Histological feature of the brain of albino rats in response to heroin administration

The present work was conducted to examine the extent of damage in the cerebral tissue of both pregnant rats and their fetuses as well as young rats in response to heroin administration. For this purpose, heroin was i. p injected in to pregnant rats at the dose levels of 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg b.wt. from the 5th to 20th day of gestation. On the other hand, heroin was i.p injected in to young rats daily at the dose levels of 0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg b.wt. for an overall duration of 6 week. In addition, the extent of recovery was investigated in the different experimental groups [pregnant and young rats]. Microscopical lesions were manifested in maternal cerebral tissue of rats given low dose as dilatation and congestion of blood vessels with highly cellular damage and severe haemorrhagic features. With the higher dose, in addition to previous lesions, cerebral infarctions underlying the ruptured capsules and progressive inflammations were evident. Histological lesions were detected in foetuese maternally treated with the low dose as haemorrhageic necrosis in addition to branched fibrils within cerebral tissue. When challenged with the higher dose, the above lesions were apparent in an aggravated from where sections had evidenced areas of infraction within marked degenerated cerebral tissue and highly destructed nerve cells. Moreover, histological lesions were present in young rats in the form of dilatation and congestion of the blood vessels during the earlier weeks later, lesions had progressed to focal necrosis intermixed with slightly degenerative areas. However, with the higher dose of heroin, cerebral tissue evidenced severe haemorrhagic areas, fatty degeneration, destruction of many nerve cells and branched fibrils. The end result was a severly damaged brain tissue with loss of normal architecture. No sings of recovery of the examined parameters were demonstrated in all examined groups

Teratological effects of zinc chloride on foetal development in albino rats

Pregnant female rats were subcutaneously injected daily with Zn Cl2 at the dose level of 0.25mg/kg b.wt from the first to the 20th day of gestation. The main characteristic effects of Zn Cl2 on the foetuses were loss of the average body weight, increased rate of growth retardation and diffusion of haematoma all over the body. Liver sections of maternally treated foetuses showed variable grades of degeneration. The nuclei of the hepatocytes have lost their vesicular appearance and the cytoplasm was vacuolated and rarefied. Moreover, necrotic areas, infiltrated by inflammatory cells were observed. The examined brain sections revealed different phases of histological alteration. The cerebral tissue had missed its normal architecture. Inflammatory cells, intermixed with fibrosis, had dominated most of the cerebral tissue. Also, slight degeneration was observed which had apparently progressed to distinct necrosis

Effect of morphine on the development of the chick

Studies of morphine sulfate have been focused on the morphological characteristics of hatching chicks. Morphine induced malformations of hind limbs [paralysis leg weakness and curled toes]. Other visible abnormalities such as alopecia, open umbilicus edema and dwarfed growth were seen. The growth rate of chicks from morphine treated eggs were reduced as compared to the control chicks [distilled water treated]. Also, histopathological features of the brains were examined Brain lesions were clear as inflammations, hemorrhagic exudates, necrosis and dilated blood vessels

Effect of lorazepam on liver and spleen of pre-hatching chick embryos

Histopathological effects of Lorazepam were evaluated on liver and spleen of prehatching chick embryos. Injections were performed after 24-hours of incubation by three different experimental doses 0.001, 0.003 and 0.006 mg lorazepam/egg. The liver showed fine vacuolated hepatocytes with a very uniform homogeneous cytoplasm as well as swelling of cells fatty change, degenerative parenchymal cells and hepatic cells of the infiltrative type. Sections of spleen were represented by loss of regular pattern, vascular lesions and progressive depletion of white pulp