Histological study on the role of ginger against cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity in albino rats

Chemotherapy with cisplatin has adverse effects on spermatogenesis. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating the protective role of ginger against cisplatin-induced testicular toxicity in male albino rats. Twenty-four adult albino rats were used in this study. They were divided into three groups. The first group served as the control group; the second group was injected with cisplatin [12 mg/kg once]; and the third group was injected with cisplatin [12 mg/kg once] and then given ginger [310 mg/kg orally] for 26 days. Testicular specimens were processed for light microscopic examination using H and E. Other specimens were processed for electron microscopic examination. Cisplatin had damaging effects on the seminiferous tubules. Some areas of the tubules showed complete depletion of germ cells. Other areas showed some spermatogonia or primary spermatocytes. Sertoli cells showed a variable degree of degenerative changes in the form of destruction of cellular processes and cell junction. Interruption of the nuclear envelope of spermatids and loss of intercellular bridges were noticed. Treating with ginger resulted in normal Sertoli cells and cell junctions. The germ cells lining the tubules were more or less normal except for some intercellular vacuolations. The use of ginger has some protective effects on the testicular structure; hence, a larger number of experiments with higher doses of ginger or longer administration period could be beneficial for patients taking chemotherapeutic drugs

Subacute subchronic toxicity of formaldehyde by inhalation in male albino rats: histopathological and image analysis studies on nasal mucosa

This study aimed to evaluate the inhalation toxicity to the nasal epitheliumof rats, formaldehyde [HCHO] at a high concentration for both short andmoderate periods. 24 adult male albino rats were exposed to a concentrationof 30 ppm formaldehyde vapor during 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for successive 4,8 and 12 weeks, respectively. Histopathological examination as well asassessment of the DNA content of mucosal nuclei using the computerized imageanalysis [IA] system were both done. Histopathological examination revealedthat the aldehyde produced both involutional changes, such as erosion andatrophic epithelium, and proliferative reactions, such ashyperplastic-metaplastic as well as dysplastic lesions. Furthermore, all thelesions elaborated diploid histograms with variable degree of statisticallysignificant increases of mucosal cells at the S- phase compared with thecontrol. Therefore, the results indicated that there was an increasedreactivity of the nasal mucosal cells towards formaldehyde vapor

Effect of acute lead intoxication on the ultrastructure of the peripheral blood and bone marrow of male albino rats

Forty adult male albino rats were used in the current study [control rats n =20, 10 rats per each experimental group, group 1 - experimental "after 3 hoursof injection", and group 2 - experimental" after 6 hours of injection" n =10]. The experimental groups were injected intraperitoneally with a singledose of lead acetate, 150 mg/kg body weight dissolved in distilled water. Retro-orbital blood was sampled for the determination of blood lead level,complete blood count, and differential leucocytic count. In addition, bloodand bone marrow samples were obtained for transmission electron microscopicstudies from ten randomly chosen animals. Blood lead levels showed asignificant increase in both group 1 and group 2. Red blood cells countshowed a nonsignificant decrease in both experimental groups, while the totalleucocytic count showed a nonsignificant increase. Hemoglobin concentrationand platelet count decreased in both experimental groups, but this decreasewas significant only in group 2. Hypersegmentation of the neutrophilicnucleus was observed in both experimental groups. The ultrastructuralalterations such as irregular nuclei, occasional nuclear pockets, the presenceof cytoplasmic vacuoles containing inclusions, dilatation of rough endoplasmicreticulum cisternae were most clearly expressed in some neutrophils of group 2. Furthermore, electron dense nuclear inclusions, with a densecenter and outer fibrilly zone, together with dilated nuclear membrane werepresented among the erythroid cell series. Besides, bizarre shaped ordeformed red cells were also seen. Platelets showed hypo-granularity withdilated open canalicular system [OCS] and satellitism