Influence of ionizing radiation on Echis pyramidium snake venom: Biochemical and immunological aspects

The effect of a single LD[50] dose of native Echis pyramidum venom [27.69 micro g/mouse] on the activities of certain serum enzymes levels: aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], urea, creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], creatine phosphokinase [CPK], creatine kinase isoenzyme [CK-MB] were studied. Samples from the serum were collected 4hr following LD50 venom dose intraperitonealy injected in male Swiss albino mice. The activities of these enzymes showed significant elevation compared to the non-envenomated group. In contrast, an equivalent dose of 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated Echis pyramidum venom [27.69 micro g/mouse] did not cause any significant increase compared to non-envenomated group. The effect of a dose that is equivalent to ½ LD[50][13.8 micro g/50 micro l] of native Echis pyramidum venom on plasma creatine phosphokinase [CPK] induced a significant increase of creatine phosphokinase [CPK] level compared to normal control [P<0.01]. In contrast, an equivalent dose of 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated Echis pyramidum venom showed non significant difference in creatine phosphokinase activity when compared to the normal control. Light microscopic examinations of gastrocenemius muscles of mice injected with native Echis pyramidum venom [½ LD[50]; 13.8 micro g/50 micro l] showed fragmentation, disorganization, loss of myofibrils in some of the muscle fibers, hemorrhage in-between the muscle fibers and mononuclear cellular infiltration. While light microscopic examinations of gastrocenemius muscles of mice injected with 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated Echis pyramidum venom [13.8 micro g/50 micro l; a dose identical to that used from native venom] showed that most muscle fibers were of normal appearance except for small area of fragmentation and disorganized myofibrils and oedema of the intercellular connective tissue. Double immunodiffusion test revealed a similar reactivity for native, 1 kGy, 1.5 kGy and 3 kGy gamma irradiated Echis pyramidum venoms against a commercial polyvalent Egyptian antivenin. The visible lines obtained in the immunodiffusion reactions were identical and joined smoothly at the corners, indicating that there was no change in their antigenic reactivity. These results demonstrate that the ability of the venom antigens to react with its corresponding antibodies was maintained in spite of being exposed to radiation doses of 1 kGy, 1.5 kGy and 3 kGy. Both antivenins raised against native or 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated venoms recognized Echis pyramidum venom when submitted to protein blotting, but the anti 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated venom show a higher intensity bands than the antivenin raised against native Echis pyramidum venom, in spite of having less neutralizing activity [native neutralize 50 LD[50], 1.5 kGy gamma irradiated neutralize 40 LD[50]], this indicates that antibodies were formed not only for toxic fraction but also for non toxic fraction. Irradiation of the whole Echis Pyramidium Venom with 1.5KGy reduced its lethality 12.5 times though keeping its immunogenicity. The 1.5KGy dose was shown to be the best radiation dose to promote detoxification without significantly affecting its immunogenicity. Thus results of this study confirm the conclusion that gamma radiation is a suitable way to detoxify Echis Pyramidium Venom without affecting its immunogenicity provided that proper dose is used

Freshly crushed black seeds showed good protective effect during tumour induction and radiotherapy in rats

The present study was conducted to evaluate the potency of Nigella sativa freshly crushed seeds [0.42 g/kg body weight] or oil [2.5 ml/kg body weight] for preventing tumor induction through exposure of rats to a common pollutant [1, 4- Dioxane] as a tumor promoter under condition of the presence of an initiator [N-nitrosodiethylamine]. The antitumor effect was evaluated alone or in combination with low doses of irradiation as a route of cancer treatment. Female Swiss albino rats were administered orally twice weekly with Nigella sativa before and during exposure of rats to the carcinogenic compounds. Animals were exposed to 3 doses of radiation [3 Gy/dose] day after day 2 weeks before the end of the experiment. The animals were sacrificed after one week of radiation. Homocysteine, glutathione, lipid peroxide, GammaGT activity, and albumin levels were estimated in blood after 7 and 12 months from the start of the experiment. Rats injected with the carcinogenic compounds showed marked elevation in homocysteine, GammaGT activity, and lipid peroxide levels accompanied by a significant decrease in glutathione, and albumin levels. Pretreatment with Nigella sativa alone or combined with Gamma-irradiation potentially reversed the investigated parameters. Freshly crushed seeds gave more pronounced protection than the oil extract. it is advisable to use freshly crushed seeds of Nigella sativa during irradiation treatment in cancer patients

