effect of saffron, basil, and red cabbage on rats with hepatic damage

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of saffron [Crocus sativus], basil [Ocimum sanctum], and red cabbage[ Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra] on hepatic damage in rats. Seventy two adult male albino rats of Sprague-Dawley were divided into two main groups. The first main group [n=8] was kept as a negative control group [-ve].The rest of the animals [n=64] were subcutaneously injected with a single dose of CCL4 for the induction of necrosis. After injection of CCL4, rats were divided into 8 subgroups [n=8]. The first subgroup of rats continued as a positive control group [+ve]. the other subgroup were fed on the experimental diets containing different levels of saffron, basil, red cabbage and their mixtures. At the end of the experiment a period, liver enzymes such as ALT, AST, ALP, gamma glutamile transpeptidase [GGT], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] were determined. Total protein, albumin, total and direct billirubin were determined. As well as histopathological examinations of organs [ liver and kidney]. Results indicated that feed intake was improved in all groups except group of rats fed on experimental diet containing 10% saffron. Body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio of ll groups were decreased when compared with negative control group moreover, liver enzymes ALT, AST, ALP in addition GGT, LDH, albumin, total and direct billirubin were decreased in the treated groups compared with positive control group. This study concluded that saffron, basil and red cabbage have a protective effect against hepatic damage in rats. This study recommends the inclusion of saffron, basil and red cabbage in the meals of patients with hepatic damage for possible beneficial effect

Bakery fortification and biological evalation of bottle gourd seeds [lagenaria siceraria]

This study was conducted to investigate the potential use of roasted bottle gourd seeds [BGS] as a source of protein, oil and fiber in some bakery products [white pan bread and cup cake] and determine their hypocholesterolemic effects in rats. The roasted whole BGS were subjected to different chemical determinations [Trypsin inhibitor activity and proximal composition]. White pan bread and cup cake were fortified with roasted whole BGS and their kernel flours at different percentages [10, 15 and 20%]. All the fortified samples were subjected to both objective and organoleptic evaluation. The fortified products which maintained better characteristics were subjected to nutritive value determination. The biological study included 20 male albino rats of Sprague Dawley strain, weighing [120 +/- 10 g] and lasted for 4 weeks. The rats were divided into four main groups [n = 5 rats] as follows group 1 [control] fed on a basal diet, group 2 hypocholesterolemic [HC] rats fed on a high fat and high cholesterol diet, group 3 rats fed on hypocholesterolemic diet containing [10%] raw BGS flour and group 4 rats fed on hypocholesterolemic diet containing [10%] roasted BGS flour. Food intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency ratio [FER], relative organ weights. hematocrit level, serum calcium, iron and lipid profiles were determined. Results showed that the chemical composition of fortified white pan bread and cup cake improved significantly [p<0.05] as compared to the control. The biological study showed that rats fed on raw BGS had significant [p<0.05] decrease in food intake, body weight gain, FER, hematocrit level and high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, while it induced significant [p<0.05] increase in low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations as compared to the control group. Meanwhile, roasted BGS caused significant [p<0.05] increase in body weight gain and ameliorate the lipid profile parameters. Feeding tested rats on raw and roasted BGS each individually resulted in non-significant [p<0.05] decrease in calcium level and non-significant increase in iron level comparing with HC group. It can be concluded that under the study condition, roasted BGS had good impact on nutritional values of bakery products and showed hypocholesterolemic effectl on experimental animals

Certain biochemical changes from fresh garlic-containing diet ingestion in rats

The influence of an intake of fresh minced garlic on blood levels of lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, total proteins, and creatinine in adult male Wistar rats was investigated. In addition, the efficacy of garlic feeding on the glutathione-dependent detoxification system was also evaluated. The data showed that the feeding of 8% garlic- containing diet resulted in a significant increase in body and heart weights, whereas the feeding of 12% garlic-containing diet significantly increased the kidney weights. The average food intake was significantly higher in rats fed with the garlic diets. The 8% garlic feeding significantly lowered the rat plasma levels of total- and LDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol and increased the HDL- cholesterol level compared to the control group. The 12% garlic- containing diet significantly reduced the plasma levels of total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol as well as triacylglycerol compared with the control group, but the garlic diet did not alter the plasma level of neither total protein nor glucose. However, the 12% garlic-containing diet significantly increased the plasma level of creatinine; whereas, the 8% garlic-containing diet had no significant effect. The garlic diet was also able to significantly increase the activity of GST and total GSH-Px, while it significantly decreased the level of MDA. On the other h and, the activity of SOD was not significantly altered by 8% garlic feeding, while the 12% garlic containing diet significantly increased the activity

Conchomeatoplosty technique for open casvity mastoidectomy

A Concho-meatoplasty technique is described which has proved successful in creation of a wide meatus when it is used in tympanoplasty with open cavity mastoidectomy. The technique is described in details and the results are mentioned with a discussion of the technique in accordance to the otologic surgery literature