Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid induced sperm abnormalities and histopathological changes in mice

Objective To explore the genotoxic potential and histopathological changes induced in liver, kidney, testis, brain and heart after using the antibiotic drug amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (4:1). Methods The study included chromosomal aberration analysis in bone-marrow and mouse spermatocytes, induction of sperm morphological abnormalities and histopathological changes in different body organs. The drug was administrated orally at a dose of 81 mg/kg body weight twice daily (Total = 162 mg/kg/day) for various periods of time equivalent to 625 mg/men (twice daily). Results The results revealed non-significant chromosomal aberrations induced after treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AC) in both bone marrow and mouse spermatocytes after 7 and 10 days treatment. On the other hand, statistically significant percentages of sperm morphological abnormalities were recorded. Such percentage reached 8.10 ± 0.55, 9.86 ± 0.63 and 12.12 ± 0.58 at the three time intervals tested (7, 14 and 35 days after the 1st treatment respectively) (treatment performed for 5 successive days) compared with 2.78 ± 0.48 for the control. The results also revealed histopathological changes in different body organs after AC treatment which increased with the prolongation of the period of therapy. Congestion of central vain, liver hemorrhage and hydropic changes in hepatocytes were noticed in the liver. Degenerative changes were found in kidney glomerulus and tubules while testis showed atrophy of seminiferous tubules, and reduction of spermatogenesis. AC also induced neurotoxicity and altered brain neurotransmitter levels. Hemorrhage in the myocardium, disruption of cardiac muscle fibers and pyknotic nuclei in cardiomyocytes were recorded as side effects of AC in heart tissue. Conclusions The results concluded that AC treatment induced sperm morphological abnormalities and histopathological changes in different body organs. Clinicians must be aware of such results while describing the drug.

Serum zinc level in children with intestinal parasitic infections

Zinc is very important for growth, development and cognitive function in children. Its deficiency has deleterious consequences on children's health. Zinc deficiency is a serious health problem worldwide affecting developed as well as developing countries. To detect a relation between intestinal parasitic infection and serum zinc level is not an easy task. Early detection and treatment of intestinal parasitosis could avoid or treat the possible serum zinc deficiency. The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between intestinal parasitic infection and serum zinc level. Serum levels of zinc were prospectively measured in 80 Egyptian intestinal parasitic positive children and 20 age, sex and socioeconomic class matched controls. Samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. Serum zinc evaluation revealed no statistically significant difference between mean values of controls and patients [P> 0.05]

Monosodium glutamate genotoxicity in mice

The genotoxic effect of monosodium glutamate [MSG] was investigated usingdifferent cytogenetic parameters. Different dose levels were studied rangingfrom 0.8 g/kg b. wt. [amount typically added to food] to 1.6, 3.2 g/kg b.wt. Single intraperitoneal treatment with MSG at the tested concentrationshad no effect with respect to the induction of sister chromatid exchanges[SCEs] in mouse bone-marrow cells. The same doses showed normal percentage of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes [PEs] after oral treatment bygavage for seven consecutive days. Marrow toxicity was not observed as indicatedby normal percentage of PEs as compared with that in the untreated mice. With respect to chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells, gaps were foundto be the most sensitive type of aberrations induced after oral treatment[gavage and feeding] with the different concentrations of MSG. The percentageof the induced aberrations was found to be nonsignificant after excluding thenumber of metaphases with chromatid and chromosome gaps as compared with thenegative control. In germ cells oral treatment by gavage at the doses of 1.6,3.2 g/kg b. wt. MSG induced significant percentage of chromosomalaberrations [P <0.05] in 1ry spermatocytes after 2 and 3 weeks as comparedwith the negative control. The same result was observed in groups of mice fed0.8 g MSG/kg1 b. wt. 1/day mixed with the diet for 2 and 3 months. Thedoses 1.6, 3.2 g/kg b. wt. MSG induced also significant percentage ofabnormal sperms. Such percentage reached 4.12 +/- 0.1 [P <0.05] and 8.55 +or- 0.76 [P <0.01] compared with 2.38 +/- 0.21 for the negative control. Mitomycin C at 1 mg/kg b. wt. [positive control] induced a much highereffect 13.36 +/- 0.78 [P <0.01]

Potential cytogenetic effect of Lupinus terms seeds extract

The cytogenetic effect of 70% ethanolic extract of Lupinus termis seeds was investigated in mouse bone-marrow, spleen and spermatocyte cells. Mice were orally treated by gavage with a single dose of 1.05, 2.10 and 4.20 g/kg b.wt. which correspond to [1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 of LD50]. For bone marrow and spermatocyte cells daily successive dose treatment [1.05] g/kg b.wt for 3, 7 and 10 days were performed, the same dose was given daily for only 5 successive days for spleen test. "Mitomycin C" at a dose of I mg/kg b.wt was used as a positive control. Results reveal that Lupinus termis extract caused slight increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in bone-marrow and spleen cells. Such increase was found to be non-significant at all treatment levels [single and repeated] after excluding gaps. With respect to mouse spermatocytes the extract had no significant effect. Comparing the chromosomal aberration effect of Lupinus termis extract with that obtained from treatment with "Mitomycin C", results generally indicate that the 70% ethanolic extract of Lupinus termis had no remarkable cytogenetic effect in both somatic and germ cells

Cytogenetic studies on the pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine derivatives on mice cells

Pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine derivatives has a possible antianxiety properties and anti-inflammatory actions. The two pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine derivatives; 3-acetyl-5,7-dimethyl pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine as compound A and 3-chloro-5,7 dimethyl pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine as compound B were examined to evaluate their clastogenic or mutagenic properties through the induction of chromosomal aberrations in the somatic [bone-marrow] and germ [1ry spermatocyte] cells of mice. Mice treated orally by gavage with either compound A or compound B with a single dose [1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 LD50] and multiple doses with 1/8 LD50 for five consecutive days. Both compounds A and B were found to produce a significant increase in chromosomal aberrations in somatic and germ cells except with the low dose of compound A [1/8 LD50]. This increase was dose-dependent in both types of cells. Multiple treated animals caused a significant increase 24 hours after three and five days of treatment. Concerning the sperm abnormalities, compound B induced a significant increase in the sperm-head abnormalities. Slight inhibition of sperm count and sperm motility occurred after treatment of mice with 1/8 LD50 of compound B. The results showed that compound A had a low clastogenic effect than compound B

Genotoxic effect of the insecticide methomyl lannate in mouse bone-marrow

The cytogenetic effect of the insecticide "Methomyl" was studied in mouse bone-marrow cells. the ability of "Methomyl" to induce micronuclei, chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges was investigated. Intra-peritoneal injection of "Methomyl" with the dose 4 mg Kg-1b.wt. induced a significant increase in the percentage of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, the same dose caused marrow toxicity as indicated by a significant increase in the percentage of polychromatic erythrocytes. The doses 4 and 6 mg "Methomyl" Kg-1 b.wt. induced a significant increase in the percentage of chromosomal aberrations after i.p. injection. The chromosomal aberrations induced by "Methomyl" were mainly structural including gaps, fragments, breaks and deletions. Methomyl induced also significant and dose dependent increase of sister chromatid exchanges SCE's. The present results indicated that "Methomyl" is genotoxic in mouse bone-marrow cells. Care must be taken to the use of this insecticide in agriculture