prophylactic and curative effects of Ginkgo biloba extract [EGb] against hyperlipaemia affection in albino rats

Herbal medicines are widely used allover the world. They are often perceived as being natural and therefore harmless. Many herbal remedies individually or in combination with different formulations such as leaf, powder, pastes, decoction, infusion, etc. had been recommended to treat various diseases. Many, if not most of medicinal plants contain flavonoids, such compounds has been associated with several beneficial effects such as antioxidants which consider to be a fundamental property important for life. Many of the chronic diseases that affect human have an uneven geographic distribution. Although the general perception that several diseases, specially the various types of cancer, kidney and liver diseases as well as CHD often result from an exposure to pollutants and toxic environmental such as agricultural chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or even some food additives. The high incidence of CHD is often correlated with high fat, high cholesterol and low fiber diets and also the consumption of fried foods. The environmental and genetic factors play the most critical role in the biological alteration. The aim of this study was to investigate the prophylactic and curative effect of ginkgo biloba against hyperlipaemia as well as hepatorenal function in albino rats

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist among chronic renal failure pediatric patients with and without hemodialysis

During hemodialysis [HD], human blood leucocytes in circulation are exposed to several extraneous challenges, thus stimulated to secrete many inflammatory cytokines and its inhibitors as inter-leukin-1 and interieukin-1 receptor antagonist [IL-Ira]. The aim of this study was to investigate difference in the level of IL-IRa synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] between CRF patients under conservative treatment and CRF patients under hemodialysis, and if this cytokine-specific inhibitory protein of PBMC can be used as a marker of dialysis related morbidity. The study included 44 subjects divided into 3 groups: [A] control group, [B] Chronic renal failure[CRF] under conservative treatment, [C] CRF under HD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] were separated by ficoll-Hypaque. Spontaneous and Phytohemagglutinin [PHA] stimulated total IL-1Ra synthesis [cell-associated and secreted] by cultured PBMC was measured using EL-ISA method. The results of the study revealed that there were significant spontaneous total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 2812 +/- 836 and in patients with conservative treatment [group B] 1791.2 +/- 252 compared to control group [group A] 940 +/- 227.8 [P value <0.001]. There were significant spontaneous total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 2812 +/- 836 compared to patients with conservative treatment [group B] 1791.2 +/- 252 [P value <0.001]. There were significant PHA stimulated total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 34041 +/- 8906 and in patients with conservative treatment [group B] 8565 +/- 1244 compared to control group [group A] 2980 +/- 608 [P value <0.001]. There were significant PHA stimulated total IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC in dialysis patients [group C] 34041 +/- 8906 compared to patients with conservative treatment [group B] 8565 +/- 1244 [P value <0.001]. There was positive correlation between PHA stimulated total synthesis of ILIRa and spontaneous total synthesis of ILIRa by PBMC in the 3 groups [P value <0.001]. There was significant correlation between IL-IRa [spontaneous and stimulated] with blood pressure, urea and creatinine level [P value <0.001]. This study concluded that PBMC of CRF patients synthesize significant level of IL-IRa compared to PBMC of healthy subjects. Also, PBMC of CRF patients on HD synthesize significant level of IL-IRa compared to PBMC of CRF under conservative treatment. Lastly, IL-IRa synthesis by PBMC of CRF patients was correlated with blood urea, serum creatinine and blood pressure level

N acetyl transferase 2 gene polymorphism in bladder cancer: a study from Egypt

N-acetyl transferases play important roles in the bio-activation and detoxification of a number of aromatic and heterocyclic amines. This suggests that polymorphism of genes encoding such enzymes may represent potential risk factors for cancer. In Egypt and surrounding Arab countries, only very few studies and in small size samples have been developed to study the association between N-acetyl transferases polymorphism and incidence of different types of cancer. This study was conducted to examine whether NAT 2 genotypes are risk factor for bladder cancer incidence and also to study possible association of tobacco usage and bilharzial involvement with NAT 2 genotype of these patients. For this purpose, 200 bladder cancer patients and 220 controls were undertaken over a period of 24 months. The NAT 2 genotypes were identified by PCR-RFLP method in peripheral blood DNA samples .Genotype frequencies and the association of the genotypes among patients and controls were assessed by Chi-square and Fisher exact tests. The frequency of slow or fast acety-lator genotypes was not significant in bladder cancer patients alone [OR=0.804, 95% CI: 0.344-1.877, p value=0.613] or in combination with tobacco users [OR=1.2, 95% CI: 0.291- 4.949, p value= 0.801] or with bilharzial involvement [OR= 0.451, 95% CI: 0.194-1.053, p value= 0.061]. In conclusion, this study indicates that NAT2 genotype exhibits non-significant association with the risk of developing bladder cancer, either alone or with tobacco users or clinicopathological of the disease [with exception of lymph node involvement]. These results maybe due to in-ter-ethnical differences of polymorphic traits smoking, and dietary habits So that investigations on the role of polymorphic genes as susceptibility factor for complex diseases like cancer may lead to different results in different population

