Background: The use of medicinal plants or their active components is becoming an increasingly attractive approach for the treatment of various disorders including Peptic ulcers (a group of gastrointestinal erosions with increasing prevalence all over the world). One of these natural derivatives is Curcumin. It proved to have a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities at both neutral and acidic pH. Hence, it can be used in treatment of peptic ulcers. Aim of the Work: The use of Curcumin for the treatment of acute and chronic ulcers still needs further investigations to validate its clinical application. So, this research was planned to clarify the role of Curcumin in both prevention and treatment of Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in male albino rats by using the light and scanning electron microscopes. Material and Methods: Thirty adult male albino rats were used in the present study. They were divided into 5 groups: A control group and a group in which experimental gastric ulcer was induced using the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Indomethacin. This group was further subdivided into group (a) without protection and group (b) receiving Curcumin protection prior to Indomethacin administration. The last group was the healing group in which the rats were further subdivided into: group (a) auto-healing group and group (b) receiving Curcumin for ten days following Indomethacin administration. Results: In the experimental Indomethacin gastric ulcer induction group, acute forms of gastric ulceration were seen, destruction of the gastric mucosa and loss of mucosal cellular architecture were detected. In the group receiving protection with Curcumin, less severe forms of gastric ulceration either in size or extent were observed; decrease in mucosal congestion was also detected. These findings were analyzed statistically and proved to be significant (p<0.01). In the auto healing group, healing appeared unorganized with scar formation, while in the group receiving protection by Curcumin a more organized healing and a well-formed membrane was seen covering the ulcer area with no evidence of scarring. Some animals even showed complete healing. This healing progress was also statistically significant (p<0.05) and give an optimistic prospect in decreasing ulcer recurrence. Conclusion: Curcumin proved to play a role in both prevention and treatment of Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Background: Living organisms face various kinds of environmental stressors every day that affect the immune system. The spleen plays key role in the immune responses. There is increasing interest in the immunological role played by estrogen in females especially in cases of stress and senility. Aim of the work: To study the effect of estrogen administration on the white pulp of the spleen of senile female albino rats and its possible protective role in case of stress exposure on the immune cells, estrogen receptors distribution and cell apoptosis within the white pulp of the spleen. Materials and Methods: Twenty senile female albino rats were divided into four groups (5 rats/group): Group A, negative control that received daily subcutaneous injection (s.c. inj.) of sesame oil for one week, Group B, rats received s.c. estradiol inj. (40µg/kg BW) for one week, Group C, rats were subjected to immobilization stress for three successive days after s.c. sesame oil inj. for one week, Group D, rats received s.c. estradiol inj.one week before the same stress exposure. All rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. Spleen samples were processed for light and electron microscopic examination. Paraffin embedded tissues were sectioned and immune stained in the four groups for estrogen receptors detection, CD3 (T lymphocyte immune marker) and CD20 (B lymphocytes immune marker) distribution also immune-staining for apoptosis was performed in the groups subjected to stress. Results: Estrogen administration resulted in immune cell proliferation in lymphoid follicles of the spleen; an increase in both CD3 and CD20 positively stained cells and estrogen receptors. Stress exposure (Group C) resulted in depletion of the splenic lymphoid follicles, weak immune staining for Estrogen Receptors (ER), dense immune staining for apoptosis, weak immune staining for CD3 and CD20 in contrast to the group protected by estrogen (Group D) which showed preserved white pulp follicles, weak staining for apoptosis marker, preserved immune staining for CD3 and CD20 and positive staining for ER. Electron microscopic examination showed the ultrastructure of lymphocytes in Group A, increased plasma cell in Group B, destructed lymphocytes in Group C and preserved lymphocytes in Group D. Conclusion: Estrogen administration showed immune cell stimulation in senile rats. In addition, estrogen injection prior to stress exposure seemed to reduce the hazardous effect of stress on the immune cells of the spleen. Exogenous estrogen treatment may become clinically important to enhance the immune response in senile female patients especially in stress exposure.

