Fig. 3.

Histopathological evaluation of street heroin induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity pretreated with mBME or ascorbic acid for 14 and 21 days (H & E; x400 original magnification) (n = 8 rats per group). (A1): Photomicrograph of a section of liver from a rat treated with street heroin for 14 days showing central vein congestion, sinusoidal dilatation, fatty accumulation and infiltration of lymphocytes. (B1): Photomicrograph of a section of liver from a rat treated with street heroin for 21 days showing destruction of central vein, necrosis of hepatocytes, sinusoidal dilatation and infiltration of lymphocytes. Normal histology of central vein with intact endothelium, hepatocytes and sinusoidal spaces were found in groups of rats treated with mBME (A2, B2) or ascorbic acid (A3, B3), two hours before administration of street heroin for 14 and 21 days. (C1): Photomicrograph of a section of kidney from a rat treated with street heroin for 14 days showing glomerular atrophy, dilatation of renal tubules, vacuolization and necrosis of epithelial cells and infiltration of red blood cells in the interstitial spaces. (D1): Photomicrograph of a section of kidney from a rat treated with street heroin for 21 days showing glomerular atrophy with congestion and an increase amount of connective tissue, dilatation of proximal convoluted tubules, shredding of tubular epithelial cells with cellular cast and interstitial fibrosis. Normal histology of renal corpuscle, proximal and distal convoluted tubules were found in groups of rats treated with mBME (C2, D2) or ascorbic acid (C3, D3), two hours before administration of street heroin for 14 and 21 days.