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Carbimazole is an antithyroid drug used in treatment of hyperthyroidism. The present study is undertaken to evaluate the effect of carbimazole in prostate of albino rats and the ameliorative role of selenium. Treating rats with carbimazole(1.35mg/Kg b.w) daily for 8 weeks caused distinct histological alterations in prostate gland compared with control group. The epithelial cells of prostatic acini exhibited degeneration. Hyperplasia were projected into the lumens of the prostatic acini or to the outside stroma. Most of the intertubular blood vessels were congested. Histomorphological results showed that the heights of the epithelial cells were significantly reduced and the thickness of smooth muscle layer increased. Prostate gland of animals treated with carbimazole showed gradual decrease in the polysaccharide, protein and nucleic acids contents. These results were time-dependent. Treating animals with carbimazole and selenium showed an improvement in the histological structure as well as histochemical components of the prostate gland. It is suggested that the ameliorative effect of selenium against the histological and histochemical changes induced by carbimazole may be due to its antioxidant properties.

Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat depression and mood disorders. Curcumin, the major active ingredient of turmeric (Curcuma longa), showed many pharmacological effects and is known for its potent antioxidant capacity. The present work aims to evaluate the possible ameliorative effect of curcumin on fluoxetine-induced reproductive toxicity and oxidative stress in albino rats. Histological examination of testis of fluoxetine-treated rats revealed degeneration of spermatogenic cells, congestion of blood vessels and destruction of Leydig cells. In addition, speramatogenesis was inhibited as indicated by the decrease of the number of different spermatogenic cells. The diameters of the seminiferous tubules and heights of their germinal epithelium were significantly reduced. Moreover, significant higher numbers of Bax-positive Leydig cells were recorded. Testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and glutathione (GSH) were decreased while malondialdehyde were increased in sera of fluoxetine-treated animals. Treating animals with fluoxetine followed by curcumin revealed an improvement in the histological changes observed in animals treated with fluoxetine. Moreover, curcumin treatment leads to decrease in the number of Bax-positive cells, increase in testosterone, LH, GSH, and decrease of lipid peroxidation. According to the present results, it can be concluded that combined treatment with fluoxetine and curcumin can improve the testicular abnormalities induced by fluoxetine. This effect of curcumin may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is an anticancer drug used in the treatment of a variety of neoplastic lesions. On the other hand, treatment with CPA was accompanied by different toxic effects on different body organs. The present work was conducted to study the effect of fenugreek seed extract on histomorphometrical and ultrastructural changes induced by CPA in testes of albino mice. Twenty animals were given CPA (7.0 mg/kg body weight) three times/week orally for 8 weeks and were killed after 4 and 8 weeks. Testis of CPA-treated mice showed many histological alterations including appearance of irregular seminiferous tubules, reduction in the number of all spermatogenic cells, degeneration of Leydig cells and appearance of intertubular hemorrhage. Concerning the ultrastructural changes, abnormalities in spermatogonia (A and B), spermatocytes, round and elongated spermatids were observed. Degenerated Sertoli cells and degenerated interstitial tissue with abnormal Leydig cells were also seen. Moreover, administration of CPA to animals significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA, lipid peroxidation marker) and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These changes were time-dependent. Treating animals with CPA and fenugreek seed extract (0.4 g/kg body weight) led to an improvement in the histological and ultrastructural pictures of the testis together with reduction in the level of serum MDA and increase in the activities of serum SOD and CAT. In conclusion, the results of the present work indicated that fenugreek had ameliorative effect against testis damage induced by CPA and this may be mediated by its potent antioxidant activities.

