Toxicity of trigonella foenum graecum [fenugreek] in bone marrow cell proliferation in rat

Fenugreek has a wide range of medical applications and its medicinal use has been clear in several studies, however, few studies are available on effects on haematopoietic stem cell of bone marrow. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of Fenugreek on fetal macroscopic diameters and microscopic bone marrow cell histological changes in its teratogenic dosages. Fenugreek decoction was dissolved in 1.5 milliliter distilled water and injected intraperitoneumly in three dosages of 0.8 g/kg, 1.6 g/kg, and 3.2 g/kg for three groups of Wistar female rats mated by Wistar male. For another group [as control group] only 1.5 milliliter distilled water was injected. Bone marrow tissue was prepared from rat fetus and was cut using a microtome and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Sections were evaluated for changes using light microscope. LD50 for the measurement of teratogenic dosage of fenugreek was 4.1 and 3.5 g/kg in female and male rat, respectively. There was a positive relation between the injected drug dosage and fetal mortality rate. Among all fetal diameters, ear to ear diameter was decreased in groups received Fenugreek decoction. The severity of stem cell histological changes caused by 3.2 g/kg drug injection was lower than distilled water injection and in evaluation of other cells, differences in the severity of histological changes across three groups with different drug dosages and control group was detected. Fenugreek in teratogenic dosages can decrease the severity of bone marrow cell proliferation and increase fetal mortality rate

[Hematology and osmotic fragility of red blood cells in hyperthyroid rats]

Hyperthyroidism is associated with anemia. Since thyroid hormones, by acting on Na+/K+-ATPase activity and numbers, and also on the lipid composition of the membrane can alter the fragility of red cells, in this study, use compared the osmotic fragility of red cells in hyperthyroid rats to that of controls. Forty eight male Wistar rats [body weight, 221 +/- 4g] were divided in 4 groups. Group I consumed L-thyroxine [12mg/L in drinking water] for 30 days, group II was the control for group I, group III consumed L-thyroxine for 60 days and group IV was the control group for the group III. At the end of the intervention period, hormonal and biochemical measurements were done in blood samples. To assess the osmotic fragility, red blood cells [RBC] were incubated at 37°C for 30 min in different concentrations of NaCl and the extent of hemolysis was measured by colorimetry of the supernatant. Hemolysis percent was expressed in terms of percent hemolusis in presence of distilled water [100% hemolysis]. In this study although hemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume in group III were significantly [P<0.05] higher compared to group IV, osmotic fragility did not show any significant difference. The results indicate that hyperthyroidism in rat can not anemia and osmotic fragility of RBCs in hyperthyroid animals do not differ from control groups