role of pulmonary surfactants [protein A and phospholipids], catecholamines and myoglobin in the diagnosis of the cause of death

An important and often one of the most difficult tasks of a medical practitioner or pathologist is the investigation of the cause of death. The aim of this work is to assess the post mortem levels of serum protein A [SP-A], pulmonary as well as serum phospholipids, catecholamines and myoglobin in forensic autopsies as a guide to diagnose the cause of death. This study was done on 120 cadavers 75 males and 45 females with ranging age from newborn up to 62 years old. They included 2 groups: the first group consisted of 110 cases died from various types of trauma or due to some diseases [experimental group] and the second group consists of 10 cases died without trauma or disease [control group]. The experimental group subdivided into eleven subgroups of various types of trauma or disease. Each was 10 cases for each of the followings:- strangulation, hanging, drowning, blunt head injuries, burns, sharp weapon injuries, heat stroke, electrical fatalities, hemorrhagic shock, myocardial infarction and interstitial pneumonia. It was found that the level of serum protein A [SP-A] showed a very highly significant increase in cases of interstitial pneumonia and highly significant increase in cases of drowning burns and sharp weapon injuries. Also it showed a significant increase in cases of strangulation hanging, blunt head injuries and electrical injuries, while insignificant increase in, heat stroke hemorrhagic shock and myocardial infarction as compared to the control had been shown. Serum phospholipids showed a very highly significant increase in strangulation, hanging, drowning, electrical injuries and interstitial pneumonia and highly significant increase in blunt head injuries, burn, sharp weapon injuries and heat stroke. Also it showed a significant increase in hemorrhagic shock and myocardial infarction as compared to the control. Lung surfactant phospholipids showed insignificant, increase in different cases of death as compared to the control. Adrenaline and noradrenoline showed highly significant increase in case of strangulation, hanging, drowning, myocardial infarction and interstitial pneumonia respectively. Adrencline showed a significant increase in blunt head injuries, burns, sharp weapon injuries, heat stroke and hemorrhagic shock as compared to the control. Noradrenaline showed insignificant increase in heat stroke as compared to the control. Myoglobin showed a significant increase in cases of blunt head injuries, burns, sharp weapon injuries, heat stroke and electrical injuries. While insignificant increase in cases of strangulation, hanging, drowning, hemorrhagic shock, myocardial infarction and interstitial pneumonia, as compared to the control

Histopathological and biochemical toxic effect of amiodarone on thyroid gland in albino rat

Amiodarone AMD [Cordarone] was a benzofuran derivative, used in management of angina and refractory ventricular arrhythmia. Its effect on the thyroid gland structure and function was investigated in this study. Fifty adult male albino rats were used and divided into three groups. The first group was consisted of 10 rats which served as control, received distilled water orally [1ml]. The second group was consisted of 20 rats used as therapeutic dose treated group, received 40 mg/Kg b. w. of amiodarone while the third group was consisted of 20 rats used as a toxic dose treated group which received 60 mg/Kg b. w. of amiodarone orally daily for three months. Body weight of animals was determined. Serum concentration of tri-iodothyonine [T3], thyroxine [T4], thyrotrophin [TSH], interleukin 6 [IL6], tumour marker P53 and tissue residue for amiodarone in plasma, fat, liver, lung, thyroid gland and heart was determined. Specimens from thyroid gland were taken and prepared for light and electron microscope examination. Highly significant decrease in body weight [P<0.001] were observed in both therapeutic and toxic doses treated groups in comparison to the control one. A very highly significant increase [P<0.001] of serum [T4 and T3] with Concomitant suppression of [TSH] [P<0.001]. Serum levels of IL6 and P53 showed also a very highly significant increase [P<0.001]. Amiodarone concentration in plasma, fat, liver, lung, thyroid gland and heart showed significant increase in therapeutic dose treated group and highly significant increase in toxic dose treated group. Histopathological examination of thyroid gland of therapeutic dose treated group by light microscope showed marked evidence of thyotoxicosis in the form of microcystic follicular changes and peripheral scalloping, cellular degeneration with scanty cytoplasm and vesicular nuclei appeared. These changes became more severe in toxic dose treated group in the form of epithelial hyperplasia with atypical nuclear features. Thyroid tissue damage with haemorrhage and necrosis. Electron microscopic examination showed a remarkable cellular changes in the form of dilated rouph endoplasmic reticulum, inclusion lysosomes, dilated Golgi bodies, mitochondrial distension and nuclear degeneration. In both treated groups these changes were dose related