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Background: Formalin is an aqueous solution of formaldehyde. It is a protoplasmic poison and causes coagulation necrosis and tissue fixation.
Case: A 19-year-old girl was brought for autopsy to the mortuary of JSS Medical College, Mysore.
Conclusion: Formalin is an unusual poison to be ingested for suicidal purposes due to selective availability and its strong taste and odor.

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Background: This study intended to assess individual and combined adsorption potentials of three adsorbents (processed bentonite as an inorganic adsorbent, and cell walls of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and of the GG strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus as organic adsorbents) for aflatoxin B₁ and ochratoxin A under in vitro conditions.
Methods: This study was conducted in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran in 2106. A pre-test with four treatments of bacteria and yeast (live or dead) with five replications was designed and conducted to study the effects of these biotic and abiotic organic adsorbents on toxin adsorption efficiency. The experiment in the main study had seven treatments including two toxins (2 ppm) and three adsorbents with five replications using the completely randomized design. Toxin quantities were measured by an HPLC instrument.
Results: The various types of dead organic adsorbents were more capable of adsorbing toxins compared to the live ones. The processed bentonite was considerably more efficient in adsorbing aflatoxin B₁ (93.51) compared to the other treatment groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed between the effects of yeast and bacterial cell walls in adsorbing aflatoxin B₁. However, the bacterial cell walls (61.71) had higher adsorption efficiencies in adsorbing ochratoxin A than the processed bentonite and yeast cell walls (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Processed bentonite (or montmorillonite) and bacterial cell walls are able to adsorb considerable quantities of aflatoxin B₁and ochratoxin A, and can be used in multiple mycotoxin contaminations as an effective strategy for preventing or reducing the harmful effects of these toxins.

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Background: The application of nano-particles (NPs) in various industries is growing. Since their toxicity is not clearly understood, they can cause adverse effects on the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological effects of iron oxide nano-particles on the small intestine of common carp, Cyprinus carpio.
Methods: Four experimental treatments were designed (15 fish/treatment). Treatment 1 was the controls while Treatments 2, 3 and 4 were experimental. The experimental groups were exposed to 50, 75 and the 100 mg/L of iron oxide NPs, respectively. On days 14, 21 and 28, the fish were randomly picked from each tank, samples of the small intestine were dissected, and were examined for both the accumulation of the iron NPs and the tissue histopathologies.  
Results: The highest concentration of iron accumulation was detected for Treatment 3 on day 21, compared to all other treatment groups (p<0.05). However, iron accumulation in the tissue declined unexpectedly after day 21 despite the continued treatments at 100 mg/L of the iron NPs. The histopathological examinations revealed that the treatment beyond 21 days caused damages to the intestinal epithelial cells, including enterocytes, villi and the goblet cells.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the effect of iron oxide NPs on the small intestinal tissue was dependant on the dose and duration of exposure. We conclude that the iron accumulation in the small intestine declined despite increasing the iron oxide NPs concentration and the exposure duration secondary to damages caused to the intestinal epithelial cell layer.

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Background: Cisplatin has cytotoxic effects through free radical generation. Reports indicate that various members of Pinaceae family may have antioxidant properties. In this study we investigated the cytoprotective effects of needle volatile oil and bark extract of Pinus eldarica in Hepatoma G2 (HepG2) cell line. 
Methods: Using the maceration technique, we obtained the ethanolic extract of Pinus eldarica’s bark (BHAEPE). Folin-ciocalteu reagent was used to determine the total phenolic content of BHAEPE. The Needle’s Volatile Oil of Pinus eldarica (NVOPE) was obtained by Clevenger hydrodistillation method. The main components of NVOPE were identified by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS). We used DPPH assay to investigate the antioxidant activity of both NVOPE and BHAEPE. Also, MTT assay was performed to test the protective effects of both BHAEPE and NVOPE against cisplatin.
Results: Folin-ciocalteu test demonstrated that each gram of BHAEPE was equivalent to 371±6 mg of gallic acid. Also, GC-MS identified germacrene D as the main component of NVOPE. BHAEPE had more antioxidant capacity compared to NVOPE. When incubated solely with cells, neither BHAEPE nor NVOPE represented cytotoxicity on. Furthermore, BHAEPE demonstrated mitogenic effects on higher doses (50, 75 and 100 μg/ml). However, both NVOPE and lower doses of BHAEPE (10, 20 μg/ml) could not protect the cells against cisplatin’s cytotoxicity, but higher doses of BHAEPE provided cytoprotective effects.
Conclusion: The antioxidant properties of both NVOPE and lower doses of BHAEPE did not adequately protect HepG2 cells against the cisplatin’s cytotoxicity. However, BHAEPE at high concentrations demonstrated cytoprotective effects.

