Efficacy evaluation of the protein isolated from Peganum harmala seeds as an antioxidant in liver of rats

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the curative effect of the 132 KD protein isolated from the seeds of Peganum harmala (P. harmala) L. against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) induced oxidative stress in rats.@*METHODS@#Animals were post treated intraperitoneally with 132 KD isolated protein at doses of 4 and 8 mg/kg body weight and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (8 mg/kg body weight) as well as vitamin C (250 mg/kg body weight p.o.) for 7 d after they challenged with CCl(4) orally (1 mL/kg body weight) in olive oil (50%) for 2 d.@*RESULTS@#The purified protein from seeds of P. harmala plant showed in vitro antioxidant activity with DPPH assay. Administration of CCl(4) induced induction in serum aminotransferases (AST, ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lipid profile parameters and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and decrease in serum total protein, liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. 132 KD protein treatment of rats post CCl4 intoxication successfully alleviated the toxic effects of CCl(4).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The isolated protein possessed strong antioxidant activity comparable to that of BSA (negative control) and vitamin C (positive control).

Pleural effusion: criteria for distinction between transudates and exudates

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of the new biochemical criteria proposed to discriminate pleural transudates from exudates and to compare their efficiency with those of Light's criteria as well as to study the effect of diuretics on different biochemical parameters among cases with transudative pleural effusion. A total of 110 patients with pleural effusion was included in the study. All patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, chest X-ray and ultrasound and Doppler echocardiography. Pleural fluid and blood samples were examined for the measurement of total proteins, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], cholesterol, cholinesterase, bilirubin and serum pleural fluid albumin gradient [SPAG]. Forty patients had transudative effusion, while 70 had exudative effusion. Among patients with transudates, the biochemical criteria were reevaluated after diuretic therapy. SPAG was the most specific biochemical parameter in identifying exudates, while pleural/serum cholinesterase ratio was the most sensitive one. Moreover, both parameters were more accurate than Light's criteria in the differentiation between transudates and exudates. Diuretics had a significant effect on Light's criteria with a conversion of transudates into pseudo-exudates in many cases; in contrast, diuretics had no significant effect on SPAG, cholinesterase ratio, bilirubin ratio, pleural cholesterol and pleural/serum cholesterol ratio

Biological studies on the possible protective role of zinc and butyrate against mice liver injury induced by schistosoma mansoni

N-acetyl-transferase [N-acetylase], glucose-6-phosphatase [G-6-pase] showed significant decrease in mice liver homogenate, 16 weeks post infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Meanwhile, the effect of schistosomal infection on the previously mentioned enzymes was less in the presence of zinc acetate and sodium butyrate treatment [in combination]. Significant elevation of alkaline phosphatase [alk- pase] was clearly observed in schistosomal mice liver homogenate. The treatment with the previous agents could lead to more marked elevation in this enzyme activity. Significant increase in DNA level was observed among schistosomal as well as the treated ones. Meanwhile total protein and RNA had another pattern, since the treatment caused significant increase in RNA level and nonsignificant decrease in protein of the liver homogenate. In this work, both histopathological and electron microscopical observations revealed the usefulness of zinc acetate and sodium butyrate in combination as good protectors against mice liver injury induced by Schistosoma mansoni