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ABSTRACT Histopathological studies in placenta, liver, kidney, apoptotic DNA damage and p53 mutation estimation of pregnant rats and their offspring exposed to dietary supplement yeast tablets, were carried out. Pregnant female albino rats were orally administrated yeast tablets at concentration 41.1 mg/kg during gestation period. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were used for examination. Neutral comet assay was performed to assess the apoptotic DNA damage and single strand conformational analysis was performed to screen the mutations inductions in p53 exons 7 and 8. Statistical analysis is applied to found the relation of apoptotic fraction in liver, kidney and placenta of pregnant rats and their offspring. Oral administration of yeast tablets to pregnant rats induced histopathological alterations in the hepatic, kidney tissues of both mothers and fetuses and placenta tissues. In addition, it induced apoptotic DNA damage as revealed by the significant elevations in apoptotic fractions (p<0.001) in liver and kidney tissues of both treated rats and their fetuses and even in the placenta (p<0.001). On contrary, no any mutation was induced in p53 exons 7 and 8 by yeast administration either in pregnant rats or their fetuses examined organs. The histopathological changes and apoptotic DNA damage recorded in female rats and fetus's tissues which can result in definite hormonal and atrophic effects on adult rats and the fetuses, the possibility of early or late physiological effects in the mature and progeny under the administration of yeast tablets must be taken into consideration.
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ABSTRACT Halfa-bar (Cymbopogon proximus), is an aromatic grass widely growing in Upper Egypt. This herb is recommended for medical purposes as an effective diuretic, renal or abdominal antispasmodic agent. Objectives of this study: Evaluate the potential effects of Halfa-bar on the pregnant albino rats during the gestation period. Material and methods: The virgin female rats mated with male then the pregnant rats treated orally with Human Equivalent Dose (HED) of the proximol which equivalent 0.05 mg/ kg rat from 5th -18th Gestational Day (GD). At day 20 of pregnancy, all rats were anesthetized and killed to obtained maternal -fetal data (placenta). Results: The current study indicated that, there is statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction in the treated placental weight. Also, the light microscopic examination of the placental specimens using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining revealed the presence of various vacuoles in the cytoplasm and nuclei of the giant cells. There is an increase in the number of apoptotic cells and irregular dilatation of maternal sinusoids in the labyrinth zone. Else, microscopic investigation showed a depletion of the glycogen content in the basal and labyrinth layers and a positive caspase-3 in the spongitrophoblast cells. In the treated group, reduction in level of catalase activity (CAT) and significant elevation (P ≤ 0.05) in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were recorded. Conclusion: The pathological effects in placenta may be due to the accumulation of proximal and transplacental passage.