pathological effects of anticoagulant rodenticide difenacoum on white rats

Twenty-four albino rats were divided into two equal groups. The first group was treated with a single oral dose of 0.26 mg/kg b. wt. of difenacoum [1/5 LD50]. The rats of group two were used as control. Four rats of both treated and control were sacrificed at 1, 5 and 10 days after administration. Congested blood vessels, hemorrhagic areas, edema, lymphocytic aggregation and degenerated parenchymatous cells were the most common findings in the hearts, liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, brain, testes, stomach and intestines of rats

Histopathological studies on rats injected with repeated doses of scorpion venom

Two groups of adult white male rats [20 animals each] were injected daily for six weeks i.m. with 1/10 or 1/20 LD[50] scorpion venom respectively, while third group of 10 rats were kept as control. At the end of the experiment, all the animals were sacrificed and P.M. lesions were recorded. On the other hand autopsies from: skeletal muscles, liver, kidneys, lungs, spleen, testicles, brain and spinal cord were prepared for histopathological study. The microscopical findings were described and illustrated

Antifertility effects of melatonin in male rats

The effects of melatonin on the reproductive organs and testosterone concentration were investigated in adult male rats. Melatonin administration, intraperitoneal [0.5 mg/rat], for successive 14 days resulted in a significant decrease in the testes, epididymis seminal vesicle and fat body weight. Varying degrees of degeneration and necrosis of seminiferous tubules associated with marked interstitial and subcapsular oedema were observed. Plasma testosterone concentration was significantly decreased [1.76 ng/ml] in melatonin treated rats as compared to the control [2.75 ng/ml]