Effect of endotoxin on ovulation, implantation and early foetal development in rabbits

Salmonella entritidis endotoxin given in a dose of 1 ml/kg [= 20 ug/kg] intravenously to female rabbits five hours after chotionic gonadotropin administration caused significant reduction in the number of ruptured follicles. The simultaneous administration of the same dose of endotoxin with 2 mg/kg indomethacin intra-muscularly did not reverse the effect of endotoxin on ovulatory process. To study the effect of endotoxin on implantation and early foetal development, it was given in a dose of 0.25 ml/kg [= 5 ug/kg] intravenously on day 4 of gestation and this resulted in failure of implantation. On combining endotoxin and indomethacin, the effect of endotoxin on implantation was not reversed. Endotoxin administration on day 8 of gestation produced a lethal effect on most of foetuses and regression of associated placentae. When indomethacin was combined with andotoxin on day 8 of gestation, the immediate lethal action was inhibited as evidenced by presence of most implantations at the time of autopsy on day 14. Nevertheless, most foetuses died after indomethacin treatment. Administration of indomethacin alone on day 4 of pregnancy did not reduce the total number of foetuses, but foetuses and placental tissues were smaller than controls. However indomethacin given on day 8 of pregnancy resulted in a large number of post implantation mortalities. The results are discussed and it was recommended that: First: Women desirous of becoming pregnant or pregnant women early in their gestation should be advised not to use the analgesic agent indomethacin particularly prior to ovulation and during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Second: If a lady is suffering from a disease caused by an endotoxin producing organism she must use a contraception to prevent her from becoming pregnant and if she is already pregnant, gestation must be terminated

Histopathologic changes in rabbits chronically exposed to hashish smoke

The effect of chronic exposure to hashish smoke on the brain, lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys of 30 rabbits was investigated and compared with ten animals exposed to placebo smoke and five untreated controls. Compared with the untreated controls, histopathologic changes were observed in the brain and lungs in the hashish and placebo smoke-exposed animals. Hashish smoke-exposed rabbits showed hepatic, splenic and renal histopathologic changes when compared with untreated controls or animals exposed to placebo smoke. The results are discussed and compared with those in the literature. It is believed that the pathologic changes in the brain and lungs, being present with equal frequency in hashish and placebo smoke exposed animals, are not directly related to cannabis and may be caused by the other ingredients in the smoke. However, the hepatic, splenic and renal changes are believed to be a cannabis effect

Impairment of spermatogenesis by organophosphorus pesticides

Impairment of spermatogenesis was observed following the administration of organophosphorus pesticides [Gusathion A and Tamaron, Bayer] to sexually-mature male rabbits, as demonstrated by semen analyses and testicular histopathology. The possible implications of these findings are discussed and the potential hazards of the use of pesticides on male fertility are mentioned

Histopathologic changes induced by chronic exposure to a household insecticide: an experimental study

The effect of chronic exposure to a household insecticide on the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart and spleen of albino mice was studied. Histopathologic liver changes; in the form of sinusoidal dilatation, hepatocellular atrophy and centrilobular necrosis, were observed. About 10% of the exposed animals showed hyperplasia of the epithelial lining of the bile ductules with occasional papillomatous formation. The kidneys showed parenchymatous degeneration and necrotic changes in the proximal convoluted tubules. Congestion of the capillary bed of the lung and emphysematous changes were noticed. However, there was no obvious histopathologic changes in the various other organs of the present study. The results were analysed, and compared with those of the literature; and, the possible hazards of human exposure to household insecticides were discussed