Mnemonic and histopathological assessment of the neuroprotective effects of Murraya koenigii leaves extract in rats with partial global cerebral ischaemia

Preclinical studies have reported that Murraya koenigii leaves (MKL) could enhance memory. MKL is also known for its antioxidant activity. The current study was to assess the possible neuroprotective potential of MKL methanolic extract in a two vessel occlusion (2VO) rat model of partial global cerebral ischaemia. Methods: Rats were divided into memory and learning groups. Each group was subdivided into sham control, untreated 2VO and MKL-treated 2VO subgroups. The Morris water maze test was implemented to assess the rats’ cognitive function postoperatively. Brain samples were histopathologically examined for viable neurons within the CA1 hippocampal region. Results: Water maze test findings showed that MKL positively improved memory and learning impairments. However, this improvement in memory test for the treated group was still significantly inferior to that of the healthy control group. Additionally, MKL treated group exhibited insignificant difference in the number of viable hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons from that of the untreated 2VO group, whereas both MKL treated and untreated 2VO groups showed significantly less viable neurons when compared with the control group. Conclusion: MKL extract modestly improved memory without providing substantial neuroprotective action to the hippocampal neurons in rats with chronic partial global cerebral ischaemia

The effect of Aqueous Olive Leaves Extract on the Pancreatic Islets of Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes Mellitus in mice

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of the aqueous crude extract of Olea europaea on serum glucose level and histopathological changes in islets of Langerhans in an induced-diabetic mellitus in mice. The experimental recommended 60 male mice were divided into three groups contained 20 mice each. The fi rst group was the control and they were given normal saline pH 7.0. The second group was intraperitoneally injected by a dose of 100mg/Kg of STZ and 10% glucose instead of normal drinking water over the 24 hours followed the treatment. The third group was injected intraperitoneally with 100mg/kg STZ and orally given 0.33g/ Kg aqueous extract of olive leaves everyday for four weeks. Blood specimens were collected, and the serum separated and stored at 4OC until it is used. The animals were dissected and the pancreatic tissues were obtained, the tissue specimens were fi xed in the Boun’s solution for 24 hr, and processed for histological studies. There was a signifi cant increase in blood glucose level of the STZ- diabetic mice by the fi rst week of injection with STZ in comparison with control group. A signifi cant decrease in blood glucose level occurred in the STZ-diabetic group treated with Olea europaea aqueous extract. Islets of langerhans are hypertrophied in the STZ-diabetic group and this hypertrophy showed a signifi cant increased in the average of islets size at the last week, while the treatment with Olea europaea aqueous extract showed a reduction of the islet size compared with the islets of the STZ –diabetic Mic

The effect of chronic khat consumption on sperm count and motility in parent mice and their offspring

Khat is considered a psychoactive drug and has many side effects on different parts of the body organs. In this study the effects of khat on sperm count and motility in parent mice and their offspring were investigated. Animals were divided into two groups, Group 1 (khat group) contained twelve male and twelve female mice, and they were given a daily dose of (50mg/kg) body weight khat extract by gastric gavage for four and eight weeks. Group 2 (control group) also contained twelve male and twelve female mice and received normal access of food and water. After four weeks of treatment, the males and females were allowed to mate and khat treatment continued for up to another four weeks. Twenty four male offspring from group 1 and group 2 were selected randomly and allowed to become mature. Male parent mice were killed at the 4th and 8th weeks of treatment, and their male offspring were killed when they reached maturity age (6-8weeks). Physiological examination of the sperm solution showed that there was a significant increase in sperm count and motility after 4 and 8 weeks of khat treatment, and in their adult offspring. Furthermore, histological changes were found in testicular sections of the adult male mice

