Toxic effects of lead exposure during gestation and lactation on testicular development in albino rat offspring: a hormonal and histopathological study

This study aims at exploring the effect of lead exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the rat testis, which was evaluated via light and electron microscopic examination of testicular tissue, besides estimation of serum follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH] and testosterone [TT] levels. Dams were intoxicated with 10 mg/kg body weight [BW]/day lead acetate throughout the gestational period and lactation. Pups were sacrificed on postnatal [PN] days 1 and 21. The weights of the body and testes, as well as serum gonadotropins and TT concentrations were significantly reduced in pups from lead-intoxicated mothers compared with their controls. Light microscopic examination of testicular samples from lead-exposed pups revealed thin-walled seminiferous tubules with significant reduction in their size. In addition, multiple vacuoles were seen within the tubules and in the interstitium, and the interstitial spaces appeared enlarged with reduced number of Leydig cells. Apoptotic bodies were found among the basal parts of the spermatogenic epithelium. Examination of testicular tissue from the same group by electron microscopy revealed more cellular details confirming the toxic effects of lead. The altered seminiferous tubules showed multiple cytoplasmic vacuoles and precipitates along the nuclear membranes in Sertoli cells. Several seminiferous tubules showed apoptotic cells with heterochromatic nuclei and dense cytoplasm, whereas other tubules appeared ensheathed by single layers of myoid cells. Leydig cells revealed cytoplasmic vacuolations and irregular nuclei with chromatin masses. The results of this study indicate that lead intoxication affected the normal development of germinal cells and disrupted the testicular structure and endocrinal functions

Comparative study between two obidoxime regimens in acute organophosphate toxicity among some Egyptian patients

Organophosphorus [OP] poisoning is commonly encountered in agricultural communities probably due to the easy accessibility to the insecticide. In vitro studies in animals and on human erythrocytes have suggested beneficial effects of oximes on reactivating acetylcholine esterase [AChE] enzyme. This study was a single blinded randomized clinical trial to investigate the comparative effectiveness of the World Health Organization [WHO] obidoxime regimen with recommended dose - 250 mg IV shot loading dose then infusion of 750 mg every 24 hours [high-continuous dose regimen] versus the regimen of National Egyptian Center of Toxicology and Research [NECTR], Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University with recommended dose 250 mg in 150 ml saline, IV infusion over one hour and repeated every 6 hours over a period of 24 hours from the time of admission [low-interrupted dose regimen]. Twenty normal individuals were recruited as control [group I], with their AChE enzyme level determined to assess the normal level in the population. Fourty patients exposed to OP and treated with the WHO obidoxime regimen were classified as group II. Fourty patients exposed to OP and treated with the NECTR obidoxime regimen were classified as group III. There were significantly higher percent of patients in group III with respiratory depression than in the patients of group II [p<0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences between the patients of group II and the patients of group III regarding all other signs and symptoms of OP poisoning as well as AChE enzyme levels in the first 12 hours [p>0.05]. After 12 hours from admission, the AChE levels were progressively and significantly higher in the patients of group II than the patients of group III until discharge [p<0.05]. The severity of respiratory failure, as measured by the need for ventilation and the number of ventilated patients were significantly. higher in the patients of group III than in the patients of group II [p<0.05]. The outcomes, such as the occurrence of respiratory depression and the number of deaths, were reduced in the patients of group II. There was statistically significant difference between the patients of group II and the patients of group III regarding the time of recovery [p<0.05]. There were no deaths between the patients of group II but one patient died from group III. This indicates that the WHO regimen [high-continuous dose regimen] is more effective than the NECTR regimen [low-interrupted dose regimen] in reactivating AChE enzyme, reducing the duration of hospital stay and the mortality rate and increasing the early recovery rate. Regarding the collected results of the present work, we recommend the use of the WHO obidoxime regimen

Effect of leflunomide on streptozotocin treated pancreas [islets of langerhans] of male albino rats: light and electron microscope study

This study was performed on 20 adult male albino rats weighing 200-250 g to investigate the histological changes of streptozotocin [STZ] treated pancreatic islets and to clarify the influence of leflunomide administration on STZ-treated pancreatic islets. The animals were classified into two groups; a control group [five animals] which was intraperitoneally injected with normal saline and the experimental group [15 animals] which was subdivided into three subgroups [A, B and C, five animals each]. Animals of subgroup A were daily intraperitoneally injected with STZ in a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight for five consecutive days and served as a diabetic subgroup and animals of subgroups B and C received STZ [as in subgroup A] and leflunomide once daily at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight orally for ten consecutive days. Animals of subgroup B received leflunomide from day 10 after the disease induction, while animals of subgroup C received leflunomide from the first day of the disease induction. The results were discussed