effect of scorpion envenomation on the different organs of albino mice

The effect of sublethal doses of scorpion venom [Buthus quinquestriatus] on the hepatic vascular bed and hepatic parenchyma was studied. The main toxic effect of the venom was primarily on the vascular bed of the liver as manifested by dilatation of branches of the hepatic artery, portal vein together with intravascular thrombi and subcapsular hemorrhages. Apart from mild hydropic degeneration, some cells of the hepatic parenchyma showed focal necrosis and Kupffer cells were frequently hypertrophied and contained pigment. In the lung, dilated thrombosed vessels were observed. In the kidney, the vessels showed the same changes. The epithelial and endothelial cells of the glomeruli appeared normal except for slight swelling with intact basement membrane. The tubular cells were swollen with increased granularity and attenuation of the tubular lumen, a picture compatible with hydropic degeneration. The possible mechanisms in inducing such lesions were discussed

Immune complex deposits in the duodenal mucosa of duodenal ulcer patients

A hypothesis was previously proposed for chronic duodenal ulcer to be due to a local Arthus reaction in the duodenal mucosa. The present study searched for immune complex deposits in the duodenal mucosa of 20 patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer. Their ages ranged from 21-48 years. 16 of them were males. Immune complex deposits were found by direct immunofluorescent technique in 6 non smoker patients [39%] with no history of ulcerogenic drug intake. Two of them were females. This observation added to others may suggest an immunologic basis of a subgroup of chronic duodenal ulcer patients