Gross, histological and histomorphometric studies on the thyroid gland of one humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) found in the semi-arid region of North Eastern Nigeria

Thyroid glands are endocrine glands present in all mammals and secretes thyroxin, triiodothyronine and calcitonin as its major hormones which plays important role in metabolism, regulation of energy and nutrient absorption, as well as calorigenesis and normal reproductive function. We studied the thyroid gland of one humped camel found in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. A total of 18 pairs of thyroid glands(10 female and 8 male) were randomly collected from apparently healthy camels’ slaughtered at the Maiduguri municipal abattoir and were used for the studies. Grossly, the thyroid glands of both the male and the female camel studied appeared reddish brown in colour and irregular in shape. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the weights and lengths of the male and female thyroid gland with the female higher than the male on both parameters. Histologically, the thyroid gland studied is covered by a thick fibrous connective tissue capsule and consists of numerous follicles of various sizes. Lining the follicles are squamous to low cuboidal cells with basally located round or spherical nucleus. The area of the nucleus of the male thyroid gland (380.06 ± 20.484μm) was slightly greater than that of the female (366.09 ± 29.45μm). For the epithelial height and follicular diameter, the female thyroid gland showed a slight increase (49.597 ± 1.459μm and 362.16 ± 21.820μm respectively) compare to the male (48.75 ± 1.414μm and 363.93 ± 21.624μm respectively). Presence of parafollicular cells and fibroblast in this gland were also noted.Keywords: Thyroid gland, parafollicular cells, colloid, gross, histomorphometric

Acute toxicity, oxidative stress response and clinicopathological changes in Wistar rats exposed to aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae leaves

Acute toxicity, oxidative stress damage and clinicopathological changes were investigated in Wistar rats exposed to the aqueous extract of Uvaria chamae leaves because of the widespread ethnomedicinal use of the plant in many parts of the world. The acclimatized rats were administration 10 mgkg−1, 100 mgkg−1 and 1000 mgkg−1 (Phase I) and 1600 mgkg−1, 2900 mgkg−1 and 5000 mgkg−1 of the extract (Phase II). We observed rats for signs of toxicity within the first 30 min, 1-h, 2-h, 3-h, 4-h, 12-h, 24-h and thereafter daily for 14 days. Body and organ weights of rats were also monitored and used as measures of toxicity. We evaluated the haematological, biochemical, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation as well as histopathological effects of the extract in experimental rats after day 14th of the exposure. Exposed rats showed no signs of toxicity. The median lethal dose of the extract was estimated to be above 5000 mgkg−1. We observed significant (p  0.05) differences in the haematological and biochemical profiles as well as in the antioxidant and lipid peroxidative activities of the extract in exposed rats. Similarly, no obvious histopathological changes were observed in exposed rats. Although the aqueous extract of U. Chamae leaves was apparently non-toxic to the exposed rats as demonstrated, there is still a need for further investigations of its prolonged use and at sub-chronic extract concentrations. Keywords: Uvaria chamae, Wistar rats, Toxicity, Oxidative stress, Clinicopatholog

Macro-anatomical investigations on the appendicular skeleton of the Barn owl (Tyto alba) found in Nigeria

No AbstractKeywords: Tyto alba, appendicular skeleton, foramina, domestication, Nigeri