role of chlamydia trachomatis in neonatal and infantile pneumonia

Chlamydia Trachomatis infection in pregnant women may be related to variety of perinatal complications as conjunctivitis and pneumonia. Our aim was to detect C. Trachomatis as a causative agent among infants having the clinical picture of afebrile pneumonia and to identify the clinical manifestations of Chlamydia Trachomatis pneumonia. A total of 40 patients aged 2 weeks to 6 months with chronic afebrile chest manifestations and 20 apparently healthy subjects with matched age were involved in this work. Throat swabs for detection of C. trachomatis inclusion bodies by Giemsa stain, direct fluorescent antibody test [DFA] and serologic tests for detection of IgM and IgG against Chlamydia Trachomatis by ELISA were done. All the 18 cases which were IgM positive [as a gold standard] also, were positive for IgG rising level but only 15 cases were positive DFA among 18 IgM positive cases. All cases that were IgM negative also were negative for IgG rising level. The sensitivity of Giemsa stain was 55.6% and specificity was 100%. On the other hand the sensitivity and specificity of IgG positive rising level after 2 weeks were 100% but DFA were 83.3% and 100% respectively. The serologic tests for detection of IgM and IgG rising level against Chlamydia Trachomatis by ELISA have the advantages of low cost and suitability for testing large number of specimens

Slime forming staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from orthopedic prosthesis infections and its sensitivity to antibiotics

Staphylococcus epidermidis [S.epidermidis] is a frequent cause of infections of indwelling medical devices especially those with orthopedic implants. S.epidermidis grows on medical devices as an adherent biofilm consisting of cells enmeshed in a sticky, extracelluar slime that is firmly attached to the underlying surface. The slim matrix makes S.epidermidis biofilm highly resistant to antibiotics and host defenses and nearly impossible to eradicate. The aim of the study is to determine importance of slime formation in S. epidermidis orthopedic prosthesis infections and to investigate if slime formation has an effect on its antibiotics sensitivity. 80 coagulase negative staphylococcus strains [CoNS] were isolated from 200 tissue specimens of patients with orthopedic prothesis infections. Out of these 80 CoNS, 52 [65%] strains were S.epidermidis. Isolated S. epidermidis were plated on Congo red agar and subjected to PCR to detect icaA and icaD genes to identify and confirm slime producing strains respectively. All biofilm producing strains were subjected to MIC and MBEC using Calgary Biofilm Device[CBD]. 36 [69%] S. epidermidis strains were slime [biofilm] producers and 16 [31%]strains were non slime [non biofilm] producers by CRA, while by PCR 39[75%] strains of S. epidermidis were biofilm producers and 13 [25%] strains were non biofilm producers. The results also revealed that the minimal biofilm eradication concentrations [MBECs] were higher than the corresponding conventionally determined MICs for all antibiotics tested. MIC 50 and MBEC 50 for vancomycin, were 2 micro g/ml versus 8 micro g/ml, gentamycin, 1 micro g/ml versus 32 micro g/ml, oxacillin, 4 micro g/ml versus 16 micro g/ml, erythromycin, 8 micro g/ml versus 64 micro g/ml, ciprofloxacin, 0.5 micro g/ml versus 2 micro g/ml and cephalothin 4 micro g/ml versus 16 micro g/ml. MIC90 and MBEC90 for vancomycin were 4 micro g/ml versus16 micro g/ml, gentamycin, 16 micro g/ml versus 128 micro g/ml, oxacillin, 8 micro g/ml versus 128 micro g/ml, erythromycin, 16 micro g/ml versus 128 micro g/ml, ciprofloxacin, 4 micro g/ml versus 8 micro g/ml and cephalothin 32 micro g/ml and 128 micro g/ml. The results of the present study confirm that ica genes can be considered a virulence marker in the pathogenesis of implant associated orthopedic infection by S. epidermidis. This study also demonstrates marked differences between the results of susceptibility testing performed according to standard NCCLS guidelines and testing based on biofilm susceptibility testing