Resveratrol ameliorates experimentally-induced gentamicin nephrotoxicity: a biochemical and histological evaluation in rats

This experimental study aimed to investigate the possible effect of resveratrol [RSV], an antioxidant agent, during Gentamicin [GEN] treatment as a prophylactic modality against drug induced renal tubular affection. The study comprised 30 normal rats divided into 3 equal groups: Control group: Did not receive medications, GEN Group: Received IP injection of GEN [80mg/kg/day for 6 days] and RSV+GEN Group: Received IP injection of GEN [80mg/kg/day] and RSV [10mg/ kg/day for 6 days]. At the 6th day, blood samples were withdrawn for estimation of serum creatinine, urea and Na and K ions, then all animals were sacrificed and both kidneys were immediately removed and a renal cortex biopsy was obtained for estimation of renal tissue extract activity of glutathione [GSH], glutathione-S-transferase [GST], superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase [CAT] and tissue content of non-protein sulphydryl [NPSH] and lipid peroxides. Both kidneys were dissected out for histological studies and scored for seventy of tubular changes. In comparison to control group; GEN caused a significant elevation [p[1]<0.001] of serum urea and creatinifte associated with increased serum Na+ and decreased K+ levels with significantly increased levels of SOD, MDA and NPSH levels and decreased levels of GSH, GST and CAT in renal tissue extract. On contrary, RSV injection in combination with GEN significantly ameliorated the effects imposed by GEN on the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium manifested as a non-significant increase of tissue extract levels of MDA and NPSH associated with non-significant decrease of tissue extract level of GSH and GST in GEN+RS V group compared to control group [p[1]>0.05] but tissue extract levels of SOD and CAT were significantly increased [p[1]=0.016 and 0.005, respectively] compared to control group. RSV lessened the nephrotoxic effect of Gentamicin in combination group with a significant decrease of serum urea and creatinine levels compared to that estimated in GEN group, [p[2]=0.008] with a significantly decreased serum Na+ and increased serum K+ compared to levels estimated in GEN group [p[2]=0.007 and =0.008, respectively]. Light microscopic examination of renal tissue obtained from rats injected with GEN for 6 days, showed degenerative changes with necrosis of proximal tubular cells and contracted glomeuli associated with tubular and glomerular vacuolation. There was tissue edema and intense inflammatory cellular infiltrates. Semi-quantitative analysis of tubular necrosis, tubular vacuolization and parietal cell hyperplasia in animals treated by GEN and GEN+RSV showed a significant reduction of scores of each parameter in GEN+RSV group compared to GEN group with no necrosis reported in 55.6% and no parietal cell hyperplasia in 33.3% of animals included in GEN+RSV group, while all GEN treated animals showed tubular necrosis and vacuolation with parietal cell hyperplasia of varied scores. It could be concluded that concomitant administration of resveratrol during Gentamicin therapy in high dose and for long period could ameliorate the structural changes and preserve the oxidant/antioxidant balance in renal tissue with minimization of affection of renal function tests

Prevalence of silent hepatitis B and HCV genotype among chronic hepatitis C patients

This multi-center study was designed as a trial to explore the prevalence of silent hepatitis B infection among hepatitis C patients and to determine the prevalent genotype of hepatitis C virus [HCV] in these patients. The study comprised 45 patients with post-hepatitic liver cirrhosis. All patients gave blood samples for estimation of liver function tests, ELISA estimation of serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], anti-HCV antibodies and HCV core antigen, patients with HBsAg positive were excluded off the study. Qualitative detection of HCV RNA and HBV DNA by PCR [home-made PCR] and Quantitative PCR for estimation of HCV viremia and HCV genotyping: by REFLP technique were performed. The HCV-Ab was detected in all and HCV-Ag in 42 samples [93.3%] irrespective of its clinical severity class with a mean viremia level of 792336.7 +/- 400074.8; range: 134985-1957632 viral copy/ml as determined by quantitative PCR. There was a non-significant difference between severity clinical classes as regards the qualitative or quantitative detection of HCV infection. The HBV DNA was detected using qualitative PCR in 20 samples [44.4%]; 4 class A, 7 class B and 9 class C samples with a significant increase of the frequency of silent HB in patients with class B [X[2]=5.446, p<0.01] and C [X[2]=8.154, p<0.001] in comparison to class A patients. Genotyping of HCV reported 41 samples [91.1%] with genotype-4 and 4 samples [8.9%] with genotype-1 with a prevalence rate of HCV genotype-4 was 91.1%. There was positive non-significant correlation between both HCV genotype and the presence of silent hepatitis B infection and clinical severity, however, using the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve analysis judged by the area under the curve [AUC] to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of detection of silent hepatitis B infection and identification of HCV genotype as predictors of severe hepatitis showed a non-specific role for genotyping for prediction of severity with AUC=0.467, while the detection of HBV DNA using PCR in patients with HCV infection is a specific predictor of severity with AUC=0.617. It could be concluded that HCV genotype-4 is the most prevalent type in Egyptian Hepatitis C cirrhotic patients with a prevalence of silent hepatitis B of 44.4% and its detection is a specific predictor of severe cirrhosis

