Phytochemical and biological studies on the different organs of Tanacetum parthenium L.cultivated in Egypt

Phytochemical investigation of Tanacetum parthenium L. family Asteraceae cultivated in Egypt resulted in isolation and identification of four flavonoids. One surface flavonoid was isolated from the fresh leaves and three other flavonoids were isolated from the flower heads. Four sesquiterpene lactones were isolated from the leaves. Two sterols were isolated from the roots. A comparative study of the essential oil content of the leaves and the flower heads was performed using GC/MS. The results revealed the presence of 42 and 30 components in the leaves and the flower heads oil samples, respectively. The major components of both oil samples were camphor [constituted 37.7% and 48.4%] and chrysanthenyl acetate [constituted 33.8% and 26.3%] in the leaves and the flower heads, respectively. Different extracts of T. parthenium L. showed significant biological activities. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antispasmodic and uterine-stimulant activities were studied in addition to the in vitro cytotoxic effect

Early post-treatment immunoglobulin profile in human schistosomiasis

In a trial at determining the most relevant immunoglobulin isotype that could reflect success of praziquantel treatment, an ELISA using soluble egg antigen [SEA] was applied on sera of Egyptian patients suffering from active intestinal schistosomiasis without hepatic complications determining the levels of IgE, IgA, IgM, IgGl, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 raised against the SEA, bot0h pre- and early post-treatment. The positive results obtained to all anti-SEA immunoglobulin isotypes before treatment support the usefulness of this technique in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Except for IgG3 subclass, a statistically significant correlation was found between egg output-reflecting intensity of infection-and the different immunoglobulin levels, especially anti-SEA IgG4. When repeating the assay 5-6 months after treatment, the immunoglobulin levels showed either a rise [in case of IgE] or a drop [in case of IgA, IgM and IgG1-4], all of statistical significance; yet IgG1-4 were still positive. So, ELISA could not give a definite indication of cure after anti-bilharzial treatment. IgE, IgG2 and IgG4 were revealed to be the most significant immunoglobulin isotypes at the post-treatment level, both statistically and due to their implications on resistance/susceptibility to re-infection and also due to the correlation of IgG4 with the tendency to develop periportal fibrosis. Conclusively, although not having defined a particular Ig isotype as marker for cure, it exposed the urge for early post-treatment determination of IgE and IgG4 isotypes which could serve as markers for picking up high risk patients susceptible to re-infection or liable to develop bilharzial periportal fibrosis and who might benefit from a second course of specific treatment

Diagnosis of congenital cerebral toxoplasmosis by detection of low avidity specific IGG antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

To assess the role of congenital toxoplasmosis as a causative agent of the CNS disorders in human off springs, 105 newborns, infants, preschool and school children with these disorders were observed. They consisted of three groups. The first were 24 newborns and infants to mothers seroconverted during pregnancy, the second; 39 newborns and infants whose immunocompromised mothers were Toxoplasma chronically infected before pregnancy, the third, 42 children who were clinically free at birth but presented with CNS disorders 4-9 years later; their mothers were with chronic Toxoplasma seropositivity at the time of the survey. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were sought in the sera of mothers and sera and CSF of the off springs. Specific intrathecal IgG antibody production was estimated by calculating Goldman Witmer Coefficient [C] and by calculating the CSF to serum antibody avidity ratio [AR] exploiting an ELISA that included dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes with 6 Mure a solution. C value > 8 and AR value < 0.5 were detected in 5 [20.8%] members of the first group, 3 [7.6%] of the second and 4 [9.5%] of the third. These values corresponded with the response to specific therapy. The antibody avidity in the diagnosed newborn sera [