Estimation of vitamin C human protective dose for acetaminophen toxicity, using acute animal toxicity study

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the main cause of fulminant hepatic failure. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant with protective potentials against APAP toxic damage. In this animal study, and after an LD50 determination and selection of suitable lethal dose, the investigation was done to select a proper protective dose of vitamin C against lethal APAP dose. All 6 animal groups received a lethal dose of APAP (3250 mg/kg), group II, III and IV received 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg vitamin C respectively, group V received 1200 mg/kg N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), and group VI receive 1000 mg/kg vitamin C and 1200 mg/kg NAC. Mortality was recorded and liver histopathology was carried out. The results showed, the mortality rate in the group I was 68.75% and 37.5%, 31.25% in group II and III respectively, while group IV Showed a higher mortality rate and in group V and VI it was 25%. There was also a gradual reduction in the grade of histopathological damage in all groups, ranging from 2.4 ± 0.55 in group I to 0.4 ± 0.55 in group V and VI. In conclusion, vitamin C showed an increasing reduction in mortality and more histopathological protection, and it was more significant at 1000 mg/kg. NAC adds no more protection or reduction in mortality. The estimated protective dose of vitamin C was 700 to1127 mg for each gram of APAP. Incorporation of this dose of vitamin C with APAP preparations may be considered as a promising method for reducing mortality or severity of APAP intoxication

Evaluation of the Wound Healing Potential of Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra: An Experimental Animal Study and Histopathological Examination

The wound healing potential of the aerial parts of Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra (Hypericaceae) was evaluated using an in vivo excision wound model in rats. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into seven groups; blank vehicles (olive oil and petroleum jelly), negative control, treatments [H. triquetrifolium ethanolic extract in petroleum jelly (5% and 10%) and H. triquetrifolium olive oil macerate (100 and 200 g/L)], and positive control (MEBO). Treatments were applied topically once daily until the wounds had completely healed. Wound areas and contraction rates were calculated, and full-thickness samples of the healed skin were collected for histopathological examination. H. triquetrifolium ointment (5%) showed the best wound healing activity with statistically significant differences when compared with the MEBO, petroleum jelly, and the negative control groups. Tissue sections were histopathologically examined in terms of re-epithelialization, granulation tissue development, collagen deposition, inflammatory cell infiltration, angiogenesis, and ulcer formation to support the in vivo excision wound model findings. H. triquetrifolium ointment (5%) showed the best histopathological scores in both re-epithelialization and ulcer formation. For quality control purposes, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to quantify key marker compounds in the extract, namely hypericin and rutin which showed a content of 0.64% and 4.46% (w/w), respectively. Based on the experimental results, H. triquetrifolium ointment (5%) exhibits remarkable wound healing properties at various stages of the wound healing process. Further investigations to prove its safety and efficacy in different types of wounds and to uncover its cellular mechanisms are warranted.This work was funded by the Deanship of Research, Jordan University of Science and Technology (Grant number: 122/2017), and Qatar University

Enzootski nazalni adenokarcinom u malih preživača u Jordanu

Enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA) is a viral-associated tumor of the secretory epithelium of the nasal passages of small ruminants. The tumor is locally invasive but not metastatic. Although disease prevalence (up to 15%) and geographic distribution have been reported in the literature throughout most of the world (except Australia and New Zealand), the disease has until now remained unreported in Jordan. In this report, we describe the occurrence, clinical signs, radiographic signs and pathological features of the disease in a series of cases in Awassi sheep (3 cases) and Damascus breed goats (2 cases) for the first time in Jordan. Overall, the affected animals were adults (3-5 years of age), all females, with variable degrees of facial and nasal deformities resulting in difficulty in respiration. Radiographic examination of the skull revealed soft tissue density mass originating in the nasal turbinate and invading the surrounding nasal structures. Cytological examination of fine needle aspirate indicated low-grade carcinoma. All animals were humanely euthanized and the nasal passages were explored. Variable size masses were removed and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma.Enzootski nazalni adenokarcinom (ENA) je tumor sekrecijskog epitela nazalnih putova etiološki povezan s virusom u malih preživača. Tumor je lokalno invazivan, ali ne metastazira. Premda postoje izviješća o njegovoj pojavnosti (do 15 %) i geografskoj rasprostranjenosti gotovo u cijelom svijetu (osim Australije i Novog Zelanda), u Jordanu je ostao nezamjećen. U ovom radu opisana je pojavnost, klinički znaci, rendgenološki nalazi i patološke promjene tog tumora u nizu slučajeva u Awassi pamine ovaca (3 slučaja) i pasmine koza damask (2 slučaja) prvi puta u Jordanu. Općenito, životinje s tumorom bile su odrasle (u dobi od 3-5 godina), sve su bile ženke s različitim stupnjevima deformacija lica i nosa, koje su rezultirale otežanim disanjem. Rendgenološkim pregledom lubanje otkrivena je masa mekane gustoće tkiva koja je potjecala iz nazalne školjke, a koja invadira okolne nazalne strukture. Citološkom pretragom aspirata tkiva pomoću tanke igle, otkrivena je niska invazija karcinomom. Sve su životinje eutanazirane sukladno s etičkim normama, a nosni putovi su pregledani. Mase tkiva različite veličine bile su uklonjene, a histopatološka pretraga je potvrdila dijagnozu enzootskog nazalnog adenokarcinoma

