Pancreatic and chromosomal toxic effects of dimethoate in adult male albino rats

Dimethoate is an organophosphate insecticide with numerous uses in agricultural crops and ornamentals. The extensive use of dimethoate may pose a health hazard to animals and humans because of its persistence in soil and crops. This study was conducted to evaluate the pancreatic and chromosomal toxic effects of dimethoate in adult male albino rats. Sixty rats weighing 180-200gm were equally divided into 3 groups: group I [negative control], group II [positive control] and group III [dimethoate].The period of the study extended for 2 months, then 10 rats from each group were sacrificed for biochemical analysis [serum glucose, insulin, amylase and pseudocholinestrase] and pancreatic histopathology. The other 10 rats were used for chromosomal analysis. The results of this study showed no significant difference between the negative and positive control groups. However, there was significant difference in all measured biochemical parameters between the dimethoate and the negative control groups. The histopathological examination of pancreas revealed vacular degeneration in cells of the acini and 8- cells of islet's of langerhans with dark stained nuclei. Pancreatic acini showed loss of basal basophilia and acini architecture. Chromosomal analysis showed significant numerical aberration [hypoploidy] and increase in chromosomal structural aberrations [gaps, fragments, deletion and clumping]. It was concluded that dimethoate has pancreatic toxic effects and could cause chromosomal aberrations in adult albino rats

Comparative study of the role of D- pencillamine and garlic extract in treatment of lead poisoning in adult albino rats

Lead is one of the most useful materials in the world. The aim of this study was to compare the curative role of D-penicillamine and garlic extract in treatment of lead poisoning in adult albino rats. The study included 80 adult albino rats consisted of 7 groups. The period of lead intoxication extended for 3 months followed by either 1 month treatment [penicillamine or garlic extract] or 1 month of no treatment. Group I: consisted of 20 rats divided equally into the negative and positive control subgroups. Each of groups 11- VII consisted into 10 rats. Group [I: [P] Pencillamine alone in a dose of 25 mg/kg 6 days/ week for 1 month. Group III: [G] garlic extract alone in a dose of 20 mg/kg 6 days/ wk for I month. Group IV: [Pb] lead poisoning in a dose of 20 mg/kg 6 days/ wk for 3 months. Group V: [Pb-P] treatment with penicillamine in Pb poisoning. Group VI: [Pb-G] treatment with garlic extract in Pb poisoning. Group VII: [Pb-F] follow up of Pb poisoning without treatment. The results of this study revealed that lead poisoning significantly elevated blood lead level [BLL] and testicular lead level [TLL] when compared with the negative control rats. Lead was testicular toxicant as it produced atrophic germinal epithelium and arrested spermatogenesis. Treatment of Pb poisoning by penicillamine or garlic extract resulted in significant decrease in BLL and TLL with significant increase in urinary lead level [ULL] when compared with the Pb treated rats. Also, P and G treatment resulted in improvement of testicular structure. [n follow up group, BLL, ULL and TLL were significantly increased when compared with the negative control rats. Also, BLL was significantly decreased when compared with lead treated group. There was minimal improvement in testicular structure in Pb-F group. It was concluded that both penicillamine and garlic can treat lead poisoning. Moreover, garlic curative effect is better than that of penicillamine. garlic can be considered as a chelating agent in treatment of lead poisoning

Possible protective role of L-carnitine on diclofenac induced hepatotoxicity in adult male albino rats [histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical study]

Diclofenac [DCLF] is in common use worldwide as non steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs [NSAIDs] that have been reported to cause significant adverse effects. L-Carnitine has been proposed as antioxidant because it helps reduce oxidative stress. This work aimed to study the possible histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical changes of liver associated with diclofenac administration and to assess possible beneficial role L- carnitine [LC] on diclofenac [DCLF] induced hepatotoxicity. Fifty adult male albino rats were divided into 4 main groups. Group I: Served as positive and negative controls. Group II: Received LC in a dose of 50 mg/ kg intramuscular [IM] in 1 ml saline. DCLF treated group [III]: Received DCLF 50 mg/ kg IM in 1 ml saline. Combined group [IV]: Rats received LC then DCLF after 2 hours IM. The treatments were given for the rats 6 days/ week for two weeks. At the time of sacrifice, the rats were anaesthetized; blood samples were taken for measuring liver function tests. Specimens from the liver of each rat were taken for light and electron microscopic examination. Histological examination of the liver of the rats of DCLF treated group revealed different degrees of focal lobular affection. Enlarged portal areas, congested portal and central veins, bile duct proliferation, cellular infiltration and fibrosis were detected. Significant decrease in area% of brown positive immunoreactions for glutathione peroxidase I [GPXI] was detected in comparison with control group. Necrosis of most of hepatocytes especially in those close to portal area was detected. Most of hepatocytes mitochondria appeared with ruptured membrane. Pretreatment with LC in combined group showed slight histological changes with sinusoidal congestion, minimal fibrosis around prominent portal area with significant increase in area% of GPX1 in comparison with DCLF treated group. Most of mitochondria appeared with intact membrane. There were significant elevations in liver function tests in DCLF treated group when compared with other groups with partial recovery in combined group. Results obtained in this study demonstrated that high doses of DCLF induced histological and biochemical changes in the liver due to oxidative stress and that the use of LC had partially reduced the DCLF induced toxicity. This may suggest that LC enhanced antioxidant defence and may be used as a cell protector for DCLF induced hepatotoxicity