Hyperhomocysteinemia at 16[th] week gestation and subsequent preeclampsia

This study was done on 197 pregnant women. Fasting plasma total homocysteine [tHcys] was measured in each woman at 16[th] week of pregnancy. They were divided into 2 groups according to development of preeclampsia. Women who did not develop preeclampsia [n= 179] comprised control group. Women who developed preeclampsia [n=18] comprised the study group. Fasting plasma tHcys at 16[th] week gestation was significantly higher in preeclampsia group compared to control group [P<0.05]. Also the number of cases with tHcys >/= 90[th] percentile of controls [>/= 5.37 ng/dl] was significantly higher in preeclampsia group compared to control group. It could be concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia at 16[th] week gestation may be an indirect risk factor for placental vasculopathy predating preeclampsia

Effect of natural honey on gingivitis associated pregnancy

This work aimed to investigate the effect of natural honey on gingivitis associated pregnancy. The study divided 49 pregnant women suffering from gingivitis in the 2nd and the 3rd trimester free from medical and obstetrical disorders into two groups: Group I included 25 pregnant women receiving honey and instruction and Group II included 24 pregnant women receiving routine dental care and served as controls. A follow up evaluation was done. Data were collected by using graduated periodontal prop and observational sheet for the evaluation of the degree of improvement of gingivitis and periodontal pockets. The results revealed that there was a rapid improvement in clinical characteristics and the mean value of gingival pocket was reduced rapidly in the experimental group with no improvement in the control group

effect of theophylline on serum erythropietin in premature neonates and older children

To study the effect of theophylline on erythropoietin, 4 groups were included in this work: group I [theophylline treated prematures], group II [theophylline untreated prematures for comparison], group III [theophylline treated children] and group IV [theophylline untreated children] for comparison. For all subjects, serum level of erythropoietin, haemoglobin concentration, red cell count, haematocrit value and serum level of theophylline [for treated subjects only] were performed at the beginning and at the end of the study. The results obtained showed a significant elevation in erythropoietin, Hb, RBCs and haematocrit values in group I as compared with group II as well as a significant decrease in erythropoietin level, Hb, RBCs and haematocrit value in group III as compared with group IV. We concluded that there is a discrepancy in the effect of theophylline therapy on serum erythropoietin level between prematures and older children. This may be due to the altered tissue oxygenation seen in apnea of prematurity which may have a more potent stimulatory effect on erythropoietin production than does the depressant effect of theophylline in this population. Also, the effect of theophylline on erythropoietin production may change by age and thus may differ between prematures and older children

study of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Recent advances in molecular medicine have focused attention on cyto-kines in the machinery of inflammation and immune response. Tumor necrosis factor [TNF-alpha] is a cytokine produced primarily by activated mono-cytes and lymphocytes. that posses pleiotropic properties. TNF-alpha has been involved in the pathogenesis of diversity of liver diseases including viral hepatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate a group of patients with histologically documented chronic viral hepatitis for the level of serum TNF-alpha with particular attention to its correlation with disease activity. Thirty patients with biopsy-proven chronic Viral hepatitis and ten healthy controls were studied in this work. Cases included 25 males and 5 females with an age range of 23 to 67 years. Controls included 8 males and 2 females with an age range of 25 to 60 years. Cases were classified into three groups: Group I consisted of 6 cases with chronic hepatitis B, Group II 14 cases with chronic hepatitis C and Group III 10 cases with evidence of combined B and C viral infections. Results revealed that serum TNF alpha levels were significantly increased among patients with chronic viral hepatitis compared to controls. TNF alpha significantly correlated with the severity of the activity of viral infection as gauged by the histological activity index [HAI]. There was. however, no statistically significant difference between the three groups of cases and each other. It was concluded that TNF alpha is a better measure of disease activity than conventional bio chemical liver function tests. Moreover monitoring of TNF alpha along with ALT during treatment might provide more precise information of effectiveness of therapy