http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/505 Search the Channel search http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/simple-search http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/2819 Title: THE SIZE OF ANTERIOR FONTANEL IN NEONATES AND INFANTS IN ADDIS ABABA <br/> <br/>Authors: TAREKEGN, G/MESKEL <br/> <br/>Abstract: The size and the time of closure of anterior fontanel (AF) is often used in the diagnosis of disorders like altered skeletal morphogenesis, increased intracranial pressure, hormonal disorders and others. In order to properly utilize AF size in the diagnosis of different disorders, it is necessary to establish a normal range of AF sizes related to age. Racial differences in the size of AF and its time of closure has been reported and there are many countries with their own national standard. To my knowledge, there is no study done to determine the AF size and its time of closure in Ethiopian neonates and infants. The present study aims to establish mean AF size for Addis Ababa (A.A.) neonates and infants at the ages of 3, 46, 76, 106 and 270 days. The study is a cross sectional design carried out from January 2003 to December 2003 in A.A. and the study sites chosen were Tikur Anebessa Specialized Hospital, Zewditu Memorial Hospital, Tekele Haymanot and Wereda 23 Health Centers. The subjects were 687 neonates and infants, of which 363 were males and 324 were females. All cases fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in a row until the targeted sample size was attained. The AF size, body weight, body length and head circumference were measured. When measuring AF size, first the four vertices were identified. After marking the vertices with washable ink, the marks were transferred on a sheet of paper. From the marks transferred on the sheet of paper, the anterior-posterior and the lateral dimensions were measured. The mean of the anterior-posterior and the lateral dimensions was taken as AF size. The mean AF size progressively decreased with age except at 106 days measurement which showed increase over the 76 days measurement. In all ages considered, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found in neonates and infants of different gender, birth order, gestational age and economic status. AF closure was observed beginning at the age of 76 days (0.8%) and the percent of closure increased with age. In Infants at the age of 270 days, 39.6% of them had closed AF. There were no significant (p>0.05) correlations between AF size and body weight, body length and head circumference while there was negative significant (p<0.05) correlation between AF size and age. The result of the present study shows congruence with the study on Nigerian and Indian neonates but disagrees with the study done on Arab, Israeli, China and white neonates and infants. Further study in different parts of Ethiopia is recommended to establish a national agerelated standard for AF size and its time of closure. http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/2572 Title: THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF Vernonia bipontini ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS AND ON LIVER AND KIDNEY TISSUES <br/> <br/>Authors: MEBRATU, ALEBACHEW <br/> <br/>Abstract: Toxicological studies are sources of useful information for evaluating the therapeutic benefits of locally used medicinal plants. Vernonia bipontini (V. bipontini) is a herb used for treatment of malaria and malaria related symptoms in Ethiopia. However, its side effects have not been studied. In this study, the toxic effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of V. bipontini leaves on some blood parameters and on liver and kidney, tissues in mice were investigated. Lethal doses at which 50% of experimental mice died (LD50s) in both aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of V. bipontini were determined by administering different doses (1250-3250mg/kg for aqueous leaf extract and 1250-2750mg/kg for methanolic leaf extract) to experimental animals using intragastric catheter. For long-term toxicity study, sixty male and female Swiss albino mice were equally divided into six groups of 10 animals each. Groups1 and 2 were set as the control and received 0.5ml of distilled water and 0.5ml of 4% tween in distilled water, respectively, at 24 hrs intervals for 45 days. Group 3 and 4 were subjected to oral administration of the aqueous leaf extract at 400 and 800mg/kg, respectively, while group 5 and 6 were treated at 400 and 800mg/kg of methanolic leaf extract, respectively in 24 hrs intervals for 45 days. All groups were closely observed for any physical and behavioral alterations. Body weights of the mice were recorded on the first day and the last day of administration. Each animal was sacrified under diethyl ether anesthesia on the 46th day. Following sacrifice, blood sample was collected by cardiac puncture using sterile needle and 5ml syringe into heparinized test tubes for hematological studies and into non-heparinized tubes for biochemical analysis. Hematological parameters (total RBC, WBC, platelets, lymphocytes, Hgb, Hct, Mcv, Mch, and Mchc) and biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, and urea) were evaluated. Through a vertical, midline incision, the liver and kidney of each animal were removed and cleaned of the surrounding tissues. Each sample was fixed in 10% buffered formalin overnight. The tissues were processed for light microscopy. The LD50s of the aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of V. bipontini were 2500.62±5.24 mg/kg and 2130.6±1.5mg/kg, respectively. No deaths were recorded among the control groups. The aqueous leaf extract has no significant (P>0.05) effect on liver and kidney weights, and hematological and biochemical parameters at all doses when compared with control group. Treatment with 800mg/kg body weight of methanolic leaf extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased body, liver and kidney weights, RBC, Hgb, Mch, Mchc, platelets and significantly increased serum AST, ALT and ALP levels while 400mg/kg dose had no effect on these parameters. The reduced organ weights did not correlate with loss of body weight at 800mg/kg bw of methanolic leaf extract of the plant. Light microscope observations of liver tissue of mice treated with 800mg/kg of the methanolic leaf extract revealed dilated sinusoids, nuclear enlargement, bi-nucleation of hepatocytes, peripheral cramped chromatin, shrinkages (single cell death) of hepatocytes, fragmentation of hepatocytes (apoptosis) while no histopathological changes were observed in liver and kidney of mice treated at 400mg/kg of the methanolic leaf extract and at all doses of aqueous leaf extract. Kidney tissue sections of mice did not show significant histopathological changes at 400mg/kg of the same methanolic leaf extract of V. bipontini. However, at 800mg/kg kidney sections showed that increase cellularity of glomerulus and urinary space obliteration. In conclusion, this study suggests that the aqueous leaf extract of this plant may be safe, even when taken for 45 days at higher dose (800mg/kg). This is in agreement with traditional claim of the water preparation of V. bipontini leaves. However, methanolic leaf extract may be phytotoxic to liver that resulted in a rise in serum AST, ALT and ALP levels after 45 days herbal administration at high dose. Further studies would be needed to identify the active ingredients responsible for such toxicities. http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/2278 Title: THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF Vernonia bipontini ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS AND ON LIVER AND KIDNEY TISSUES <br/> <br/>Authors: MEBRATU, ALEBACHEW <br/> <br/>Abstract: Toxicological studies are sources of useful information for evaluating the therapeutic benefits of locally used medicinal plants. Vernonia bipontini (V. bipontini) is a herb used for treatment of malaria and malaria related symptoms in Ethiopia. However, its side effects have not been studied. In this study, the toxic effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of V. bipontini leaves on some blood parameters and on liver and kidney, tissues in mice were investigated. Lethal doses at which 50% of experimental mice died (LD50s) in both aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of V. bipontini were determined by administering different doses (1250-3250mg/kg for aqueous leaf extract and 1250-2750mg/kg for methanolic leaf extract) to experimental animals using intragastric catheter. For long-term toxicity study, sixty male and female Swiss albino mice were equally divided into six groups of 10 animals each. Groups1 and 2 were set as the control and received 0.5ml of distilled water and 0.5ml of 4% tween in distilled water, respectively, at 24 hrs intervals for 45 days. Group 3 and 4 were subjected to oral administration of the aqueous leaf extract at 400 and 800mg/kg, respectively, while group 5 and 6 were treated at 400 and 800mg/kg of methanolic leaf extract, respectively in 24 hrs intervals for 45 days. All groups were closely observed for any physical and behavioral alterations. Body weights of the mice were recorded on the first day and the last day of administration. Each animal was sacrified under diethyl ether anesthesia on the 46th day. Following sacrifice, blood sample was collected by cardiac puncture using sterile needle and 5ml syringe into heparinized test tubes for hematological studies and into non-heparinized tubes for biochemical analysis. Hematological parameters (total RBC, WBC, platelets, lymphocytes, Hgb, Hct, Mcv, Mch, and Mchc) and biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, and urea) were evaluated. Through a vertical, midline incision, the liver and kidney of each animal were removed and cleaned of the surrounding tissues. Each sample was fixed in 10% buffered formalin overnight. The tissues were processed for light microscopy. The LD50s of the aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of V. bipontini were 2500.62±5.24 mg/kg and 2130.6±1.5mg/kg, respectively. No deaths were recorded among the control groups. The aqueous leaf extract has no significant (P>0.05) effect on liver and kidney weights, and hematological and biochemical parameters at all doses when compared with control group. Treatment