Infant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: Jordan University hospital-based study

To study exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during the first year of life, 220 infants attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of the University of Jordan for routine visits with their mothers were recruited to the study. Mothers completed a questionnaire about smoking habits of household members, and urine samples were obtained from infants for analysis of cotinine levels. A total of 60.0% of infants were reported to be exposed to passive smoking at home and 36.4% had detectable levels of urine cotinine [mean 7.1 ng/mL, range 0.27-41 ng/mL]. Detectable saliva cotinine levels in 8/20 mothers of neonates [1-2 days old] suggested in utero exposure. Recommendations are made to protect this vulnerable population from tobacco smoke exposure

Detection of nicotine and cotinine in maternal and cord blood and inducation of 7- ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase in placenta.

Placental tissues, maternal blood and cord blood, were obtained from Jordanian women at-term. Concentrations of nicotine and cotinine have been measured in maternal and cord plasma by capillary gas liquid chromatography equipped with thermionic specific detector. Nicotine levels in smokers were shown to be 15.7 +/- 4.25 and 19.4 +/- 5.62 ng/ml in maternal blood and cord plasma respectively, while, cotinine levels were 39.2 +/- 11.7 and 45.0 +/- 16.8 ng/ml in maternal and cord plasma of smokers, respectively. Supernatant fraction obtained from placentas of smoker women showed marked elevation of 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylation activity [759 +/- 223 pmoles/mg protein/hr], while such activity was absent in nonsmoker placental preparations. Though, the histopathological examination did not reveal light microscopic differences between the smoker and nonsmoker placentas. Still abortion incidents were 4 times greater in smoker mothers than in nonsmokers. Therefore, pregnant women should be advised not to smoke because of the cigarette smoke hazards to the fetus as well as to the mother

effect of drug interactions on the efficacy of oral contraception

More than 50 million women all over the world take the birth control pill for family planning or other reasons. We have recently noticed through our work in the hospital of the University of Jordan that there is increased demand for the pill by Jordanian working women, as birth control by artificial hormones is considered one of the easiest, safest and most competitive methods. As we are keen that the pill is used in the correct scientific way, because side-effects and drug interactions are numerous, we are of the opinion that such medicine should be prescribed by a specialist doctor or a doctor having experience in this field. Therefore, we have prepared this summary of the interactions of other drugs with the birth control pill so that the general practitioner and all those working in the field of family planning may benefit from it. We have also recently noticed much interference of drugs such as antibiotics and epilepsy drugs with the birth control pill. This means that if a woman is taking the pill and at the same time one of the above drugs, the action of the pill may be lessened and result in pregnancy or symptoms of menstruation which necessitate reconsideration of the medical prescription by the doctor

acute toxicity of the juice of ecballium elatrium [l] A rich

The acute toxicity of the fresh juice of the fruit of the plant Ecballium elatrium was evaluated in 3 animal species. The LD50 of the intraperitoneally Injected juice in mice, rats and rabbits were 902, 812 and 817 uI/kg body weight, respectively. Hematocrit values increased significantly [58 percent] when the juice was administered i.v. to rabbits. The major pathological changes In rabbits were pulmonary edema, hepatocyte swelling and dilation of the right ventricles. It Is concluded that the cause of death in animals Is probably due to asphyxia resulting from extensive pulmonary edema and intra alveolar hemorrhage