protective effect of olive leaf and pomegranate peel extracts on oxidative stress and liver injury induced by oxytetracycline in albino rats

The present study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of olive leaf extract [OLE] and pomegranate peel extract [PPE] against oxytetracycline [OTC]-induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. The ethanolic extracts of olive leaf and pomegranate peel were screened for evaluating their free radical scavenging properties and total phenolic contents. They have a great antioxidant activity due to phenolic compounds. The protective role of the two examined extracts against OTC-induced alternation in blood biochemical and liver architecture was evaluated in male albino rats. OTC [200 mg/kg b.wt] was intraperitoneally [i.p.] injected for 15 days to assess the changes in biochemical parameters. OLE [80 mg / kg b.wt] or PPE [100 mg / kg b.wt] were administered by oral gavage into rats for 30 days to evaluate the potency of these extracts. The examined extracts were administered 15 days before and 15 days concomitantly with OTC. Blood samples were withdrawn at day 30 for determination of serum aminotransferases activity [ALT and AST], total protein [TP] albumin [Alb], total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], urea, creatinine, plasma malondialdehyde [MDA] and blood reduced glutathione [GSH]. At the end of the experiment, the liver samples were taken for the histopathological examination. The obtained results revealed that the i.p. injection of OTC induced a significant increase in ALT and AST activity as well as TC,TG, urea, creatinine and plasma MDA, meanwhile a significant decrease in the levels of TP, Alb and blood GSH were obtained. These biochemical changes were associated with alternations in the architecture of liver tissue. The obtained results revealed that, the sole administration of OLE or PPE displayed no change in the examined parameters. The results also revealed the improving and protective effect of the pre and co-administration of the test extracts against the undue effects of OTC

Molecular survey of Babesia microti, a causative agent of human babesiosis, in rodents in Egypt

In Egypt, to date and to the best of our knowledge, two cases of human babesiosis have been reported; at the same time, very few surveys for detection of B. microti in rodents have been published. These studies were solely relied on microscopic examination of stained blood smears; hence, the molecular confirmative evidence for the presence of B. microti is not revealed. In addition, the epidemiology of human babesiosis, such as competent vectors and reservoirs is still unclear. The present study is a molecular survey of B. microti in wild Egyptian rodents. A total of 30 rodents [26 Rattus norvegicus and 4 Rattus rattus] were collected from different areas in Giza Governorate and tested for Babesia-specific DNA. Nested PCR targeting 18S rRNA gene marker was used to detect the agent in rodents blood. Positive amplification of 154-bp fragment was detected in 8 [30.8%] R. norvegicus and 1 [25%] R. rattus with a total prevalence rate of 30%. Unidentified Babesia was detected in 3 rodents [2 R. norvegicus and 1 R. rattus] when tested using standard PCR with genus-specific primers. These 3 rodents yielded negative for B. microti. Significant correlation [P<0.05] between positivity to B. microti and splenomegaly was found. The difference between the positive rates for B. microti in R. norvegicus and in R. rattus was also revealed to be significant [P<0.05]. This study is considered to be the first molecular survey of B. microti in Egyptian rodents. These findings confirm the presence of one of the causative agents of human babesiosis in the country with a relative high prevalence among the suspected reservoir host that warrants more risk for human infections

Syntehsis of novel biphenyl bis-sulfonamide based surfactants of expected biological activity

This study explores the effect of structural changes of novel sulfonamide based-surfactants on surfactant behavior and antimicrobial activity. In order to better meet this as our primary goal, three different series, biphenyl-4,4'-disculfonamides [Series A,A[1-4]], amine acid salts of bis [2-aminophenyl] biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonamide [Series C,C[1-2]] were prepared. The structures of the desired compounds wee confirmed by using elemental analysis, Fourier translform infrared spectroscopy [FT-IR], proton nuclear magnetic resonance [[1]H NMR] and UV-Vis spectral analysis. In addition to these spectroscopic measurements, compounds C[1] and C[2] [Series C] were subsequently characterized extensively by atomic absorption methods. Also as our secondary goal, we have measured surface properties as follows: surface tension [gamma], critical micelle concentration [cmc], the surface excess concentration [T [max]] and the cross-sectional area per adsorbed surfactant head group [A[min]]. The investigation was continued to cover the antibacterial and antifungal screening for all synthesized compounds. In addition, some selected compounds were screened for cytotoxicity against human turnor cell lines - MCF7 [breast carcinoma]m HEPG2 [liver carcinoma] and HCT116 [colon carcinoma]

Noval quaternary ammonium surfactants of potential biocidal activity

Five quaternary ammonium compounds were synthesized having the formula: [C[9]H[19C[6]H[4]O-[CH[2]CH[2]O][9] -CO-CH[2]CH[2]R][+]Br [I[a-e]] where i[a]: r=triethylamine; l[b]:r = triethanolamine; l[c]:r = hexamine; l[d: r=n-methyl diethanolamine and I[c]:R = pyridine.Critical micelle concentration [CMC], effectiverness [pi[cmc]], efficiency [P[20]] and maximum surface excess [I[max]] of the novel compounds were calculated using equilibrium surface tension profiles at 25 °C. The biocidal acivity of these compounds were tested on SMC-SRB [stabilized mixed cutlrue of sulphate reducing bacteria isolated from garden soil and enriched using Postage medium B and E]. Minimal inhibitory concentration [mic] for the prepared quaternary ammonium compounds were detected for SMC-SRB using sulphide titrmetric determination method with different concentrations [10-300 ppm], using cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide [CTAB] as a reference. It was found that triethanolamine and N-methyldiethanolamine derivatives showed the highest biocidal effect

Effect of honey bee products on normal albino rats

The aim of this work was to study the effect of bee products administration [honey, pollen and royal jelly] on blood sugar and liver function of normal rats. An experiment was conducted for a period of 16 weeks. Blood samples were collected before treatment, then after 8 and 16 weeks. Serum glucose, proteins, lipids and liver enzymes were determined. The results revealed that bee products did not cause harmful significant effects on the previous biochemical parameters and prevented the biochemical disorders during the course of the experiment

Prophylactic effect of honey bee products against hepatotoxicity in albino rats

In this study, rats were subjected to different bee products for 16 weeks, then treated with hepatotoxic agents in order to study the protective effect of these products against hepatotoxicity. Chosen biochemical parameters in serum concerning liver function, liver nucleic acids and mitochondrial enzymes were carried out. Data revealed that the pretreated rats with different bee products for 16 weeks, then treated with hepatotoxic agents were significantly improved

Pulse technique pyrolysis of some arylsilanes and their thermal reaction with aliphatic, aromatic alcohols over Ni-Y-Zeolite

P-tolyltrimethylsilane and phenyltrimethylsilane were subjected in the gas phase to pyrolysis and thermolysis reactions with alcohols and phenols at different temperatures over Ni-Y-zeolite using a pulse catalytic technique. The obtained alkoxy- and phenoxy- trimethylsilanes with other side products were identified by gas liquid chromatographic analysis. The yield in each case varied with the reaction temperature. The highest yield was obtained at 250C. The different pathways of these thermolytic reactions were discussed and the results were assigned