Figure 3.

Microscopic appearance of kidney and liver of animals after septic shock. Positive controls show (a) in kidney severe tubular necrosis, desquamated cells in the lumen, haemorrhage and necrosis (arrow) and (b) in liver haemorrhage and disorganization into the parenchyma with degenerating hepatocytes (arrow). In animals treated with thalidomide (c) the kidney still shows tubular necrosis with hyperchromatic nuclei and haemorrhage and (d) the liver had eosinophilic cytoplasm, shrunken hepatocytes and haemorrhage. In animals treated with pentoxifylline the above mentioned abnormalities are minor (e) in kidney and (f) in liver. In animals treated with a combination of pentoxifylline/thalidomide the signs of damage caused by septic shock are notably attenuated (g and h). (HE, 200 ×)