The current study was conducted to investigate the impacts of active and passive immunization against synthetic inhibin-α subunit and steroid-free bovine follicular fluid, respectively, on reproductive hormones profile out of breeding season in Iraqi Awassi ewes. Follicular fluid was aspired from mature bovine follicles, treated with activated charcoal, used for immunization of male rabbits, and obtaining of SFBFF antiserum. Forty non-pregnant Awassi ewes were allocated into 4 groups (n = 10 each). At day 38 of experiment, ewes were treated with intra-vaginal sponge impregated with medroxyprogesterone acetate 60 mg for 12 days. Ewes were treated at 0, 28 and 50 days with 4, 2 and 2 ml of normal saline (control; C-ve), 400, 200 and 200 µg of ovalbumine (C+ve), 400, 200 and 200 µg of inhibin (SI group), and 4 ml of normal saline at 0 day, and 4ml and 2ml of SFBFF antiserum, at 28 and 50 days, respectively (AI group). Blood samples were collected at 24 and 48 hours before and after sponge withdrawal for assessment of FSH, LH, inhibin-B, Activin-A, E2 and P4. Before sponge withdrawal, FSH level increased in SI ewes, whereas only after sponge withdrawal, FSH, LH, activin-A and E2 levels increased in SI and AI ewes. Opposite results were shown of inhibin-B level. In conclusion, active or passive immunization against inhibin in Awassi ewes could augment reproductive functions out of breeding season in Iraqi Awassi ewes.

To investigate the antihyperglycemic potent of thymoquinone (TQ), this study has been conducted in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats.Diabetes was induced by single injection with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg b.w., i.p.). Rat ≥ 200 mg/dl of blood glucose was used as diabetic.Sixty five adult male rats (aged 56 days and weighted 138±8.8g) were divided into five groups, non-diabetic control (were drenched with drinking water) and four diabetic groups(DM, TQ50,TQ100, and DMI) were drenched with drinking water,TQ (50 mg/kg, bw), TQ (100 mg/kg, bw), and injected with insulin (4 IU/animal), respectively, for 42 days. During the experiment,body weight gains were recorded and blood samples were obtained weekly for assessment of plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. TQ treated male rats showed normal activity and body health throughout the experiment. Significant decrease of body weight gain has been recorded in untreated diabetic (DM) and insulin treated diabetic (DMI) groups as compared with that of intact control (C) and TQ treated diabetic (TQ50 and TQ100) groups, started from the fourth day of experiment, while DM group registered the lowest body weight gain among the experimental groups. Results of blood glucose concentrations referred to significant elevation in diabetic groups as compared with intact control. While in comparison between the diabetic groups, blood glucose concentration decreased significantly TQ50, TQ100, and DMI groups compared with DMI group. It has been found that insulin treated (DMI) and TQ treated (TQ50 and TQ100) male rats recorded no significant difference in serum insulin concentration when compared with each other but they were significantly lower than that of intact control male rats (C), but the average means of these four groups were significantly higher than that of non-treated diabetic male rats (DM).These changes were time dependent during the studied experimental period. It can be concluded that drenching of 100 mg/kg of TQ has potent hypoglycemic effect in experimentally-induced diabetic male rats.

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily members are closely associated with tissue remodelling events and reproductive processes. The present study aimed to determine the role of immunoneutralization of endogenous inhibin-α, βA, and βB subunits on serum growth growth and differentiation hormones profile during pregnancy, delivery, and lactation periods in primiparous female Wister rats.Eighty four pregnant primiparous female rats were assigned to 4 groups (21 per each). On 5 th and 10 th day of gestation, control was injected with saline (100μl, i.p.), Ta, Tba, and Tbb groups were injected with inhibin-α, βA, and βBantiserum (1µg in 100μl of saline, i.p.), respectively. Each group was allocated to 3 equal subgroups: pregnancy, delivery, and lactation subgroups were sacrificed on day 16 of gestation, 1 st day after parturition, and 11 th day of lactation, respectively. At the end of each subgroups period, females were anesthetized, dissected and blood samples were obtained for assessment of inhibin-A,-B, activin-A ,-B,-AB, GH, and prolactin levels. Serum inhibin-A concentration in Tbb group increased during pregnancy and delivery among experimental groups. In comparison between periods, Tbb group showed significantly higher level during pregnancy and decreased during delivery and lactation, whereas Ta and Tba groups recorded no difference between periods. Inhibin-B increased in control and Tba groups during pregnancy, whereas lactation period showed higher levels in Ta, Tba, and Tbb groups compared with control. Ta, Tba, and Tbb groups recorded no siginificant differences between pregnancy and

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