Gonadotropic Activity of Pituitary Extract of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, in Mammals using Immature Wistar Rats as Models

BACKGROUND

The pituitary glands normally produce and stores gonadotropic hormones (GnH) that are responsible for ovulation and spermiation in animals. However, whether fish pituitary extracts can elicit same effects in treated animals need elucidation as a prelude to their practical usage in animals.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the oestrus-inducing potential of the pituitary gland extract of the Africa Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in immature Wistar rats.

METHODS

The experiment involved the use of 18 immature female Wistar rats and 10 male catfish brood stocks with the use of six Wistar rats per groups as follows: Group A had human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment. Group B had only normal saline treatment as the control whereas Group C had the C. gariepinus pituitary extract administration to induce oestrus with treatments occurring twice six hours apart in each group.

RESULTS

There was an obvious expression of visible signs of heat and the presence of uterine horn oedema with significant (p < 0.05) increase in reproductive tract weight and uterine width and length. However, only progesterone levels increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the hCG and the C. gariepinus pituitary extract treated groups compared to other assayed hormones.

CONCLUSION

These results showed that C. gariepinus pituitary extract has the capacity to induce oestrus in Wistar rats because of its gonadotropic effects, which needs further investigations at higher doses and for longer exposure periods for possible oestrus induction and synchronization in higher mammals. Further favourable results could herald the possible patent of the catfish pituitary extract for either experimental or commercial use in mammals.

A case of chronic schistosomiasis in a Dongola stallion (Equus ferus caballus Linnaeus, 1758) from Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is a worldwide snail-borne parasitic infestation of man and animals with acute or chronic phases having devastating sequelae. The present case report focused on post-mortem examination of a cachexic Dongola stallion (Equus ferus caballus Linnaeus, 1758) in Abuja, Nigeria, that failed to respond to treatment. Typical dense collagenous granulomatous lesions with marked inflammatory responses and fibrosis occurred in the liver and several visceral organs of the horse along with other lesions indicative of systemic collapse. Special Ziehl-Neelsen and Periodic Acid-Schiff staining as well as microbial culture returned negative results to rule out acid-fast bacilli, fungal, and other bacterial involvement. In addition, the presence of a yellowish-brown eggshell within fibrosing granulomatous lesions led to the diagnosis of chronic schistosomiasis. Prolonged malnutrition under harsh and changing increment weather conditions with lack of medical care following the infection might have predisposed the horse to the recorded systemic collapse in the present case. The dearth of information on the ante-mortem evaluation of acute equine schistosomiasis cases notwithstanding, the observed lesions/cellular changes reinforced  associated multi-organ damages and systemic collapse in chronic cases. Our findings highlighted the pathological presentations and prognosis of chronic schistosomiasis and its triggers, especially in endemic areas, and in horses that often do not present obvious clinical manifestations.

Histopathological and health risk assessment of heavy metals in the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in Nigeria

There is heightening concern regarding heavy metals environmental pollution requiring renewed global attention because of their bioaccumulation and toxicity at varying levels. The concern is most important in the highly migratory Eidolon helvum (E. helvum) that is very common and traverses wide geographical areas within the sub-Saharan Africa. The present study aimed to evaluate levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) bioaccumulation in 24 E. helvum of both sexes from Nigeria to assess their indirect health risks to the human consumers of the bats in addition to their direct bioaccumulation and toxic damages in the bats themselves based on standard procedures. Lead, Zn, and Cd bioaccumulation concentrations were 2.83 ± 0.35, 0.42 ± 0.03, and 0.05 ± 0.01 mg/kg, respectively, with significant (p < 0.05) Pb bioaccumulation compared to either Cd or Zn in the affected bats. However, only Pb (markedly) and Cd (marginally) bioaccumulated above small mammals' critical threshold levels as there are no existing established threshold levels for bats. Sex played no major role in their bioaccumulation levels. The bioaccumulation levels posed no life-long non-carcinogenic nor carcinogenic risks to the human consumers of the bats at detected concentrations. The observed lungs, liver, and kidney histopathological changes suggested the possible direct effects of the metals in the bats. Nevertheless, other anthropogenic factors might be responsible as no significant (p > 0.05) correlation existed between cellular changes and the bioaccumulation levels. The presence of the heavy metals and their bioaccumulations above critical threshold levels suggested some levels of environmental contamination and pollution, which might have direct and indirect health implications to the bats and their human consumers.

