Effect of soybean on bone and gonad hormones in lead intoxicated rats

Protective and treated dietary soybean against lead toxicity in male rats was investigated in bone and hormonal changes of reproductive system. Sixty adult male rats were divided into the following groups: Group I: 30 rats fed on standard casein and were divided into three equal subgroups Group la: control casein. Group Ib: [casein-protected] rats fed casein before lead intoxication Group I c: [casein-treated] rats fed casein after lead intoxication. Group II: 30 rats fed on standard soybean. They were also divided into three equal subgroups. Group IIa: control soybean. Group IIb: [soybean-protected] rats fed soybean before lead intoxication. Group IIc: [soybean-treated] rats fed soybean after lead intoxication. Results demonstrated that accumulation of lead in soft tissues [liver, kidney and testis] was much greater in protective groups than curative ones. There was slightly significant increase in femoral bone mass density [BMD] in soybean protected group as compared with either soybean treated or casein protected group. Serum testosterone was slightly significantly increased in soybean treated group compared to soybean protected group but these levels of hormone do not reach to normal level. Serum LH hormone level was not changed between both groups. It can concluded that soybean diet ameliorate the bone and testis intoxicated with lead

Free radicals and hyaluronic acid relationship in rheumatoid arthritis and the effect of corticosteroid therapy

Oxygen-derived free radicals [ODFRs] are important inflammatory mediators. Evidence of ODFRs contribute to rheumatoid disease, include changes in the activities of antioxidant compounds. In the present study, acute phase proteins concentrations; C-reactive protein [CRP], haptoglobin alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein [AGP] were estimated as indicators for inflammation. Antioxidant activities, ferroxidase activity of caeruloplasmin and iron-binding of transferrin against organic oxygen radicals, iron-binding and iron-oxidizing proteins, chain-breaking substances and superoxide dismutase against inorganic oxygen radicals were measured as the protective response to tissue injury. Hyaluronic, uronic acids and mucin-clot test were also determined in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and osteoarthritis [OA] patients. These parameters were measured in blood and synovial fluid of four groups: normal subjects, OA and RA patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] or steroid drug in an attempt to explain the cause of inflammation which which might account for disease activity of RA. Serum increase of CRP, AGP and haptoglobin levels can serve as an indicator of increase RA disease activity. Corticosteroid treatment may suppress inflammation, where their effects include inhibition of lysosomal proteinase enzyme release, which indicated by lowering alpha1-antitrypsin level in the steroid treated RA patients than in NSAIDs treated ones. The serum antioxidant activity against organic oxygen radicals was significantly higher in the OA and RA patients than that in the normal subjects. This may be a part of the inflammatory response of the body and may also involve protection against lipid peroxidation. Red blood cells [RBCs] superoxide dismutase [SOD] activity was significantly lower in the RA patients than that in the normal subjects or OA patients. Therefore, it would seem that the red blood cells in patients with active RA were easily damaged by exposure to oxidative stress. The increase of iron-binding, iron-oxidizing proteins and chain-breaking substances as antioxidant activities against inorganic oxygen radicals in the RA synovial fluid than OA may be indicator of oxidative damage and reflect major differences in the synovial fluid of patients with RA and those with OA. However, it would appear, that these defense mechanisms are inadequate in fully protection of hyaluronic acid [HA] in the synovial fluid, which was manifested by HA in RA was fragmented and depolymerized than that in the OA synovial fluid. Absence of SOD activity in the synovial fluid RA and OA patients indicated that these patients have less protection against O[2]

Biochemical changes in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3, parathyroid hormone, calcium and phosphorus during pregnancy and lactation

In this thesis, 25-hydroxy vitamin D[3] [25-[OH]D[3]], 1.25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 [1.25[OH[2]]2D[3]] and other relaIed serum constituents were determined in non-pregnant, non-lactating women, pregnant women at different periods of gestation and lactating mothers. The results showed a significant decrease in serum 25-OHD3 level in the early stage of pregnancy [8-16 week] as compared to the controls, while there was no difference between its values in both mid [20-28 week] and late [32-40 week] stages pregnant women, lactating mothers and the controls. The mean serum levels of [1.25[OH][2]D[3]] were progressively decreased till [20-28] weeks of gestation as compared to the controls, after that period, the level were non-significantly increased and nearly the same as that of the controls till the end of pregnancy and during lactation. During [8-16] and [32-40] week of gestation, the mean serum level of parathyroid hormone were significantly decreased than that of the non-pregnant controls, while there was no difference between its values in both mid stage pregnant women, lactating mothers and the control nonpregnant women. No statistical difference were found in the mean serum calcium level of the pregnant women during the different periods of pregnancy and the lactating women as compared to the control non-pregnant women. The mean serum phosphorus levels during the different periods of gestation were significantly higher than in the controls, while lactating mothers and the nonpregnant women had the same serum phosphorus levels