Effect of glycyrrhizin on lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine induced acute hepatitis in albino rats: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Acute liver diseases constitute a global concern. Medical treatments for these diseases have limited efficacy. Lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and D-galactosamine [D-GaIN] cause hepatic failure in rodents. Glycyrrhizin [GL] was reported to treat increased serum aminotransferase activity in chronic hepatitis. However, its role in acute hepatitis remains unclear. To investigate the protective and curative effect of GL in an animal model of acute hepatitis. Thirty adult male albino rats were divided into five groups: group I = control group, group II = LPS/D-GaIN-induced hepatitis model, group III = treated with GL 1/2 h before LPS/o-GaIN injection, groups IV = treated 1/2 h after LPS/D-GaIN, and group V = treated 4 h after LPS/D-GaIN. Serum ALT and AST levels were assayed. Animals were killed by decapitation. Livers were processed for histological and immunohistochemical studies. The results were statistically analyzed. This study revealed hepatocellular degeneration, and many hepatocytes exhibited apoptosis-like features after LPS/D-GaIN administration. Pretreatment with GL significantly improved this microscopic picture, whereas posttreatment with GL also reduced the effects of LPS/D-GaIN, but this reduction decreased with the time of administration. There was a significant increase in caspase-3-immunolabeled hepatocytes and in tumor necrosis factor alpha-immunolabeled Kupffer cells in group II compared with the control, whereas a significant decrease was observed in groups III and IV, and to a lesser extent in group V compared with group II [all P<0.05]. Serum levels of ALT and AST showed a significant increase in group II compared with the control, whereas a significant decrease was observed in groups III and IV, and to a lesser extent in group V [all P<0.05], which was in harmony with the histological results. This study. provides evidence for the protective and curative effect of GL against LPS/D-GaIN-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of GL evidently provide a new insight in treating acute hepatitis

Immunohistochemical study on the effect of soft diet and omega 3-fortified soft diet on neurogenesis in the rat dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone

Adult brain neurogenesis persists in the subventricular zone [SVZ] and in the subgranular zone [SGZ] of the dentate gyrus. Modulation of neurogenesis by diet is a mechanism by which nutrition affects memory, learning, and mood. To study the effect of the soft diet with or without omega 3 fatty acids on neurogenesis. Thirty weaned male albino rats [3 weeks] were divided into three groups. Group 1 [control group] were fed on hard diets, group 2 were fed on soft diets, and group 3 were fed on soft diets plus omega 3 fatty acids for 3 months. Nerve cell proliferation in the SVZ and the SGZ was detected immunohistochemically using thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine [BrdU]. The results were statistically analyzed. In the dentate gyrus, there was a significant increase in the number of BrdU-positive cells in groups 1 and 3 compared with group 2. Meanwhile in the SVZ, there was a significant increase in the number of BrdU-positive cells in group 3 compared with group 1. In group 1, the newly formed cells in the SGZ reached the granular cell layer of the dentate gyrus. The newly formed cells in the SVZ reached the olfactory bulb [OB] after 2 weeks but failed to survive for 4 weeks in the OB. In group 2, few newly formed cells reached the granular cell layer of the dentate gyrus, but they failed to reach the OB. In group 3, the newly formed cells reached their destination in the granular cell layer of the dentate gyrus and the OB. In the OB, the cells succeeded to survive for 4 weeks and were incorporated among the granular cells of OB. Hard diet and omega 3-fortified soft diet had a stimulatory effect on the process of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Meanwhile in the SVZ, fortified soft diet had more stimulatory effect on proliferation and improvement of the survival rate of the newly formed cells than the hard diet

effects of 900-Mhz-emitted mobile phone on the uterus and ovaries of albino female rats

This work was done to study the effects of exposure to mobile emits 900MHz electromagnetic field [EMW] on the uterus and ovaries of female rats. Thirty female adult rates were randomly divided into three groups [10 each] as follows: negative control group [1], positive control group [II]: without exposure to electromagnetic wave [exposure device off for 30 min/day for 30 days]. Exposure group [III]: exposed to 900MHz electromagnetic wave [EMW] for 30 min/day for 30 days. The results showed a significant reduction in ovarian weights and non significant change in uterine weight in the exposed rats [group III] when compared to the other control groups. The Serum levels of estrogen and progesterone were significantly decreased among EMW exposed group. Ovarian and endometrial tissue homogenate revealed a significant increase in malondialgehyde [MDA] levels, while they showed a significant decrease in the activity of the reduced gluthathione [GSH] in the same group. In the EMW exposed group, histopathological changes revealed many apoptotic cells with densely stained cytoplasm and fragmented or phyknotic nuclei, in the endometrial surface, epithelial and glandular cells. The glands were significantly decreased in number and diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the endometrial stroma. Sections of ovaries revealed significant decrease in the follicle numbers in EMW exposed group III compared to both control groups. Uterine sections immunolabeled for active caspase-3, showed significant increasing in numbers of immunolabeled cells for activated caspase 3 and apoptotic cells, in EMW-exposed group III. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that there is impairment in endometrial and ovarian tissues both at biochemical and histological levels after experimental exposure to 900-MHz emitted mobile phone