Introduction. Epilepsy is a progressive, chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) (MP) is one of the most commonly ingested herbal teas or tisanes with a single component. Aim. We aimed to assess the potential antiepileptic and neuroprotective features of MP essential oil (MPO) in pilocarpine (P) and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) models of epilepsy. Methods. The study used eight groups of mice to assess the anticonvulsant activity of MPO in both the P and PTZ acute models in mice. P (350 mg/kg, i.p.) was given 30 minutes after MPO (1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 ml/kg, i.p.). As a positive control group, diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p) was used. PTZ (95 mg/kg, i.p.) was given 30 minutes after MPO (6.4 ml/kg, i.p.). The first convulsion’s latency time, the number of convulsions, the latency time to death, and the percentage of deaths were calculated in all groups. Results. MPO significantly (
The current study was designed to investigate the effect of Tilletia smut spores on histopathological changes in liver and kidney in mice. Twenty animals were divided into two equal groups, 10 mice each, control group fed on normal diet and the treated groups were fed on a mixture of 50% normal diet with 50% wheat infected with Tilletia for 30 days. Histopathological sections taken from liver and kidney treated with Tilletia revealed several alterations. The changes in liver included, multiple granulomatous lesions, area of coagulation necrosis, vacuolar degeneration in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, proliferation of hepatocytes with formation of pseudolobull which initiates for procancer. Whereas in the kidney, the changes included
... Show MoreThis histological study was carried out to compare between the thyroid gland of mice (as a model of the mammals) and the thyroid tissue of fish. Unlike mice, the thyroid gland of fish can't be recognized by naked eye. The present study revealed that the thyroid of mice varied from that of fish by the location and the histological structure. The study classified the physiological state of the thyroid of mice into three states and that of the fish into only two states. Accordingly, the study concluded that the metabolism of thyroid fish was of moderate type.
The current study was conducted to investigate Annona fruit pulp effects on the levels of various physiological biomarkers linked with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus after disease induction in mice, as well as indications of oxidative stress and male hormones. The rats were separated into four groups, three of which were given Alloxan (90 mg/kg body weight) to induce diabetes, while the fourth served as a negative control. The first group of diabetic mice received no therapy, the second received metformin (600 mg/kg body weight) and the third received Annona fruit puree. The mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, to acquire blood and tissue samples from the liver, kidneys and spleen. The first untreated gro
... Show MoreBackground Cadmium (Cd), one of the most abundant heavy metals, is extremely toxic to both humans and animals. hIt is well known that zinc (Zn) administration reduces Cd-induced toxicity and that metallothioneins can have a protective effect in biological systems to mitigate Cd toxicity. Objective The aim of the current study to determine if Zn administration affected the induction of MT-1 and MT-2 in the liver tissue in mice exposed to Cd. Materials and methods Metallothionein protein (MT) level in the tissue of male mice were detected using the anion -exchang high-performance liquid chromatography coupled (HPLC)assay and immunohistochemical staining. Results Single treatment to zinc or cadmium increase the level of MT in the liver, but zi
... Show MoreThe present paper applies Fanon Psychological reading of the problem of the Black introduced in his book Black Skin White Mask to Crooks, The black Character in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. The analysis of this character infers three essential points regarding the artistic achievement of the author. First, he uses a fictional character that offers a psychological interpretation of the black problem of alienation and loneliness in a way that does not disgrace the black. Second, he applies Fanon’s way of showing the various attitudes that the black adopts in contact with the white society. Third, he affirms that the black inferiority complex comes as a result of double proc
... Show MoreThe liver is an important organ in the body that can be affected by many drugs and toxins. The hepatotoxins can cause oxidant stress that lead to activation of inflammatory cells and cause liver damage. Drug induced bile duct injuries are related to drug toxicity, multiple drugs have been known to cause the development of liver granulomas. Carbamazepine (CBZ) among other antiepileptic drugs is believed to cause hepatic injury. In this study we investigated the effect of (CBZ) 20mg/kg/day on female mice liver after 14 and 30 days of treatment. The histological findings showed that (CBZ) can cause histological alterations in the liver components such as bile duct proliferation, biliary hypertrophy, ductopenia, inflammatory cells infiltration
... Show MoreSpinach, Spinacia oleracea L is a popular vegetable belonging to the family Chenopodiaceae. This study was concerned with extraction of compounds in Iraqi spinach leaves, preliminary phytochemical evaluation, identification of two biological important flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol in spinach leaves and evaluation of the protective effect of aqueous spinach extract on methotrexate (MTX) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The percentage yield of extraction procedure, identification of spinach by chemical tests and identification of flavonols by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were fully described in this study. The results indicate that the percentage of quarce
... Show MoreAluminum plasma was generated by the irradiation of the target
with Nd: YAG laser operated at a wavelength of 1064 nm. The
effect of laser power density and the working pressure on spectral
lines generating by laser ablation, were detected by using optical
spectroscopy. The electron density was measured using the Stark
broadening of aluminum lines and the electron temperature by
Boltzmann plot method it is one of the methods that are used. The
electron temperature Te, electron density ne, plasma frequency
and Debye length increased with increasing the laser peak
power. The electron temperature decrease with increasing gas
pressure.