Mirazid in treatment of three zoonotic trematodes in Beni-Sweif and Dakhalia governorates

A total of 60 patients with schistosomiasis [40], fascialiosis [15] and heterophyiasis [5] were selected Beni-Swejf and Mansoura Districts and subjected to history taking, clinical examination, Kato thick smear, sedimentation and hatching test [for schistosomiasis cases] at the beginning of the study, 2 and 3 months after treatment with Oleo-resin of Myrrh [Mirazid] in a dose of 10mg/kg/day for 6 consecutive days an hour before breakfast. The results showed a significant improvement in symptoms with minimal negligible or no side effects. The cure rates, 2 and 3 months after treatment were 80.7% and 11.8% for schistosomiasis, 93.3% and 6.6% for fascioliasis, and 100% for heterophyiasis. The clinical picture of schistosomiasis before treatments were easy fatigability, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, epigastria pain, abdominal distention, right upper guardant pain, colicky abdominal pain, left upper andlor lower guardant pain, abdominal rumbling, dysentery, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, constipation, and alternating bowel habit. Those of fascioliasis were abdominal distention, dripping of saliva, right upper guardant, colicky abdominal pain, weight loss, easy fatigability, intermittent jaundice, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, epigastria, left upper and/or lower quadrant pain, right layer quadrant pain, loin pain, abdominal rumbling, diarrhea, constipation, and alternating bowel habit The safety and efficacy of C. molmol extract in treating heterophyiasis [100%], fascioliasis [100%] and schistosomiasis [92.5%] were documented

Evaluation of "myrrh extract" against schistosoma mansoni: a histological study

This study investigated the effect of myrrh extract on different developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni. Sixty albino mice were used and divided into three main groups: GI [control group], Gil [infected group] and Gill [infected-treated group]. The last group was further divided into 3 subgroups where the drug was administered in a dose of 500mg/kg body weight for 5 days starting on the 1[st] day PI for IIIA, on the 21[st] day PI for IIIB and on the 45[th] day PI for IIIC. A morphometric study was performed for the mean number and perimeter of granulomas. In Gil, typical bilharzial granulomas were frequently encountered in the portal tracts with numerous eosinophils, collagen fiber deposition and reticular fiber condensation. Hepatocytes revealed vacuolation, nuclear affection and depletion of glycogen. In GIII, granulomas were less frequently observed with apparent decrease of eosinophils. The maximum effect of the drug was observed in SGs IIIB and IIIC as detected by significant decrease in the mean number and size of granulomas, paucity of eosinophils, decreased fibrosis and reticular fibers and the restoration of the glycogen content in the hepatocytes. The present data proved that myrrh has a valuable schistosomicidal effect against different stages of S. mansoni. This chemotherapeutic effect was more evident when the drug was given to infected mice on the 21[st] as well as on the 45[th] day PI

Efficacy of myrrh in controlling coccidioses in chickens

Myrrh was used for controlling the infection with Eimeria species in chickens. A total of 120 one-day-old native breed chickens bought from commercial hatchery were used in the experiment. Birds were feed on starter balanced ration free from anticoccidial drugs. At age of 2 weeks the chickens were divided into 4 groups [1-4], 30 chicks each. Chickens of first group were inoculated by 50000 sporulated oocysts of mixed local field isolated Eimeria species and served as infected non treated control group. Birds of the second group were infected similarly and received simultaneously 10 mg Myrrh/ bird by oral route. Birds of group 3 was supplied with Myrrh 10 mg/ bird one day before infection by coccidia [50000 oocyst /bird] .Last chicken group was left as non-infected non treated control group Measurements to evaluate the efficacy of Myrrh as anticoccidial drug included; mortality percentage; lesion score at 5 day post infection and the total oocyst output/gm of fecal dropping. The results showed that the mortality rate reached 10% and 3.33% in groups 2 and 3 respectively, while it reached 26.66% in infected non treated control group. High lesion score was recorded in infected non treated group followed by infected treated chicken groups regardless the time of treatment. The feed conversion rates reached 3.14 in infected non treated chicken group against 2.47 and 2.21 in treated chickens groups, 2 and 3 respectively. Mean oocyst count per gram faecal dropping [OPG] was reduced significantly in group 3 when compared with other infected treated or infected non treated chicken groups

Mirazid alone or combined with paromomycin in treating Cryptosporidiosis parvum in immunocompetent hospitalized patients

