HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE LUNG INDUCED BY SHORT AND LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO XYLENE
Egwu, Eni Ogbonnia, Finbarrs-Bello, Elizabeth, *Okoronkwo, Samuel Okafor, Folawiyo, Mashood Abiola and *Nwankwo, M. O.
ABSTRACT
Inhalation of xylene is a dangerous type of exposure to this chemical.
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of xylene on the
histoarchitecture of the lung. Twenty five wistars were used for this
work. The rats were randomly divided into five groups A, B, C, D and
E of five rats each. Group A served as the control and was not to
exposed to xylene, while B, C, D, and E was exposed to xylene for 14
days, 28 days, 42 days and 56 days respectively. The animals had
difficulty in breathing, wheezed and coughed. The animals were
sacrificed after 14 days, 28 days, 42 days and 56 days and the lung
harvested and processed using normal histological technique with
Papanicolaou staining and Pararosanilin-Toluidine B staining
procedures. The result revealed that xylene fume altered the
histoarchitecture of lung and esterase and collagen wall. This ranged
from mild emphysematous change, inflammation of cells, Collapse of the collagen wall and
distortion of esterase. There was significant increase in weight of the animals in all the
groups. In conclusion, xylene fume altered the histology and histochemistry of lung tissues
and had no effect on body weight of the animals.
Keywords: Xylene, Lung, Histoarchitecture, Histochemistry, pneumocytes.
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