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

possible effect of green tea [catechin] on perinephric fat adipocytes of adult male albino rat after induction of obesity: a histological study

Green tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, and its antioxidant properties have been widely explored. Its active ingredients [polyphenols are believed to be responsible for most of green tea's roles in promoting good health Obesity and its associated metabolic disorders are an increasingly prevalent conditior in different societies. The aim of this research is to study the effect of diet-induced obesity on the histological structure of adipocytes and to evaluate the possible protective role of green tea. Forty adult male rats were divided into three groups. Group I rats [control group, n = 10] were given a balanced diet for 6 weeks. Group II rats [n = 10] were given a high-energy fatty diet for 6 weeks and served as the affected group. Group III rats [green tea group, n = 20] were divided into two subgroups. Subgroup IIIa rats [lowúdose group, n = 10] were given a high-energy fatty diet for 6 weeks and a low dose of green tea extract [325 mg/kg/day] by an oral tube for the last 4 weeks. Subgroup IIIb rats [high-dose group, n = 10] were given a high-energy fatty diet for 6 weeks and a high dose of green tea extract [500 mg/kg/day] by an oral tube for the last 4 weeks. After 6 weeks, the animals were weighed, killed, and specimens from perinephric fat were prepared for light microscopic [sudan III and osmic acid stains] and electron microscopic [transmission and scanning electron microscopic] studies. The mean area of unilocular fat cells [micrometer square] was measured and statistically studied. There was a significant increase in body weight and in marked adipocyte morphological and cytological changes [size of adipocytes, saturated fatty acids within fat cells, and increased mitochondrial content] in groups II and IIIa compared with the control group. Such effects were ameliorated by concomitant administration of high-dose green tea extract in group IIIb. It could be concluded that high-dose green tea extract is effective in lowering the increased body weight due to a high-energy fatty diet. Hence, it is advised to consider a high dose of green tea extract effective against diet-induced obesity through its effect on size and structure of adipocyte

Possible protective effect of gum arabic on experimentally induced gastric ulcer in adult male albino rats: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Peptic ulcer is a serious disease with a high incidence of occurrence in our community. Gum arabic [GA] is an edible, dried, gummy exudate from the stems and branches of Acacia senegal. It has been claimed to act as an antioxidant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of GA on stress-induced peptic ulcer in rats. In this study, 30 adult male rats were divided equally into three groups: the control group [group I], the stress ulcer group [group II], and the GA group [group III]; the GA group received GA 7.5 g/kg/day through an orogastric tube for 10 days. After 10 days, the rats were fasted for 24 h. Cold immobilization stress was induced in groups II and III. The animals of all groups were then anesthetized with diethyl ether, and their stomachs were isolated immediately, opened from the greater curvature, and washed with saline. Ulcer severity, ulcer score, and ulcer index were determined. Stomach specimens were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin for histological, hematoxylin and eosin, histochemical, Periodic Acid Schiff's [PAS], and Masson's trichrome stainings and for immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]. Pretreatment with GA significantly decreased the gastric lesions. Both ulcer severity and score were significantly decreased [32.8% and 39.58%, respectively] compared with the stress-untreated group. Ulcer index was significantly decreased [49%] compared with the stress group [P< 0.05]. The stress group showed atrophic gastric mucosa with loss of glandular tissue [hematoxylin and eosin], positive PAS reaction in the mucus neck cells, many collagen fibers between the atrophic glands, and moderate PCNA reaction in the glandular cells. In the GA group, there was nearly normal gastric mucosa with a small area of atrophied surface epithelium, PAS-positive reaction in surface and neck mucus cells, some collagen fibers between the near normal gastric glands, and mild PCNA reaction in the gland cells. It can be concluded that GA exerts a protective effect against stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats

Effect of famciclovir on the testes, sperms and chromosomes of albino rates; histological and cytogenetic study

Famciclovir is a widely used antiviral drug it has a potent and selective inhibitory effect on many human herpes viruses. Some side effects to the drug were reported by the Food and Drug Administration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histological effect of maximum therapeutic dose of famciclovir, antiviral drug, on the testes, sperms and chromosomes of albino rats. Forty male albino rats have been divided into four groups, ten rats for each. The first was served as a control group; the second was treated for 2 weeks with 135 mg/ kg b. w.t./ day. The third was treated for 4 weeks with the same dose; and the forth group was served as recovery group, where the animals were examined 4 weeks after stopping the drug. Rats were decapitate and testes specimens were taken and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. The sperms were examined for number, viability, motility and shape abnormalities. For chromosomal study, rats from each group were anaesthetized and the bone marrow cells were obtained by Rabello-Gay and Ahmed method. Microscopic examination of the testicular specimens, revealed, disorganized germinal epithelium with abnormal mitotic figures and apoptotic cells. Sperm analysis showed that sperm count, viability and motility were decreased and the sperm anomalies were increased. Chromosomal analysis of bone marrow cells showed many aberrations as chromosomal fragments, terminal chromatid deletions, ring chromosomes, chromosomal gaps, dicentric chromosomes, clumping of the chromosomes and polyploidy. All the former results were time dependent and reversible. The maximum therapeutic dose of famciclovir affect spermatogenesis and alter normal sperm parameters. There were also chromosomal aberrations which are time dependent and reversible. So it is preferred to avoid the maximum therapeutic dose and prolonged intake of the drug

Histological and histochemical study of the effect of levodopa on the neuro - endocrine cells of suprarenal medulla in adult male rabbit

Parkinsonism is the disease of nigrostriatal dopamine deficiency. The symptoms of the disease are due to central dopamine depletion. L-Dopa, is the most effective therapeutic agent presently available for treatment of parkinsonism. It is extensively decarboxylated in liver to dopamine [can't cross the blood brain barrier]. Only small amount reach the brain as L-DOPA through the blood brain barrier. Most of the peripheral effects are due to its pharmacologically active metabolite dopamine. However, the mechanism of these effects is still unknown. This work was performed to study the effect of L-DOPA as antiparkinsonian drug on the neuro-endocrine cells of the suprarenal gland. The study included four equal groups of adult male rabbits [10 in each]. The animals of the first two groups were given distilled water and served as controls. The animals of the last 2 groups were received 35mg/kg body weight/day of L-DOPA orally for two and six months respectively. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with Hx and E, Pascaul's stain, Singh modification of Masson Hamperl and chromaffin reaction for adrenaline, noradrenalin and dopamine. The results showed apparent crowdness and packing of the medullary cells exerted by the trophic action of the drug and its metabolites. There was also sinusoidal dilatation produced by direct action of the drug and its metabolite dopamine. With different stains; the neuro-endocrine cells progressively enlarged in size, apparently increased in number with increased intensity of their cytoplasmic granules. This explains their ability to uptake and decarboxylate amine precursors into amines. Their apparent increase in number and hormonal secretion may explain the causes of cardiac arrhythmia affecting the patients receiving this drug