physiological processes and signalling pathways associated with male fertility. At physiological concentrations, ROS act as molecular mediators of signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. They also trigger the morphological changes required for sperm maturation, such as DNA compaction and flagellar modification. Furthermore, ROS modulate crucial processes involved in the attainment of sperm fertilising ability such as capacitation, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction and sperm–oocyte fusion. Conversely, oxidative stress prevails when the concentration of ROS overwhelms the body's antioxidant defence. Various endogenous and exogenous factors enhance the synthesis of ROS resulting in the disruption of structural and functional integrity of spermatozoa through the induction of apoptotic pathway and oxidation of molecules, such as lipids, proteins and DNA. Therefore, maintenance of a balanced redox state is critical for normal male reproductive functions. This article discusses the dual role of ROS in male reproduction, highlighting the physiological role as well as their pathological implications on male fertility.
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    Total antioxidant capacity—Relevance, methods and clinical implications
    (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2020) Gupta, Sajal; Finelli, Renata; Henkel, Ralf
    Oxidative stress is pre‐empted by an adequate level of antioxidants, which scavenge oxidants when they are produced in excess by different sources, including leukocytes and immature spermatozoa. Enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and several non‐enzymatic antioxidants (proteins, vitamins and minerals), working as oxidant scavengers and cofactors of enzymatic antioxidants have been identified in seminal plasma. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is a diagnostic test that can be utilised in the male infertility workup. TAC measures the amount of total antioxidants in seminal plasma. Therefore, it provides an assessment of the reductive potential in seminal plasma. Several studies have investigated the diagnostic application of TAC in various andrology conditions. There is substantial evidence in the literature to show that infertile patients have lower seminal TAC in comparison with fertile men. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between TAC and seminal parameters, such as sperm concentration, motility and morphology. Evaluation of TAC together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) may be beneficial in the diagnosis of male infertility.
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    A web-based global educational model for training in semen analysis during the Covid-19 pandemic
    (Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology, 2021) Agarwal, Ashok; Finelli, Renata; Leisegang, Kristian
    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM) transitioned its annual training in assisted reproductive technology (ART) from a hands-on, laboratory-based training course to a fully online training endorsed by the American College of Embryology. Here we describe our experience and assess the quality of an online training format based on participant outcomes for the first three modules of a planned series of online ART training.These modules included manual semen analysis, sperm morphology and ancillary semen tests (testing for leukocytospermia, sperm vitality, and anti-sperm antibody screening). The virtual format consisted of lecture presentations featuring laboratory protocols with corresponding video demonstrations of routine techniques and best practices. Practical scenarios, troubleshooting, and clinical interpretation of laboratory results were also discussed. At the end of each module, an optional multiple choice question test was held as a prerequisite to obtain certification on the topics presented. Course quality was assessed using participant responses collected via online surveys