Effect of date Palm pollen grain and Date Pits on reducing blood glucose of diabetic rats

Many herbal medicines have been recommended for the treatment of diabetes. The antidiabetic effect of date pits powder and date pollen grains powder investigated in normal and Alloxan -induced diabetic rats. The rats were divided into 4 groups, first group as normal rats, 2 as diabetic rats without treatment, 3 fed on 25% of date pits powder and 4 fed on 2% of date pollen grains powder. The nutritional experiment was continued for 45 days. Blood samples of non-diabetic and diabetic rats were collected, after 3 days, 15 days and 45 days from administration of Alloxan where serum glucose change were estimated. Other biochemical assays were estimated after 3 days and 45 days only. The results show that the basal diet supplemented by date pits powder and date pollen grains powder induced a decrease in serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids and increase in urea and creatinine. The basal diet supplemented with date pits powder or date pollen grains powder showed decrease in weights of liver, kidney and pancreas. While, it showed increase in heart weight. The results from histopathology show no changes in kidney, heart, spleen and pancreas. But, the liver in experimental rats fed on 2% date pollen grains powder showed no change except activation of kupffer cells

Prevalence of some lipidosis among Egyptian children with neurodegenerative disorders

The present work comprised 30 patients belonging to 27 families. The age of the studied patients ranged from 7 months to 10 years [mean 43.9 +/- 27.69 months]. The age of onset of the disease ranged from 7 months to 5 years [mean 17.26 +/- 13.3 months]. All patients suffered from developmental delay or progressive loss of previously acquired milestones, with no coarse facial features, organomegaly or ectodermal abnormality. For all patients the following was done: - Full medical history, thorough clinical examination and family pedigree construction. - Fundus examination and nerve conduction velocity [NCV]. - MRI of brain and IQ assessment. - Measurement of arylsulphatase A, galactocerebroside: beta-galactosidase activity in peripheral leucocyte was also done together with chitotriosidase level in plasma. Twenty two patients [73.33%] had normal fundus examination, and eight patients [26.66%] had various fundus findings [three patients [10%] had pale optic disc, and five patients [16.66%] had optic atrophy] - Twenty five patients [83.33%] had normal NCV, and five patients [16.66%] had demyelination. - All patients had +ve MRI findings, 19 patients [63.33%] had dysmyelination and 11 patients [36.33%] had brain atrophy. - Twenty six patients had normal value of Aryl sulphatase A activity [ASA] [51-200 micro mol/g- p/h], while three cases demonstrated decreased activity [one case had pseudodeficiency value [10-50 micro mol/g-p/h], and two cases had actual deficiency of enzyme activity [<10 micro mol/g -p/h] and diagnosed as metachromatic leukodystrophy]. - Twenty eight patients had normal value of Chitotriosidase activity [CT] [4-80 micro mol/l/h] and one patient had high value. - Galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase activity [GALC] was measured in leukocytes for 29 index cases. Normal value was detected in all cases [0.5-4 micro mol/g-p/h]. One case [3.33%] had Gaucher disease, another had aryl sulfatase A pseudodeficiency and a third case had most probably Pelizaeus Merzbach disease, two cases had infantile Metachromatic leukodystrophy [6.66%], while another two had congenital muscular dystrophy. All other patients need further follow up and further investigations