[Evaluation of the protective effect of curcumin on liver tissue in NMRI mice treated with sodium arsenite]

Background and Aim: arsenic [As] compounds are environmental toxicants which are among human carcinogens. Sodium arsenite exposure leads to its accumulation in the liver resulting in liver disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of curcumin, as an antioxidant, on the liver tissue in the mice exposed to sodium arsenite

Material and Methods: thirty NMRI mice with mean body weight of 31+/-2 g. were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, scheme [receiving DMSO], curcumin [15mg/kg/day], sodium arsenite [5mg/kg/day] and sodium arsenite+curcumin groups. Every group consisted of 6 mice. The exposure was by intraperitoneal injections and carried out for 5 weeks. Then the mice were killed and the liver tissue was removed and weighed. Histopathological and stereological analyses were performed and the incidence of hepatocyte cells apoptosis [by the TUNEL method] was determined. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA, and the differences among mean values were considered significant at P<0.05

Results: a significant increase in the mean relative weight of liver, total volume of sinusoids, bile ductules [p<0.001] and total number of hepatocytes [p<0.03] and a significant decrease in the total volume of the central veins [p<0.001], the mean volume of the hepatocytes [p<0.04] and their nuclei [p<0.001] were observed in sodium arsenite group compared to those in control and scheme groups. Histopathological examination also revealed parenchymal disorganization, inflammatory cell infiltration, necrosis of hepatocytes and destruction of reticulin fiber scaffold in the mice liver treated with sodium arsenite. Most of sodium arsenite-induced liver damage improved in the sodium arsenite + curcumin group to the same extent as control group [p<0.05]

Conclusion: treatment with curcumin reduced liver damage induced by sodium arsenite

[Effect of Nigella sativa oil against Bisphenol A induced toxicity on the tissue of male NMRI mice kidney: a stereological study]

Background and Objective: Bisphenol A [BPA] is an endocrine disruptor chemical and as an environmental pollutant is able to generate free radicals causing tissue damage. This study was done to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa oil against BPA induced toxicity on the tissue of male NMRI mice kidney by stereological method

Methods: In this experimental study 24 adult male NMRI mice [32 +/- 3 g] were randomly allocated into control, BPA [200 mg/kg/day], BPA [200 mg/kg/day] plus Nigella sativa oil [5 ml/kg/day] and Nigella sativa oil [5 ml/kg/day] groups and treated for 5 weeks, orally. At the end, animals were sacrificed, their left kidneys were removed, fixed, sectioned, processed and stained with Heidenhain' azan staining method. Then, the kidney tissue sections were evaluated using stereological method and serum malondialdehyde [MDA] level was also measured

Results: The total weight and volume of kidney, volume of cortex, volume of proximal and distal tubules and volume of their lumen, volume of interstitial tissue, volume of glomeruli, tuft, as well as serum MDA level significantly increased in BPA treated group compared to the controls [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly reduced in BPA plus Nigella sativa oil group compared to BPA ones [P<0.05]

Conclusion: This study revealed that Nigella sativa oil can reduce the oxidative stress toxicity induced by BPA in the mice renal tissue

Effect of green tea extract [Camellia sinensis] on kidney toxicity induced by sodium arsenite: a stereological study

Background and Objective: Sodium Arsenite is an environmental pollutant which can generate free radicals causing tissue damage. This study was done to evaluate the effect of Green Tea [GTE], as a strong antioxidant, on kidney tissue in mice treated with Sodium Arsenite

Methods: In this experimental study 24 adult male NMRI mice were randomly allocated into four groups including: control, GTE [l00mg/kg/day], Sodium Arsenite [5mg/kg/day] and Sodium Arsenite + GTE, for 34 days, orally. Animals were scarified and left kidney was taken out, fixed, sectioned, processed and stained using Heidenhain'azan method. Using stereological technique the total volume of kidney, volume of cortex, medulla, proximal and distal tubule, renal corpuscle, gelomerelus, tuft and capillary, membrane and space of Bowman's capsule and length of proximal and distal tubule were determined. Creatinine, BUN and MDA serum samples were measured

Results: The mean of total volume of cortex, proximal tubule, distal tubule, renal corpuscle and gelomerolus, taft, Bowman's capsule space, size of epithelium and lumen of proximal and distal tubule were significantly reduced in Sodium Arsenite group compared to control [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly increased in the Sodium Arsenite + GTE group in comparison with Sodium Arsenite group [P<0.05], The creatinine, Blood urea nitrogen [BUN] and MDA were significantly increased in the Sodium Arsenite group in compared to the control group [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly reduced in the Sodium Arsenite + GTE group in comparison with Sodium Arsenite group [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Green tea has a protective role in Sodium Arsenite induced nephrotoxicity

[Protective effect of vitamin E on the para-nonylphenol induced-testicular toxicity in adult rats: a stereological study]

Para-nonylphen as an environmental pollutant has weak estrogenic activity and causes oxidative stress in different organs including testis. This study was done to determine the protective effect of vitamin E on the para-nonylphenol induced-testicular toxicity in adult rats. In this experimental study, 24 Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups including control, vitamin E [100 mg/kg/day, orally], para-nonylphenol [250mg/kg/day, orally] and finally para-nonylphenol [250mg/kg/day, orally] plus vitamin E [100mg/kg/day, orally]. After 56 days of treatment, removal of the right testis, tissue processing and staining with Heidenhain's Azan, the morphometric parameters of testicular tissue was evaluated using stereological method. The mean volume of seminiferous tubules, height of the germinal epithelium, seminiferous tubules diameter, thickness of the basement membrane, number of spermatocyte, spermatid and sertoli cells significantly reduced in para-nonylphenol group compared to the controls [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly increased in the para-nonylphenol plus vitamin E group compared to para-nonylphenol group [P<0.05]. In the histopathological examination, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, germinal epithelium vacuolation and epithelial disarrangement were observed in para-nonylphenol group. Histopathological alterations reduced in para-nonylphenol plus vitamin E group compared to para-nonylphenol group. Co-administration of vitamin E with para-nonylphenol can prevent the adverse effects of para-nonylphenol on the testicular tissue in adult rats