Modifying effects of soybean and nigella sativa against experimental hepato-carcinogenesis induced by nitrosamine precursor in rats. [Histopathological and electron microscopically study]

Cancer has become an important topic in medicine since it is a major cause of death in the developing countries and it is now only secondary to that of myocardial infraction. Nitrosamines precursors are known to be carcinogenic to humans, in various organs at relatively low levels of exposure. It induces benign and malignant tumors especially liver tumors following its administration by various routes, including ingestion and inhalation. Humans may be exposed to Nitrosamines through the ingestion of food that contains it, such as cured meat products, and smoked fish. Other exposures to Nitrosamines may be from drinking contaminated water and from breathing cigarette smoke and contaminated ambient air. Individual are most likely to be exposed to Nitrosamines in occupational settings such as in the rubber, tannery, fish processing, dyes, and surfactant industries. The prevalence of liver tumors throughout the world makes in imperative to seek chemo preventive agents. Vegetables, natural products of plant origin and numerous non-nutritive dietary constituents have been shown to play a salutary role in cancer chemoprevention. The present study aims to evaluate the chemo preventive efficacy of soy bean and Nigella sativa on hepato-carcinogenesis induced by dibuty1 nitrosamine [DEN]. It could be observed that both soy bean and Nigella sativa have a good effect of amelioration against liver hepatoma induced by nitrosamine. Soy bean more or less showed more prerogative effect than Nigella 9 and 12 months after administration

Effectiveness of iron therapy on breath holding spells

Breath holding spells have been associated with iron deficiency anemia. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of iron therapy in this disorder. This is a retrospective study inwhich we evaluated 126 patients, 81 boys and 45 girls; with a median age of 16 [6-40 months], all presented with breath holding spells. In all of them the number of spells were counted, all have complete blood count, electroencephalography, and electrocardiogram. Those with low hemoglobin were treated with iron supplement at 6 mg/kg/day for 3 months. Ninety-three patients [74%] had iron deficiency anemia and were treated with iron supplement with a dose of 6 mg/kg/day for 3 months, group 1. The remaining 33 patients [26%] had normal blood count and were not treated, group 2. The improvement of the dizzy spells was higher in group 1 89%, compared to those in group 2, 21%. This study shows that at least in some patients treating iron deficiency anemia could result in remission of breath holding spells