Antifertility activity of ethanolic seed extract of celery [apium graveolensl.] in male albino rats

This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of ethanolic seed extract of Apium graveolens L. [Apiaceae][ESEAG] on male rat fertility. Two doses of the extract [425 and 213 mg/kg body weight] were administered by oral gavage for sixty consecutive days. Five days before the end of this period, each rat was cohabited with two female rats. Fertility indices, hematology, and organ weight and histology were then assessed. The ESEAG arrested spermatogenesis and caused a marked, dose-dependent decrease in sperm count, cauda epididymal sperm motility, blood testosterone concentration, weight of testes and seminal vesicles, testicular protein contentas well as diameter and viability of seminiferous tubules. In addition, a lower number and weight of viable fetuses was obtained for female rats which were impregnated by ESEAG-treated male rats. Hematological parameters, serum liver enzyme levels, thyroid weight and liver and kidney histoarchitecture were not affected. This study shows a dose-dependent antifertility effect of the ESEAG in male rats without toxic effects on other body organs

prevalence of different classes of lupus nephritis in Jordan university hospital

Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a systemic autoimmune disease involving almost all organs of the body. There is a high incidence of renal involvement during the course of the disease with varied renal pathologic lesions. A renal biopsy contributes towards diagnosis, prognostic information, and appropriate management. To study the prevalence of different classes of SLE using the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society [ISN/RPS] 2003 classification in our facility. This study was carried out at the Jordan University Hospital [JUH] in June and July 2011. We acquired an approval for this study from the IRB [Institutional Review Board] of the Jordan University Hospital. We retrieved 36 renal biopsies from our files beginning from 2002- 2010 that have the diagnosis of SLE and they were reviewed and reclassified by two pathologists. Of the 36 renal biopsies, only one was classified as class I, 5 were class II, one was class III, 23 were class IV, 6 were class V, and none of the biopsies were classified as class VI. Class IV was the most prevalent class in the JUH cases with almost equal numbers of class IVS and IVG subclasses, while there was only a single case of class III [IIIS] which is very low compared to other studies

Lentils [Lens culmans, L.] attenuate colonic lesions and neoplasms in fischer 344 rats

Lentils [Lens culmans, L.] contain several bioactive compounds that have been linked to the prevention of cancer. However, the in vivo chemopreventive ability of lentils against chemically-induced colonic lesions has not been previously examined. Our present study examined the hypothesis that lentils could suppress neoplasmic growth in viva by virtue of their bioactive micro-and macro-constituents, and that culinary thermal treatment could affect the chemopreventive potential. To accomplish this goal, raw whole lentils [RWL], raw split lentils [RSL], cooked whole lentils [CWL] and cooked split lentils [CSL] were used. Pluronic F-68 [PF68], which is a well-studied chemopreventive agent, was used also for the purpose of comparison. Sixty weanling Fisher 344 male rats, 4-5 weeks of age, were randomly assigned to six groups [10 rats/group]: the control group [C] received AIN-93G diet; treatment lentil groups of RWL. CWL. RSL and CSL received the treatment diets containing AIN-93G+5% of lentils, while PF68 group received C+1% PF68 diet. After acclimatization for I week, all animals were put on the control and treatment diets separately for 5 weeks. At the end of the fifth week of feeding, all rats received two s.c. injections of azoxymethane [AOM] carcinogen at 1 5 mg/kg rat body weight/dose once a week for two consecutive weeks. After 17 weeks of the last AOM injection, all rats were euthanized. Total colonic lesions and neoplasms [mean +/- SEM] ranged from 6 to 8 for lentil groups, with a reduction value of 43 to 57% from the control [C] group [14 lesions]. Incidence of severe dysplasia was reduced significantly [P=0.0022] in the colons of rats fed on lentils [0%-10%], except RWL [20%] when compared with the control [40%] whilst incidence of adenocarcinomas was reduced significantly [P=0.0430] in lentil groups [0-10%], except RSL [20%], when compared with the control [40%]. Our findings indicate that the consuniption of lentils may attenuate colon carcinogenesis in animal models, and that hydrothermal treatment resulted in an improvement in the chemopreventive potential

Chemoprevention of induced colonic aberrant crypt foci in rats by the combination of meloxicam and grapefruit juice

To explore the chemopreventive effects of meloxicam, grapefruit juice or the combination against the induction of colonic aberrant crypt foci in the rat model. Male albino rats were divided into 5 groups. In group A [positive control], rats received oral dimethylhydrazine, which in Group B, rats received oral meloxicam and dimethlhydrazine. Regarding group C, rats were allowed to drink grapefruit juice, ad.libitum, then received dimethlhydrazine, and in group D, rats received the combination [meloxicam and grapefruit juice]. Group E [negative control], received oral saline only. Blood samples were collected every week from group B and D for meloxicam analysis. All animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia on the last day of the 15th weeks. Colon tissues were removed, cut open longitudinally, rinsed with saline and stained with 0.25% methylene blue and then examined microscopically for the presence of aberrant crypt follicle. Samples containing aberrant crypt foci were sectioned at 4 micro m thickness and stained with hematoxyline and eosin. Aberrant Crypt Foci [ACF] are considered as an early neoplastic cell lesions that are characterized by unstable colonic epithelia which encompasses many dysplastic crypts. The data obtained in this study revealed that rats which received meloxicam or the combination [meloxicam and grapefruit juice] resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of aberrant crypt foci counts compared to the control group. While, rats allowed to only drink grapefruit juice, showed insignificant reduciotn of aberrant crypt foci count. Furthermore, a significant increase in plasma level of meloxicam was detected in rats that received the combination. It is concluded that the addition of grapefruit juice to meloxicam in the treatment resulted in a greater chemopreventive activity than meloxicam or grapefruit juice. Furthermore, grapefruit juice resulted in a significant rise of plasma level of meloxicam. This is the first time to report the interaction between meloxicam and grapefruit

New trends in the clinicopathological features of differentiated thyroid cancer in Central Jordan

To investigate the current trends in presentation and distribution of differentiated thyroid cancer [DTC] at the largest referral hospital for endocrine cancers in Central Jordan. We analyzed the clinical features, management and outcome of 110 patients diagnosed with thyroid carcinoma at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, between 1996 and 2001. Papillary carcinoma was diagnosed in 87 patients [80%], follicular carcinoma in 3 patients [2.7%], Hurthle cell carcinoma in 8 patients [7.3%], medullary carcinoma in 5 [4.5%], and anaplastic carcinoma in 4 patients [3.6%], metastatic cancer in 2 patients and lymphoma in one patient. Time course analysis showed an increasing trend in surgery for thyroid cancer from 28 cases in 1986-1991 to 48 in 1996-2001. As time advanced, the incidence of locally invasive disease and lymph node involvement markedly increased over the last 5 years of the study [from 28-62%]. All patients with follicular carcinoma were diagnosed in the period 1986-1994. After thyroidectomy and a follow up period of 2-15 years, 10 patients died of their disease, 4 of these died within one year from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. The dramatic decline in the incidence of follicular thyroid carcinoma combined with the increase in the advanced forms of thyroid cancer in Central Jordan may suggest a possible environmental factor in thyroid carcinogenesis in this region. We suggest a larger scale studies and steps to investigate the etiologic factors for thyroid carcinogenesis in Central Jordan