ABSTRACT
Zineb is one of the ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate fungicides which are widely used for the plant protection especially grains, vegetables and fruits. Potential exposure to zineb can occur in workers engaged in the production and use of the fungicide, people living in agricultural areas where the compound is sprayed and people consuming polluted products. Zineb can produce toxic effects on the testes and chromosomes. This study was performed to evaluate the possible protective role of vitamin [E] against zineb-induced toxicity on the testicular structure and chromosomal pattern of adult male albino rats. Ninety six albino rats equally divided into six groups were used; the first group was used as a negative control. The second group: each rat was given l C.C. distilled water orally once daily for 3 months and the third group: each rat was given I C.C. com oil orally once daily for 3 months were used as positive control groups. The fourth group: each rat was given 1/10 LOSO of zineb which is 5 gm/Kg. body weight once daily orally for three months. The fifth group: each rat was given vitamin [E] I 00 mg/kg once daily orally for three months. The six group: each rat was given both zineb and vitamin [E] for three months. At the end of the study [after 3 months]. The tests of zineb-treated rats [group 4] showed significant histopathological alterations in the form of distorted 1>eminiferous tubules with irregular contour. The tubules were shrunken and attain different shapes and separated from each- other by wide interstitial spaces. These changes were confirmed by electron microscope that showed marked loss of spennatogenic cells, the distorted spennatids had an irregular outline and their nuclei showed densely packed chromatin material. Their cytoplasm was poor with organoids. Leydig cells appeared with irregular outlined nuclei. The rats of group 6 [zineb and vitamin E group] showed less histopathological changes when compared with group 4 [zineb group]. Moreover, chromosomal study of zineb-treated rats showed a significant increase in the frequency of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations when compared with groups 1, 2 and 3 and group 6 [zineb and vitamin E group]. It could be concluded that chronic zineb exposure can induce testicular and chromosomal abnormalities, while simultaneous administration of vitamin [E] can ameliorate such toxic effects, indicating that vitamin [E] can play a protective role against the toxic effects of zineb on the testis and chromosomal pattern of adult male albino rats
ABSTRACT
Griseofulvin is a well known fungicide drug. It is used to treat dermatomycosis in many species. It has toxic effects on the liver, kidney, blood and chromosomes on prolonged use. This study was conducted to evaluate the nephrotoxic effects of chronic oral administration of griseofulvin on adult albino rats. The kidneys will be investigated histopathologically by light and electron microscopes and biochemically by measuring blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. This study was conducted on 30 normal adult albino rats of uniform strain. The rats were divided into three groups equally, The 1[st] group was used as a negative control group, the 2[nd] [positive control group] each rat was given 1 mL of olive oil orally once dally, the 3[rd] group each rat was given griseofulvin orally dissolved in 1 mL olive oil in a dose of 2500 mg/kg body weight [1120 of LD50] daily for 12 weeks. The affected glomeruli appeared shrinked with wide Bowman's spaces and adhesion of glomeruli to their Bowman's capsules. Most of the kidney tubules appeared distorted. The mean values of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in griseofulvin treated group showed a statistically significant increase after 12 weeks when compared with positive control group. It can be concluded that griseofulvin is nephrotoxic on chronic administration to adult albino rats
ABSTRACT
Cadmium is an extremely toxic element that could produce a remarkable diversity of toxic effects. Cadmium is teratogenic to laboratory animals but no studies demonstrated that cadmium is a human teratogen. Zinc supplementation prior to cadmium administration prevents several of the effects observed when cadmium is given alone. The aim of this study was to investigate the teratogenic effect of orally ingested cadmium chloride on the skeletal system and the external features of rat off springs and the role of co-administered zinc sulfate in preventing or ameliorating such effects. The study was conducted on 40 normal adult female albino rats and 20 male albino rats of comparable age and weight for mating. After mating female rats were divided equally into 4 groups: Group I [Control group] each rat received orally 1ml of normal saline daily. Group II [Zn-treated group] each rat received orally 12mg/ kg/day of zinc sulfate. Group III [Cd-treated group] each rat received orally S0mg/ kg/ day of cadmium chloride. Group IV [Cd-and Zn-treated group] each rat received orally 12mg/ kg/ day of zinc sulfate and S0mg/ kg/ day of cadmium chloride. All female rats were sacrificed 12-24 hour before the expected day of delivery. When compared to the fetuses of the control group, fetuses of cadmium treated rats [group III] showed statistically significant reduction in the number of off springs per mother, the birth weight, the fetal length and the percentage of deaths in the off springs, while there was a significant increase in the rate of resorptions and abnormal forms. There was no significant change between zinc and cadmium treated group [group IV] and the control group [group I] in the number of off springs, the ·birth weight, the fetal length, the death rate and the rate of abnormal forms. While both group III and group IV showed significant increase in the rate of resorption and the rate of skeletal abnormalities as compared to the control group [group I]. It could be concluded that oral zinc sulfate co-administered with cadmium chloride could partially alleviate the teratogenic effect of cadmium but not the skeletal abnormalities
ABSTRACT
Ammonium molybdate is an essential trace element in plants and animals as a cofactor for enzymes and also, it is an environmental pollutant. Sixty adult male albino rats were used to investigate the adverse effects of ammonium molybdate on the bone, brain, spinal cord and chromosomes. The rats were equally divided into 3 groups. The 1[st] group was left without treatment and used as a negative control group, the 2[nd] group was daily intragastrically administered saline for 30 days and was used as a positive control group and the 3[rd] group was daily intragastrically administered ammonium molybdate in a dose of 33 mg /kg body weight [1/10 of the lethal dose fifty] for 30 days. At the end of the study ten rats from each group were sacrificed, necropsied and specimens from the bone, brain and spinal cord were collected for histopathological examination. The remaining ten rats of each group were used for studying the chromosomal pattern of bone marrow cells. Histopathological examination of the rats of the 3[rd] group [ammonium molybdate group] showed reduction in the thickness of the bone trabeculae with formation of numerous osteoid fractures and fissures of the epiphysis and necrotic osteocytes. There is also separation between the cortical bone from the periosteum and the endosteum. The bone marrow cavity contains numerous large fat cells with lacked hemopoietic activity. The brain showed congestion of meningeal and cerebral blood vessels, edema, gliosis and neuronophagia. The spinal cord showed satillitosis, gliosis in the grey matter and encephalomalacia and demyelination in the white matter. Regarding cytogenetic study of the bone marrow cells, molybdenotic rats showed a significant increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations as terminal chromatid deletions, chromosomal fragments and ring chromosomes when compared with the control group. It could be concluded that, ammonium molybdate is genotoxic and can produce toxic effects on the bone, brain and the spinal cord of adult male albino rats