with 800mg/kg body weight of methanolic leaf extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased body, liver and kidney weights, RBC, Hgb, Mch, Mchc, platelets and significantly increased serum AST, ALT and ALP levels while 400mg/kg dose had no effect on these parameters. The reduced organ weights did not correlate with loss of body weight at 800mg/kg bw of methanolic leaf extract of the plant. Light microscope observations of liver tissue of mice treated with 800mg/kg of the methanolic leaf extract revealed dilated sinusoids, nuclear enlargement, bi-nucleation of hepatocytes, peripheral cramped chromatin, shrinkages (single cell death) of hepatocytes, fragmentation of hepatocytes (apoptosis) while no histopathological changes were observed in liver and kidney of mice treated at 400mg/kg of the methanolic leaf extract and at all doses of aqueous leaf extract. Kidney tissue sections of mice did not show significant histopathological changes at 400mg/kg of the same methanolic leaf extract of V. bipontini. However, at 800mg/kg kidney sections showed that increase cellularity of glomerulus and urinary space obliteration. In conclusion, this study suggests that the aqueous leaf extract of this plant may be safe, even when taken for 45 days at higher dose (800mg/kg). This is in agreement with traditional claim of the water preparation of V. bipontini leaves. However, methanolic leaf extract may be phytotoxic to liver that resulted in a rise in serum AST, ALT and ALP levels after 45 days herbal administration at high dose. Further studies would be needed to identify the active ingredients responsible for such toxicities. http://etd.aau.edu.et:80/dspace/handle/123456789/1215 Title: EFFECT OF ETHANOL AND KHAT (Catha edulis Forsk) ON CEREBELLAR CORTEX OF THE RAT <br/> <br/>Authors: Abebe, Muche <br/> <br/>Abstract: ABSTRACT This experimental study included three age groups of rats: post natal day (PND) 6, 13 and 30. Each group contained control, ethanol treated (ET), khat treated (KT) and combination of khat and ethanol treated (CT) categories. They were treated with vehicle, ethanol and khat, respectively for 30 days using blunt needle. At the end of experiment, all the animals were scarified, their brain was dissected out and immersion fixed. The brain and cerebellum were separately weighed, and cerebellum was processed for routine histology and sectioned. The serially sectioned tissues of cerebellum was stained with toluidine blue and observed using light microscope. In the rats of all age groups, the body weight increment at the end of experimental period was significantly less in the treated ones than their respective controls at P< 0.01. Between the treated rats, this was less for the ET rats than the KT rats, although not statistically significant (P>0.05). Similarly, the weight of the brain as a whole and cerebellar weight, part of brain, of the treated rats were significantly less than their respective controls (P<0.01). These weights were also less for the ET rats than for the KT rats, though not statistically significant. In the rats of PND 6 group, the following results were found: The volume of cerebellar cortex as well as the total number of Purkinje neurons of the ET rats were significantly less than the controls and KT rats at P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the controls and KT rats. The numerical density and volume fraction of Purkinje neurons of ET rats was found to be significantly greater than those of control or KT rats (P<0.05). In addition, the numerical density and volume fraction of Purkinje neurons were greater in the KT rats than their corresponding controls, but no statistically significant difference was observed. The mean diameter of Purkinje neurons was significantly less in the ET rats than in KT rats which in turn was significantly less than the control rats (P<0.01). In the rats of PND 13 and 30, the patterns of the results of all the different parameters investigated consistently followed those of the rats of PND 6 as summarized above, However, the values were found to be statistically non- significant. In addition, the results of all the parameters for the CT rats of PND 30 rats showed values in between KT and ET rats, though these were also statistically non- significant. However, CT rats of PND 6 and 13 died after two days of treatment. In conclusion, the study depicted that PND 6 is an extremely vulnerable period during which the rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons are particularly susceptible to the effect of high dose of ethanol. However, a similar level and duration of ethanol exposure commencing during PND 13 and 30 has no significant effect on the volume of cerebellar cortex, numerical density of Purkinje neurons, total number of Purkinje neurons and volume fraction of Purkinje neurons. Treatment of khat and combination of khat and ethanol is lethal at an early age, however it does not significantly change the above mentioned parameters at the latter ages (PND 30). <br/> <br/>Description: A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Addis Ababa University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Masters of Science degree in Anatomy