Diclofenac sodium (DS) is used primarily to treat fever and to alleviate pain and inflammation. We investigated the effects of DS exposure during gestation on the testes of rat pups to investigate the safety of its use during the prenatal period. Pregnant rats were separated into control, saline, low dose, medium dose and high dose groups. DS was given between weeks 15 and 21 of gestation. Total numbers of spermatogonia and Sertoli cells were counted in the testes of 7-day-old male rats using the physical disector method. By the end of the study, the total number of Sertoli cells was decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner in the medium and high dose groups compared to controls. No significant differences were found in the total number of spermatogonia in the control, saline and low dose DS groups. Medium and high dose DS administration reduced the total number of spermatogonia compared to other groups. We suggest that prenatal administration of DS can cause deleterious effects on the testis development, especially in high doses.

Background: The Felidae family includes diverse species with marked variation in ocular morphology. This study describes and qualitatively compares ocular morphology in a limited number of specimens: the clouded leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa , n = 1), the African lion ( Panthera leo , including two Angola lions, P. l. bleyenberghi , n = 2), and Pallas’s cat ( Otocolobus manul , including O. m. manul , n = 1), whereas morphometric assessment of the orbital region was additionally based on skull material (clouded leopard, n = 1; Pallas’s cat, n = 2; lions, n = 11). Materials and methods: Morphometric analyses were performed for the orbital region, eyeball, and selected accessory organs of the eye, using combined macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Histological staining included Mayer’s hematoxylin and eosin, Heidenhain’s Azan trichrome, Movat pentachrome, Masson-Goldner trichrome, Mallory’s trichrome with aniline blue, and Masson-Fontana, as well as histochemical staining with PAS, alcian blue (pH 1.0 and 2.5), alcian blue pH 2.5/PAS, and colloidal iron. Because of the very limited number of specimens, the study was strictly descriptive, and no statistical comparisons were performed. Results: In the examined specimens, eyeball size generally corresponded to animal body size, whereas eyeball shape varied among individuals: the examined Angola lions had elliptical eyeballs, the examined clouded leopard had a nearly round eyeball, and the examined Pallas’s cat had a slightly elliptical eyeball. Corneal size and shape varied among the examined individuals. Histologically, the cornea consisted of four layers, Bowman’s layer was absent, and epithelial thickness varied among specimens. Palisades of Vogt were identified in the examined material. The tapetum lucidum varied in size among the examined animals and was most pronounced in the Angola lions; its coloration ranged from milky blue to blue-green. The anterior chamber depth appeared to correspond with eyeball size. Pupil shape also differed among the examined animals. Histological and histochemical analyses of the ocular adnexa revealed interindividual and intertaxon differences in microstructure; however, the very limited material did not allow broader interpretation. Orbital morphometric values generally followed overall skull size. Possible sex-related variation was observed in the lion material, but this requires verification in a larger series. Conclusion: The present study provides a descriptive anatomical and histological characterization of the eye and selected ocular adnexa in a small number of representatives of three felid taxa. These findings may serve as baseline reference data for comparative anatomy and veterinary ophthalmology, but they should not be interpreted as species-level patterns. Limitations: Due to the limited sample size, these observations are preliminary and do not allow for species-level or population-level inferences. Because ante-mortem ophthalmic examinations were not available, subclinical ocular abnormalities cannot be excluded. In addition, because the material was collected post-mortem and subjected to fixation, processing, and sectioning, some morphometric values may have been affected by tissue distortion or shrinkage. Further studies based on larger series and standardized clinical evaluation are needed to verify the patterns observed in the present material.

