Assessment of Cedrus deodara root oil on the histopathological changes in the gastrointestinal tissues in rats

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Cedrus deodara root oil on the histopathology of different gastrointestinal organs of Wistar rats. This oil was used traditionally as an anti-ulcer agent in the Indus Unic System and extracted from the plant root by destructive distillation method. A total of 90 rats were taken and divided into groups A, B and C, each comprising of 30 animals. The animals of group B and C were given 0.5 ml/kg and 2.5 ml/kg of C. deodara oil respectively while group A served as control and administered vehicle only. The treatment was given to the animals ones only for 24 hours. All animals were sacrificed and the organs like esophagus, stomach and ileum were taken out. Tissue processing and staining procedure was then carried out for any pathological changes in the animal tissues during microscopic examination. The results indicated that Cedurs deodara root oil at both doses 0.5ml/ kg and 2.5 ml/kg exhibited some adverse effects such as erosion of epithelium, edema on sub-mucosal and mucosal layers, congestion of blood vessels as well as presence of inflammatory cells on esophagus, stomach and ileum were seen. Moreover shortening of villi was also seen at both doses. A study conducted on mammalian toxicity previously on rats revealed that the C. deodara root oil used is not very toxic and comes under least toxic group as standardized by toxicologists. Based on the results obtained it was concluded that C. deodara root oil produced some adverse changes in the tissues of GIT when given at 0.5 ml/kg and 2.5 ml/kg doses but the effects were not lethal therapeutically at this dose LC[50] 16.5 ml/kg. The plant oil showed some toxicity and needs further detailed studies to assess its potential toxicity and therapeutic status before using this material as drug

Organophosphate and pyrethroid residues in the milk of women and breast cancer patients from Karachi

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of pesticide residues organophosphate and pyrethroid in the milk of women and in serum of breast cancer patients from different localities of Karachi due to pesticide exposure. An experimental study. This sis a research-based study that was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baqai Medical University, Karachi from March 2008 to March 2010. A total 40 milk samples were collected from private clinics and 6 serum samples from breast cancer patients were also collected from private cancer hospitals based at different areas of Karachi. All the samples were analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues. Samples of milk and serum were prepared accordingly and the purified samples were injected into the HPLC apparatus. The peaks of the samples were compared by the retention time of the standard peaks. The chromatogram obtained indicated the quantity of pesticide residues. Milk samples and serum samples were analyzed using HPLC technique. Pesticides such as malathion, permethrin, deltamethrin and Polytrin-C were detected in different concentrations. The levels were significantly higher than the maximum residual limit. It is concluded that the presence of pesticides in the human body is a major concern in the development of various ailments because of possible immunotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of pesticides