Résumé
Introduction: Datura stramonium (DS) is a tropical ubiquitous shrub which is often used to increase intoxication in some beverages and is also freely used as a hallucinogen. It is a depressant of the central nervous system, yet commonly smoked in like manner tobacco. The present study investigated changes induced by intoxication with DS on the purkinje cells and parallel fibres of the cerebellum in Wistar rats to further elucidate the effects of this drug on cerebellar structure. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on both male and female Wistar rats (200-250 g). They were placed into three batches and four groups were derived from each batch, with eight animals per group. Ethanolic dried seed extract of DS was diluted in normal saline and administered intraperitoneally (I.P.) at a dose of 750mg/kg and given to the treatment groups: once in batch 1, twice in batch 2, twelve hourly and thrice in batch 3, eight hourly per day respectively for 4 weeks, while the control groups received an equivalent of normal saline. The rats were euthanized and sections of the cerebellum were histologically processed in all groups. Silver impregnation stain for degenerating axons and neurons was used to elucidate the actions of DS on purkinje cells and the parallel fibres of the cerebellum. Results: The result of IP administration of DS extract (750 mg/kg) given three times daily to the treated rats showed significant histological changes, which included atrophy of the parallel fibres but no significant changes in the purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Conclusions: Intoxication of DS seed as a result of excessive ingestion may have a selective degenerative effect on the parallel fibres of the granule cells of the cerebellum while the purkinje cells are spared; the implication being motor dysfunction.
Résumé
Background: The tibial and common peroneal nerves are dorsal and ventral divisions of the ventral rami of L4 to S3 of the lumbosacral plexus that join to form the sciatic nerve. The two nerves are structurally separate and supply the posterior compartment of the thigh, the leg and the foot. The point of bifurcation or separation of the sciatic nerve into tibial and common peroneal nerve varies. The common site is at the junction of the middle and lower third of the back of the thigh, near the apex of the popliteal fossa, but division may occur at any point above this. It may also rarely occur below it. The variations in the bifurcation of the sciatic nerve have clinical implications. They may result in nerve injury during deep intramuscular injections in the gluteal region, sciatica, piriformis syndrome etc. This study is to report the variations of the bifurcation in the sciatic nerve found in the cadaveres from Ethiopia, and discuss the clinical implications of such variations. Conclusion: We conclude from this study that the bifurcation of the sciatic nerve could occur high up in the gluteal region in relation to the piriformis muscle and may present clinical challenges in patient management.
Résumé
Knowledge of the existence of the aberrant renal arteries is important because they may be inadvertently damaged during renal surgery and their presence must be considered in evaluating a donor kidney for possible renal transplantation. Using conventional dissecting techniques, the posterior abdominal wall was dissected in a 45years old embalmed male cadaver in the gross anatomy dissecting laboratory of college of health Sciences Ayder Campus Mekelle University Ethiopia. Following the fine dissection, we noticed an aberrant right renal artery (accessory renal artery) originated from the abdominal aorta at the level of L3 vertebra, besides the normal renal artery that arises high up at the level of L1, L2. This accessory renal artery does not have a parallel course with the normal renal artery, it course upward and laterally to the inferior pole of the right kidney which it pierces, However there was no such observation on the left