ABSTRACT
The left sciatic nerve of adult male rats were transected just distal to the bifurcation of the biceps nerve and then gently sutured with fine silk through the neuronal sheath. Equal volumes of retinol solution containing two different amounts of retinol [0.24 mg and 1.2 mg] were placed on the neurotmesic nerve and the 2nd dose placed similary 2 weeks later, The control group exposed to the same procedure but the carrier only was placed instead. Specimens of the damaged nerve were obtained 8 weeks post sectioning for evaluating the effects of retinol relative to the control. The number and degree of myelination of the regenerated nerve fibers, in addition to their diameter [D] and to lesser extent the length [L] of the internodal distance increased significantly [p < 0.001] in the high - dosed and then the low dosed groups relative to the control. On correlating the later parameters [D - L] the values of r were 0.36 and 0.33 respectively and being highly significant while correlation coefficient of the Control was poor [r=0.01]
Subject(s)
Male , Animals, Laboratory , Vitamin A/administration & dosage , Administration, Topical , Rats , Sciatic Nerve , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Direct application of low dose of vitamin A [1000 IU] immediately on crush injured sciatic nerve [2mm X 2sec.] of rates once or twice 12 days apart improved significantly the internodal length-L, in micro M[X +/- sem] 8 weeks post-injury, [288 +/- 6.63 and 345.82 +/- 11.21, respectively] relative to the control [182.59 +/- 6.49]. similar trend was observed in the improved diameter - D [8.16 +/- 0.13 and 8.41 +/- 0.81] relative to the control [6.94 +/- 0.19]. Similar dose of vitamin A was injected I.m. [2x/wk/4 wks] for comparison and showed an improved internodal length [252.39 +/- 6.39] and diameter [8.06 ' 0.19], but the animals indicated depressed gain in body weight. All vitamin A treated rats showed 5-6% very short internodes [<150 micro M] while in the control it was very high [29%]. Frequency distribution analysis of the length revealed despite an increase in mode length of 100 micro M over the control, the curves showed for 1st time moderate slope when they descend to the right while in the control the curve descends with sharp slope. Apparently, direct application of vitamin A on crush injuried sciatic nerve improved the regenerated L and D and bears no unwanted side effects. This is an advantage over previous works where high oral dose of vitamin A and/or colchicines i.m produced similar improvements but the treated animals showed signs of toxicity as indicated by depressed weight gain
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Vitamin A , Vitamin A/administration & dosage , Wounds and Injuries/therapyABSTRACT
Human brucellosis was diagnosed positive when Rose Bengal antibody test was I/ 160 or above in 116 patients [32 males and 84 females] ranging in age between 10-60 years The results indicated a significant decrease in albumin fraction and a marked rise in globulins, mainly the gamma fraction, and consequently a decrease in albumin/globulin ratio from 1.005 to 0.730. Such alterations were associated with a rise in antibody titres
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Blood Proteins/analysis , Blood Protein ElectrophoresisABSTRACT
Adult male rats were exposed to cigarette smoke [2x/day/6 wks] in locally prepared chamber with an objective to study the effect of daily smoke exposure on body weight gain and possible epithelial changes encountered in the respiratory air-ways in conjunction with oral intake of 300 IU [2x/wK/6wK] of retinol palmitate. The exposure to cigarette smoke caused a significant [P<0.01] decrease in body weight gain relative to sham exposed animals, while the oral retionl intake had improved the gain over sham-treated. Analysis of serum retinol levels revealed a significant [P<0.001] decrease in the smoke-exposed rats relative to sham exposed rats. The epithelial changes of the larynx were the most prominent changes of the respiratory airways which varied from pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelia to squamous metaplasia in the smoke-exposed rats while in those supplemented with the retinol, the laryngeal epithelia was nearly that of the sham-exposed and there was no sign of squamous metaplasia. Apparently, the retinol supplementation during cigarette smoke exposure might had a prophylactic role in human against unwanted cellular changes of the respiratory airways
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Tobacco Use Disorder , Metaplasia/drug therapy , Laryngeal Diseases/drug therapy , SmokingABSTRACT
Parameters for microbial transformation of 13-ethyl-3-methoxy-8, 14-seco-gona-1,3,5 (10), 9(11)-tetraene-14,17-dione to its 17 beta-hydroxy derivative by P. farinosa have been standardised in pilot plant fermentors. The yield of the pure crystalline compound was 80%.