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The objective of the present work was to investigate the ameliorative effect of curcumin (Cur) against tamoxifen (TAM), a nonsteriodal antiestrogenic drug, induced hepatotoxicity in adult female albino rats. Forty eight female albino rats were divided into four groups of equal size. groups: group (I) animals of this group were served as control, group (II) rats were orally given Cur at a dose level of 150 mg/kg body weight daily for nine weeks, group (III) rats were orally given TAM at a dose level of 20 mg/kg body weight daily for nine weeks and group (IV) rats were given TAM followed by Cur at the same previous doses daily for nine weeks. For histological and immunohistochemical studies, livers were immediately removed after sacrification and sera were collected to detect the biochemical markers. Liver sections of rats treated with TAM showed loss of the normal architecture, cytoplasmic vacuolation, leukocytic infiltration and bile duct proliferation as well as increase in the expression of both alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Ki-67. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were elevated, while the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of glutathione (GSH) were decreased in sera of rats of TAM group. On the other hand, liver sections of rats treated with TAM followed by Cur showed improvement in the histological, immunohistochemical and the biochemical markers. In conclusion, Cur revealed ameliorative effect against TAM toxicity in rat liver due to its antioxidant activities.

Background Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis. Sofosbuvir (sofo) is a nucleotide analog inhibitor of HCV NS5B polymerase used to treat chronic hepatitis C infection as a component of a combination of antiviral treatment regimen. Many side effects of sofo were reported in different mammalian organs including kidney. Moringa oleifera (MO) is one of the medicinal plants which have many pharmacological activities and nutritional applications due to its rich phytonutrients content. This study aimed to investigate the possible ameliorative effect of MO seed oil against nephrotoxicity induced by sofo in adult male albino rats. The experimental animals were divided equally into four groups. Group I: animals were served as control. Group II: animals were orally given MO oil (2 ml/kg/day). Group III: animals were orally administered with sofo (36 mg/kg/day). Group IV: animals were orally given sofo then after 2 h they were given MO oil (with the same previous doses). All doses were daily given to the animals for eight weeks. At the end of the experiments, animals were sacrificed and sera were collected to determine urea, creatinine and malondialdehyde levels and catalase activity. Kidneys were removed out and prepared for both the histological and immunohistochemical studies. Results Sofo-treated animals showed many pathological changes; damaged glomeruli and degenerated renal tubules with vacuolated lining epithelial cells contain pyknotic nuclei. In addition, leukocytic infiltration, congested blood vessels and hemorrhage were seen. Caspase-3 and PCNA were expressed in a large number of cells in the same group. Moreover, a significant increase in urea, creatinine and malondialdehyde levels was recorded as well as a significant decrease in catalase activity. Co-treatment of MO oil with sofo effectively counteracted the observed adverse effects. It attenuated the histological picture of the kidney, significantly ameliorated urea, creatinine and malondialdehyde levels and catalase activity and restored the normal expressions of caspase-3 and PCNA. Conclusions Moringa oleifera oil can ameliorate nephrotoxicity induced by sofo via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties.

Background Methotrexate (MTX) is one of chemotherapeutic drugs that induce several side effects. The present study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect of human placental extract (HPE) against MTX-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. In this study, forty adult male albino rats were equally divided into four groups. Control group: rats were daily injected intraperitoneally with physiological saline (0.5 ml for each rat) for 5 days, HPE group: rats were subcutaneously injected with HPE at a dose level of 10.08 mg/Kg b.w/day for 2 weeks, MTX group: rats were intraperitoneally injected with MTX at a dose level of 5 mg/Kg b.w/day for 5 consecutive days, MTX and HPE group: rats were intraperitoneally injected with MTX (at the same dosage of MTX group) for 5 days and at the same time they were subcutaneously injected with HPE (at an exact dosage of HPE group), daily for 2 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last dose for each treatment, rats were killed and blood samples were collected for determination of urea, creatinine, sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) levels. Kidney tissues were taken for histological examination and immunohistochemical staining of both cysteine-aspartic protease-3 (caspase-3) and proliferating antigen Ki-67 (Ki-67) expressions. Results From the obtained data, MTX induced nephrotoxicity through a highly significant increase in urea, creatinine, Na+ and K+ levels compared with the control group. In addition to massive histological alterations, a highly significant increase in caspase-3 expression and a significant decrease in Ki-67 expression were observed. On the other hand, injection with HPE ameliorated urea, creatinine, Na+ and K+ levels comparing to MTX group. Moreover, HPE markedly improved the histological and immunohistochemical changes resulted from MTX treatment. Conclusions It is concluded that HPE ameliorated the nephrotoxicity induced by MTX.