Low level inhalation experiments with four different cadmium compounds in rats†

This long‐term inhalation study was designed to describe the toxicity and the carcinogenic risk from Cd compounds because it had been shown from former long‐term inhalation studies that cadmium choloride induced primary lung tumors in Wistar rats. It was therefore logical to examine whether other cadmium compounds to which human beings are more frequently exposed have also carcinogenic potency. In a long‐term inhalation study cadmium aerosols consisting of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂), cadmium oxide (CdO) as dusts and fumes, cadmium sulfate (CdSO₄), cadmium sulfide (CdS) and a combination of cadmium oxide/zinc oxide were used. Wistar rats were continuously exposed in inhalation chambers for 18 months 22 hrs a day or for 40 hrs a week. The studies will be terminated at the mean survival life time of the species. The aerosols were generated by several different systems. The particles of the cadmium aerosols have the average mass medium diameters in the range from 0.2 to 0.5 μm.     

Effects of coconut product–caffeine interactions on liver cells in Wistar albino rats

The effects of interactions between coconut products and caffeine on the induction of drug-metabolizing enzyme in Wistar albino rats were studied. Twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups: (Group 1) control received via oral route a placebo (4 mL distilled water). Groups 2–4 were treated for a 14-day period, respectively, with 50 mg caffeine/kg body weight (BW), 50 mg caffeine/kg plus 50 mg coconut water/kg, or 50 mg caffeine/kg plus 50 mg coconut milk/kg in a 4 mL volume via gastric intubation. One day after the after the final exposure, the animals were euthanized by inhalation of an overdose of chloroform. The blood of each rat was collected by cardiac puncture, and the liver of each was harvested and processed to examine several biochemical parameters, including total protein and RNA levels, protein/RNA ratios, and the activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST, respectively). Results showed that while ingestion of coconut milk and coconut water increased the values of protein and protein/RNA ratios, there was a decrease in ALT and AST activities. These effects were opposite to those produced by caffeine alone and may prevent the adverse effects attributed to caffeine.     

Protective effects of α-lipoic acid and chondroitin-4-sulfate against benomyl-induced toxicity in rats

In this study, the effects of fungicide benomyl and the protective effects of α-lipoic acid (LA) and chondroitin-4-sulfate (C4S) used as antioxidants on liver and kidney of rats were investigated. Benomyl (200 mg kg^?1), LA (200 mg kg^?1), and C4S (25 mg kg^?1) were administered intraperitoneally by injection once a week for a period of five weeks. The results of this study are as follows: benomyl given subchronically showed toxic effects in the form of lipid peroxidation (LPO) on liver and kidney, and LA and C4S had antioxidant effects on liver and kidney. When LA and C4S were applied together, they were more effective than individually. Furthermore, it was observed that LA and C4S had partial protective effects against the histopathological effects caused by benomyl.     

Effects of alcohol–kola nut interactions on brain glucose oxidase,glutamine synthase,and adenylate deaminase activities in Wistar rats

The effects of alcohol–kola nut interactions on activites of whole brain glucose oxidase, glutamine synthetase, and adenylate deaminase were examined in Wistar rats. Thirty Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups. Control group (1) received a placebo (4 mL of distilled water). Groups 2–6 were treated for a 21-day period with either 10% (v/v) alcohol, kola nut, caffeine, alcohol + kola nut, or alcohol + caffeine at 50 mg per kg in a total volume of 4 mL vehicle via gastric intubation, respectively. One day after the final treatment, the whole brain was harvested and processed to examine for several biochemical parameters, including activities of glucose oxidase, adenylate deaminase, and glutamine synthetase. Results showed that alcohol–kola nut interaction decreased the activities of glucose oxidase, adenylate deaminase, and glutamine synthetase in whole brain, suggesting inhibition of glutamine synthesis, decreased energy (ATP) production, ionic transport and decreased neuronal processes. Data indicates that alcohol–kola nut or alcohol–caffeine interactions modify neuronal processes in rat brain; however, the clinical importance of this is not known.     

Alteration of male reproductive system in rats fed on red or white meat from tuna fish caught in the Gulf of Gab��s in Tunisian coast

Fish, a widely claimed healthy food for humans, could also pose problems to health due to (1) accumulation of pollutants, especially heavy metals, (2) presence of marine toxins such as tetrodotoxin, ciguatoxin or okadaic acid and (3) metabolic production of large amount of uric acid which may crystallize in kidney or in articulations. As tuna fish represents a large part of the traditional food in some countries, the possible impact of its consumption on public health was investigated, with special attention to biochemical and histological alterations related to the genital function. For that purpose, white or red muscle from tuna fish was added for 60 days to the diet of male rats, and attention was paid to biochemical and histological alterations related to the genital function. Feeding rats with white muscle, and much more markedly with red muscle known to be more metabolically active, resulted in (1) an elevated uric acid level in blood, (2) an increase in lead level in testis, (3) an atrophy of the genital tract, including testes, epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicles, (4) a lowering of plasma testosterone level, (5) a decrease in spermatozoids number and motility, (6) an oxidative stress in testes including an increase in lipids peroxidation level and enhanced superoxide-dismutase, catalase and glutathione-peroxidase activities. We conclude that consumption of tuna fish meat, especially the dark one, should be reduced.