Sixty cryptosporidiosis patients from Mansoura University Hospitals, 36 males and 24 females, with age from few months to ten years [mean age 6.1] were divided into three cross-matched groups of 20 patients each. All patients received the glutamine-based oral rehydration solution with 111 mmol/1 glutamine, 20 mg zinc acetate once a day and vitamin A supplementation [200,000 IU] once a day for 2 weeks. For cryptosporidiosis treatment, Gl received Mirazid [10mg /kg for 2 weeks], G2 received Paromomycin [500 mg qid for 2 weeks], and G3 received a combination of Mirazid [10mg/kg] and Paromomycin [500 mg] for two weeks. The result was assessed according to the scales: 0= no improvement, 1= symptoms began improvement [reduction of diarrhea frequency and stool volume, less abdominal pain, less nausea and vomiting], 2= diarrhea eradication, 3= weight gain, 4= oocyst counts reduction, 5= reduction in diarrhea and oocyst counts, 6= eradication of diarrhea and oocysts. G3 showed significantly higher difference than Gl and G2 in the 1[st] week [p=.036, 0.025 respectively], no significant difference in 2[nd] week, a significantly higher difference than in Gl [0.003], and G2 [0.006] in 3[rd] week, and a significantly higher difference than Gl [0.014], and G2 [0.01] in 4[th] week, but without significant differences in oocyst shedding in the 3 groups

Spot light survey on fresh-water snails of medical importance in Al Fayoum governorate, Egypt

In a survey carried out during summer and autumn of 2004, for snails of medical importance, nine species were recovered. They were Biomphalaria alexandrina, B. glabrata, B. pfeifferi, Bulinus truncatus, B. forskalii, Lymnaea natalensis, Bellamya [=Vivipara] unicolor, Physa acuta and Hydrobia mesaensis. Parasitological examination revealed that B. alexandrina, B. glabrata and L. natalensis harboured immature stages of their concerned trematode parasites. Moreover, P. acuta harboured the immature stage of the nematode parasite Parastrongylus cantonensis

Light microscopic study of the effect of new antischistosmal drug [Myrrh extract] on the liver of mice

The efficacy of purified oleo-resin extract of myrrh derived from Commiphora molmol tree, [known as Mirazid R] was studied against an Egyptian strain of Schistosoma mansoni in mice. Seventy adult male mice were used in this study. They were divided into 4 groups: G.I: consisted of control non- infected non treated mice. G.II: comprised the non infected treated mice and was subdivided into two subgroups, subgroup II-A: included mice which received Myrrh extract dissolved in cremophore EL and subgroup IIB: included mice which were treated with cremophore EL. G.III: consisted of the infected non treated animals and G.IV: included infected mice which were treated with myrrh extract. The drug was given 8 weeks post infection in a dose of 500 mg/ kg body weight/ day for 5 successive days. All animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks from the beginning of the experiment. Liver paraffin sections were prepared and stained with H and E, Masson's Trichrome stain. PAS stain and Wilder's technique. A morphometric study was performed for the mean number and perimeter of the granulomas. Area percentage of the total collagen content around central veins as well as in portal areas was also estimated. The livers of the animals in G.II which received either myrrh extract [subgroup II-A] or cremophore EL [subgroup II-B] showed a more or less normal histological profile when compared to G.I [non infected-non treated group]. G.IV [Infected treated G.] showed complete preservation of the hepatic architecture. Most of the hepatocytes appeared almost normal. The reticular network in the central part of the granulomas as well as in the portal tracts appeared rarefied. The hepatic reticular network was preserved. A significant decrease in the number and size of granulomas with significant reduction in the collagen content deposition in portal tracts and around central veins was detected when compared to G.III [infected non treated mice]. The data of this study proved the efficacy of myrrh as a promising anti-schistosomal drug

Effect of myrrh extract on the liver of normal and bilharzially infected mice, an ultrastructural study

In the present work, the efficacy of purified oloe-resin extract of myrrh derived from Commiphora molmol tree [commercially known as Mirazid] as a new, natural antischistosomal drug was investigated. The effect of myrrh on the ultrastructural profile of the noninfected normal mice liver was also studied. Sixty male mice were used throughout this work and they were divided into three main groups [20 animals each]: Group I [noninfected control animals], group II [infected animals] and group III [infected animals treated with myrrh extract at eight weeks post infection, 500 mg/kg body weight]. The drug was given orally on an empty stomach after overnight fasting for five successive days. All animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks from the beginning of the experiment and small pieces of the liver were excised and prepared for an ultrastructural study. The liver of the noninfected animals, which received myrrh extract [group IA] showed a more or less normal ultrastructural profile. The infected groups showed alterations of the ultrastructure of most of the hepatocytes with extensive intercellular fibrosis with abundant granulomas in the portal tract. In the infected treated group, most of the hepatocytes showed normal organelles with numerous microvilli extending into patent spices of Disse. A marked reduction of granulomas in the portal areas and an amelioration of the intercellular fibrosis were also observed. On the bases of the observed results, it was concluded that myrrh extract has a promising antischistosomal non-hepatotoxic activity

