[Rasagiline protective effect On Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity in mice]

Background: Rasagiline is a selective monoamine oxidase [MAO] B inhibitor which has been approved for treatment of Parkinson's disease [PD]

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate rotenone neurotoxicity in mice and to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of rasagiline and its mechanism

Methods: Thirty six male mice were used and divided into three equal groups. The first group, the control group, received only sunflower oil intraperitoneally [IP] once daily at a volume of 4 ml/kg for 49 days. The second group was given rotenone [2 mg/kg/day; IP] for 49 days. The third group was given rasagiline [1 mg/kg, IP] which was administered 30 min prior to rotenone [2 mg/kg/day; IP] for 49 days. Behavioral tests were performed a day prior to drug administration and then once weekly along the duration of drugs or vehicle administration. At the end of the 49 days all animals were sacrificed and their midbrains were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for dopaminergic neurons staining for anti-tyrosine hydroxylase [TH] antibodies. Midbrain tissues were also isolated for biochemical measurements

Results: Rasagiline administration significantly improved the mice activity. Pretreatment with rasagiline significantly attenuated rotenone-induced midbrain dopamine loss. Moreover, rasagiline treatment also significantly prevented the loss of TH immunoreactive neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta [SNpc]. Furthermore, rasagiline inhibited the remarkable decrease in total antioxidant capacity as well as the increase in the malondialdehyde [MDA] level and nitric oxide generation induced by chronic rotenone administration

Conclusion: These results suggest that chronic intraperitoneal administration of rotenone induced PD-like disorder in mice. Moreover, these results suggest that rasagiline had neuroprotective effect against the rotenone-induced PD. This neuroprotective effect was mediated even in part by the antioxidant properties of rasagiline

Iron deficiency in Yemeni patients with sickle-cell disease

Despite the general view that patients with sickle-cell disease [SCO] have iron overload, there are reports of iron deficiency in a proportion of these patients. We studied Yemeni patients aged 1-30 years with homozygous SCD to determine their iron status using a set of 4 criteria [low serum iron, low transferrin saturation, high total iron binding capacity and low mean corpuscular volume for age]. Of the 75 patients, 44 had never been transfused while 31 patients had received blood transfusions but not during the 3-month period prior to the study. Of the patients, 10 [13.3%] met the criteria for iron deficiency, 9 of whom were from the non-transfused patients [20.5%]. The sensitivity and specificity were 40% and 98% respectively for reticulocyte count and 80% and 90% respectively for reticulocyte index. We recommend screening non-transfused SCD patients for iron deficiency

study of coagulopathy in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

This study compared a group of items concerning the activation of the coagulation system and fibrinolytic system in various hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy, as well as AT III. One hundred and twenty pregnant women were studied contained in 4 equal groups. These were normal controls, PIH, PAH and PAH with super imposed PIH. Each patient had fibrinogen levels, platelet counts, plasminogen levels, Fibrinogen/Fibrin degradation products and Antithrombin III estimated. The results showed that PIH was characterised by significant affection of all 5 parameters. PAH showed only mild drop in platelet counts. When PAH was complicated by PIH all 5 parameters became affected. These results identify a coagulopathy found in PIH only and not in PAH with exception of platelets that are reference in all conditions. Liver involvement in PIH should be tested for to identify its role in this coagulopathy. Reductions of AT III could also have a role in initiating this coagulopathy

Red cell distribution width [RDW] and standard deviation [SD] of red cell volume in differentiation between iron deficiency and beta thalassaemia trait

Blood samples of 59 beta thalassaemia carriers and 50 iron deficient patients were studied with a Coulter counter model S plus III to evaluate the reliability of two red cell parameters in differentiation between microcytosis of beta thalassaemia and iron deficiency. These are red cell distribution width [RDW] and standard deviation of red cell volume [SD]. RDW was directly obtained by the counter and SD was calculated from the manufacturer's formula: RDW = SD/MCV x 100 x 1.15. Both parameters proved useful for discrimination between the two disorders. However, SD was superior to RDW in this respect

experience with quality assurance programme on Coulter model S7

A program of quality assurance technique was carried on Coulter Model S7 in Ain Shams Specialized Hospital. The main procedure used in calibration was using fresh whole blood analysed by either manual techniques, or the use of well calibrated digital counter. Monitoring quality control was also carried out by using data derived from patient specimens. Quality control material was not used even in calibration and even in monitoring quality performance because of their high cost, short life span and their unreliable assayed values. Some of our techniques was applied daily, others weekly or whenever needed. These methods proved to be valid, cheap and effective. It serves as a major base for quality assurance of our Coulter S7

Evaluation of serum iron by standard colorimetric method and atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Serum iron concentration was done on 30 normal samples using both atomic absorption and standard colorimetric method. The atomic absorption method gave results significantly higher than that obtained by manual techniques [P<0.05]. Correlation study showed a significant positive correlation. For evaluation of the two techniques, both methods are highly precise although atomic absorption is more precise than the manual technique [C.V. equal 2.7 and 8.9% respectively]. Moreover both techniques were linear in a very wide range and atomic absorption was more sensitive than the manual one, the least detectable limits were 26 and 50 ug/dl respectively. As for interference study, hemolysis was found to interfere markedly with iron determination by atomic absorption while bilirubin or lipid have no significant effect on it. Finally we found that both techniques can be used perfectly for the determination of serum iron but the chemical method is still the cheapest and the more convenient one

Assessment of G6PD role in anaemia of chronic renal failure

Thirty cases of chronic renal failure were studied, 20 of them were on regular hemodialysis and the remaining ten were treated conservatively. These cases were subjected to full clinical examination, complete hemogram together with reticulocytic count and biochemical measurements as B.U.N., creatinine, calcium and phosphorus. Ten normal cases [control] were subjected to the same procedures. The results showed that non of these thirty cases exhibited decreased G6PD activity. On the contrary, there was a significant increase in G6PD activity in both groups of patients which is most likely contributed to the younger age erthrocyte population. Thus, it seems that G6PD has no role in anemia of chronic renal failure and its routine measurement has no place in the control and treatment of these patients