Hepatitis C virus genotype distribution in Egyptian diabetic patients: a preliminary study

There is controversy regarding whether a specific hepatitis C virus [HCV] genotype is associated with diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate HCV genotype distribution in diabetics and its relation to some clinical and laboratory variables in HCV-positive diabetic versus non-diabetic Egyptians in East Delta. The study included 100 HCV-positive patients of which 66 were diabetic in addition to 35 healthy adults as a control group. Clinical assessment, laboratory measurements of plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, C-reactive protein [CRP], tumour necrosis Factor-alpha [TNF-alpha] and liver functions [alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT]] as well as HCV genotype determination were done, and AST/platelet ratio index [APRI] and Homoeostasis Model of Assessment-Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR] were calculated. The main results were the presence of HCV genotype 3, in 31.8% of the diabetic group and in 26.5% of the non-diabetic group, while the remainder of cases had genotype 4, the predominant genotype in Egypt. This is the first report of the presence of HCV genotype 3 in about 30% of an Egyptian cohort. However, there was no significant difference in genotype distribution between both groups. Further, there were significantly higher values of HOMA-IR, insulin and C-peptide in HCV-positive groups in comparison to the control group, while TNF-alpha was significantly higher in the HCV-positive diabetic group. However, there were no significant differences between both genotypes regarding these parameters. Although this study reveals for the first time the presence of HCV genotype 3 in a significant percentage of a group of Egyptian patients, where the majority were diabetic, the association between diabetes and certain HCV genotypes could not be confirmed on the basis of our findings. Hence, taking into consideration the impact of such a finding on the treatment decisions of those patients, further studies are warranted to explore these findings to a greater extent

Interactions of metoclopramide and ciprofloxacin on electrocardiographic indices in anesthetized normal and hyperthermic rats

The combination of metoclopramide [MCP] and ciprofloxacin [CPX] is not uncommon in clinical practice, as nausea and vomiting are well known during febrile illness. Some reports in the literature have linked both MCP and CPX to serious cardiac adverse effects including QT prolongation and cardiac arrests. In this study we examined the effect of the combination between MCP and CPX on the ECG parameters and serum potassium in normothermic and hyperthermic rats. Thiopental-anesthetized rats were injected i.v. with MCP [0.2 mg/kg] and/or CPX [20 mg/kg] after induction of hyperthermia by intracerebroventricular administration of PGE 2 [0.4-micro g/kg]. ECG recordings were done every 10 min during 90-min duration. Plasma potassium was measured at 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80-min. Small doses of MCP and CPX changed ECG indices in statistically significant manner at normal and elevated body temperatures. MCP produced early bradycardia and prolongation of PR interval although it was less pronounced during hyperthermia possibly due to increased sympathetic nerve discharge. It also produced slight increase in QT interval [-4 ms] in normo- and hyperthermia. On the other hand, CPX caused non-significant effects on HR and conduction velocity but prolonged the QT interval by -4.3 ms during normo- and hyperthermia. Combination of MCP and CPX did not affect the influence of MCP alone on the HR or conduction velocity while it exaggerated their individual effects on the QT and QTc prolongation. This interaction was not affected by hyperthermia. the combination of MCP and CPX should be avoided as it may lead to serious QT prolongation while hyperthermia is not considered a dangerous threat for this interaction

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, captopril and lisinopril, on collagen synthesis by cultured rat liver cells

Several studies have documented the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors [ACEI] as antifibrogenic and antiproliferative in different tissues in vivo and in vitro but unfortunately non of them has investigated this effect on collagen synthesis by individual liver cells. In this study we focused on the in vitro effect of two ACEI with different pharmacologic properties, captopril and lisinopril, on the synthesis of types I and III collagens by individual liver cells, since these types of collagens are the most abundant ECM molecules both in normal and fibrotic liver. Rat liver cells were isolated, separated according to cell types through density gradient centrifugation in percoll then cultured as separate clones for 24 hours. Types I and III collagens secretion was measured by gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE] and computer analysis of their alpha chains after purification from cell culture media. Both captopril and lisinopril significantly reduced types I and III collagens by cultured hepatocytes [HC], liver endothelial cells [EC], and hepatic stellate cells [HSC] with more prominent action for captopril than lisinopril. The present study document the inhibitory effect of ACEI on types I and III collagen synthesis by liver cell sub-population in vitro by a mechanism independent on the systemic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and possibly through a mechanism involving a local renin-angiotensin system or interference with intracellular events involved in collagen synthesis

Morphine-diazepam combination, analgesic and sedative effects in rats

This study was performed on rats to evaluate the effect of morphine-diazepam combination upon analgesia and sedation. Analgesia was assessed by Analgesy-meter and hot plate tests, while sedation was assessed by the activity cage test. Four groups of rats each of six were studied in each of the previously mentioned tests. One group received saline and rendred as control, while other groups received diazepam 0.5 mg/kg, morphine 1 mg/kg and diazepam-morphine combination intraperitoneally [I.P.]. Doses determined according to a pilot study. Analgesy meter and hot plate tests revealed that diazepam-morphine analgesic potential was inferior to morphine analgesia. Actively cage test revealed that the sedative effect of diazepam was potentiated by morphine

Assessment of the anti-inflammatory action of some drugs

The aim of the present work was a study of the acute toxicity, the anti-inflammatory activity as the analgesic potency of salicylates, oxyphenbutazone, hydrocortisone and propranolol The L.D[50] was found to be 300 mg/kg., 460 mg/kg., 750 mg/kg. and 36 mg/kg respectively. All tested drugs induced a significant anti-inflammatory activity sod. Salicylate was the most potent, while propranolol was the least effective one. Sod. salicylate, hydrocortisone and oxyphenbutazone exerted a significant analgesic activity following the hot plate method, but by using the tail compression test only sod. salicylate exerted analgesic activity

Comparative toxicological study of some antibilharzial drugs

The data obtained in this work could be summarized as follows: 1. The LD 50 of tartar emetic was 49/kg, it produced a significant reduction of haemoglobin content and haematocrite value. It was the most toxic drug to the heart and lungs. Pharmacological studies showed that it produced direct depression on the isolated rabbits, heart, a perasympathomimetic effect manifested on isolated rabbits, intestine and blood pressure of anaesthetized dogs. 2. The LD 50 of astiban was 290 mg/kg. The results of subacute toxicity tests were similar to those obtained with tartar emetic but it was devoid of any toxic effect on heart. Pharmacological studies showed that it produced parasyupathomimetic effect on isolated rabbit's heart. 3. LD 50 of Hycanthone was 57 mg/ kg. No effect on the blood picture of rats was observed it was more toxic to the liver. It produced direct cardiac inhibition on the isolated rabbit's hearts, parasympathomimetic effect on the isolated rabbit's intestine and blood pressure of dog. 4. LD 50 of niridazole was 990 mg/ kg. The results of subacute toxicity tests were similar to those obtained with hycanthone. It is more toxic to brain it produced direct cardiac inhibition on the rabbit's heart and hypotension in dog