Study of some immune aspects in patients with fascioliasis before and after commiphora molmol [mirazid] treatment

This study was planned to evaluate the in vitro production of IL-1 beta and IL-4 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] and total IgE in patients with fascioliasis before and three months after treatment with purified extract of myrrh from Commiphora molmol tree [mirazid], to determine the role of these variables in the immunopathogenesis of the disease in relation to this new drug. The study was carried out on a total of 35 patients with chronic fascioliasis with an age range from 9 to 45 years, in addition to 10 healthy subjects with matched age and sex serving as controls. Serum IgE and in vitro IL-1 and IL-4 were estimated by enzyme immunoassay [ELISA] before and three months after therapy. The study concluded that mirazid is an effective fasciolicidal drug. IL-1 may be involved in the disease immuno-pathogenesis and the depressed IL-4 may be a phenomenon of the parasite immune suppression. A complete decline of total IgE is not an early criterion of cure

Compatibility of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails to Infection with Schistosoma mansoni after exposure to sublethal concentations of Myrrh

The effect of exposing B. alexandrina to the sublethal dose [LC10 and LC20] of myrrh, on its susceptibility to infection with S. mansoni miracidia were determined. At three weeks post miracidial exposure, cercarial shedding was monitored. No shedding of cercariae was observed from snails treated with LC20. In snails treated with LC10, longer prepatent cercarial and shorter cercarial production periods than those of the control group were recorded. The number of infected snails and shedding cercariae was decreased. The study revealed that the sublethal values of myrrh decreased the compatibility of B. Alexandrina to S. mansoni infection, thus proved to have an important role in the control of schistosomiasis

Treatment of Egyptian Dicrocoeliasis in man and animals with Mirazid

Two human cases with Dicrocoeliasis dendriticum were successfully treated; one with praziquantel [25 mg/kg three times daily after meals for four successive days] and the second with mirazid [two capsules of 300 mg each, daily an hour before breakfast for six successive days] as indicated clinically and parasitologically. On the other hand, one imported sheep and two locally bred goats naturally infected with D. dendriticum were successfully treated with oleoresin solution [dose of 6 ml of 10 g% equal to two mirazid capsules before breakfast] per os once daily for four successive days. The animals were slaughtered on the 5th day. Mirazid [capsule or oleoresin solution] was effective against dicrocoeliasis in man and animal, respectively

effects of MyRRH on the infected snails of Schistosoma Sp. and their egg masses: effect on shedding of cercariae and on snail fecundity

Myrrh has molluscicidal effect on infected Bulinus truncates and Biomphalaria alexandrina snails at low concentrations [10 and 20 ppm, respectively] after 24 hours exposure. The number of dead snails increased with prolongation of exposure time. All Schistosoma free cercariae were killed by 2.5 ppm within 15 minutes. One day-old egg masses were more susceptible to the ovicidal effect of myrrh than the five-day old ones. Both types of eggs were more resistant to the effect of myrrh than the adult snails, embryogenesis began to stop at 20 ppm and the eggs were all killed at 60 and 80 ppm. Shedding of cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni from infected B. alexandrina stopped at 1 ppm and was suppressed at 0.8 ppm. Snail fecundity decreased at 1 ppm

Sleep disorders in acute cerebrovascular strokes

This study included 10 patients with cerebrovascular stroke [cvs][8 cases suffering from ischemic cvs and 2 cases suffering from hemorrhagic cvs]. With an age ranged from 41 to 70 years and 10 healthy subjects as a control group. All subjects [patients and control groups] were not under treatment with drugs known to modify sleep pattern. All patients were submitted to full medical and neurological examinations. Routine laboratory investigations, ECG, brain CT, sleep disorders questionnaire and polysomnographic [PSG]. PSG study of patients with C. V.S revealed a wide verities of sleep disturbances ranging from decreased sleep efficiency and fragmented sleep in 100% of cases to specific sleep disorders in which there was clinico-anatomic correlates between the site of the lesion and sleep disorders. Our study revealed sleep disorders breathing [SDB] in 40% of cases [20% showed mixed sleep apnea and 20% showed central sleep apnea] and narcleptic features in 20% of cases

