[ primordial survey of phenylbutazone, dexamethasone and estradiol residues in pasteurized milks of Tehran, Iran as a potential risk for citizens]

Hormones are used in veterinary medicine for different purposes such as treatment, improving animal products, obstetrical cycles, breed performances and enhancing acceptability of feed. The most dangerous drug residues presented in food of animal origin are because of neglecting withdrawal time, masking the sign of diseases in slaughterhouse and using unapproved drugs. Hormone residues in food of animal origin have health impacts on consumers. This survey have been done for determining the probable presence of the most used and dangerous hormones in pasteurized milk distributed in Tehran, capital of Iran. 50 samples of pasteurized milk were randomly collected from Tehran market from different brands and fats [low, standard and full]. Residues of phenylbutazone [PBZ] and Dexamethasone [DXM] were detected by HPLC-UV method according to AOAC instructions. ELISA was applied for measuring of 17- beta Estradiol residues. Minimum detectable residue of PBZ in milks was 2.5 ng/ml. 45 samples [90%] had PBZ from 1 to 58 ng/ml [Minimum Residues Level [MRL] for PBZ in cow milk must be zero per milliliter]. Minimum detectable residue of DXM in milks was 5 ng/ml, which in 30 [60%] samples was more than 5 ng/ml [MRL for DXM in cow milk must be 0.3 ppb]. In 8 samples out of 50 [16%] residues of 17- beta Estradiol was more than natural hormone residue [natural residues of 17- beta Estradiol in milk is 10-30 pb/ml]. Although hormones are vital for many physiological functions of humand beings, but exceeding of them in the body make many health problems. PBZ residue in 90%, DXM in 60% and 17- beta Estradiol in 16% of milk samples pointing a dangerous situation of using veterinary drugs in food animals and their milks

Factors affecting in-hospital mortality of acute myocardial infarction

Acute myocardia infarction [AMI] is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality. Considering immense socioeconomic damages of growing AMI in developing countries we estimated prognostic value of major risk factors of AMI to predict probable In- hospital AMI mortality. In a cohort survey from June 2004 to March 2006, 1798 patients hospitalized with proven AMI entered into two groups: Survived [patients discharged alive] and Expired [patients expired during hospitalization due to AMI]. We evaluated relationship of 17 risk factors including age, sex, smoking, opium usage, hypertension, diabetes mellitus [DM], dyslipidemia, Killip class, existence of Q wave, St segment elevation, bundle branch blocks [BBB], involved surface of heart, mean left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF], mitral valve regurgitation [MR], and serum level of Troponin I and CKMB, with patients' survival and expiry by using chi square test, T test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. P value II [P<0.001], hypertension [P=0.036], DM [P<0.001], bundle branch block [P<0.001], Moderate to severe mitral regurgitation [P<0.001], lower Mean LVEF [P<0.001], and lower mean serum concentration of CKMB and Troponin I [P<0.001]. Mortality was significantly higher in anterolateral infarction. Mean age>69.01 yr, femaleness, Killip class III and V, hypertension, DM, moderate to severe MR, anterolateral AMI, bundle branch block and higher serum concentration of CKMB and Troponin I are associated with higher In-hospital post-AMI mortality

Study of noscapine effects on rat hind paw inflammation induced by bradykinin and histamine

Noscapine is an isoquline alkaloid from opium with antitussive effect. Our previous study indicated that noscapine is non-competitive inhibitor of bradykinin. Since bradykinin and histamine contribute in inflammatory processes, the effect of noscapine on rat hind paw inflammation induced by bradykinin and histamine was investigated. Paw edema induced by subplantar injection of 0.1 ml bradykinin solution [3nmol/paw] or 1% histamine solution. Noscapin [1, 5 and 10 mg/kg] and indomethacin [10mg/kg] as standard anti-inflammatory drug were administered intraperitoneally [i.p] one hour before injection of bradykinin or histamine. The thickness of hind paw was measured with a caliper and compared to control groups before and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes after injection of bradykinin and before and 60, 120, 180 minutes after injection of histamine. Administration of noscapine significantly suppressed the inflammation. The maximum anti-inflammatory effect of noscapin observed at dose of 5 mg/kg against bradykinin and at dose of 10mg/kg against histamine. So this activity of noscapine was similar to activity of indomethacin. Our results showed that noscapine has anti-inflammatory effect on inflammatory response of rat hind paw. This effect, was comparable to the anti-inflammatory effect of indomethacin

