Toxic effects of ackee oil (Blighia sapida L) following subacute administration to rats

Subacute intraperitoneal administration of the lipid portion of the unripe ackee arillus, referred to as "ackee oil", resulted in marked neutropenia (p<0.001) and increase in platelets (p<0.01) without anaemia, in rats. Blood urea, sodium amd aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly decreased but glucose and bilirubin levels were similar to those of controls. The lungs showed areas of petechial haemorrhaghes and a dose-related perivascular and peribronchial mononuclear cell infiltration. The pulmonary toxicity may be interpreted as a hypersensitive reaction to ackee oil. Further research is in progress on the neutropenic effects of ackee oil. (AU)

The anatomy of the inguinal region and canal

The objective of this booklet is to assist the student in learning the normal anatomy of the inguinal region and canal and the mechanisms which normally prevents hernia in this region.

The direct determination of porosity in human vertebral trabecular bone samples: a study of 49 post-mortem cases

A procedure for the determination of vertebral trabecular bone "Porosity" is described. The method employs the determination of the volume of trabecular bone tissue by means of displacement in organic solvent. Data from 49 post-mortem subjects is presented and shows that some 16 percent of this group have a bone porosity level 50 percent or more below that of normal mature bone (AU)

Gross and microscopic anatomy of the biliary tract of the ferret

The gross and microscopic anatomy of the biliary tract of the ferret was studied. The liver consisted of six separate lobes. The coronary ligament was not present. Histologically, it was very similar to that of man. The gall-bladder was present and was a pear-shaped sac. Its muscle coat was very thick and well developed. Hepatic ducts were multiple. Minor hepatic ducts formed three major ducts, the left, central and the right. A single common hepatic duct was not present. The cystic duct generally rose from the central duct. The bile duct was formed by the union of three major hepatic ducts. The pancreas consisted of two limbs, the left and the right. Each limb was drained by a duct which joined and formed a short main pancreatic duct. An accessory pancreatic duct extending from the duct of the left limb of the pancreas was usually present. The main pancreatic duct joined the bile duct nearly at right angles prior to the entry into the duodenum. Both ducts entered through the same osteum and coursed together. They ended in a common ampulla which opened into the major duodenal papilla situated at about 2.75 cm from the pylorus. The sphincter of Oddi was present and was very similar in disposition to that of man. The sphincter choledochus (of Boyden) was well developed. An accessory pancreatic duct was usually present. It opened into the duodenum at a minor papilla which was not prominent. The minor papilla was situated proximal and medial to the major papilla. Mast cells were not seen in the connective tissue sheaths of the liver, gall-bladder and pancreas (AU)

Gross and microscopic anatomy of the major salivary glands of the ferret

The gross and microscopic anatomy of the major salivary glands of the ferret was studied. There were 5 pairs of major salivary glands, parotid, submandibular, sublingual, molar and zygomatic. They were of compound tubuloacinar type and consisted of numerous lobes and lobules. The parotid gland was grossly similar to the parotids in other mammals but histologically it was seromucous as in the carnivores dog and cat. The parotid duct opened into the vestibule of the mouth opposite the upper third premolar tooth. The submandibular gland was single on each side, oval in shape and cervical in position. Histologically it was entirely mucous. The submandibular duct opened at a sublingual papilla in the oral cavity at the side of the frenulum of the tongue. The sublingual gland was the smallest of the major salivary glands. It was single on each side and lay deep to the digastric muscle. It opened by several small ductules into the submandibular duct. It was mainly mucous and did not contain intercalated and striated ducts. The molar gland was located superficially near the angle of the mouth. It was irregularly pyramidal and opened by several small ducts into the vestibule opposite the lower molar teeth. It was predominantly mucous. There were no intercalated or striated ducts. The zygomatic gland was present deep to the masseter and related to the orbit in the infratemporal fossa. The gland opened by several small ducts into the vestibule opposite the upper molar teeth. It was also predominantly mucous and there were no intercalated or striated ducts (AU)

Morphological and histological study of the gastro-intestinal tract of the ferret

The morphology and histology of the post-pharyngeal part of the gastro-intestinal tract of the ferret were studied. The oesophagus was a distensible muscular tube. Its mucosa was lined by keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium. The muscle coat was striated throughout except near the cardia. A cardiac sphincter was present. The stomach was morphologically and histologically very similar to that of man. The duodenum appeared C-shaped and had a mesoduodenum. The bile and pancreatic ducts formed a common duct in the wall of the duodenum. The sphincter of Oddi was present. Brunner's glands were present in the pyloric part of the stomach, and up to the common opening of the bile and pancreatic ducts in the duodenum. The intestine could be differentiated macroscopically and microscopially into the small and large intestines. The small intestine distal to the duodenum formed coiled tubes suspended by a mesentery. It was not possible morphologically to differentiate jejunum and ileum. Histologically, however, the distal portion was identifiable as ileum by increasing numbers of goblet cells, and Peyer's patches in the submucosa. Villi were present in the mucosa throughout but there was no spiral or circular fold. The larg intestine was a straight dilated tube lying in the left flank and extending from the splenic flexure to the anus in the median plane. It was suspended by a short mesocolon except for the rectal portion in the pelvis. The ileo-colic junction was differentiated morphologically and histologically. There was no caecum, appendix, taeniae coli or appendices epiploicae. The large intestine was not differentiated topographically into ascending, transverse and descending colon (AU)