Lead Acetate

The objective was to study the in-vivo protective effect of Al-Madinah Ajwa (name of the most famous date in Al-
Madinah Al-Monwarah City) extract against lead acetate toxicity on the tissues of vital organs. Four rabbit groups were
used as an animal model for this study. Ajwa extract treated group (300 mg/kg/day, for 14 days) were evaluated for
lead acetate (500 ppm in drinking water for 14 days) intoxication compared to lead acetate alone-intoxicated group;
Ajwa extract group and control group. This was done by assessment of liver and kidney functions, blood lead levels,
levels of oxidants-antioxidants and histopathological changes in liver, kidney, heart and lung in different groups. The
lead acetate intoxicated group showed significant elevation of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum
glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB), serum creatinine-urea
(Cr-U), lipid hydroperoxide (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC), and depression of Superoxide dismutase (SOD)
and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) levels as compared to control. The Agwa extract showed tissue protective effect
by significant restoration of (SGPT), (SGOT), (ALP), (TB), (Cr-U) (LPO), (PCC), (SOD) and (GPX) levels compared
to the previous group. The histopathological evaluation showed marked vascular congestion, interstitial hemorrhage,
cellular degeneration and necrosis in different organs of lead acetate intoxicated group, while Agwa extract treated
group showed mild congestion and slight focal cellular degeneration. Therefore, outcome of the present study validates
the ameliorative and protective effects of Al-Madinah Ajwa dates against the toxic effects of lead acetate poisoning.

Introduction: Wistar rats are an outbred strain of albino rats belonging to the species Rattus
norvegicus. Histopathological studies on the testis was carried out to determine the effects of
heat and lead on male fertility by evaluating some andrological parameters of the wistar rat
such as morphology of spermatozoa, sperm count and motility. The main objective of this
research was to compare the deleterious effect of lead and heat on the male reproductive system
of a wistar rat.
Methods: Fifteen adult male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: group A were the
control group; group B were kept in hot environment above 42 degrees Celsius; and group C
were administered 0.18mls of lead acetate solution per grams body weight once daily for 14
days.
Results: The gonadotoxins caused morphological alterations of sperm cells in this study
including head, tail and middle defects which are indications of interference with maturation
stage of spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules. The deleterious effect of the gonadotoxins
on the seminiferous tubules is corroborated by histopathology which revealed degeneration of
epithelium of the seminiferous tubules. The degree of sperm cell motility was significantly
lowered in animals exposed to gonadotoxins compared to animals in the control group and also
the sperm cell count was lowered (P<0.05) in animals exposed to gonadotoxins in comparison
with animals in the control group, as a result of decline in the production of normal, viable
sperm cells in the test animals.
Conclusion: It was concluded that the gonadotoxins exert toxic effect on the seminiferous
tubular epithelium with concomitant reduction in the reproductive abilities of the male rats
and as such exposure to heat and therefore high level of lead should be avoided both in animal
and man.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of edible bird's nest (EBN) supplement on the uteri of rats exposed to lead acetate (LA) toxicity. Materials and Methods: Five treatment groups were established as follows: Group 1 (C), which was given distilled water; Group 2 (T0), which was administered with LA (10 mg/kg body weight [BW]); and Groups 3 (T1), 4 (T2), and 5 (T3), which were given LA (10 mg/kg BW) plus graded concentrations of 30, 60, and 120 mg/kg BW of EBN, respectively, for days. Rats were euthanized at week 5 to collect blood for superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay, and uterus for histomorphological study and expression analyses of epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results: Results revealed that LA causes destruction of uterine lining cells and necrosis of uterine glands of exposed rats without EBN supplement while the degree of damage decreased among EBN treated groups; T3 showed the highest ameliorating effect against LA toxicity, as well as an increased number of uterine glands. Increased levels of SOD were also achieved in EBN supplemented groups than the controls. Results of immunohistochemistry showed significantly higher expressions of EGF, VEGF, and PCNA levels (p<0.05) in T3 compared to other treatments. EBN maintained upregulation of antioxidant-reactive oxygen species balance. Conclusion: The findings showed that EBN could ameliorate the detrimental effects of LA toxicity on the uterus possibly by enhancing enzymatic antioxidant (SOD) activity as well as expressions of EGF, VEGF, and PCNA with cell proliferation roles.

Lead acetate (PbAc) is one of the toxic metals in the environment which causes many effects on different organs of the body. And due to the importance of the olive tree, with its healthy and protective elements against many diseases, the leaf extract of this tree was chosen in our study. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of olive leaf (Olea europea L.) extract (OLE) against PbAc-induced sperm toxicity, sex hormone changes, oxidative stress, and histopathological changes in rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (group 1, as control; group 2, OLE; group 3, PbAc; group 4, PbAc+OLE). In the PbAc group, the body weight, testis and epididymis weights, sexual hormones, sperm characteristics, GR, GPx, GST, GSH, SOD, and CAT were significantly decreased, and the sperm abnormality and TBARS level were significant increase when compared with control and OLE groups. Also, numerous damages to testicular tissue were observed in the PbAc group when compared to the control group, while the treatment with OLE in the fourth group led to improvement of sex hormones, semen characteristics, oxidative stress, and testicular tissue damage caused by PbAc. It can be concluded that OLE has a protective and ameliorative effects against PbAc-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and alterations in testicular tissue, and sperm quality in rats.

