Evaluation of clinical and laboratory variables as diagnostic indicators of phenylbutazone toxicity in Egyptian draft horses

To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first report describing the diagnostic significance of clinical as well as various biochemical variables to predict the clinical outcome of phenylbutazone [PBZ] toxicity in Egyptian draft horses. Horses with PBZ toxicity were tentatively diagnosed based on component case history and physical examination findings as well and post-mortem findings in non-survived cases. According to the clinical outcome, diseased horses were categorized into survivors [n=21] and non-survivors [n=17]. Clinically, there was a significant association between non-survivors and anorexia [p<0.01], stasis of intestinal motility [p<0.01], melena / [p<0.01], and diarrhea [p<0.001]. Biochemically, malondialdehyde [MDA/ ], nitric oxide [NO], aspartate amino transferase [AST], gamma glutamyl transferase [GGT], sorbitol dehydrogenase [SD], total bilirubin, urea and creatinine showed a significant increase [p<0.05] in non-survivors compared to survivors; meanwhile, superoxide dismutase activities [SOD], total plasma protein and albumin levels were significantly decreased [p<0.05]. To predict the clinical outcome of PBZ toxicity in examined horses, receiver operating characteristic curve [ROC] was applied for all tested biochemical variables. Analysis of ROC curve showed high sensitivity and specificity of total leucocytic count [TLC], neutrophils, band cell as well as blood urea, creatinine, total plasma protein, AST, MDA, NO, SOD and vitamin C [Vit. C] levels. It could be concluded that clinical and biochemical investigations could provide valuable diagnostic information about the adverse effects of PBZ in draft horses. Our findings also suggest that estimation of these biochemical variables might help predict the outcomes of PBZ toxicity in Egyptian draft horses

Potency of Allium sativum and Allium cepa oils against Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice

It has been reported that garlic [Allium sativum] and onion [Allium cepa] are used all over the world in different diseases, such as infections, injuries, gastrointestinal dysfunctions and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, our aim in this work was to study the ability of garlic and onion oils to offset the infectivity as well as the metabolic disturbances induced by Schistosoma mansoni parasitism. The two current drugs were given in a dosage of 5ml / kg body weight/ day. Three aspects of drug action were investigated, the effect on S. mansoni infection, the effect on liver functions, and on liver metabolism. The parasitological investigation included worm burden and ova count. Serum biochemical analysis of infected mice revealed a significant increase in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], acid phosphatase [AP], while a decrease in glucose, total lipids total cholesterol, high - and low- density lipoproteins cholesterol [HDL and LDL], triglycerides, total proteins and albumin was observed. Liver tissue analysis of infected animals showed a marked increase in L- hydroxyproline [HP] concentration and xanthine oxidase [XO] activity accompanied with a reduction in total adenosinetriphosphatase [ATPase] and phosphofructokinase [PFK] enzymatic activities. Treatment with either garlic or onion oils greatly normalized liver function enzymes and variably improved the other parameters with a noticeable reduction in worm burden and ova count. It could be concluded that garlic or onion may play a role against the metabolic disturbances caused by S. mansoni infection, owing to an effect which may be induced by improving the immunological host system and their antioxidant activities

Corrective action of carnosine on liver enzymes in ethanol intoxication

The changes in activities of certain enzymes in the liver of ethanol ingested rats and the corrective action of carnosine treatment was studied in the present work. These enzymes included, alcohol dehydrogenase [adh] and some enzymes of energy metabolism including, hexokinase hk. Phosphofructokinase [pfk], malate dehydrogenase [mdh] and creatine phosphokinase [cpk]. Ethanol ingestion showed a marked reduction in the activities of energy metabolism enzymes, indicating the toxic effect of ethanol by inducing oxidative stress on liver tissues, administration of carnosine ameliorated the toxic action of ethanol by improving the activities of the four energy metabolism enzymes