Retinal atrophy in albino rats associated with Pituranthos triradiatus (umbelliferae)-induced photosensitization.

Pitirrunthos /rirudiutir.s is a common perennial in the Negev desert and although its dense tufts are green all the year, it only occasionally is grazed by goats or gazelles (D. Ashkenazy, personal communication). Five furocoumarins were detected in the shoots of this plant.’ Some furocoumarins present in different members of the Umbelliferae are known to induce photosensitization in various animals (ducks, sheep. geese). These are manifested by lesions in the skin and Since there is no information on the photosensitizing effect of furocoumarins on the eyes of albino rats. we studied the effects of Piliir.untho.s tr.irudiutirs on albino rats. with particular emphasis on histology of the globes. Two groups (ten each) of female albino rats (Sabra. Tel Aviv. 2 10-230 &at). received I g/day of dried. ground shoots of Pitiwuntlios /r.irudiutir.s for ten days. The plant material was mixed with 3 g bread. 4 g whole raw egg and 0.50 g of soya oil. After the rats had consumed this mixture. Labena (Assia-Maabarot. Israel) rat food and tap water were supplied ud lihitirni. The first group was exposed to direct sunlight for eight hours daily during the experimental period. whereas the second group was kept in the shade. A third group used as a control (ten rats) was fed no Pitirruntlios trirudiutirs and exposed to sunlight for the same period. All groups were maintained for an additional ten days under the same illumination. but fed commercial rat food. The rats were then killed and their globes were fixed in Davidson’s fluid and examined histologically. Five pm sections were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and periodic acidSchiff. J . FRIEDMAN. Y . KASHMAN, and J. LELYVELD