protective value of hesperidin in mitigating the biochemical perturbations and trace element alterations induced by acrylonitrile in rats

Acrylonitrile [a chemical pollutant] has been reported to induce harmful effects in humans. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of hesperidin, a natural bioflavonoid, against the toxicity induced by acrylonitrile [AN] in rats. This study includes determination of serum total scavenger capacity "TSC", liver enzymes [aspartate transaminase "ASAT", alanine transaminase "ALAT" and alkaline phosphatase "ALP"], total proteins, albumin, glucose, creatinine, urea and lipid profile. Moreover, liver and kidney homogenate glutathione content "GSH", catalase, superoxide dismutase "SOD", glutathione peroxidase "GPx", malondialdehyde "MDA" and some minerals were estimated. Revealed that administration of AN [orally 50mg/ kg b.wt.] induced alterations in TSC level as well as liver, kidney and lipid profiles. In addition, a decrease in GSH-content and catalase, SOD and GPx activities was observed with an increase in MDA levels in both liver and kidney. There was disturbance in certain minerals such as Cu, Zn, Fe, Se, Ca, Mg and Mn. Particularly, Hesperidin administration [orally 200 mg/kg b.wt.] ameliorates the oxidative stress induced by AN, consistent with the reported antioxidant activity of hesperidin

Health hazards among workers in power stations comparative study between natural gas and mazout stations

This study was done on 65 workers working in power station I [Shoubra El-Kheima] where they are exposed to natural gas and mazout, 74 workers in power station II [El-Gharb] where there is mazout exposure only and 74 individuals acting as controls. All these individuals were admitted to a questionnaire, examined clinically and they were investigated to assess their respiratory, liver and kidney function tests. This is in addition to a complete blood picture. Air pollution inside these stations was assessed. The study aimed at determining the pollutants inside and outside the stations and to investigate the health hazards of the workers exposed to these pollutants. It aimed also to see if it is important and urgent to replace the mazout by natural gas as a fuel in these power stations. The results showed that by products of mazout have bad effect on the environment. When mazout is used alone as a fuel, it has an adverse effect on the respiratory system and the liver. There is a need for a prospective study to assess the causal relationship between mazout by-products and health hazards before taking the decision of replacing mazout by natural gas

Epidemiology of Diabetes mellitus in Egypt

Diabetes mellitus is an important public health problem in terms of the number of persons affected and the considerable associated morbidity and early mortality. Two major forms of the disease are recognized: insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM], which comprises about 10% of cases, and non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] which accounts for about 90% of the cases. The prevalence of IDDM cases in Egypt ranges between 33-2 per 1000 according to the various studies. Two studies of IDDM in Egypt emphasized the interaction between genetic and environmental factors for development of the disease. As regards NIDDM, the prevalence in Egypt was estimated to be 2.5%. Genetic factors play an extremely important role in the development of NIDDM. Actually, some Egyptian studies of diabetes prevalence are available and may give a rough idea about the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in different parts of Egypt. From the epidemiological point of view, these studies have many limitations

Lysosomal enzymes, isoenzymes in rheumatoid arthritis

This study has shown that serum activity of cathepsin B, cathepsin D and B-NAG were insignificantly decreased in rheumatoid group compared with normal group while serum acid phosphatase was significantly increased in rheumatoid arthritis when compared with normal group. Synovial activity of cathepsin B, cathepsin D, B-NAG and acid phosphatase were significantly increased in rheumatoid group compared with osteoarthritic group. B-NAG is fractionated in rheumatoid synovial fluid into 2 bands [A, B], where A band had disappeared by heating, while in, osteoarthritic synovial fluid B-NAG had been fractionated into only one band [A], which had disappeared by heating

Lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde in synovial fluid and serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The concentration of malondialdehyde in serum and syovial fluid was measured as an indicator of free radical in 20 arthritic patients [10 osteoarthritis and 10 rheumatoid arthritis] plus ten healthy volunteers. Free radical activity showed high significant increase in rheumatoid group compared with both control and osteoarthritic groups, this increase was manifested both in serums as well as in synovial fluid. From this study it is concluded that, measurement of free radicals are useful in diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The study strongly recommend the administration of antioxidants side by side with antirheumatic drugs to correct the oxidative stress and promote oxidant antioxidant balance