Hepatotoxic effect of chloramphenicol administration to albino rats

There are many concerns about safety of food contaminated with antibacterial residues of veterinary drugs in meat, milk and their products. Ghloramphenicol is a potent and broad spectrum antibiotic used in veterinary practice and it is used extensively in nonindustrialized countries, thus the need to design this experiment to explore the dose and time response effects of chloramphenicol administration on several parameters in either prophylactic or therapeutic dose for 12 weeks on liver enzymatic activities as well as histopathological changes. A total number of 240 male albino rats were divided into four equal groups. Solutions of chloramphenicol succinate were diluted in distilled water and administered to rats by gavages at a constant dose volume of 10 ml/kg body weight. Chloramphenicol was administered to the first and second groups in a dose of 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight daily for 12 weeks. Rats in the third group [considered as a control group of the group one] and fourth group [considered as a control group of the group two] were given distilled water in a volume of 10 ml/kg body weight l0 rats from each group were scarified under anesthesia after 2,4,6,8,10 and 12 weeks post dosing. Samples of blood were obtained without anticoagulant for determination of serum AST, AP, Gamma-GT and LDH. Liver samples were taken for histopathological examination. Results of liver enzymatic activities including serum AP and, GT revealed a significant increase in both prophylactic and therapeutic doses of chloramphenicol treated-rats compared with control. Histopathological study revealed degenerative changes of hepatic parenchymal cells corroborated to serum enzymatic activity. Serum LDH concentrations showed a significant increase after 2nd week of exposure until the end of experiment at 12th week. Changes in the serum levels of AST were not statistically significant in both prophylactic and therapeutic dose administered groups. Hepatotoxic effect of chloramphenicol is attributed to inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P45o. High rate of tissue turnover with destroyed cells leading to an elevated serum LDH. Therefore, increase the level of this enzyme in this study may be attributed to cytotoxic effect induced by chloramphenicol on multiple cellular compartments including hepatic tissue breakdown. These lesions varied greatly in its severity and distribution according to the duration of exposure as well as the dose of chloramphenicol. Hydropic degeneration with hypertrophy of the Kupffer cells associated with the loss of ribosomes in rough endoplasmic reticulum was recorded. Mitochondria appeared slightly swollen, the bile canaliculi dilated and some areas of necrosis was the most common histopathological change. Swelling in hepatic cells recorded in this study besides congestion of the hepatic vasculature, accumulation of fat globules and presence of bundles of collagen fibers in between the hepatic cells and in the Disse space represented chronic reaction to chloramphenicol toxicity or side effects. Such reaction could be considered as secondary for hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis

Identification of meat species in some meat products in Assiut city

Meat adulteration constitutes an important problem in Egypt. Adulteration of meat may occur by substitution of low priced or even banned meat species for that high priced one. In this study, agar gel immunodiffusion test [AGID] and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] techniques were applied for detection of meat adulteration. Meat extract from beef, chicken, pork and donkey were prepared. Hyperimmune sera were prepared in rabbits by subcutaneous injection of meat extracts and blood was collected to get the specific antisera. Positive results indicated by appearance of clear precipitation line between the antibody and the corresponding antigen with assurance that no cross reaction occurred between species. Two hundred samples from beef meat products [50 minced meats, 50 raw kofta, 50 sausages and 50 beef burger] were subjected to analysis by AGID technique. The incidence of adulteration of minced meat with each of chicken and pork were 6%. The rate of adulteration was 34% and 26% in raw kofta, 32% and 14% in sausage and 32% and 2% in beef burger, respectively. Donkey meat was detected only in beef burger at rate of 2%. For application of PCR technique specific primers for chicken, pork and donkey meat species were prepared; there molecular weights were 420, 343, and 350 bp, respectively. Deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] was extracted from tested samples for detection of the previous species in these tested samples. Out of suspected and negative adulterated samples examined by AGID technique, fifty samples were reanalyzed by PCR technique. By using PCR technique the adulteration rates with chicken were 57%, 63.7%, 66.7% and 69% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively. The adulteration rates with pork were 35.7%, 45.5%, 41.7% and 23% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively. The adulteration rates with donkey meat were 7%, 18%, 8% and 7.7% in minced meat, raw kofta, sausages and beef burger, respectively

Detection of native and modified soybean in some meat production in Assiut city, Egypt

High meat prices prompted the meat industries in Egypt to produce various meat brands extended with soybean proteins. Genetically modified foods are often in the news. Much of the world has experienced strong and increasing resistance to the introduction of any genetically modified foods to the market place. Agar gel immunodiffusion [AGID] and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] were used to detect soybeans in some meat products [minced meat, raw kofta, sausage and beef burger]. PCR was applied due to stability of deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] at high temperature and highly conserved structure of DNA within all tissues of an individual. Soybean was detected with AGID at 12%, 30% and 20% in raw kofta, sausage and beef burger, respectively, but not detected in minced meat. By using PCR native and modified soybeans were detected in 100% and 69%, respectively in beef burger and at lower rates in other products

Occurance of organochlorine pesticides in fresh water fish in Assiut markets

Organochlorine pesticides: total DDT complex [p.p-DDT, o.p-DDT, p.p-DDE and p.p-DDD]; hexachlorocyclobexane isomers [alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-isomers]; heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide; aldrin and dieldrin; endrin and hexachlorobenzene [HCB] were investigated in five species of fresh water fish [Oreochromis niloticus; Clarias lazera; Labeo niloticus; Bagarus bayed and Synodonits species] collected from Assiut markets. Chlorinated residues were analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector [GS-ECD] using capillary column. The analytical results revealed that all samples were ontaminated with one or more of the investigated pesticides. Total DDT complex, total HCH isomers were found in all analyzed saples with the highest values, followed by endrin, HCB, dieldrin, and heptachlors. Total DDT complex average were 1.077, 1.865, 3.911, 3.832 and 3.476 ppm, while total HCH isomers averages were 0.297, 0.160, 0.108, 0.093 and 0.029 ppm in the investigated five species, respectively. The residue levels detected were compared to those of the international limits and its hazardous effects were discussed