Strobilocercus fasciolaris infection with hepatic sarcoma and gastroenteropathy in a Wistar colony

Tapeworm cysts were identified in liver of Wistar rats and it induced fibrosarcoma in liver and gastroenteropathy in stomach and intestine. The tapeworm larva was confirmed as Strobilocercus fasciolaris by PCR linked mitochondrial DNA sequencing. Light microscopy, special staining (masson trichrome) and immunoflouresence supported the diagnosis of fibrosarcoma. Infiltration of plasma cells, macrophages and eosinophils were observed in the liver section. Gastric mucosal hyperplasia, dilation of gastric glands with secretion, intestinal mucosal cell hyperplasia, proliferation of duodenal submucosal glands were confirmed by light microscopy and supported by PAS, AB staining. The concomitant development of hepatic sarcoma and gastroenteropathy by larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis (S. fasciolaris) infection is very rare and is the first reported case in Wistar rats to our knowledge.

A comparative clinico-pathological study of oral submucous fibrosis in habitual chewers of pan masala and betelquid

BACKGROUND

Oral submucous fibrosis associated with chewing of betel nut products has an estimated prevalence of 0.2-1.2% in India. The increasing use of pan masala/gutkha, a mix of tobacco and a less moist form of betelquid lacking the betel leaf, seems associated with an earlier age of onset of oral submucous fibrosis.

METHOD

A prospective study examined the in vivo effects of pan masala/gutkha and betelquid chewing on buccal mucosal cytology in 50 patients with oral submucous fibrosis and 40 controls.

RESULTS

The percentage of nucleolated intermediate cells or proliferative fraction of buccal mucosa cells was significantly higher in all habitual chewers than controls. Pan masala/gutkha chewers presented with oral submucous fibrosis after 2.7 +/- 0.6 y of use whereas the betelquid users presented with oral submucous fibrosis reported 8.6 +/- 2.3 y of use (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Habitual chewing of pan masala/gutkha is associated with earlier presentation of oral submucous fibrosis than betelquid use. Factors which may be responsible for these differences are the tobacco content, the absence of the betel leaf and its carotenes and the much higher dry weight of pan masala/gutkha.

Palmolein and groundnut oil have comparable effects on blood lipids and platelet aggregation in healthy Indian subjects

Substitution of palmolein (POL) for groundnut oil (GNO) doubles saturated fatty acids and decreases by half the linoleic acid (18:2n-6) content of Indian diets. The effects of this substitution on selected parameters of cardiovascular risk and membrane functions were studied in middle-aged subjects. Both metabolic (short-term) and "in-home" (long-term) studies were conducted, and the subjects were crossed over from GNO to POL or vice versa. During both studies and in both sexes, blood pressure, plasma levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides and their distributions in various lipoprotein fractions were not altered. The lower 18:2n-6 and higher 16:0 intakes were reflected in fatty acid compositions of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides. However, the plasma and platelet phospholipid fatty acid patterns did not shift toward saturation. The observation that the levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids were similar at the end of GNO and POL regimens indicates that 18:2n-6 furnished during POL regimen may be sufficient to maintain the levels of arachidonic acid in cell membranes. Platelet aggregation, erythrocyte membrane fluidity, and activity of Na+, K+ ATPase, a membrane-bound enzyme, were essentially similar at the end of the two oil regimens. These results indicate that POL is comparable to GNO and may not induce hypercholesterolemia in Indian subjects consuming cereal-based diets containing 30% total fat calories and low cholesterol.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)-induced reduction in urinary mutagens

Rats were fed turmeric at various levels in the diet for up to 3 months and then exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) or 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) by ip injection. Urinary mutagens were detected using the Salmonella typhimurium assay. Turmeric fed at 0.5% and above inhibited B[a]P- and 3-MC-mediated mutagenicity. Turmeric did not adversely affect the food intake, or weight gain of the rats and no histological changes were detected. These findings are significant in view of the widespread exposure of humans to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The study has also revealed a useful in vivo model for testing the antimutagenicity.