Background:The growing prevalence of the inflammatory bowel diseases in Arab community increases both economic and health care burden. Thus, better and more affordable treatment cure is greatly needed. Aim of the Work: The goal of work was to study the histological effect of the antidepressant drug (fluoxetine) versus the traditional anti-inflammatory drug (sulfasalazine) on induced colitis in adult male albino rats. Material and Methods: Twenty-four adult male albino rats were randomly divided into four groups, each containing six rats.: group (A) which served as the control group; group (B), in which colitis was induced by intra-rectal administration of 1 ml of 2% acetic acid daily for 3 consecutive days then left without any treatment for 14 days; group (C), in which the rats received sulfasalazine for 14 days after induction of colitis as in group B; and group (D) in which the rats received fluoxetine 14 days after induction of colitis. Both drugs in group (C) and (D) were dissolved in distilled water and administered by oral gavage once daily. At the end of the experiment, distal colon (10 cm proximal to the anus) was removed and processed for light microscopic examination using H & E, combined alcian blue -PAS and Mallory's trichrome stains. Toluidine blue stain was used for semi-thin sections. Computer image analysis and statistical study were also performed for the number of goblet cells and area percent of collagen fibers content. Results: Colitis induction showed mucosal injury. There was loss of surface epithelium and disruption of crypt architecture. The muscularis mucosae showed vacuolations. Moreover, there were dilated blood vessels in submucosa. Administration of fluoxetine improved the colonic structure especially the surface epithelium while sulfasalazine was by far less efficient in improving induced colitis. Conclusion: Fluoxetine improved the colonic structure and proved to be more effective management of experimentally induced colitis with less adverse effects than the conventional management by sulfasalazine.

Background: Obesity is recognized as a worldwide health problem. Recently, the prevalence of obesity and concern about its impact on public health has grown dramatically. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is the most common type of sleep apnea and the most typical individuals with OSAS suffer from obesity. Maintenance of patent upper airway depends on the dilating forces of the lingual muscles especially the genioglossus muscle which is the principal protrudor muscle of the tongue. Aim of the work: To find out the impact of obesity on the lingual muscles. Structural changes that occur in the tongue musculature in obese adult albino rats were investigated using light and transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the state of lingual muscles oxygenation was examined through immune-staining of muscular myoglobin distribution. Materials and Methods: Three month-old Adult male Albino rats 200 gm body weight were used in the study. Animals were purchased from the Research Unit and Bilharzial Research Center of Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University. Rats were divided into two groups (5animals/group). Group I: Control group: Rats were fed a regular diet (protein: Fat: Carbohydrate= 29:13:58, 343 kcal/ 100 g). Group II: Obesity group: Rats were fed a high-fat diet (protein: Fat: Carbohydrate= 20: 57: 23, 508 kcal/ 100 g). After three months, the average weight of the control group was about 312±10 gm, while obesity group was about 730±20 gm. Rats were sacrificed and extracted tongue specimens were processed for light and transmission electron microscopy. Paraffin sections were also immunostained with anti-myoglobin antibody. Results: Light microscopic examination of lingual muscles of the obese group revealed fatty infiltration, degeneration and necrosis. In addition, congestion of blood vessels and infiltration with mononuclear cellular infiltrate was detected. Transmission electron microscopic investigation showed distortion in the arrangement and destruction of myofibrils and myofilaments. Swelling, apparent increase in number, and distorsion of internal cristae of the mitochondria were observed in obese group tongue muscles versus the control group. Immunohistochemistry for myoglobin revealed weak reaction in obese group compared with the control group. Conclusion: The present work declared that high-fat diet feeding responsible for rat's obesity induced fat deposition, structural damage, inflammatory cellular infiltration and decreased myoglobin distribution inside lingual myofibres which may interfere with their contractile function. The present results may partially explain the close relationship between obesity and incidence of OSAS.

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