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Background: Diazinon (Dzn), an Organophosphorus (OP) pesticide, is extensively used in agriculture. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition is linked to OP toxicity, and there are major mental health concerns associated with the use of pesticides. The objective of this study was to assess the depressive behavior in an animal model following their exposure to Dzn and the effect on the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a critical neurotropic factor.
Methods: Male Swiss mice (N=42; 25±3g each) were used and their behaviors were eamined on including the locomotor, Forced Swimming (FST), and Sucrose Preference (SP) tests. These tests were performed the day after a single daily Dzn administration by gavage (2.5-20 mg/kg). Specific animal groups were exposed to Dzn daily (2.5-10 mg/kg) for 14 days, and a test was performed on days 7 and 15.
Results: Following the acute exposure to Dzn, the animals’ locomotor activity did not change significantly. During the FST, Dzn at 20 mg/kg significantly increased the animals’ immobility time, indicating despair behavior. Imipramine, injected intraperitoneally at 10 mg/kg, did not cause the depressive behavior. The subacute exposure to Dzn induced less locomotor activity than that of the controls. The 7-day exposure to Dzn at 10 mg/kg significantly prolonged the immobility period compared to that of the controls. The 14-day Dzn exposure at 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg increased the immobility time significantly compared to that of the controls. None of the treatment groups showed SP, clearly showing animal anhedonia. The BDNF levels significantly decreased not only by subacute exposures to Dzn but also following a single exposure to this this pesticide.
Conclusion: The acute and subacute exposure to Dzn induced depressive behavior and increased the BDNF levels in the hippocampus of Swiss male mice following exposure to Dzn at varying doses of 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg.
 

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Background: Lead exposure inflicts severe damage to various body organs. The present study sought to assess the effect of chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) on the prevention of hepatic and renal damage in rats with chronic lead poisoning. The indicators were the levels of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines expression.
Methods: We used Rattus norvegicus as the animal model. They were assigned to three groups: negative control, positive control, and treatment (n=8 each). The negative control and treatment groups were the models for chronic lead poisoning, and the serum lead levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The treatment group was orally administered chitosan NPs at 64 mg/kg for 30 days. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using 2',7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate flow cytometry. The hepatic and renal TNF-α and IL-6 gene expressions were also analyzed.
Results: The mean serum lead level was 0.52 mg/L, validating the rats as the lead poisoning model. The results indicated that the liver and kidneys in the treatment group had the lowest ROS and TNF-α levels compared to those in other groups. The treatment rats had a lower hepatic IL-6 level compared to those in positive controls, although this was higher than that in the negative controls. The renal IL-6 level in the treatment group was the highest among all groups.
Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of this study, chitosan NPs had a protective effect on the liver and kidneys of rats during chronic lead poisoning by reducing the ROS and TNF-α levels; nonetheless, it did not suppress the renal IL-6 expression.

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Background: The signaling pathway of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/SMAD3 plays a crucial role in developing liver and kidney fibrosis. TGF-β is linked to metastasis through SRY-related, high-mobility box (SOX-2). The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of thymol and menthol, two monoterpene compounds, on the SOX-2 expression and TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling in the liver and kidneys of mice after administering diethylnitrosamine (DEN).
Methods: The Balb/C male mice, aged 14 days, were administered a single intraperitoneal injection of DEN (25 mg/kg) and then given daily either thymol (10 mg/kg) or menthol (50 mg/kg) for 26 consecutive weeks. The mRNA levels of TGF-β, SMAD3, and SOX-2 were measured after 4 and 26 weeks of treatment.
Results: The administration of DEN increased the expressions of TGF-β, SMAD3, and SOX-2 in the liver of animals after 4 and 26 weeks; however, their expressions in the kidneys increased only at the end of the 26th week compared to that of the control group. Thymol and menthol inhibited the expression of TGF-β, SMAD3, and SOX-2 in the liver and kidneys of the mice injected with DEN.
Conclusion: Based on the study findings, we concluded that thymol and menthol prevented carcinogenesis induction via expression of DEN in the liver and kidneys by inhibiting the associated expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and SOX-2.
 

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Background: Avocado peels (Persea americana Mill.) contain polyphenolic compounds that can be used as alternative medicinal plants, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal agents. This research aims to determine the acute toxicity of ethanol extract from avocado peels on ddY strain mice.
Methods: This experimental research using Acute Toxic Class Method (OECD 423) was conducted on 15 female mice ddY strain that were divided into five groups with one control group (CG) and four treatment groups. The four treatment groups administrated by ethanolic extract of avocado peel at Group 1 (G1) with 300 mg/kgBW single dose, Group 2 (G2) with 300 mg/kgBW repeated dose, Group 3 (G3) with 2,000 mg/kgBW single dose, and Group 4 (G4) with 2,000 mg/kgBW repeated dose were observed for 14 days.
Results: The results showed that avocado peels did not cause any toxic symptoms, including mortality (0%). No behavioral abnormalities or macroscopic changes in organ color, size, and relative organ weight were observed. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the relative liver and kidney weight between the control and treatment groups (P>0.05). Although a reduction in body weight was noted, it was not statistically significant (P>0.05)
Conclusion: All doses of the ethanolic extract of avocado peels fall into the practically non-toxic category (category 5) based on Globally Harmonised System (GHS).