Subject(s)
Fermentation , Gonanes/metabolism , Norgestrel/metabolism , Pichia , Secosteroids/metabolism , StereoisomerismABSTRACT
Lactose facilitated intestinal lead [Pb] absorption in fasted weanling rats yet young age and food deprivation might influence lead absorption. In overcoming such variables, adult male rats were supplied with libidum with drinking fluids containing 500 mg or 2,500 mg of Pb as lead acetate with or without 5 g of lactose per liter of water for 2 months. The presence of lactose reduced the volume of fluid intake [P < 0.001] and the net Pb ingested daily dropped by two thirds while the blood lead level increased [P < 0.01] causing a decrease in erythrocytes Porphobilinogen level and rate of gain in body weight. Lactose which increases the permeability of cell membrane of the small intestine to calcium and other divalent ions non-selectively, may well explain the enhancing effect of lactose on lead absorption
Subject(s)
Lactose , Intestinal Absorption , RatsABSTRACT
Nulligravida aged 35 complained of painful fibroid which was associated with vaginal bleeding. She was given daily 50 mg of atenolol for 7 days. Pain, tenderness and vaginal bleeding diminished gradually and finally disappeared in 5 days of atenolol treatment. Multiple myomectomy was then performed after a course of atenolol for 7 days
Subject(s)
Female , Fibroma/drug therapyABSTRACT
This project was initiated to examine an observation noted in Mosul University Gynaocological Clinic where a hypertensive woman was presented with uterine bleeding due to endometrial hyperplasia. Upon lowering her elevated blood pressure with atenolol, the endometrial bleeding decreased gradually and finally stopped. Varying degrees of endometrial hyperplasia were induced in rats by different doses of estradiol valerated injections for a period of 20 days. When atenolol was administered orally in 4 and 8mg doses for the 2nd half of the treatment period, there was significant reduction in uterine wet weight especially in rats [P < 0.001] dosed with high estrogen and atenolol. There was a reduction also in control rats who received the atenolol alone. The endometria of the estrogen dominated rats were thick, vascular, with active surface epithelium and the glands were lined by columnar epithelium with no vacuoles. In the atenolol treated rats, the endometria were thin, less vascular and glandular linings were flattened epithelium with various degrees of secretory exhaustion or secretory vacuoles depending on the dosage of atenolol used
Subject(s)
Atenolol , RatsABSTRACT
The preventive and therapeutic roles of retinoic acid applied as a lotion was evaluated on chemically induced skin tumours by repeated application of 7 - 12 dimethylbenz [a] anthacene [DMBA] on the skin of rats, guinea pigs and mice. Guinea pigs and rats were apparently resistant to DMBA as a skin carcinogen in 50 ug dosage applied repeatedly [2 x/week x 20]. Mice were susceptible to DMBA and skin tumours began to appear after 2 weeks of repeated application of 20 ug of the carcinogen [2 x/wk x 8]. The percentage response of DMBA was 58% with an average of 4.6 tumours/animal. In testing the therapeutic action, the established tumours regressed markedly when painted 3 times a day for one week with 0.05% of retinoic acid. In pre-retinoic treatment, the tumour nodules showed squamous papilloma, keratoacanthoma and acanthosis with hyperkeratosis. But after treatment, there was mild acanthosis with hyperkeratosis yet no actual tumour had remained. The preventive role of retinoic acid was obvious in terms of the number and size of tumours developed after concomitant treatment of the carcinogen and then the retinoic acid [2 x/wk x8] when compared with mice which received the same dosage of the carcinogen alone. The histologic picture of the treated skin of the mice, showed normal dermis with mild chronic inflammatory cells which infiltrated the dermis, but without skin tumours, while others showed thickening of the dermis with hyperkeratosis but no skin tumours