Antihyperuricemic and diuretic effects of procyanidins extracted from Crataegus monogyna

Data indicated that procyanidins extracted from grape seeds has uric acid lowering effects in mice, however the hypouricaemic effect of procyanidins was accompanied with changes in enzymatic activities of xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase. This study was designed to investigate the effect of procyanidins extracted from Crataegus monogyna on serum uric acid, adenosine deaminase [ADA], 5-nucleotidase, xanthine oxidase, and renal function on normal and potassium oxonate induced hyperuricemic rats. Thirty female albino rats were divided into three groups. The first group included 18 rats pretreated with the uricase inhibitor potassium oxonate [250 mg/kg, i.p.], served as an animal model for hyperuricemia. The rat models were divided into three subgroups, each subgroup having six rats. The first subgroup served as a normal control. Subgroup 2 received a single daily dose [100 mg/kg p.o] of procyanidins for 7 days. The third subgroup received daily dose [50 mg/kg p.o] of allopurinol for 7 days as positive control. The second group included six rats received only water as a vehicle. The serum uric acid, xanthine oxidase, adenosine deaminase [ADA] and 5-nucleotidase levels were measured and com-pared to those in normal untreated control group. The Third group included six normal rats received a single dose of Procyanidins [50 mg/kg body weight; i.v.] to study the renal ef-fects of procyanidins.. A single daily dose [100 mg/kg PO] of procyanidins for 7 days significantly reduced serum levels of uric acid, ADA and 5'-nucleotidase, without detectable effects on the level of xanthine oxidase in hyperuricemic rats. Intravenous infusion of a single dose of procyanidins [50 mg/kg i.v] produced marked increases in urinary Na+excretion [4.8 folds] and urine flow [2.6 folds] accompanied by insignificant change of potassium excretion in the rats. The reduction in serum uric acid most probably is due to inhibiting enzymes, ADA and 5-nucleotidase. The antihyperuricemic and diuretic effects of procyanidins recommended it as a good drug for the treatment of gout and renal uric acid calculi

Cardiovascular studies of white squill [urginea maritima] extract

The White Squill [Urginea maritime] has been used as a medicinal plant through centuries over the world, believed to have certain traditional actions. The Squill bulb was used by herbalists traditionally for the treatment of cardiac failure, chronic bronchitis, rodenticides and asthma. Novel cardiac glycosides recently have been isolated from squill known as bufodienolides. In this study in vivo and in vitro pharmacological properties of extract of white squill were evaluated. Eighteen local domestic rabbits [Oryctolagus cuniculus] were used for in vitro studies [effect of the plant extract on isolated pulmonary arteries and atrium] and in vivo studies [effect of the extract on renal function]. While six male albino rats were used for studying the effects of the plant extract on blood pressure and heart rate. White squill extract induced a quite clear positive inotropic effect. The extract also produced significant increases in urine flow, total solute excretion, urinary Na* excretion rate and significant reduction in urinary K excretion rate in rabbits. White squill extract produced a fall in blood pressure of the rat which was accompanied by a negative chronotropic effect. The positive inotropic effect results mostly likely from blocking Na/ K- ATPase by glycoside constituent of the extract. The diuretic and natriuretic effects of the plant extract look like effects of potassium sparing diuretics. The hypotensive effect could be attributed to its diuretic property. The mechanism of bradycardia might be due to increased vagal tone, a reflex mechanism through baroreceptors

Effects of Olanazapine and haloperidol on serum malondialdehyde, prolactin level, blood glucose and lipid profilein schizophrenic patients

The association of the atypical antipsychotics with hyperglycemia, elevated lipids, and weight gain was recognized soon after the introduction of clozapine and has become of increased concern as the use and uses of atypical antipsychotics have been expanded. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes, dyslipidamia, lipid peroxidation and hyperprolactinemia in Olanzepine treated patients in comparison with patients treated with haloperidol. Fifty patients were selected randomly from psychiatric inpatient clinic in Erbil city in Iraqi Kurdistan Region between November 2007 and June 2008. All patients were diagnosed as schizophrenia, and none of them were in acute severe state. Thirty Schizophrenic patients received Haloperidol orally as typical antipsychotic and 20 patients received Olanazapine orally as atypical antipsychotic for a minimum of one month. Fasting blood samples for the assessment of serum malondialdehyde [MDA], lipid profile, fasting blood glucose [FBG] and prolactin levels were obtained after one month of the drug prescribing time. From those fifty patients, 16 patients were selected to follow them prospectively over a mean period of time of 112 days for olanzapine and 75 days for haloperidol. The prospective study includes FBG, lipid profile, BMI and serum MDA. The prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia and lipid peroxidation was higher in Haloperidol treated patients. Whereas, the prevalence of diabetes and dyslipidaemia were higher in Olanazapine treated patients, the mean level of BMI of the Olanazapine group was significantly higher than BMI of the Haloperidol group. There was 6.66% prevalence of D< in Olanazapine treated patients, but there was no prevalence of DM in Haloperidol treated patients. There was no incidence of diabetes mellitus in the prospective study for both Haloperidol and Olanazapine treated patients. No absolute evidence indicates that the atypical antipsychotic Olanazapine is the cause of diabetes, since the glucose levels of all patients were within normal range and there was no incidence of diabetes in the prospective study in spite of their higher weight and body mass index

evaluation of estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer in Erbil city

Background and Objectives: Previous studies and biological mechanisms of carcinogenesis suggest that the steroid receptors content of breast epithelium may be related to breast cancer risk. The objective in this study was to determine the levels of estrogen receptor [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR] in neoplastic breast epithelium in breast cancer cases

Methods: Between May 2007 and May 2008 at private lab and hospitals [Zheen Hospital], [40] women and one man who were scheduled for diagnostic excisional biopsies of the breast to allow analysis of routinely resected tissue. Histological slides with neoplastic epithelium were available for the 41 cancer cases and neoplastic epithelium was examined with immunohistochemical assays to determine the status of epithelial cells staining for ER and PR

Results: The ER content of neoplastic tissue was higher in the left breast and within young age group cases. The PR content of neoplastic tissue was far lower in both side breast cancer cases but still left side breast cancer cases showing higher progesterone receptors. The relation between ER and PR contents of neoplastic tissue was observed

Conclusion: The results of this study are consistent with the indication of increased ER levels in neoplastic tissue in left breast cancer cases and progesterone receptor is also higher in left side breast cancers. This study contributes to the understanding of breast cancer by examining both ER and PR in neoplastic tissue