Adverse effects of two kinds of food additive mixtures [flavor enhancer, food preservative or food coloring agent] on physiological parameters in young male albino rats

Background: food additives are substances used in food industry in order to improve the food's taste, appearance by preserving its flavor and preventing it from souring. Food additives are added to the most junk and fast foods, especially food for kids

Aim of the work: this work was aimed to investigate the adverse effects of some food additives on the biochemical parameters in addition to study the side effects of these food additives in male albino rats

Materials and Methods: this study was performed on twenty four young male albino rats with an average 120-145 g body weight. Animals were divided into four groups [6 /cage]; Group I [Control untreated group], Group II [administered orally with sodium nitrite [0.1 mg/kg b.wt./day] and annatto [0.065 mg/kg b.wt./day]], Group III [administered orally with sodium nitrite [0.1 mg/kg b.wt./day] and monosodium glutamate [MSG] [15 mg/kg b.wt./day]] and Group IV [administered orally with annatto [0.065 mg/kg b.wt./day] and monosodium glutamate [15 mg/kg b.wt./day]]. Blood samples were collected on the last day of experiment, for biochemical estimations which included levels of serum glucose, total protein [TP], albumin, creatinine, urea, testosterone , thyroid hormones [T3 and T4], activities of AST and ALT in addition to lipid profile

Results: showed marked elevation in levels of fasting glucose, activities of AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG] and high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], VLDL and ratios of TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C [risk factors] as well as albumin / globulin ratio and serum thyroid hormones [T3 and T4] accompanied with marked decline in levels of serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, albumin/ creatinine ratio, testosterone and HDL-C in all treated groups in comparison to the control group. There was a significant reduction in the body weight in groups that received [NaNO2 with annatto] and [MSG with NaNO2] while treated rats with [MSG and annatto] showed a significant increase in body weight as compared to control rats

Conclusion: Due to the harmful effects of food additives, the use of these compounds must be limited as it resulted in a vehement disturbance in the biochemical and physiological parameters that was grievously pronounced on many hormones

Effect of Bisphenol A on the first generation of female rats from both parents treated with the same Xenoestrogen

Background: Bisphenol A [BPA] is a worldwide used endocrine disruptor that is incorporated in many plastic industries. The exposure of human to such substances starts early during the fetal life, postnatal life and extends throughout the life of the individual. Many agencies raised warnings against the excessive use of such substances. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the extent to which BPA can affect the first generation [of parents treated with the same compound, during pregnancy and lactation], which treated with the same compound during their life time

Materials and Methods: Group 1: 15 control female rats. Group 2: 15 female rats of the first generation treated with BPA [20mg/kg b.wt] for one month. Sexual hormones, liver and kidney functions were measured

Results: BPA induced increase in breast and ovarian tumor markers. It also showed significant increase in estrogen, FSH, prolactin, and progesterone. It is also increased liver function, kidney function, lipid profile. In the same time it leads to decrease in LH, HDL, and protein levels

Conclusion: BPA induced toxicity, which is mediated by oxidative stress. This study ringing the bells of danger for using such compounds

[Psychiatric morbidity and consultations among medical and surgical inpatients in a general hospital in Kuwait]

A number of studies have shown high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among medical and surgical inpatients. However, few inpatients with psychiatric morbidity receive psychiatric consultation. The objectives of this study were to measure the prevalence of psychiatric problems requiring psychiatric consultation among general medical and surgical inpatients and the ratio between number of patients having such problems and those referred for psychiatric consultation. The study included all patients admitted to general medicine and general surgery departments of Farwaniya General Hospital in Kuwait over one month. These patients were screened for presence/absence of clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms, hallucinations, excitement, disorientation, suicidal behavior, and occurrence of psychiatric consultation during their hospital stay. Patients were assessed using Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Self Rating Anxiety Scale, and patients' medical records. Results showed that of the studied 295 inpatients [193 medical and 102 surgical], 122 [41.4%] were found to have one or more of the manifestations of psychiatric morbidity. Clinically significant depressive symptoms were found in 99 patients [35.2%], anxiety symptoms in 24 patients [8.5%], disorientation in 14 patients [4.7%], excitement in 10 patients [3.4%], hallucinations in 6 patients [2%], and suicidal behavior in 8 patients [2.7%]. Only 13 patients [10.7% of patients having psychiatric morbidity] were referred for psychiatric consultation. The study concluded that the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity, especially depression, among general medical and surgical inpatients is high, and a small percentage of inpatients with psychiatric morbidity are referred for psychiatric consultation

Inpatient psychiatric referrals from general and specialist hospitals in Kuwait- a descriptive study

Psychiatrists are increasingly called on to evaluate and treat persons with comorbid physical disorders. The objectives of this study were to examine different elements of the psychiatric consultation process in Kuwait and to compare our findings to those of similar studies carried out in other parts of the world. The study included 263 psychiatric consultation requests received by Kuwait Psychological Medicine Hospital from all Kuwait hospitals in year 1999. The requests were studied retrospectively regarding referring medical/surgical specialty, sex and age of referred patients, types of requests as regards urgency [according to the referring physician's judgment], reason for psychiatric consultation, psychiatric diagnosis, and recommended psychiatric interventions. Results showed that males and females were almost equally represented in the study [49.8% and 52.2% respectively], 70% of the request were received from medical specialties and 30% from surgical specialties. Patients with ages between 21 and 40 years were more commonly referred for psychiatric consultation than those of other age groups [p=0.015], suicidal attempt [or threat] was the most common reason for consultation [24.6%], adjustment disorder, mood disorders, and organic mental disorders were the most common psychiatric diagnoses [22.3%, 22.3%, an d21.3% respectively], and pharmacotherapy was the most frequently recommended psychiatric intervention [45.9%]. The study concluded that suicidal behavior is the most common reason for psychiatric consultation in Kuwait, consultation psychiatrists do not tend to record the diagnosis of "personality disorder" and they are less likely to recommend psychotherapy for their patients