Effect of perinatal exposure to monosodium glutamate on the visual cortex of adult albino rats

Monosodium glutamate [MSG], the sodium salt of glutamate, is commonly used as a flavor enhancer in many food preparations. Its use has become controversial because of reports of adverse reaction in people who have eaten foods that contain monosodium glutamate. One of these adverse reactions was the blurring of vision. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of monosodium glutamate [MSG] on visual cortex of albino rats. A total 20 pregnant female rats were randomly divided into two groups. Control group and treated group which received monosodium glutamate by gastric gavages in a dose of 2 g/kg b.w from late pregnancy until the end of weaning. Offspring of two groups were left until puberty [2 month old pregnancy until the end of weaning. Offspring of two groups were left until puberty [2 month old rats]. The offspring of both groups were sacrificed at 60 days and their visual cortices were prepared for histological examination by light and electron microscope. The results revealed severe neuronal degeneration. The neurons of treated visual cortex contained hyperchromic, pyknotic nuclei. The cytoplasm became vacuolated and contains large lipofuscin pigments. The mitochondria became swollen with indented membrane, the Golgi apparatus were absent with the presence of few rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosome. The blood vessels were dilated with the presence of perivascular edema. It is concluded that the oral intake of monosodium glutamate during pregnancy and lactation has degenerating effect on the visual cortex of the raf's offspring

Effect of anticonvulsant drug [phenytoin] on the postnatal development of the cerebellar cortex of boscat rabbit [lepus cuniculus]

Boscat rabbit [Lepus Cuniculus] was used as a model to study the effect of anticonvulsant drug on the postnatal development of the cerebellar cortex. Pohenytoin was used orally in a dose of [50 mg/Kg body weight] to the pregnant female rabbits starting from the day 15 of conception [the period of gestation is 30 days]. It is known that phenytoin passes through the placental barrier and also is excreted in milk. The controlled mothers received normal saline at the same time in which the experimental group received the drug. The pups were taken at the ages of newly born, one week, two weeks, one month from both groups. The cerebellum was extracted, fixed in neutral formaline and processed for histological preparation. This research showed that different cellular elements of the cerebellar cortex were affected in the form of degeneration, delayed migration of the external granular cells and delayed maturation. These changes could be reflected on the activity of the animal in the form of impaired skills and growth as a whole

Effect of prolonged period of starvation on the structure of the testis of albino rat

The adult male albino rats with an average weight of 300 gm were subjected to complete food removal for 7, 11 and 15 days. The testes were then examined histologically and histochemically. The first effect of starvation on the testes was progressive shrinkage of the seminiferous tubule. However, each stage in the maturation process was still evident, especially after 7 days of starvation. After 11, 15 days of starvation there was increased destruction of the luminal cells and the tubular sizes were diminished. These changes were accompanied with progressive thickening of both basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules and the testicular capsule. Additionally there was a marked fibrosis of the interstitial connective tissue. The interstitial Leydig cells were gradually shrank and became masked by the fibrosis