Some factors associated with nutritional status of female adolescent students in Dubai at the United Arab Eimrates

The main aim of the present study was directed to assess the factors affecting the nutritional status of females adolescents students [635] in Dubai at UAE from the sample included urban [public and private] and rural secondary schools were randomly chosen. Data were collected through personal interview using especially designed questionnaire sheet. The obtained data were statistically analyzed. Results revealed that 33.3% and 17.8% of female student's fathers and 40.8% and 21.0% of their mothers were illiterate in the rural and urban public schools respectively. More than third of the sample [41.1% and 40.8%] of fathers and mothers under study respectively of all subjects had primary and preparatory education. Higher percentages were noticed in urban private schools for educational status of student's father and mother [secondary, college and post graduate education] compared to the other schools. The majority of mothers [88.8% of student's mothers] were emirates. Most of student's families were nuclear. The majority of families' size had big families having 6-10 members. While, 23.6%, 12.6%, and 2.5% of urban private, public and rural schools families tended to have low size [3-5 members] respectively. Higher percent of students in the urban private schools used to frequently practice sport [3 to 4 weekly] than their counterparts in the other schools. The majority of the students under study spent little of time for walking while they spent long time for using computer and/or watching TV that might lead to overweight. Only 18.3% of all students skipped their breakfast while, 35.4% of them sometime took their breakfast [1-3 times weekly], however 21.3% intended to eat it everyday. More than 50% of the studied students took their lunch daily as main meal. Reasonable percentage of the students prefer to eat their dinner daily [>/= 40%]. On the contrary, low percentage of subjects skipped dinner to maintain their body weight by dieting. More than two thirds of the students under study sometime used to take snacks. Small percentages of the female students in rural and urban schools [public and private] were on diet. About half of subjects in urban schools used to get soda drinks with meal, while their sibling in rural area recorded lower percent compared to them. Meanwhile, more than half of all the studied females did not drink tea and / or coffee at all. The energy, protein, and carbohydrates intakes for all subjects were higher than their recommended quantities. Slightly higher normal BMI percent was noticed in rural surveyed girls than that in urban schools. The urban students private and public schools girls showed almost the same percent of overweight. The statistical analysis of data proved that the BMI had significant relations with each of eating dinner, and snacks, dieting, and macronutrients intakes

Purification and partial characterization of three dipeptidases from rat liver

Three dipeptidases namely; Leu-Leu dipeptidase [LLD], Leu-gly dipeptidase [LGD] and Ala-gly dipeptidase [AGD] from rat liver were purified using L. Leu-Leu, L, Leu-gly and L.Ala-gly as substrates. The adopted purification techniques included treatment with n-butanol, acetone precipitation and drying, ammonium sulphate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, second acetone precipitation and sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Performance of kinetic studies proved that the enzyme preparation acting on L. Ala-gly as substrate exhibited a kinetic behavior different from those acting on L. Leu-Leu and L-Leu-gly dipeptides. The data proved that LLD and LGD displayed similar behaviour with respect to activation with Mn[2+], the incidence of positive cooperativity and pH optima. However, discrepances in behaviour were indicated with respect to Km [10.0 x 10[-3] M and 8.7 x 10[-3] M for LLD and LGD respectively], pH end thermal stability. Addition of activators and inhibitors proved that the separated enzymes were metalloenzymes