The effect of flaxseed ethanolic extract on the structure of the kidney and the endocrine pancreas in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Background: The present investigation has been designed to study the possible protective effect of flaxseed extract on the structures of the endocrine pancreas and kidneys of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats for 30 days. Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups (n=8). Normal control group (NC); received distilled water orally, normal flaxseed group (NF); treated orally with (400 mg/kg) extract of flaxseed, diabetic control group (DC); treated with single intraperitoneal dose of STZ (60 mg/kg), diabetic flaxseed group (DF); diabetic rats treated with extract of flaxseed (400 mg/kg), diabetic glibenclamide group (DG); diabetic rats treated with (0.6 mg/kg) glibenclamide. Results: Histological observation of sections in pancreas in DC group revealed shrunken islets of Langerhans with degenerated and degranulated β-cells, vacuolations and congested capillaries while sections of kidneys showed shrinkage of some glomeruli and degeneration of others with wide urinary space and hydropic degeneration in some tubular epithelial cells, dilated tubules and cell debris scattered in tubular lumina. These pathological changes were ameliorated in the flaxseed extract and glibenclamide treated rats. Conclusions: It is concluded that flaxseed extract may represent a good alternative treatment for management of diabetes and its related complications such as diabetic nephropathy

Light and transmission electron microscopic study on the effect of contraceptive pills on the glomerulus and juxtaglomerular apparatus in mice

Light microscopic (LM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations were performed in the kidneys of oral contraceptive treated mice. Experimental groups were given 0.1 ml of olive oil containing 0.015 fraction of (Neogynon) tablet daily. Control groups were give olive oil alone. Five experimental and three control animals were scarifi ed after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 estrus cycles. Glomerulosclerosis, hyaline arteriopathy associated with focal areas of interstitial fi brosis were observed in the fi rst cycle. Mild hypertrophy of juxtaglomerular apparatus “JGA” appeared in the 3rd cycle with increased granularity of the JGCs. Proliferative-sclerosing stages of focal glomerulonephritis were observed and were more advanced in cycle twelve. By transmission electron microscope, there were slight changes in the glomeruli during cycle one. These evident gradually developed in cycle three, thus the glomeruli showed disordered capillary loop occlusion. In cycle six, capillary lumens were occluded by protuberance projection. There were hyperactivity and proliferation of mesangial cells and electron-dense material deposits in glomerular basal lamina; these deposits were accompanied with electron-lucent materials appeared in cycle 9 behind swelled mesangial cells indicating hyperactivity and proliferative cells which showed abundant RER and mitochondria. These lesions were correlated with hyper-granularity of JGCs and hypertrophied JGA. The JGGs appeared in cycle 12 as heterogenized size. These changes indicate that abuse of oral contraceptives is relatively unsafe, especially after long-term of high-dose usage

Assessment of neuroprotective potential of Tualang honey in alzheimer model of rat

Reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF) due to aging has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Experimentally, a condition of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion due to reduced CBF can be induced by permanent bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries (2-vessel occlusion, 2VO) in rats. Honey is a natural product that has been widely used since long time as a nutrient, for its therapeutic effects in traditional medicine, and recently as an antioxidant. Since oxidative stress leading to neuroinflammation, resulting in neuronal apoptosis and death, is one of the mechanisms which is thought to play a significant role in chronic degenerative neurological disorders, the present study was planned to assess the neuroprotective role of Honey in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced neurodegeneration. After acclimatization, thirty Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g were equally divided into three groups. Group A – sham control, Group B – 2VO, and Group C – 2VO-H (treated daily with Honey (1.2 g/kg freshly diluted with distilled water, orally by 30 gavage every morning following 2VO). At 10th week, all the rats were euthanized and the hippocampi were isolated. Viable neuronal cell were count in the hippocampal CA-1 region. The results showed damaged, distorted, irregular cells with shrunken cytoplasm and dark pykonotic nuclei in 2VO rats as compared to sham control (p<0.001). Treatment of rats with honey restored the hippocampal cells to their normal structure and revealed the reduced loss of neurons in 2VO+H rats as compared to untreated 2VO rats (p<0.001). This study shows that Malaysian tualang honey might have therapeutic potential for the treatment of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion related neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease

Histological findings of ascending urinary tract infections in experimental rats caused by Proteus mirabilis

