Prevalence of schistosomiasis in al-baha province, saudi arabia in years 2012 and 2013 [prospective and comparative study]

The rate of human schistosomiasis increased in Al- Baha Province, Saudi Arabia in the last few years. So, it was necessary to study the prevalence of human schistosomiasis in AI-Baha Province over the period of the two years [2012-2013].In general, there was a decline in the prevalence of schistosomiasis in Al- Baha over the study period and it was significantly less in 2013 than it was in 2012. Schistosomiasis infection rate was affected by host sex as males had higher infection rate than females. Age group of 15-44 showed the highest infection rate. Prevalence of schistosomiasis in Saudi people was significantly higher than it was in non-Saudi or immigrant ones. Thus, more attention should be paid to AI-Baha area in the future schistosome control programmes

Does Commiphora extract have an effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in adult albino rats? Histological and biochemical study

Introduction: Carbon tetrachloride [CCl[4]] is a well-known hepatocyte-destructive agent. Commiphora mukul is a medicinal plant found to be effective in the treatment of a variety of disorders

Aim of the work: To study the effect of Commiphora extract on liver injury induced by the administration of CCl[4] in rats

Materials and methods: Forty adult male albino rats were divided randomly into three groups. Group I [control group], group II [positive controls, which received CCl[4] for 2 weeks], and group IIIa and group IIIb, which received 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively, of Commiphora extract orally before the administration of CCl[4]. Two weeks after the administration of CCl[4], animals were killed, and the livers were removed and processed for histological and electron microscopic examination. Liver functions were measured

Results: A low dose of Commiphora extract did not lead to any improvement; loss of hepatic architecture occurred. An apparent decrease in fibrous tissue and cellular infiltration was observed around the preexisting portal tract. Some hepatocytes showed fatty changes. At a high dose of Commiphora, hepatic lobules regained their normal architecture with proliferating bile ductules in the portal tract. Some hepatic lobules still showed vacuolation and necrosis of their hepatocytes

Conclusion: Higher doses of Commiphora extract before CCl[4] might be more effective in the amelioration of CCl[4]-induced liver injury and fibrosis