Olusola A Adeeyo

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) prevents lead-induced testicular toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Lead, an example of heavy metals, has, for decades, being known for its adverse effects on various body organs and systems such that their functions are compromised. AIM: In the present study, the ability of lead to adversely affect the male reproductive system was investigated and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum: Source of antioxidants) paste (TP) was administered orally to prevent the adverse effects of Pb. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen Sprague Dawley rats, randomised into three groups (n = 5), were used for this study. Animals in Group A served as the control and were drinking distilled water. Animals in Groups B and C were drinking 1% Pb (II) acetate (LA). Group C animals were, in addition to drinking LA, treated with 1.5 ml of TP/day. All treatments were for 8 weeks. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: A Mann–Whitney U-test was used to analyse the results obtained. RESULTS: The obtained results showed that Pb caused a significant reduction in the testicular weight, sperm count, life–death ratio, sperm motility, normal sperm morphology, and plasma and tissue superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, but a significant increase in plasma and tissue malondialdehyde concentration. But, Pb did not cause any significant change in the serum testosterone level. TP, however, significantly reduced these adverse effects of Pb. CONCLUSION: These findings lead to the conclusion that TP significantly lowered the adverse effects of Pb exposure on the kidney as well as Pb-induced oxidative stress.

Mixture of Kerosene and Xylene: a Contribution to Clearing Agents

El objetivo de este estudio fue el de sustituir el costoso y peligroso compuesto xileno, utilizado como agente de aclaramiento, por un compuesto menos costoso (mezcla de kerosene y xileno), con menor toxicidad y sin comprometer la integridad celular ni las caracteristicas de tincion de las secciones. Los tejidos (higado y rinon) fueron obtenidos a partir de una rata Wistar adulta presumiblemente sana, los que fueron fijados en solucion de formalina salina al 10%, y separadas en cinco grupos (A, B, C, D y E) y tratadas para estudio con microscopico de luz, con tincion H & E. Durante el aclaramiento de las secciones histologicas, los grupos A, B, C, D y E, fueron, respectivamente, aclarados con el disolvente 1 (solo xileno), solvente 2 (70ml de xileno: 30ml Kerosene), solvente 3 (50ml de xileno: 50ml Kerosene), solvente 4 (30ml xileno: 70ml kerosene) y solvente 5 (solo el kerosene). Los resultados revelaron que los tejidos de los grupos A, B y C fueron aclarados correctamente sin alteraciones morfologicas. En la tincion tambien se observo como caracteristica, ser muy brillante. Los grupos D y E, sin embargo presentaron una tincion de pobre intensidad con la reduccion de los detalles celulares. Zonas con manchas semitransparentes tambien fueron observadas. Se infiere que una mezcla de xileno y kerosene podria ser empleado en el aclaramiento de los tejidos, solo prescrito en la proporcion del solvente 2 y 3, sin suponer ningun riesgo para la salud o comprometer la integridad celular.