Effect of aluminum chloride on the hippocampus of adult rats and the possible protective role of Nigella sativa: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Aluminum is among the most abundant elements on earth and it is associated with the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus plays an important role in short-term memory and decision making. The Nigella sativa was reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. To investigate the histopathological effects of aluminum chloride on the hippocampus of adult male albino rat and the possible protective role of N. sativa. Twenty-five adult male albino rats were used in this study. They were divided into five groups [each group included five rats]: group I [control] received no treatment and group II [N. sativatreated] received N. sativa oil daily at a dose of 1 ml/kg orally for 8 weeks. Group III [aluminum chloride treated] received aluminum chloride daily at a dose of 320 mg/kg/l added to the drinking water for 8 weeks. Group IV [aluminum chloride + N. sativa] received N. sativaoil with aluminum for 8 weeks at the same dose as the two previous groups. Group V [withdrawal] received aluminum only without N. sativa oil at the same previous dose for 8 weeks and then the animals were left without treatment for another 4 weeks. Specimens from the hippocampus were processed for light and electron microscopical examination. Also, the immunohistochemical technique was used with glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]. Group III showed apoptotic changes in many pyramidal cells. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the number of pyramidal cells. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in GFAP-positive astrocytes. In group IV, minimal apoptotic changes were detected in pyramidal cells, with a significant increase in their number. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in GFAP-positive astrocytes. In group V, many pyramidal cells still showed degenerative changes, with a significant decrease in their number. GFAP-positive cells showed a significant increase. Gliosis was marked in the pyramidal cell layer. One-month withdrawal of aluminum chloride was not sufficient to gain a normal histological appearance of the hippocampus. N. sativa could be used to protect the hippocampus against aluminum chloride-induced damage

Uso do bioterápico preparado a partir do precipitado da vacina tríplice na prevençäo dos efeitos adversos locais produzidos pela adjuvante hidróxido de alumínio existente no precipitado da vacina / Use of the biotherapic prepared to set out of the precipited triple vaccine on prevent of the adverse effects make of adjuvant allumin hidroxid exists at the vaccin precipited

Dentro do capítulo conhecido como cinética de eliminaçäo, fizemos o presente estudo preparando medicamento a partir do precipitado da vacina tríplice na 30 CH, com o objetivo de verificar a açäo preventiva sobre os efeitos adversos locais produzidos pelo adjuvante hidróxido de alumínio existente no precipitado da vacina.

Tratamiento de la encephalopatia dialítica con desferroxamina / Treatment of dialysis encephalopathy with deferoxamine

La encefalopatía dialítica es una enfermedad progresiva y potencilmente fatal que afecta a pacientes en hemodiálisis crónica. Se caracteriza por presentar alteraciones del lenguaje, dispraxias, progresivo deterioro mental, mioclonías, convulsiones y un característico patrón electroencefalográfico. Actualmente se acepta al aluminio como principal agente causal. El tratamiento de esta entidad era, hasta hace poco, esencialmente sintomático. Ultimamente se ha utilizado con éxito, aunque sólo en casos aislados, desferroxamina, un quelante del aluminio. Se describe el caso de un paciente que presentó manifestaciónes clínicas características de encefalopatía dialítica: 1) trastornos neuropsicológicos: confusión, pérdida de la fluidez del lenguaje con lenta emisión de la palabra, disartria, tartamudeo, episodios de detención del lenguaje y dispraxia de construcción, y 2) alteraciones electroencefalográficas: ondas lentas paroxismales, bilaterales de 1 a 3 ciclos por segundo. Luego de cumplir 12 semanas de tratamiento con desferroxamina, se observó una notable mejoría, con desaparición de las manifestaciones clínicas y normalización del trazado electroencefalográfico