Histological and immunohistochemical studies on the kidneys of pregnant rats treated with Clarithromycin

Background: clarithromycin is a semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic, exhibits broad-spectrum activity against gram-positive and gram-negative aerobes. Macrolides are bacteriostatic antibiotics that inhibit protein biosynthesis via reversible binding to the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit. Macrolides are able to cross placenta and reach the fetus

Aim of the work: the present study is focused on evaluating the effects of antimicrobial drug, clarithromycin on the kidneys of pregnant rats

Material and methods: clarithromycin is orally given to the treated groups of the pregnant rats once daily at different periods of gestation by gastric tube at a dose of 45 mg/kg/day. The excised kidneys were dissected, processed and stained with H and E, PAS, Masson's trichrome, Feulgen reaction and anti-CD68 immunohistochemical stain then followed by morphometric measurements and statistical analysis. The kidneys were also preserved for DNA fragmentation assay

Results: this study revealed that clarithromycin administration especially to pregnant rats showed different histopathological and histochemical changes in kidney tissues and cellular DNA. Also immunohistochemical anti-inflammatory marker CD68 showed positive reactivity in all treated groups

Conclusion: The presence of histopathological and histochemical changes revealed nephrotoxicity in the pregnant rats after administration of the antimicrobial drug, clarithromycin

Effect of Clarithromycin administration during late gestational period on the pregnant albino rats and their fetuses

Background: Clarithromycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, is effective in the management of a wide range of clinical problems including outpatient treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, shortening the course of peptic ulcer disease associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and curing previously resistant respiratory infections in immune-compromised patients. The present study is planned to study the effect of clarithromycin on the pregnant female rats and their fetuses during the last gestational period stage. This study includes the effect of clarithromycin on therate of abortion, malformation of fetuses, skeletal, histological changes and DNA fragmentation of liver cells of pregnant rats and their fetuses. In the present study two groups of pregnant animals were used. The first group received distilled water from 15[th] to 19[th] days of gestation and used as control and sacrificed at 20[th] day of gestation. The other group is orally administered with 45mg/kgclarithromycin from 15[th] to 19[th] days and sacrifices at 20[th] day of gestation [the therapeutic dose]. The obtained results showed a significant decrease in maternal body weight gain and increase in the rate of abortion, resorption and growth retardation of fetuses.Fetuses of the treated group showed severe lack of ossification on the skull bones, phalanges and sternum bone as well as shortness in the ulna and radius bones. Histological studies of pregnant rats revealed congestion and dilatation of the central vein of the liver lobules and fatty degeneration of the hepatocytes with severe DNA fragmentation.In 20 day-fetuses, there were a marked increase of necrotic hepatocytes associated with increased average of megakaryocytes and periportal leukocytic infiltration

Effect of Clarithromycin administration on pregnant albino rats during the cleavage period of gestation and on their embryos

Background: Clarithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic used to treat common infections including respiratory tract, skin and Helicobacter pylori. This work investigates whether the administration of clarithromycin to pregnant females during the cleavage phase of gestation was associated with a risk of miscarriages and offspring morphological malformation and skeletal anomalies, histological changes and DNA fragmentation of embryos and liver of pregnant rats. Two major groups of pregnant albino rats were used. The animals of the control group received distilled water from the 1[st] to 7[th] days of gestation.One subgroup [C1] was sacrificed on the 8[th] day; and the other [C2] was sacrificed on the 20[th] day of gestation. The treated group was drenched 45 mg/kg clarithromycin [therapeutic dose] suspension from 1[st] to 7[th] day of gestation. The first subgroup [T1] was sacrificed on the 8th day and the other [T2] was sacrificed on the 20th day of gestation

Results: The obtained results showed a decrease in maternal body weight gain, increase in the rate of abortion, resorption and growth retardation of fetuses and some malformation in the skeletal system of the treated group. Histopathological studies of pregnant and fetal rats revealed congestion and dilatation of the central vein, fatty degeneration of the hepatocytes and severe DNA fragmentation

Histological study and DNA changes in the kidneys of rat fetuses maternally treated with Clarithromycin

Introduction: macrolide antibiotics are a class of potent and well established antimicrobials that also possess anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory properties. Because of their size, lower levels of macrolides are able to reach the developing fetuses