Proteus mirabilis has previously been shown to be capable of persisting in the rat kidney for up to 8 weeks and induces many physiological changes following a single inoculation of the urinary bladder. The present study examined kidney tissue from infected animals for evi-dence of renal damage. The earliest histologic changes seen on the 2nd and 4th days, consisted of mild cellular sloughing and edema associated with mononuclear infiltration in the me-dulla and to a lesser extent in the cortex. On the 1st and following weeks, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and a mononuclear infiltrate had advanced in the renal parenchyma re-sulting in chronic pyelonephritis. The observed renal degenerations with a corresponding ascending bacterial infection in the intra-renal reflux suggest that Proteus mirabilis is capa-ble of producing chronic pyelonephritis in the rats after a single reflux challenge

Histopathological evaluation of skin wound in rabbits treated by systemic dexamethasone

Background: Healing of all damaged tissues including skin wounds have an identical pattern and depends on numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors, one of these factors is cortisone hormone. Aim of study: The present study was designed to show the effect of dexamethasone on skin wound healing. Materials and methods: Twelve rabbits were used, experimental group (7 rabbits) administrated 4 mg dexamethasone ten days prior to skin incision and control group (5 rabbits) had got skin incision. Biopsies were taken from two groups for histopathological evaluation. Results: control group shows proper wound healing includes epithelial growth migration that brought the wound edges to be close. Granulation tissue underneath the epithelium show to fill the incision gap represented by collagen fibers and fibroblast cells. The experimental group shows failure of epithelial wound edges to close and to be approximately in contact with absence of rete ridges. The main bulk tissue filled the incision gap is thick granulation tissue. Inflammatory cell with congested blood vessels can be detected. Conclusion: Prolonged use of dexamethasone or misuse of this drug impaired wound healing

The nephrotoxicity of concurrent use of enalapril and gentamicin in rats

Objective: The present study was aimed to assess the concurrent administration of Enalapril (ENAL) and Gentamicin (GM) in the kidney of rats. Methods: Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 main groups (n=15) according to the administered dose. Each main group was further subdivided into three subgroups according to the day of sacrificing (n=5). Group (C) was administered daily with normal saline as control, Group (E) was treated with oral ENAL, Group (G) was treated with 75 mg/kg GM, and Group (EG) was treated with GM and ENAL. The handling of the experiment persisted daily for 15 days, and the investigational examination carried out on days 5, 10, and 15. Results: The result showed that GM nephrotoxicity augmented with the period of the experimental study, there was rising in the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen on the 10th day and persisted in rising significantly during the period on the 15th day of the experiment. Administration of ENAL showed no significant alteration from those of controls. While the concurrent administration of ENAL and GM showed that ENAL gradually increased GM nephrotoxicity, these physiological retrogressions were accompanied with intensive renal histopathological deteriorations. Conclusion: The present study has revealed that the concurrent administration of ENAL enormously aggravated the functional and histological nephrotoxicity of GM in rats

Prevention of brain hypoperfusion-induced neurodegeneration in rat's hippocampus by black cumin fixed oil treatment

Introduction: The oil extract of black cumin seeds Nigella sativa (NSO) demonstrated considerable preservation of spatial cognitive functions in rats subjected to chronic brain hypoperfusion (CBH). The hippocampal CA1 region pyramidal cells are the earliest neurons suffering neurodegeneration following CBH. Objective: The current study was devoted to assess the protective effects of Nigella sativa (NSO) treatment on CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells of rats subjected to chronic brain hypoperfusion (CBH) that was achieved through permanent two vessel occlusion (2VO) procedure. Methods: Twenty four rats were equally divided into three groups; sham control, untreated 2VO and NSO treated group (2VO with daily oral NSO treatment. After the 10th postoperative week coronal sections of the hippocampus were collected for histopathological and electron microscopical examinations. Results: The number of viable pyramidal cells within CA1 hippocampal region in sham control and NSO treated groups was significantly higher than that of untreated 2VO group, while the difference was not significant when comparing the viable pyramidal cells number of sham control with NSO treated groups. Furthermore, 2VO group showed marked intracellular ultrastructural distortions that were less pronounced in NSO treated group. Conclusion: NSO displayed a robust potential to protect hippocampal pyramidal cells from CBH induced neurodegeneration putting forward its prospective neuroprotective activity against age related cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia