No abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most common worldwide chemicals involved in the industry of polycarbonate plastics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Forty three-month-old albino rats were randomly classified into four groups. Group Ӏ received a daily corn oil dose (5 mL/kg/ body weight, BW) through a gastric tube for one month, Group ӀӀ received a daily dose of Curcumin (200 mg/kg body weight (B.W.) through a gastric tube for one month, Group ӀӀӀ received a daily dose of BPA (0.5 μg/kg B.W.) through a gastric tube for one month and Group ӀV received concomitant daily doses of Bisphenol A and Curcumin as the regimen described in groups ӀӀ and ӀӀӀ. The rats were sacrificed, and glandular portion of stomach was dissected and processed for light, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study. BPA induced destructed gastric glands, dilated congested blood vessels, submucosal oedema, decreased PAS-positive reactivity, increased collagen fibres deposition, decrease in the positive BCL2 immunoexpression, increased positive PCNA immunoexpression, reduction in the gastric mucosal height and destructive changes in the enteroendocrine, chief and parietal cells. Curcumin coadministration provoked an obvious improvement in the gastric structure. BPA exposure has toxic effects on the glandular portion of the stomach in rats. Otherwise, Curcumin coadministration has exhibited protective impact on the architecture of the stomach.

Background: Aspartame is a widely employed synthetic sweetener used in diet control and by diabetic patients. Its safety based on the findings of the previous studies showed controversy. Aim of the Work: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the chronic effect of aspartame on the structure of the kidney in the newborn, adult and old albino rats. Materials and Methods: In this work, 60 albino rats were used, 40 of which were three month old, while the remaining 20 rats were twelve month old at the beginning of the study. They were divided into 3 groups: A, B, C and every group was subdivided into 2 subgroups; control and treated. Group A included 20 female albino rats aged three months. The treated subgroup A received aspartame in a dose of 20 mg/kg/day dissolved in tap water through an intragastric tube for three months pregestational and during the gestational period. The offspring numbers, body and kidney weights were estimated and statistically analyzed and their kidneys were examined histopathologically. Group B included 20 adult albino rats aged three months. Group C included 20 albino rats aged twelve months. The treated animals of groups B and C were given aspartame in the same dose and by the same route as in group A for six months. The kidney specimens from all groups were processed for light microscopic examination using Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Toluidine blue stain was used for the semithin sections of the adult rat's kidney specimens. Electron microscopic study of the proximal convoluted tubules of the adult kidney was done. Results: The results of this study revealed a delayed development of the kidney of the newborn rat with the maternal aspartame administration in addition to degenerative changes in the renal corpuscles and tubules. The statistical analysis of the newborns' body and kidney weights showed significant reduction. The kidneys of aspartame-treated adult rats showed degenerative changes affecting the renal corpuscles and tubules. The renal corpuscles had shrunken glomerular capillary tuft and widened Bowman`s space. Some of which revealed irregularity of Bowman`s capsule. The renal tubules showed dilatation of the tubular lumen, dense nuclei and vacuolated cytoplasm with sloughed epithelial lining cells. Congested and dilated blood vessels were also observed. The ultrastructural study of the proximal convoluted tubular lining cells revealed an extensive damage of the cytoplasmic organelles and the brush border. Aspartame-treated aged rat's kidney showed massive degenerative changes in comparison to the other treated groups. All the renal tubules showed thinning of their lining epithelium with dilated lumen. Some of which had destructed or thickened basement membrane. Others showed accumulation of dense acidophilic casts inside the lumen. Dilated and congested blood vessels with vacuolated cytoplasm were noticed. Conclusion: It was concluded from this study that aspartame had nephrotoxic effects on the newborn, adult and aged rats.

Background: There is a clear support for an association between smoking and decreased female fertility. The substantial harmful effects of cigarette smoking on fecundity and reproduction have become apparent but not generally appreciated. Aim of theWork: The present work aimed to study the effect of nicotine on some reproductive organs and the morphological abnormalities of the offspring of the nicotine-treated mothers. Material and Methods: The experimental female rats aged three-month old were divided into two main groups: Group A (nonpregnant rats) and group B (pregnant rats).Group A was subdivided into three subgroups eight rats each: (I) Saline-treated control subgroup that was injected with 0.9% saline subcutaneously daily for 3 weeks, (II) Nicotine-treated subgroup that was injected subcutaneously daily with nicotine in a dose of 0.4mg/100gm body weight which is equivalent to the amount of nicotine passing to the blood of the heavy smoker for 3 weeks and (III) a third subgroup, that was injected with nicotine in the same dose and for the same duration then left for 2 months without injection. Group B was subdivided into two subgroups eight rats each: (I) Control subgroup which was injected with 0.9% saline subcutaneously daily from the day 6 to the day 20 of pregnancy and (II) Nicotine-treated subgroup that was injected with nicotine in the same dose used in group (A) from the day 6 to the day 20 of pregnancy. The nonpregnant animals of subgroups A-I, II were sacrificed at the end of 3 weeks, whereas those of subgroup A-III were sacrificed 2 months later. The uterine and ovarian specimens were fixed in 10% formaline solution for histopathological examination. The pregnant rats of subgroups B-I, II were sacrificed on the 20 th day of gestation, and the fetuses were extracted, examined by the naked eye and some of them were processed for Alizarin red staining for skeletal examination. The placenta was fixed in 10% formaline solution for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. Statistical analysis for evaluation of the effect of nicotine on pregnancy outcome and fetal growth was done. Results: As regards the histological changes in the ovary, nicotine caused retardation in the follicular growth, a decrease in healthy follicles and an increase in atretic and cystic follicles. Apoptotic granulosa cells were clearly observed. Fatty degenerative changes in corpora lutea were noticed. When nicotine injection was stopped, there was an improvement in the follicular growth with less degenerative changes in corpora lutea but they did not reach the control level. In the uterus, nicotine caused reduction in the endometrial and myometrial thickness and marked reduction in endometrial glands. When nicotine injection was stopped, although the endometrium and myometrium looked more or less similar to the control, the endometrial glands were reduced in some animals. Several placental degenerative changes were observed under nicotine treatment. The fetuses of nicotine-treated mothers showed several abnormaliti...

Background: The foetal kidney development is important for its normal function. The Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) is used to assess the amniotic fluid volume. The main source of the amniotic fluid is the foetal urine. Aim of the Work: To establish reference values for the foetal kidney length and the AFI throughout the second and third trimesters of the normal Upper Egyptian pregnancies and to clarify the correlations between these measurements. Subject and Methods: An ultrasonographic examination was performed to measure the foetal kidney length and the AFI on 232 normal pregnant women from the 14 th week to the 42nd week of gestation. The correlations between the measurements were analysed statistically. Results: The foetal kidney length increased gradually with gestation. There was a significantly positive correlation between the foetal kidney length and the gestational age. The linear regression showed that the gestational age could be assessed by using the foetal kidney length with an accuracy of ± 1.078 week. From the 14 th week, the AFI increased progressively until the 24th week. There was a positive correlation between the AFI and the gestational age and between the AFI and the foetal kidney length. From the 25 th week to the 32 nd week, the AFI demonstrated little variations. From the 33 rd week, the AFI declined gradually. There was a negative correlation between the AFI and the gestational age and between the AFI and the foetal kidney length. Conclusion: The present study introduces reference values for both the foetal kidney length and the AFI in the normal Upper Egyptian pregnancies. It also discusses the correlation between the foetal kidney length and the AFI as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. At first, it is a direct correlation. Then, it shows minimal variations. Finally, it becomes an inverse one. The obtained information could be usefully applied clinically.