A case of racemiform trichoblastoma in a dog

Trichoblastoma, which is common in dogs, is now occurring with other cellular changes outside the recognized forms to warrant their continuous evaluation for proper elucidation even as their causes largely remain unknown. A case at hand involved a 9-year-old Caucasian dog, which weighed 35 kg with chief complaint of a progressive bleeding mass on the scalp. The dog had an up-to-date vaccination record and all vital parameters were within optimum ranges. The surgical excision of the firm, solitary, and alopecic mass with traumatized upper surface revealed the presence of a well-demarcated and unencapsulated mass composed of grapes-like nests of basaloid epithelial cells within follicular stroma devoid of stromal necrosis, inflammatory cellular infiltration, and neoplastic epidermal connection. However, there was tissue necrosis, hemorrhages, and inflammatory cellular infiltrates on the exposed upper part of the traumatized growth. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive reactivity to AE1/AE3, CK5/6, and p63 but negative immunoreactivity to CK7, CK20, CEA, and TTF-1. The histomorphological and immunohistochemical evaluation of the mass on the scalp of the dog suggested a solitary racemiform trichoblastoma with a traumatized exposed upper part despite basal cell carcinoma mimicry where histological diagnosis currently hold sway over immunohistochemical evaluation.

Individual and combined anti-trypanosomal effects of arteether and diminazene aceturate in the treatment of experimental Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in rats

AIM

Trypanosomosis is a vital protozoan disease of man and animals with devastating consequences in the tropical parts of the world, necessitating the investigation of the effects of diminazene aceturate (DA) and arteether (AR) on Trypanosoma brucei brucei experimental infection in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used a total of 98 rats, which were divided into 14 groups (A-N) of seven rats each over 36 days after acclimatizing them. We administered 1×106 trypanosomes to the infected groups (B-N) with Group A as the unexposed control rats. Groups C-F became the infected and treated rats with 3.5 mg/kg, 7.0 mg/kg, 10.5 mg/kg, and 14.0 mg/kg of DA while Groups G-J became the infected and treated rats with 0.01 ml/kg, 0.02 ml/kg, 0.03 ml/kg, and 0.04 ml/kg of AR. Groups K-N became infected and treated rats with DA and AR combinations at similar doses.

RESULTS

Parasitemia suppression occurred in Groups G-J only but became cleared in Groups C-F and K-N. Survival time varied significantly (p<0.05) between Group B and the other infected groups. We recorded anemia in all the infected rats while significant (p<0.05) splenomegaly and hepatomegaly occurred in Groups G-J only compared to the other groups.

CONCLUSION

AR did not inhibit or potentiate the anti-trypanosomal efficacy of DA, and therefore, it is comparatively less effective in combating T. brucei infection at the present doses and treatment regimen.

Heavy metals bioaccumulation and histopathological changes in Auchenoglanis occidentalis fish from Tiga dam, Nigeria

The assessment of heavy metals concentration in Tiga dam, Nigeria vis-à-vis their bioaccumulation and histopathological alterations in Auchenoglanis occidentalis from it were carried out. The water of the dam and the liver of the fish were analyzed for zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) concentrations and their bioaccumulation factors. At the same time, the gills, liver and kidney of the exposed fish were also examined for histopathological alterations. The results revealed that concentrations of the metals differs significantly (p < 0.05) between the dam's water and the liver of the sampled fish. Liver bioaccumulations of the metals were in the order of Zn > Fe > Cd > Pb. However, the degree of tissue alterations in the gills showed their normal functioning despite the observed alterations while liver and kidney were mildly and moderately damaged, respectively. This indicated that Zn, Cd, Pb and Fe polluted the dam.