Role of cytokines and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in the diagnosis of viral encephalitis

This study was done on 20 patients suffering from acute viral encephalitis. They were 13 males and 7 females with mean age 8.11 +/- 5.12. Ten normal subjects were chosen as a control group, matched for age and sex.All cases were subjected to clinical examination. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] samples were collected from patients and controls before receiving any medication to estimate the proinflammatory cytokines: interleukin-lp [IL-lp], interleukin-6 [IL-6] and tumor necrosis factor-a [TNF-a]. CT and EEG were done for 4 patients.There was a statistically significant difference of cytokines in the serum and CSF between the patients and control group.IL-l petta JL-6 and TNF- a . were statistically highly significant in the serum and CSF of the patients. There was a positive [+ve] correlation between the serum and CSF IL-lp, IL-6 and TNF-a among the patients of acute viral encephitis. Also, there was a + ve correlation between cytokines each other.Therefore, we can conclude that determination of cytokines in the serum is a very essential, rapid, easy and economic method for the diagnosis of acute viral encephalihs in the first day of illness so it could be used as a screening method before lumber puncture

Hepatitis C virus genotypes among chronic hepatitis C Egyptian patients

Several studies revealed that there is certain geographical distribution of HCV genotypes. The aim of the present study was the detection of hepatitis C virus genotypes among Egyptian patients sufferring from chronic virus C hepatitis. Forty two patients diagnosed as chronic virus C Hepatitis were the subject of this study. The diagnosis was based on history taking, clinical examination, liver function tests, determination of virus C antibodies using second generation enzyme immunoassay [ELA-2]. Confirmatory testing for the anti-HCV seropositive results was done using the third generation line immunoassay. HCV RNA detection was done using PCR. Histopathological examination for liver biopsies was done for 22 cases. Genotypes of HCV were determined by line-probe assay. The results revealed that genotype 4 was found in 85% [36 cases] and coinfections of types 4 and 1 and 4 and 2 in 9.53% [4 cases] and 4.76% [2 cases] respectively. The severity of the disease tended to be worse in patients who had mixed infection

Evaluation of uvulopalatophryngoplasty in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea [OSA] is not an uncommon condition. It may have hazardous consequences. For better evaluation of the patients, sleep studies are mandatory. Several modalities of treatment have been reported, however, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty [UPPP] is the simplest, easily tolerated, one-stage surgical procedure for management of OSA. Its success rates markedly vary from one author to another. The experience in the management of 28 cases of OSA treated with UPPP was presented. Evaluation of the efficacy of UPPP was done by comparing pre- and postoperative polysomnographic results. Determination of the site of airway narrowing preoperatively is essential to achieve good results with UPPP

Sinus Aspergillosis and allergic fungal sinusitis

Sinonasal mycosis is increasingly reported in the literature. Four clinicopathologic forms have been recognized, the fulminant invasive form, the chronic indolent sinusitis, the fungus ball and the newly described, allergic fungal sinusitis [AFS]. The experience in the management of 16 instances, in 14 patients, with fungal sinusitis was presented. The presence of unilateral nasal polypi was particularly suspicious and CT scan picture was characteristic. All the patients were treated surgically with adjuvant chemotherapy. Long-term postoperative follow up with CT scan is highly recommended

Spontaneous CSF otorrhea

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea [SCSFO] is extremely rare, with less than 100 cases being reported in the literature. It might originate from dehiscence of the tegmen tympani or antri or the bony plate of the posterior fossa. The common symptoms are clear fluid otorrhea and/or rhinorrhea, persistent OME, and in many instances, recurrent meningitis. A case of SCSFO in a 40-year old male is presented with review of the previously reported cases and discussion of the pathogenesis, presentations, diagnosis and surgical management

Study of the prevalence of hepatitis [B] seromarkers among non institutionalized mentally retarded children

HB[s]Ag and HB[s]Ab were studied in non institutionalized mentally retarded children [29 due to Down's syndrome and 29 due to spastic cerebral palsy]. The prevalence of HB[s]Ag was significantly high in the group of Down's syndrome as compared with the groups of mentally retarded children due to spastic cerebral palsy and control group. This could be explained by the depression in CMI [Cell Mediated Immunity] in cases of Down's syndrome. The prevalence of HB[s]Ab was also significantly high in group of Down's syndrome. The prevalence of HB[s] Ag and HB[s]Ab in mentally retarded children due to spastic cerebral palsy were significantly higher than those in control group