Syeda Nadia Ahmad

Background: Dimenhydrinate (DH) is the first generation medicine used as antiemetic. It is neurotoxic in rat and chick embryos. Both green cabbage (GCbg) and red cabbage (RCbg) have many health benefits and red cabbage is also full of anthocyanins and may minimize oxidative stress in chick embryo. Material and Method: The study was designed to check the teratogenic impacts of dimenhydrinate and curative abilities of green and red cabbage extracts against dimenhydrinate in chick embryo through morphometry, histopathology and micrometry. Fertilized eggs were divided into six groups ( n = 50): (1) control (Cnt), injected with 0.02 mL distilled water (2) GCbg, injected with 0.02 mL green cabbage extract (3) RCbg, injected with 0.02 mL red cabbage extract (4) DH, injected with 0.02 mL dimenhydrinate (5) DH + GCbg, injected with 0.01 mL dimenhydrinate and 0.01 mL green cabbage extract (6) DH + RCbg, injected with 0.01 mL dimenhydrinate and 0.01 mL red cabbage extract. All groups were administered on the zero day of incubation, and recovery was made on the 14th day. Results: The embryos of DH exposed group indicated significant decrease in embryonic body weight (7.71 ± 2.82 g) and liver weight (0.03 ± 0.02 g) as compared to control group (15.58 ± 0.75 g; 0.35 ± 0.01 g). The prominent morphometric malformations were amelia, phocomelia, microcephaly and microtia. The hepato‐histopathologic signs include decreased hepatocytes, irregular hepatocyte cords and sinusoidal space and de‐shaping central veins. Concusion: This study indicated that dimenhydrinate is teratogenic in chick embryo and both cabbages have ability to decrease birth defects and red cabbage indicated more positive potential compared to green cabbage.

Lead (Pb) is a widespread environmental toxicant and potent teratogen known to disrupt embryonic development in various animal models. Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12), a biologically active form of B12, is reported to exhibit antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. This study aimed to assess the teratogenic effects of lead on chick embryos and evaluate the protective role of methylcobalamin. A total of 200 fertilized golden black chick eggs were randomly divided into four groups: control, lead acetate, methylcobalamin, and lead acetate + methylcobalamin. Eggs were treated on day 0 of incubation and maintained for 14 days. Morphological and morphometric parameters were recorded and statistically analyzed post-incubation. Embryos exposed to lead showed significant growth retardation, reduced body weight and crown–rump length, and multiple morphological anomalies, including microcephaly, limb deformities, and exophthalmos. Co-administration of methylcobalamin markedly reduced the severity of these anomalies and improved growth parameters, indicating a protective effect. The findings demonstrate that lead exposure induces notable teratogenic effects in chick embryos and that methylcobalamin effectively ameliorates these developmental abnormalities. This study supports the potential application of methylcobalamin as a protective agent against heavy metal-induced embryo toxicity in avian models.

Male infertility has become a global health issue nowadays. Insecticides damage the male reproductive system but can be rescued via the use of medicinal fruit extracts (MFEs). A number of experimental studies have shown that MFEs ameliorate testicular histopathologies induced by environmental (toxin) exposure in albino mice. MFEs show good capacity for testicular rehabilitation because of the presence of phytochemicals, especially phytosterols and natural antioxidants. Additionally, we have recently reported better survival rates and fertilizability of cryopreserved spermatozoa on the fortification of semen extenders with MFEs. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that chemicals and insecticides are potential disruptors of spermatogenic activity and testicular microarchitecture in vivo, whereas the MFEs have shown excellent rehabilitative potentials in these contexts. Moreover, MFEs have also been shown to contribute to the post -hawed semen quality parameters.

The aim of the present study was the validation of the already reported Bos taurus SNPs in the Sahiwal breed. A total of nine SNPs of the casein gene were studied. Out of nine, seven Bos taurus SNPs of casein protein genes were found to be significantly associated with milk productivity traits. The genomic DNA was extracted from the mammary alveolar endothelial cells of a flock of 80 purebred Sahiwal lactating dams available at Khizrabad Farm near Sargodha. New allele-specific primers were designed from the NCBI annotated sequence database of Bos taurus to obtain 100 nt-long PCR products. Each dam was tested separately for all the SNPs investigated. Animals with genotype GG for the SNPs rs43703010, rs10500451, and 110323127, respectively, exhibited high milk yield. Similarly, animals with genotype AA for the SNPs rs11079521, rs43703016, and rs43703017 showed high milk yield consistently. For the SNP rs43703015, animals with genotype CC showed high milk productivity. These above-mentioned SNPs have previously been reported to significantly up-regulate casein protein contents in Bos taurus. Our results indicated SNPs that significantly affect the milk protein contents may also significantly increase per capita milk yield. These finding suggest that the above-mentioned reported SNPs can also be used as genetic markers of milk productivity in Sahiwal cattle.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is used extensively for the production of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, paints, plastics and as a solve