Materials and method: the pregnant rats were orally administered with clarithromycin at early and late gestational periods. The 20 day-old fetuses were dissected for excision of the kidney. Half of the kidney was processed and stained with H and E, PAS, Masson's trichrome and Feulgen techniques then followed by morphometric measurements and statistical study. The other half of the kidney was preserved for DNA fragmentation assay.Results: This study revealed that clarithromycin administration to pregnant rats showed different histopathological, histochemical and DNA changes in the kidneys of their fetuses

Conclusion: Administration of the antimicrobial agent; clarithromycin at early and late gestational periods exhibits nephrotoxicity in the developing fetuses

study on the teratogenic effects of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate [DDB] in rats

Schizandrin C is one of the components isolated from fructus schizandrae. Biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxilate [DDB] is a synthetic analogue of schizandrin C. It has been widely prescribed for improvement of liver function especially in hepatitis C infection. The present study is undertaken to investigate the effect of DDB on the pregnant rats and their fetuses. It was administered as a suspension using 2% tween80. DDB was administered in two dose levels [4.05 and 40.5mg/kg body weight]. Each of the two dose levels was daily administered along two different periods of gestation, namely from day I to 20 and from day 8 to 16. The outcome of pregnancy was examined for growth parameters and gross anomalies. The results showed a slight change in mothers body weight with a slightly decrease in appetite. The obtained results showed significant decreases in fetal body weight following administration of the high dose level through the two utilizing periods of gestation. The fetal body weight of groups treated with the small dose level was lowered, but non-significantly Dose-dependent incidences of external and skeletal malformations were obtained

Toxic effects of deltamethrin on the pregnant rats and their fetuses

Deltamethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that kills on contact and through digestion. It is used in the environmental health market. The widespread domestic use of household mosquito killers has drawn our attention to study their effects on the development of some laboratory animals. Deltamethrin was given daily by oral intubation in the form of emulsifiable concentrates [5%] at three dose levels 1/100, 1/40 and 1/20 of LD50/day [5.35, 13.38 and 26.75 mg/kg/day] from 8[th] to 16[th] day of gestation and from 1[st] to 20[th] day of gestation. T he obtained results showed decrease in maternal body weight gain during pregnancy, lethargy in their movement, increase in abortion rate and a decrease in maternal uterine weight. The effects of deltamethrin on the fetuses were high percentage of resorption, growth retardation, hematoma, paralysis in both limbs and growth retardation of their skeletal elements and some skeletal malformation

possible protective effect[s] of linseed oil against nephrotoxicity of some drugs

Linseed oil is a popular dietary element in Egypt It was found to decrease hepatic toxicity and acute lethality of acetaminophen and to decrease renal toxicity induced by gentamycin or acetaminophen [Metwally et al, 2001]. The present work aims for studying the possible protective effect[s] of linseed oil against nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin [anticancer], cyclosporine [immunosuppressant], as well as streptomycin [amino glycoside antibiotic]. Adult male Sprague Dawely rats were fed daily by either control diet [control rats], or diet containing 5% linseed oil for 15 days. Twenty four hours later, animals of each group were subdivided into 4 subgroups and treated as follows: control [drug free], cisplatin [4mg/kg i.p. X 1 day], cyclosporine [50mg/kg orally X 6 days] or streptomycin [800mg/kg i.p. X 6 days]. Seven days after administering the first dose of the nephrotoxic agents the following parameters were assessed: serum creatinine and urea, glomerular filtration rate, urea clearance, serum and urine sodium and potassium as well as specific gravity and urine volume. Kidney histopathology and relative weights were evaluated. The results showed that linseed oil causes pronounced protective effect against streptomycin nephrotoxicity, slight protection against cyclosporine and very slight protective effect against cisplatin treated animals. The obtained results will be discussed in view of the possible impacts on eicosanoids and throinboxane synthesis

Influence of exposure to household mosquito killer vapours on the development of laboratory animals

In this study, rats and mice were exposed to the inhalation of a commercial brand of mosquito killer during the period of organogenesis. The pregnant animals were exposed to mosquito killer vapors for 20 minutes once a day during the whole organogenesis period. The results showed allergic effects on the eyes, nose and skin of pregnant rats and mice. The exposure caused growth retardation, high percentage of resorption and hematoma in their fetuses. Some abnormalities appeared in the fetuses of rats, which were represented by fewer digits in the fore-limbs than the controls with shortened digits and incomplete cleft palate. Skeletal examination of fetuses showed different degrees of lack of ossification in mice and rats as well as some skeletal abnormalities in rats