Some physiological and anatomical studies on thymus capitatus in the rat

Other Title(s)

بعض الدراسات الفسيولوجية و التشريحية على تأثير نبات الزعتر في الجرذ

Dissertant

al-Shamaylah, Basimah Muhamma

Thesis advisor

Shakhanbeh, Jumah Muti

Comitee Members

al-Tarawinah, Khalid Ahmad Jafar
Khulayfat, Khalid Muhammad
al-Tamimi, Husam Jamal

University

Mutah University

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2006

English Abstract

The effect of chronic treatment of whole ethanolic extract (WEE) of Thymus capitatus (L.) was investigated on biochemical and cellular components of the blood, skin inflammation, ovarian activity, nerve conduction, and anatomy of liver, kidney and ovary of the rat.

Three groups of rats were treated (in drinking water) with 50, 100 and 200mg/kg of WEE of T.

capitatus for 4-5 weeks.

A fourth group was used as control.

After the treatment period, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and analyzed for biochemical measurements including aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, urea, uric acid, albumin, creatinine, glucose, total bilirubin, K+ and Na+ concentrations; and cellular components including red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, platelets, mean platelet volume, granulocytes, prothrombin consumption time and hemoglobin concentration.

Also, the effect of WEE of T.

capitatus was studied on local acute skin inflammation induced by carrageenan injection (intradermal) as measured by hind paw thickness.

In addition, ovarian activity was investigated as demonstrated by histological observations on the ovarian follicular maturation and number of offspring.

Moreover, nerve conduction was examined after direct perineural application of the plant extract as measured by the amplitude of compound action potentials (CAPs) of sensory afferent nerve fibers in the rat saphenous nerve.

Finally, anatomical observations were made in liver and kidney.

The results of the biochemical study of the blood showed that the plant extract induced significant decrease (P < 0.003) in aspartate aminotransferase activity and Na+ concentration; significant increase (P < 0001 to 0.05) in creatine kinase activity, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, urea and uric acid; and no change in alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, albumin, creatinine, glucose, total bilirubin and K+ concentration.

In addition, the results of the cellular study of the blood showed that the plant extract induced significant decrease (P < 0.03 to 0.04) in lymphocytes and monocytes; significant increase (P < 0.001 to 0.05) in hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, platelets, mean platelet volume, granulocytes, prothrombin consumption time; and no change in white blood cells and red blood cells count and hemoglobin concentration.

Also, the WEE but not the oils of T.

capitatus had no effect on acute skin inflammatory response.

Similarly, the WEE of the plant had no effect on the fertility of female, since the number of offspring was similar in both treated and control groups.

However, the WEE of the plant was shown to enhance maturation rate of ovarian follicles.

Moreover, similar effect of WEE of the plant has been found on sensory nerve conduction, since there was no change in the amplitude of compound action potentials (CAPs) of Aaβ, Aδ and C-fibers of the rat saphenous nerve.

However, the oils of the plant induced complete block of conduction of nerve fibers as it caused complete disappearance of CAPs of all the above sensory nerve fibers, but only partial (25-75 %) recovery of amplitudes of CAPs after washing with saline.

Finally, the histological appearance of the liver and kidney were normal after chronic treatment with WEE of T.

capitatus.

It is concluded that chronic administration of T.

capitatus may affect some biochemical and cellular components accompanied by some effects on fertility in females and sensory nerve conduction in the rat.

Further work is needed to investigate which component(s) of the plant is (are) responsible for the above effects.

Main Subjects

Biology

Topics

• Physiology

No. of Pages

129

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-314027