Background/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is known to exacerbate neural degeneration and impair regenerative capacity following injury. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Garcinia kola and curcumin on spinal cord morphology and neural structure in a diabetic sciatic nerve injury model. Methods: Spinal cord tissues were obtained from male Wistar albino rats subjected to sciatic nerve transection and diabetes induction in a previously established experimental model. Animals had been assigned to five experimental groups (n = 7 per group): control group, transected sciatic nerve group, transected sciatic nerve + diabetes mellitus (DM), transected sciatic nerve + diabetes mellitus + curcumin (DM + Cur), and transected sciatic nerve + diabetes mellitus + Garcinia kola (DM + GK). Curcumin (300 mg/kg/day) and Garcinia kola (200 mg/kg/day) were administered orally. All animals were sacrificed at three months post-injury. Cervical (C3–C5) spinal cord segments were processed for histological evaluation, and quantitative assessments were performed using unbiased stereological methods to estimate neuronal and structural parameters. Microscopic analyses were conducted to assess morphological alterations. Results: Diabetes combined with sciatic nerve transection induced marked structural alterations in the spinal cord, including reductions in neuronal density and disruption of tissue organization. The DM group showed a significantly lower number of motor neurons than the other groups; similarly, it showed a significant decrease in soma area compared to the Cont and Sham groups. Conclusions: Both the curcumin and Garcinia kola treatment groups exhibited partial preservation of spinal cord morphology. This study provides evidence that Garcinia kola and curcumin exert protective effects not only at the peripheral nerve level, but also in the spinal cord following diabetic nerve injury.

The cornea is essential for proper ocular function, yet its histological structure varies considerably among animal species. Of particular importance are the palisades of Vogt in the limbal region, as they serve as a niche for limbal epithelial stem cells involved in corneal epithelial regeneration. This study was conducted on 73 eyeballs collected from 18 species of non-human primates originating from the Wrocław Zoological Garden (Poland). Eyeballs were fixed, processed, and embedded in paraffin. Four-micrometer sections were stained with Mayer’s H&E and PAS. Microscopically, the cornea showed either a four-layered pattern (anterior corneal epithelium, corneal stroma, Descemet’s membrane, posterior corneal epithelium) or a five-layered pattern when Bowman’s layer was present. A four-layered cornea occurred in the ring-tailed lemur, gray mouse lemur, Guianan squirrel monkey, Angolan colobus, and L’Hoest’s monkey, while the remaining species showed a five-layered structure with Bowman’s layer. The anterior corneal epithelium varied between species in thickness and number of cell layers (central region: 2–3 to 10–15 layers; 11.81 ± 0.43 µm to 44.23 ± 0.69 µm; peripheral region: 4–5 to 9–11 layers; 8.63 ± 2.57 µm to 42.45 ± 8.61 µm). Bowman’s layer ranged from 1.18 ± 0.01 µm to 3.22 ± 0.05 µm. The corneal stroma thickness differed markedly (237.96 ± 9.64 µm to 1438.29 ± 16.38 µm), as did Descemet’s membrane (4.92 ± 0.20 µm to 43.45 ± 0.49 µm), along with PAS reaction intensity. In the limbus, palisades of Vogt ranged from weakly to clearly developed; well-defined crypt-like structures were observed in the red-bellied lemur, red ruffed lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur, Guianan squirrel monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, Celebes crested macaque, and yellow baboon. The limbal epithelium also varied in thickness (5–6 to 15–17 cell layers). These results confirm distinct species-specific differences in corneal and limbal morphology that may reflect ecological conditions and functional adaptation. The presented data provides a comparative reference for veterinary ophthalmology and for studies on corneal epithelial regeneration involving limbal stem cells.

The orbital glands are part of the ocular surface protective system, but their morphology and secretory profiles remain poorly documented in small wild bovids. This preliminary descriptive study examined nine young animals: four Kirk’s dik-diks (Madoqua kirkii) and five red forest duikers (Cephalophorus natalensis). All animals underwent gross anatomical examination, and bilateral Harderian glands (HGs), lacrimal glands (LGs), and superficial glands of the third eyelid (SGTE) were examined histologically, histometrically, and histochemically. No inferential statistical comparisons between species were performed. In both groups, the HG was located medioventrally, the LG dorsolaterally, and the SGTE medially near the third eyelid. The glands showed compound tubuloacinar or predominantly acinar organization. Descriptive variation involved capsule thickness, septal development, lobular arrangement, secretory epithelial appearance, and plasma cell and lymphocyte distribution. Histochemical reactions demonstrated mixed secretory profiles containing neutral glycoconjugates and acidic mucosubstances consistent with sulfated and/or carboxylated components. Their relative proportions varied among glands and between groups. These findings provide preliminary anatomical and microscopic reference data for rarely examined wild bovids. Because of the small sample sizes, the observations should not be interpreted as definitive species-level differences.