Comparative study of foot and mouth disease in apparently healthy Awassi sheep using different diagnostic tests in Jordan

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an extremely contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed domesticated as well as wild animals and has a great potential for causing severe economic losses. Four hundred blood samples were collected randomly from different sheep flocks from august to September 2010 from northern region of Jordan. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of FMD in apparently healthy Awassi sheep and com- pared the hematological changes of those infected animals with their normal uninfected counterparts. The prevalence of FMD was 3%, 4.25% and 51% by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nested PCR and competitive ELISA, respectively. There was significant increase in packed cell volume and eosinophils percentage in FMD positive group by ELISA. There were no significant differences in the other hematological parameters examined. In general FMD is endemic and widely spread among apparently healthy Awassi sheep that affects the economical progress in Jordan and other countries. This needs an international intervention to stop and control this disease

Curcumin is comparable to metformin for the treatment of PCOS in rats: a preclinical study

Background: Ploy cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological disorder affecting between 4–20% of females worldwide. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric (Curcuma longa Zingiberaceae) is a yellow polyphenol with a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties. Methods: Letrozole was used to induce PCOS in female Wistar rats. Curcumin, metformin, or a combination of both was given to assess their therapeutic effects. Body weight, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and glucose levels were measured after disease induction and at the conclusion of treatment. Additionally ovarian histomorphology was examined after sacrificing the animals and removal of the ovaries. Results and conclusion: Weight was significantly reduced in the curcumin, metformin and curcumin and metformin combination groups. Testosterone was decreased, progesterone was increased, and normal ovarian morphology was restored in the three groups. Conclusions: curcumin is therapeutically effective for PCOS and is comparable to metformin

Tumors of the reproductive tract of sheep and goats: A review of the current literature and a report of vaginal fibroma in an Awassi ewe

Aim: This study aimed to provide a summary of all online available literature of published clinical and histopathological data regarding tumors affecting the reproductive tract of female sheep and goats. In addition, a detailed description of the clinical history, clinical findings, and gross and histopathological findings of one case of vaginal fibroma in an adult Awassi sheep is provided for the first time. Materials and Methods: Internet search engines such as PubMed, ResearchGate, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were used to collect all published articles in refereed journals from 2000 to 2018 regarding tumors and tumor-like lesions involving the reproductive tract of ewes and does. Results: There are six published papers in sheep and nine in goats reporting various malignant and non-malignant tumors involving different parts of the reproductive tract. The most commonly diagnosed tumors of the reproductive tract were leiomyoma (six cases), adenocarcinoma (six cases), leiomyosarcoma (three cases), adenoma (one case), squamous cell carcinoma (one case), and metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma (one case). The most common sites of tumor formation were the uterus (10 cases), vulva/vagina (five cases), ovaries (four cases), cervix (four cases), and Bartholin's gland (one case). All affected animals were aged females (older than 3 years of age). In both ewes and does, the most frequently reported clinical symptoms were chronic weight loss, pyometra, hydrometra, vaginal bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharges, straining, pollakisurie, ascites, and abdominal distension. Conclusion: Tumors of the reproductive organs in sheep and goats are not uncommon and should be considered in the differential diagnoses in cases with poor reproductive function

Laboratory findings of tracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage in normal adult dairy cattle

Tracheal Wash (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) are not well documented in adult cattle and published studies were undertaken on diseased animals aiming at isolating the causative agent of respiratory diseases. This study was undertaken to establish the normal cytological and microbiological findings of TW and BAL in normal adult cattle and compare between the laboratory analysis findings of both techniques. Eighteen healthy adult cattle were divided into two groups. BAL was completed the first group (n = 10) and TW was completed the second group (n = 8). Normal cytological findings of TW in healthy adult cattle were found to be primarily neutrophils (42.7 ± 35.7)% intermixed with lower numbers of columnar epithelial cells (26.2 ± 34.8)%, alveolar macrophages (14.7 ± 15.4)%, squamous epithelial cells (10 ± 28.6)%, lymphocytes (6.8 ± 16.1)% and rarely seen eosinophils (0.1 ± 0.0)% with a total cell count of 457 ± 310.1 cells/µl. Cytological findings of BAL were found to be mainly alveolar macrophages (94.3 ± 3.9)%, intermixed with lower number of neutrophils (4.3 ± 3.9)% and lymphocytes (1.3 ± 1.2)% and rarely seen eosinophils (0 ± 0.1)% with a total cell count of 238 ± 169 cells/µl. There are remarkable differences in TW and BAL cytological findings and the degree of contamination was higher in TW samples than that seen in BAL lavage