Effect of passive smoking on the levels of pregnancy associated plasma protein -a in normal rats

To measure the levels of pregnancy associated plasma protein- A [PAPPA-A] in normal rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Experimental interventional study. Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, in collaboration with national institute of health [NIH], Islamabad. Total duration was of 4 weeks. Sixty albino rats of Sprague- Dawley strain weighing 200-250 gm, divided into two groups. Both the groups were kept in identical chambers. One group of 30 rats was further exposed to passive cigarette smoke for 4 weeks. No increase was observed in the levels of serum PAPP-A of both the groups: Passive smokers and not exposed to passive smoking i.e. P > 0.05. Smoking does not increase the levels of PAPP-A

Association of c-reactive protein as an inflammatory marker with the glycaemic status of the alloxan treated diabetic rats

To measure the level of C-reactive protein and find its association with the glycaemic status [fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin] of metabolically normal and diabetic albino rats. Total 60 Albino rats were included into [metabolically normal rats n=30; diabetic rats n =30]. Plasma glucose levels were determined by using glucose oxidase method while determination of total Hb and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA[1]c] was done by diagnostic kit that uses weak cation-exchange resin to bind Hb. The% HbA[1]c was determined by measuring the absorbance at 415 nm of the glycosylated hemoglobin fraction and the total hemoglobin fraction. The ratio of the two absorbances gave the% of HbA[1]c. C-reactive protein was measured by the ELISA kit. Significant difference was found in the values of fasting glucose, of the normal and diabetic groups [p<0.05] but no significant difference was present in the values of HbA[1]c of both groups. There was no significant difference in the values of C-reactive protein of the normal and diabetic groups. Short duration hyperglycemia has no role in producing inflammation and raising the levels of bioinflammatory marker C-reactive protein

Effect of thiamine on lipid profile in diabetic rats

To determine the effect of high dose thiamine on dyslipidemia in diabetic rats. Experimental interventional study. The Animal House/Laboratory of the National Reference Laboratory for Poultry Diseases [NRLPD]/Biochemistry Department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from December 2006 to January 2007. The study was conducted on 120, 12 weeks old male albino rats of Sprague Dawley Strains randomly divided into 4 groups of 30 rats each. Group I comprised of 30 normal rats, on normal [regular] diet. Group II comprised of 30 diabetic rats, on normal [regular] diet. Group III comprised of 30 normal rats, on thiamine supplemented diet. Group IV comprised of 30 diabetic rats, on thiamine supplemented diet. Out of the 120 rats, 60 were made diabetic by injecting Alloxan. Blood glucose levels were measured by applying glucose oxidase method. Determination of total HbA1c, triglyceride, HDL [High Density Lipoproteins] and total cholesterol was performed by diagnostic kits. The significance of difference in mean values of study groups [glycemia and lipid profile] was assessed by applying ANOVA and independent Student's t-test. Significant difference was found in the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL in the diabetic rats on supplemented diet p < 0.05, but no significant difference was noticed in the value of glycosylated Hb [HbA1c] [p > 0.05] of all the 4 groups. Thiamine corrected dyslipidemia but not hyperglycemia in diabetic rats