Some toxic effects of molybdenum in adult male albino rats

Ammonium molybdate is an essential trace element in plants, animals and humans, as it is present as a cofactor for some enzymes; also, it is an environmental pollutant. Thirty adult male albino rats were used to investigate the adverse effects of ammonium molybdate on the liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs of adult male albino rats. Therty adult male rats were equally divided into 3 groups. The rats of the 1[st] group were left without treatment and used as a negative control group for measuring the basic parameters. The rats of the 2[nd] group were daily intragastrically administered 2 ml normal saline [vehicle of molybdenum] for each rat for 30 days and were used as a positive control group. The rats of the 3rd group were daily intragastrically administered ammonium molybdate in a dose of 136 mg /kg body weight in 2 ml of normal saline [1/5 of the LD50] for each rat for 30 days. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected from the retro-orbital plexus of each anethetized rat in all groups for measuring levels of liver enzymes [ALT, AST, Aikaline phosphatase], total bilirubin, urea and createnine; then the rats were sacrificed, and specimens from the livers kidneys, spleens and lungs of all rats were collected for histopathological examination. The levels of liver enzymes, bilirubin, urea and createnine of the rats of the 3[rd] group [ammonium molybdate group] were statistically significantly elevated compared to those of the negative control group [P <0.001]. Histopathological examination of the rats of the 3rd group showed, moderate liver damage consisting of scattered necrotic areas, inflammatory infiltrates and congested central vein, In the Kidneys, there were degeneration of the epithelium of the convoluted tubules appeared as cloudy swelling and congestion. There were also cellular infiltrates. Histopathological examination of the spleen showed reactive follicular hyperplasia with areas of necrosis and congestion reflecting congested splenomegally. The lungs revealed diffuse haemorrhage and mononuclear inflammatory cellular infiltration in the interstitial tissue with congested dilated vessels. It can be concluded that ammonium molybdate could produce toxic effects on the liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs of adult male albino rats

Skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats

Gabapentin is one of the new antiepileptic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats. Thirty virgin female albino rats were used and classified into three equal groups each consisted of 10 rats. The first group received nothing except regular diet and tap water and considered as negative control. The second group received 1 ml saline daily orally from the 1st day till the 20th day of gestation. The third group received gabapentin in a single dose of 324 mg/kg body weight in 1 ml saline orally daily from the 1st day to the 20th day of gestation. On the 20th day of pregnancy, rats were sacrificed and the uterine horns promptly exposed, the number of alive fetuses was detected as well as the number of fetal resorptions. Individual fetal weight, crown- rump length [CRL] and bipareital diameter were recorded. Then fetuses were eviscerated and placed into alizarin red stain for detection of osseous skeleton. The numbers of fetal resorptions in the negative and positive control rats were 5% and 4.6% respectively. The number of fetal resorptions in gabapentin treated dams was 42%. The numbers of examined alive fetuses were 85, 82, and 28 in negative control, positive control and gabapentin treated rats respectively. There were significant decrease in the weight, CRL and bipareital diameter measures in fetuses of third group [gabapentin treated] compared to those in the first group [negative control]. Fetuses stained with alizarin stain of dams treated with gabapentin revealed incomplete ossification of skull bones as parietal, interpareital, occipital, frontal, lacrimal and occipital bones. Also, there were incomplete ossifications of vertebral, metacarpal and metatarsal bones. It can be concluded that gabapentin is experimentally a teratogenic drug. It can be recommended that further studies must be done to evaluate teratogenicity of gabapentin in humans. Mothers taking it during pregnancy have to check regularly their fetuses till the end of pregnancy. But it is preferred that those women should be advised to use a contraceptive method during treatment with this drug to avoid its teratogenic effect

Comparative study between the toxic effects of rofecoxib and harpagophytum procumbens extract on adult albino rats