Background:
In spite of its indusrial usefulness and varied daily uses, lead (Pb) pollution is a widespread ecological problem that faces the humans in the 21th century. Pb was found to produces a wide range of toxic effects including neurotoxicity especially to the developing and young offspring. Recently, the utilization of herbal plants has received a significant attention where there has been rising awareness in their therapeutic use; among these is the garlic.

Aim of the Work:
In light of the above, the current study is designed experimentally in female pregnant rats in order to investigate the beneficial role of garlic extract in the protection from the maternal and fetal cerebellar damage that produced by administration of different doses of Pb during pregnancy.

Materials and Methods:
Positively pregnant female rats were divided into five groups; one control group, two Pb-treated groups (exposed to 160 and 320 mg/kg b.wt. of Pb, respectively) and two groups treated with both Pb and garlic (exposed to Pb as previous groups together with 250 mg/ kg b.wt. /day of garlic extract). Treatments started from day 1 till day 20 of pregnancy, where the mother rats of different experimental groups were sacrified to obtain the fetuses. Pb level in the maternal nd fetal blood and cerebellum was estimated by spectrophotometry. Specimens of the cerebellum of different mother and fetal groups were processed to histological and immunohistochemical staining for microscopic examination.

Results:
The results showed that administration of Pb to pregnant rats resulted in a dose-dependent toxicity for both mothers and fetuses in the form of decrease of maternal weight gain, placental and fetal weights, brain weight and diminished fetal growth parameters, which were prominent in rat’s group treated with larger dose of Pb. In Pb-treated rats, Pb level in blood and cerebellum was high when compared to the control. The histopathological examination of the cerebellum of treated dams and fetuses showed marked alterations mainly in the form of Purkinje cell degeneration and lack of deveopmet of fetal cerebellum. Co-treatment of garlic extract along with Pb resulted in a significant decrease in Pb levels as compared with those treated with Pb alone with improvement of the histopathological changes.

Conclusions:
This study was useful in evaluating the hazardous effects of uncontrolled use of Pb in general and in assessing the developmental and neurotoxicity of fetuses due to exposure during pregnancy in particular. Co-administration of garlic has beneficial effects in amelioration of Pb-induced neurotoxicity and reversing the histopathological changes of the cerebellum of mother rats and fetuses.

The brain is highly sensitive to lead intoxication. Plant-derived products with antioxidant activity have been useful in reducing lead-induced neurotoxicity. The present study investigated the possible protective effect of tomato pomace powder (TPP) on brain damage induced by lead acetate (LAc) in rats. Thirty rats were divided equally into five groups: control; propylene glycol; TPP (50 mg/kg), LAc (50 mg/kg), and LAc+ TPP. All treatments were administered orally by gavage for 42 days. Rats were euthanized on day 43 of experiment. Behavioural tests, oxidative and blood parameters were done and brain tissue was examined with regard to histological parameters. Results indicated that LAc significantly (p&lt;0.05) induced increased levels of lipid peroxidation and activity of SOD, but reduced GSH level. Similarly LAc caused alteration in the haematological and behavioural parameters, and microscopic anatomy of the cerebellum, dentate gyrus, and Cornu Ammonis3 of rats. These alterations...

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of selenium nanoparticles in a lead-induced testicular toxicity model.
Methods: In total, 30 Wistar rats were divided into three groups and treated (except the normal control) with lead acetate in drinking water (1,000 mg/l) for five weeks. The control rats and negative control rats received saline intraperitoneally, and the third group received intraperitoneal injections of selenium nanoparticles (0.5 mg/kg).
Results: The lead-treated group showed a significant increase in blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.01). The lead-intoxicated rats treated with selenium nanoparticles showed a significant decrease in serum AST and ALT compared to the untreated negative controls (P < 0.5). The histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues indicated lead-induced injuries (e.g., necrotic cells in liver and kidneys). The selenium-treated group showed reduced histopathological signs of lead-induced injuries. Lipid peroxidation levels were also lower in the selenium-treated rats compared to the negative controls (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: This experimental study confirmed the protective effects of selenium nanoparticles in the rats exposed to chronic lead-induced toxicity. However, further experiments are required to evaluate the possible side-effects and complications.

To study the protective effect of Red Palm Oil (RPO) on testicular damage induced by administration of lead acetate on male Sprague-Dawley rats, 28 rats divided into four groups of 7 animals each were used. They were administered orally with RPO (1 mL and 2 mL) and lead acetate (i.p.) 6 mg/kg body weight/day, respectively. Treatment was conducted for 8 weeks, and 24 hrs after the last treatment the rats were sacrificed using cervical dislocation. Sperms collected from epididymis were used for seminal fluid analyses; while the testes sample was used for ROS and oxidative enzyme activities assessment. Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad Prism 5.02 statistical analysis package. Administration of lead acetate increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) significantly (p&lt;0.05) as evidenced by the elevated value of H2O2and LPO and decreased GSH level. Also there was reduced epididymal sperm count, poor grade of sperm motility, and lower percentage of normal spe...