Diabetogenic effect of clozapine

Clozapine is one of the commonly used atypical antipsychotics. Several pharmacoepidemiologic studies have supported the notion that atypical antipsychotics may raise the risk of diabetes. Precise risk estimates for hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics are not available. This study aims to clarify the diabetogenic effect of clozapine on the blood glucose level and on the cellular level by histopathological and immunohistochemical examination of pancreas. Twenty adult albino male rats were divided into two groups; first one as a control group received distilled water orally for 90 days. The other group received 13 mg of clozapine orally daily for the same duration. The rats were sacrificed and blood samples for assessment of glucose level were obtained. The pancreas was processed for histopathological, histochemical and immunohistochemical examination. The results showed hyperglycaemia in the clozapine treated group. Hisopathological examination of the pancreas of treated animals showed many large sized islets of Langerhans, sprouting of new islets from a pre-existing one and many small scattered islets within pancreatic lobules denoting hyperplastic changes. Also, some islets showed apoptotic cells and others showed lymphocytic infiltration. Endocrine-like masses of cells could be observed in relation to many interlobular ducts. Interlobular and interacinar fibrosis was observed by using masson's trichrome stain. PAS reaction revealed increased thickness of the basement membrane of the islets capillaries. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-insulin antibody showed strong staining of the hyperplastic islets of treated animals. Hislopathological and immunohistochemical observations suggested that clozapine treatment has a diabetogenic effect on the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. The pathogenesis of clozapine-associated diabetes is very similar to type 2 diabetes mellitus

Self-inflected poisoning at Assiut University Hospitals retrospective study

Suicide is a self-inflected death that is intentional rather than accidental. In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Deliberate self-poisoning [DSP] is the most common method of suicide in developed countries. Many substances and drugs are used; the most common are organophosphate insecticides and CNS-acting drugs. In this work a retrospective hospital-based study has been done for cases of suicidal poisoning admitted, to the emergency unit of Assuit University Hospitals from January 2004 to December 2007 were studied as regards the age group, sex, the residence, the substance used, the month of the year and the fate of cases. Statistical analysis was done for the cases. The total number of cases was 843, males represent 48.9% of them and females represent 51.1%. Using of Medications represent 46.7% of total number of cases .while Pesticides, Unknown and Miscellaneous poisons represent 29.3%, 18.5%, 5.5% respectively. The highest percentage was found among cases of age group from 15- < 25 in both males and females for all poisons. In Cities and Centers the highest percentage was recorded for medications [20.5 and 17.3 respectively], while in Villages the highest percentage was for pesticides [12.3]. The percentage of pesticides poisoning was high in June and January [14.2 and 10.9 respectively], while for medications the highest percentage was in January [13.5]. As regards the fate of cases, recovery was determined to be 70.8% of the total number of cases. Death percentage was the highest [3.8] among unknown poisons. In conclusion sex, age, residence and month of the year may have influence on suicide and the substances used for committing it

Histological structure of male rat pituitary gland following treatment with paracetamol singly or concomitantly with honey

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is one of the most commonly used drugs as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Paracetamol contains a phenol ring and an acetyl group raising the possibility that it might have sex steroid antagonist properties. A small proportion of the drug is metabolized into a reactive metabolite, which is normally detoxified by glutathione. Over dose might cause glutathione depletion and oxidative stress. Honey is considered as an antioxidant because of the presence of ascorbic acid, flavonoid and alpha-tocopherol. This work was carried out to investigate the morphological modifications that would occur in the pituitary gland of male rats in response to the administration of acetaminophen in therapeutic dose for one month duration and a possible protective effect of honey when given concomitantly with paracetamol. Thirty adult male albino rats were used. The animals were divided into three groups. Group I served as a control Group II were given paracetamol orally in a dose of 800 mg/kg/day for one month. Group III were given paracetamol in a similar dose and duration concomitantly with honey in a dose of 2.5 gm/kg/day orally. All the animals were sacrificed and the pituitary gland was dissected out and processed for general histological and ultrastructural examination of the pars distalis. The pars distalis of group II revealed variable structural changes in the gonadotrophs and somatotrophs. In group III the changes extended to involve the thyrotrophs. The most characteristic change was the excessive dilatation in ER. It is concluded that paracetamol influences the structure of pars distalis in a selective form. Honey modifies paracetamol effect, possibly via its ascorbic acid contents