Curcumin and cinnamon mitigates lead acetate-induced oxidative damage in the spleen of rats

Lead toxicity is a common occupational and environmental health hazard that exerts many toxic effects on animals and humans, including immunotoxicity. Curcumin (CUR) and cinnamon (CIN) are common medicinal herbs with immunostimulatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study investigated the protective effect of curcumin and cinnamon against lead acetate (LA)-induced splenotoxicity in rats via hemato-biochemical, immunological, oxidative stress marker, CYP-2E1 expression, histological, and immunohistological evaluations. Four groups of seven rats each were used: the control group received corn oil as a vehicle; the lead acetate group received (100 mg/kg), the CUR + LA group received curcumin (400 mg/kg) plus lead acetate, and the CIN + LA group received cinnamon (200 mg/kg) plus lead acetate orally for 1 month. LA exposure induced macrocytic hypochromic anemia, leukocytosis, neutrophilia, monocytosis, and lymphopenia. Additionally, significant elevations in serum iron, ferritin levels, and transferrin saturation percentage with significant decline of total and unsaturated iron binding capacities (TIBC and UIBC), transferrin, and immunoglobulin G and M levels were recorded. In addition, lead acetate significantly upregulated splenic CYP-2E1 expression, that was evident by significant depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) activity and elevation of malondihyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and protein carbonyl (PC) concentrations in the spleen. Histologically, hyperplasia of lymphoid follicles, hemosiderin deposition, and disturbance of CD3 and CD68 immuno-expressions were evident in the spleen from the lead acetate group. However, curcumin and cinnamon administration restored the hemato-biochemical, immunological, and oxidative stress parameters as well as histological and immunohistological pictures toward normalcy. In conclusion, curcumin and cinnamon can partially ameliorate LA-induced oxidative damage in the spleen, possibly through their antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and gene-regulating activities

Histological study on the heart ventricle of Egyptian bovines (Bos aegyptiacus)

Background: The heart ventricles have thicker walls than atrium as they pump blood through blood vessels into all body organs.Aim: This study aimed to describe the histological changes of the heart  ventricles in Egyptian bovine (Bos aegyptiacus) with special reference to Purkinje fibers.Methods: A total of 10 male Egyptian bovines of 1–10 years old were  divided into three groups according to age; immature, mature, and adult animals.Results: The histological sections from all examined animals’ groups  revealed three different layers of the wall of both right and left ventricles; endocardium, myocardium, and epicardium. The endocardium was lined with endothelium and filled with fibrous connective tissue. The endocardium of adult bovine was the thickest. Purkinje fibers appeared of pale cytoplasm with few myofibrils. They were present in the deep layer of the endocardium and in the myocardium. The size of Purkinje fibers and the amount of their myofibrils appeared to be increased with advanced age. Bundles of cardiac muscles were the main constituent of the myocardium. The myocardial bundles were separated by fine connective tissue in immature animals that showed an increased amount in the adult animals. The hypereosinophilic cardiac muscle cells were observed in the ventricles of both mature and adult animals suggesting hypercontraction during rigor mortis. An external layer of the ventricles was the epicardium which consisted of connective tissue and covered with mesothelium.Conclusion: Overall, this study revealed histological changes in the wall of the ventricle and Purkinje fibers of Egyptian bovines (B. aegyptiacus) in relation to age. Additionally, the hypereosinophilia of the cardiac muscle cells was recorded in the ventricles of mature and adult bovines.Keywords: Bovine, Heart, Histology, Purkinje fiber, Ventricle.

Histological study on the heart ventricle of Egyptian bovines (Bos aegyptiacus)

Background: The heart ventricles have thicker walls than atrium as they pump blood through blood vessels into all body organs. Aim: This study aimed to describe the histological changes of the heart ventricles in Egyptian bovine (Bos aegyptiacus) with special reference to Purkinje fibers. Methods: A total of ten male Egyptian bovines of 1-10 years old were divided into three groups according to age; immature, mature and adult animals. Results: The histological sections from all examined animals’ groups revealed three different layers of the wall of both right and left ventricles; endocardium, myocardium and epicardium. The endocardium was lined with endothelium and filled with fibrous connective tissue. The endocardium of adult bovine was the thickest. Purkinje fibers appeared of pale cytoplasm with few myofibrils. They were present in the deep layer of endocardium and in the myocardium. The size of Purkinje fibers and the amount of their myofibrils appeared to be increased with advanced age. Bundles of cardiac muscles were the main constituent of the myocardium. The myocardial bundles were separated by fine connective tissue in immature animals that showed an increased amount in the adult animals. The hypereosiophilic cardiac muscle cells were observed in the ventricles of both mature and adult animals suggesting hypercontraction during rigor mortis. An external layer of the ventricles was the epicardium which consisted of connective tissue and covered with mesothelium. Conclusion: Overall, this study revealed histological changes in the wall of the ventricle and Purkinje fibers of Egyptian bovines (Bos aegyptiacus) in relation to age. Additionally, the hypereosionophilia of the cardiac muscle cells was recorded in the ventricles of mature and adult bovines