Histological study on the role of ginger against cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity in albino rats

Chemotherapy with cisplatin has adverse effects on spermatogenesis. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating the protective role of ginger against cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity in male albino rats. Twenty-four adult albino rats were used in this study. They were divided into three groups. The first group served as the control group; the second group was injected with cisplatin [12 mg/kg once]; and the third group was injected with cisplatin [12 mg/kg once] and then given ginger [310 mg/kg orally] for 26 days. Testicular specimens were processed for light microscopic examination using H and E. Other specimens were processed for electron microscopic examination. Cisplatin had damaging effects on the seminiferous tubules. Some areas of the tubules showed complete depletion of germ cells. Other areas showed some spermatogonia or primary spermatocytes. Sertoli cells showed a variable degree of degenerative changes in the form of destruction of cellular processes and cell junction. Interruption of the nuclear envelope of spermatids and loss of intercellular bridges were noticed. Treating with ginger resulted in normal Sertoli cells and cell junctions. The germ cells lining the tubules were more or less normal except for some intercellular vacuolations. The use of ginger has some protective effects on the testicular structure; hence, a larger number of experiments with higher doses of ginger or longer administration period could be beneficial for patients taking chemotherapeutic drugs

Histological study on conjunctival and corneal reactions in rabbits induced by chronic topical application of latanoprost and travoprost

Chronic topical glaucoma therapy was reported to cause deleterious changes to the ocular surface epithelial layer. The aim of this study was to compare the histological changes in the cornea after chronic exposure to latanoprost preserved with 0.02% benzalkonium chloride [BAK] eye drops, travoprost preserved with sofZia eye drops and preservative-free artificial tears. Fifteen white rabbits were randomized into three groups [five animals each]. They received once-daily topical application of one of the three treatments for 30 days. The first group [the control group] received preservative-free artificial tears [Refresh Plus]. The second group received travoprost preserved with SofZia [Travatan Z]. The third group received latanoprost preserved with 0.02% BAK [Xalatan]. Enucleation was performed at the end of the experiment. Corneal samples were processed for light and transmission electron microscopic studies and conjunctival samples for light microscopic study. The mean epithelial height of the corneal epithelium, the mean number of goblet cells in the conjuctival epithelium and the mean area% of PAS-positive goblet cells were measured using an image analyzer. These results were statistically analysed using analysis of variance and the Hest. Latanoprost eye drops preserved in BAK produced toxic changes in the form of degeneration and desquamation of the superficial epithelial cells in the cornea, separation of Descemet's membrane and degeneration of endothelial cells, in addition to decreased number of goblet cells in the conjunctiva. Travoprost eye drops preserved in sofZia were safer and produced slight changes on the rabbit's ocular surface compared with latanoprost eye drops preserved in BAK. It was concluded that antiglaucomatous drugs preserved with sofZia produced less corneal and conjunctival changes than those preserved with BAK

Histological study on the effect of aluminium chloride on frontal cortex of adult male albino rats

Several studies implicated aluminium in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders especially Alzheimer disease, although the underlying histopathological changes in the brain were not clear with many controversies. So we aimed to elucidate these histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural changes that might occur in the rat brain after aluminium exposure. In this study we used 18 adult male albino rats divided into 2 groups; a control group and an experimental group taking 600 mg/ kg aluminium chloride orally daily for 4 weeks. At the end of the fourth week, samples from the frontal cortex were obtained and stained with H and E, and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]. Other samples were processed for electron microscopic examination. Morphometric study was done for GFAP immunostaining. The group taking 600 mg/ kg aluminium chloride showed decreased body weight and had developed some neurological symptoms. Routine H and E revealed presence of some shrunken pyramidal cells with pyknotic nuclei; immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] was decreased compared to control group. Ultrastructurally; some neurons showed shrunken nuclei, swelling and damage of the mitochondria and dilated saccules of Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum with the appearance of vacuolated areas in the cytoplasm with splitting of myelin sheath and degeneration of some nerve fibres. Aluminium in high doses can cause alterations in neurons and nerve fibers with decreased immunoreactivity for GFAP in astrocytes in the brain, so further studies would be needed to evaluate the effects of chronic exposure in apparently healthy individuals