prophylactic role of ginger on the pulmonary injury induced by azathioprine on adult male rats [light and scanning electron microscopic study]

Azathioprine is one of the most commonly prescribed immunosuppressive drugs. It is commonly used in the treatment of the immune-mediated diseases. Pulmonary toxicity has been reported as one of its side effects. Ginger [Zingiber officinal roscoe], is a well-known spice plant that has been used traditionally in a wide variety of diseases as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus and gastrointestinal health. A study of the possible protective role of ginger on the azathioprine induced pulmonary injury in the adult male albino rats using light and scanning electron microscopy. Thirty male adult albino rats were used in the study. They were subdivided into three groups. Each group includes 10 rats. First group was considered as a control, Second group was given azathioprine in a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight twice daily for two days. The third group was given ginger 250 mg orally per kg body weight daily for 5 consecutive days then given azathioprine drug orally for another two days in the same dose as the second group. At the end of the experiment the animals were anaethetized, sacrified and specimens of the lung tissues were extracted and processed to he examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. In group 11, there were thickness of interalveolar septa, lymphocytic cellular infiltration and narrowing of alveolar sacs by light microscopy while in scanning electron microscopy there was thickening of interalveolar septa with narrowing of alveolar sacs, loss of microvilli and laceration of type 11 pneumocytes, disorganized cilia of terminal bronchioles. In group 111 the effect of azathioprine was less than that of group 11 there was less narrowing of the alveolar spaces, less cellular infiltration both type 1 and type 11 pneumocytes and Clara cells were nearly similar to those of control. Administration of ginger prior to azathioprine therapy had a protective effect against the pulmonary injury induced by azathioprine on adult male rats

possible toxic effect of different doses of Nigella sativa oil on the histological structure of the liver and renal cortex of adult male albino rats

Nigella sativa seeds are commonly known as black seed or black cumin. It has been used for thousands of years as a spice and food preservative and also as a protective and curative remedy for numerous disorders. Our research aimed to study the possible toxic effect of different doses of N. sativa oil on the liver and kidney. Twenty-one adult male albino rats were used and divided equally into three groups. The first group was the control group. The second and third groups received the oil in two gradually increasing doses of 15 and 25 ml/kg, respectively, for 1 month. The animals were then sacrificed and samples of liver and kidney were taken and prepared for histological examination. In the kidney of group II there was epithelial shedding and necrosis of some cells of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules, but there was no effect on renal glomeruli. In contrast, in group III there was glomerular injury in the form of degeneration of the tuft of capillaries, ill-defined basement membrane, and destruction of endothelial cells, in addition to tubular necrosis. In group II there was minimal effect on the liver in the form of perivascular cellular infiltration; in group III was seen a markedly vacuolated foamy cytoplasm of hepatocytes, with dilated sinusoids and perivascular cellular infiltration. In conclusion, large doses of N. sativa oil have toxic effects on the histological structure of the kidney and to a lesser degree on the liver. Therefore, Nigella oil should be used in proper doses, and further studies on the effect of large doses of oil are recommended

possible protective role of curcumin on the toxic effect of nicotine in the lung of adult male mice: histological study

Nicotine is an alkaloid that is responsible for most of the dangerous effects of cigarette smoking on the human body. Curcumin is a component of turmeric that is a yellow spice derived from the plant Curcuma longa and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimalignant properties. The aim of this work is to study the protective role of curcumin against the cytotoxic effect of nicotine on the lungs of adult male mice using light and electron microscopes. Thirty adult male mice were used in this study. They were divided into three groups. The first group was considered as the control, the second group received a subcutaneous injection of nicotine at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day for 1 month, and the third group received a subcutaneous nicotine injection at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day and oral curcumin at a dose of 80 mg/kg/day for 1 month. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and specimens of the lungs were extracted and processed for examination by light and electron microscopy. In the nicotine-treated group, thickening of the interalveolar septa with narrowing of air spaces was observed, thick abnormal elastic fibers and many collagenous fibers were deposited in lung interstitium, and an apparent increase in the number of pneumocytes type 11 cells with exhausted lamellar bodies was observed. Concomitant administration of nicotine and curcumin resulted in partial recovery from these toxic effects. Curcumin can be used to decrease the harmful effects of nicotine on the lungs in both active and passive smokers

Comparative study on the effect of long-term administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs meloxicam and ketoprofen on the structure of the kidney and gastric mucosa in the adult albino rats