The highly selective cyclo- oxygenase II [COX-II] inhibitors could alleviate pain and inflammation and have fewer side effects than conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]. Herpagophytum Procumbens has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain associated with various types of arthritis. The aim of this work was to perform a comparison between the toxic effects of Rofecoxib and Harpagophytum Procumbens [herpago] on adult male albino rats. This study included 170 adult male albino rats divided into 5 groups. Group I, II and III were used as control groups [-ve control group, Gum acacia group and distilled water group]: each consisted of 30 rats remained for 6 weeks. Group IV [rofecoxib group]: consisted of 40 rats, each rat was gavaged with 1.8 mg rofecoxib/rat [double human therapeutic dose] once daily for 6 weeks. Group V [herpago group]: consisted of 40 rats, each rat was gavaged with 86.4 mg herpago/rat [double human therapeutic dose] once daily for 6 weeks. At the end of six weeks: ten rats from rofecoxib [IV] and herpago [V] groups and fifteen rats from each control group [I, II and III] were used for blood pressure measuring. Another ten rats from groups IV and V and fifteen rats from I, II and Ill were used for biochemical and histopathological studies. The remaining rats of both groups IV and V were left for another 6 weeks without drug administration for follow up. At the end of this period the follow up rats were examined as above. Groups I, II and III showed no abnormal findings without statistically significant difference between them [P>0.05]. In rofecoxib group an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures [SBP, DBP] were detected with a significant difference when compared with -ve control group [P<0.001], while herpago group showed a decrease in SBP and DBP with a statistically significant difference when compared with the -ve control group [P<0.001]. After 6 weeks of follow up, the SBP and DBP of rofecoxib and herpago groups showed no significant difference when compared with the -ve control group [P>0.05]. After 6 weeks of treatment there were an increase in serum Na+ and K+ levels with a decrease in serum pH and HCO3- with a statistically significant difference in rofecoxib group when compared with the -ve control group [P<0.001]. Herpago group showed no abnormal findings in the above mentioned biochemical, parameters. Six weeks after the discontinuation of rofecoxib administration the Na+ level returned to its control level and gave no significant difference when compared with the -ye control group [P>0.05]. Serum K+, HCO3- and pH levels improved but didn't reach to the control level and gave significant difference when compared with the -ve control group [P<0.05]. Macroscopically, no abnormal findings in the heart gastro- intestinal tract [GIT] were detected in all tested groups. With rofecoxib group, microscopical examination of the cardiac sections showed ischemic changes with atrophy of cardiac muscles. Herpago group showed no histopathological abnormalities on microscopical examination. After 6 weeks of follow up histopathological examination of the heart in rofecoxib group showed disappearance of the ischaemic changes. The cardiac muscles regain its normal thickness and length. Histopathological examination of the stomach and small intestine of rofecoxib group showed different degrees of affection varies from edema of lamina propria and vascular congestion to loss of superficial epithelium [erosion] and peptic ulcer. Herpago group showed no histopathological abnormalities in the GIl. After 6 weeks of follow up in rofecoxib group partial healing of erosions and ulcers occur and the mucosa regained its normal thickness. It could be concluded that rofecoxib is more toxic than herpago and its toxic effects were partially reversible after its discontinuation

hepatoprotective effect of Cinnamon bark oil and Niegella Sativa L. Seed oil in comparison to N- acetyl cysteine in rats treated with toxic dose of paracetamol

Paracetamol, in toxic doses is associated with extensive liver damage. This study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of cinnamon bark oil [CBO] and nigella sativa oil [NSO] in comparison to N- acetyl cysteine [NAC] in rats treated with toxic doses of Paracetamol [PCM]. The study included 6 groups, each group consists of 6 rats: control group received distilled water orally. Rats treated with toxic dose of PCM [400 mg/kg] three groups received NAC [800 mg/kg], CEO [300 mg/kg] and NSO [288 ml/kg] as antidotes 2 hours after PCM intoxication. The last group received CEO 8 hours post PCM intoxication Twenty-four hours after treatment the rats were sacrificed and blood was collected. The 3 antidotes decreased the activity of hepatic enzymes [AST and ALT] and billirubin compared to the PCM treated rats [P < 0.001]. Liver architecture showed improvement in the antidote treated groups compared to the PCM treated rats. The antidotes enhanced the elevation of the antioxidants [Glutathione [GSH], GSH-Peroxidase GSH-Reductase and Superoxide dismutase [SOD]] compared to their levels in PCM treated rats [P <0.001]. It is concluded that CBO either given early or late and NSO have hepatoprotective effect as well as that of NAC