[Noscapine and acute pancreatitis: effects of different doses of noscapine on serum amylase level in experimental acute pancreatitis in rats]

Noscapine has been recently known as an antagonist of Bradykinin, and in this study its effect on the animal model of acute pancreatitis has been evaluated. 49 male Wistar rats have been evaluated in five experimental and four control groups. Common bile duct has been ligated by means of surgery to induce acute pancreatitis in rats. The resulted inflammation of the pancreas and the effect of Noscapine on it have been documented by measuring serum amylase levels. Amylase was measured in experimental groups after surgery and injection of Noscapine. Amylase was also measured in control groups while they did not undergo similar procedures. Results: The only meaningful effect of Noscapine values on the level of serum amylase was an unexpected increase in the 0.5 mg/kg dose; and in other doses [1, 2, 5, 10 mg/kg] the changes in the level of serum amylase were not meaningful. Noscapine has affected the inflammation of acute pancreatitis via probable mediation of Bradykinin, but the inflammation was not favorably reduced, probably because of short lifetime of Noscapine

[Study of angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitory effects of main Papaver spp. alkaloids]

Angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] converts the inactive angiotensin I to [a potent vasoconstrictor and aldosterone releaser] angiotensin II. Inhibitors of ACE are valuable drugs in the treatment of hypertension, and heart failure. These inhibitors have a natural origin and non-peptide drugs were synthesized from the natural lead compounds. However, because of some side effects such as dry cough, many investigators are searching in natural products to find better and more selective lead compounds. There are reports on the interaction between rennin-angiotensin system and endogenous opioid system. Morphine and endogenous opioids have reported to inhibit ACE. In this research we examined the possible inhibitory effects of purified papaver's main alkaloids on the activity of purified rabbit lung ACE. We found that only papaverin at 1 mM inhibited the enzyme by 40%. The Km value of ACE increased while Vmax decreased in papaverin treated samples. We conclude that part of hypotensive effects of papaverin may be related to ACE inhibition, and this compound will be a suitable lead compound for further investigation

in vitro growth properties of cell lines from Epstein-Barr virus-induced tamarin tumors and tamarin B cells transformed by epstein barr virus

EBV-carrying human cell lines, depending on whether the cells are derived from Burkitt's lymphoma [BL] tumor biopsies or transformed by EBV in vitro, have different growth properties in vitro. In contrast, there are no clear differences between tamarin tumor lines and tamarin LCLs in vitro. Both types of tamarin cell lines could grow in agarose and formed colonies unlike human LCLs, although with a lower cloning efficiency than BL lines. The growth patterns of the tamarin tumor lines resemble more those of human LCLs than human BL lines, although the observation that tamarin LCLs can grow in agarose whereas human LCLs cannot may be significant. If it is accepted for arguments sake that Raji BL cells are representative of human EBV BL tumor cells, then both tamarin LCLs and tumor lines are more tumorigenic as judged by the single criterion of growth in agarose

Determination of pharmacokinetic parameters of phenytoin in Iranian epileptic patients

Adjustment of phenytoin dosage in patients is very difficult due to its nonlinear metabolism and patient to patient variation in its kinetics. It has been recommended that the dosage of phenytoin should be adjusted according to its plasma concentration and requirements of the patients. Therefore, the present study was carried out to identify the various factors which may influence the plasma level of this drug. The phenytoin plasma concentration was determined in 91 patients with steady-state concentrations according to the EMIT method. In a further 14 patients, who had recieved at least two different doses of phenytoin, the Km and Vmax of phenytoin metabolism were determined according to Mullen's direct linear plot. The results of this study showed that the plasma level of phenytoin was below the therapeutic level in 62 [68.2%] of the patients and above the therapeutic level in 8 [8.8%]. Statistical analysis did not show any correlation between plasma level and factors such as sex, age, or type of drug administered. Only a small correlation was found between dosage and plasma level. The Km of phenytoin metabolism in the group studied was found to be in the range of 1.8-26micro g/ml and that of Vmax in the range of 5.33-13.88 mg/kg/day. The mean values of Km [8.4 +/- 1.7 micro g/ml] and Vmax [7.3 +/- 0.58 mg/kg/day] were slightly higher than reported values in the literature [5.7 +/- 2.9 micro g/ml and 5.9 +/- 1.2 mg/kg/day, respectively]. However, this difference was not statistically significant