Ketoprofen is a widely used drug related to the group of the traditional non selective non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs [NSAIDs]. Meloxicam is related to the group of the cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2] selective inhibitors which is a newer version of NSAIDs. To demonstrate and compare the effects of long-term administration of meloxicam and ketoprofen on the structure of the kidney and gastric mucosa in the healthy adult rats. A total number of 36 adult male albino rats were used in this study. They were equally divided into three groups. Group I was considered as a control. Group II included the rats treated with ketoprofen in a dose of 1mg/kg orally once daily for 10 weeks by a gastric tube, Group III included the rats treated with meloxicam in a dose of 0.2 mg/kg orally once daily for 10 weeks via gastric tube. At the end of the experiment animals were sacrificed and specimens of the kidney and stomach were processed for light and scanning electron microscopic studies. Some kidney specimens were also processed to be studied by transmission electron microscopy. The diameter of renal corpuscles was measured in the three studied groups and statistically analyzed. In ketoprofen treated rats [group II] the renal corpuscles exhibited marked shrinkage of glomeruli. Many renal tubules appeared to be lined with damaged epithelium. Ultrastructural study of the lining cells of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules revealed that the degenerative changes involved both the nucleus and the cytoplasmic organelles. The interstitial tissue had focal areas of fibrosis. In the meloxicam treated rats [group III], there was little shrinkage of the glomeruli. However, the interstitial tissue showed heavy cellular infiltration. SEM study revealed an enlargement of the processes of the podocytes with loss of their pedicles. The gastric mucosa in group II showed an extensive damage to the surface epithelial cells in the form of ulcers while in group III there was patchy areas of epithelial destruction. This study demonstrated that long-term administration of COX-2 selective inhibitors exerted deleterious effects on the kidney comparable to those exerted by the nonselective NSAIDs. However, their damaging effect on the gastric mucosa appeared to be less than the nonselective NSAIDs but it was not abolished

Serum P.S.A level in clinical prostatitis

This work is an attempt to find out a practically applicable correlation between the changes of serum [P.S.A] in patients with symptomatic, clinical Prostatitis [acute and chronic] and the natural history of the disease. A total of 45 cases, age ranges 22-47 years and U/S prostate volume ranges 18-30 ml, 8 cases of acute prostatitis [A.P], 14 cases chronic bacterial prostatitis [C.B.P], and 23cases of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis [N.B.P]. Medical therapy for 6 weeks to all patients, and Serum [P.S.A] was measured at presentation then 3 and 6 weeks after starting medical therapy, and the degree of serum [P.S.A] elevation was assigned as mild [>the age-specific range but < 4 ng/ml], moderate [from 4 to 10 ng/ml] and significant [>10 ng/ml].All patients have attended follow-up for 9-12 months to evaluate for clinical relapse. Using the Age-Specific reference range; at presentation Serum [P.S.A] was elevated in 25 patients [55.6 percent of the total], it includes all cases of [A.P], 8 out of 14 cases of [C.B.P] and 9 out of 23 cases of [N.B.P]. The elevation was mild in 13 cases, moderate in 8 cases and significant in 4 cases. After 3-6 weeks of medical [antibiotics] treatment, serum [P.S.A] has decreased to the normal range in 21 out of the 25 cases [84 percent] and it was associated with significant clinical improvement during 9-12 months. Although clinical improvement and no growth cultures of the Expressed Prostatic Secretion [E.P.S] are achieved within 1-2 weeks of treatment, substantial reduction or normalization of [P.S.A] isn't achieved before 3-6 weeks of therapy; and it may be a better indicator regarding control of the inflammatory process and a hallmark of infrequent clinical relapse

Percutaneous drainage versus surgery for treatment of hepatic hydatid cysts

Percutaneous drainage of hydatid cyst is relatively new; and data related to it are limited. The aim of this study was to compare the results of percutaneous aspiration of hepatic hydatid disease and surgical cystectomy with respect to effectiveness and safety. Between September 1998 and April 2001, 24 hepatic hydatid cysts in fifteen patients were treated with percutaneous drainage using one stage drainage technique under ultrasonographic guidance; while 21 cysts in another fifteen patients were treated with surgical cystectomy. The mean observation time was twelve months in both group of patients. Thorough history taking and clinical examinations for all the patients, abdominal ultrasonographic and occasionally CT abdomen, intradermal skin test for hydatid and serum IgG antibodies to E. granulosus were measured by ELISA and to prevent secondary dissemination all patients received Albendazol in dose of 10 mg/kg/body weight daily four weeks before and after procedure in both groups. Follow-up examination showed progressive shrinkage and solidification of cyst which was comparable in both groups. The mean hospital stay was significantly shorter in percutaneous group. Complications were mild and no fatal complications were reported. The most common complication was fever occurred in 5/15 [33.3%] and 3/15 [20%] patients at surgical and drainage groups respectively, urticura occurred in 2/15 [13.3%] at drainage group only anaphylaxis in 2/15[13.3%] and 1/15[6.7%]; recurrance in [6.7%] and [13.3%]; cyst infection in [6.7%] in both groups recpectively.Also peritonitis occurred only in one patient of surgery group. No patient in either group developed shock, biliary rupture or local dissemination. The ecchinococcal antibody titer fell progressively and at the last follow-up visit it was negative in 73.3% and 53.3% of drainage and surgery group respectively. The present study concluded that percutaneous drainage of uncomplicated hepatic hydatid cysts was effective and can be performed safely and it should be a good alternative to surgery for treatment of uncomplicated hydatid cyst and more experience should be gained by dealing with such cases in the presence of specialized center and cooperative medical team