Potential antihypertensive and antioxidative effects of Nigella sativa seeds or biomass and Syzygium aromaticum extracts on L-NAME- induced hypertensive rats

Plant tissue culture techniques had captured the attention of researchers in a wide range of scientific areas. The aim of the present investigation is to assess the potential antihypertensive and antioxidative effects of Nigella sativa seeds or biomass and Syzigium aromaticum buds extracts on L-NAME - induced hypertension in rats. In the present study, rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups, all groups except the normal control one were administered N[omega] -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L.NAME][50 mg/kg/day p.o] for two weeks. The treatment started after the first week of L-NAME administration; Nigella sativa seeds and biomass extracts were used in a dose of 400 mg/kg and Syzygium aromaticum extract was used in a dose of 100 mg/kg. Blood pressure [systolic, mean and diastolic] and oxidative stress biomarkers: serum LDH activity and nitric oxide level were measured. A significant increase in systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure was observed by administration of L-NAME, in addition to a significant increase in serum LDH activity and a significant decrease in serum nitric oxide level. Nigella sativa seeds or biomass and Syzigium aromaticum buds extracts normalized the increment in systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure [p<0.05]. Furthermore, all the test agents reversed the elevated serum LDH level and increased serum nitric oxide level up to three fold. It could be concluded that Nigella sativa seeds and Syzigium aromaticum might have antihypertensive effect which may be mediated through antioxidant action and that the biomass of Nigella sativa may possess an active constituent possessing antihypertensive activity similar to that of the original plant

Assessment of fatigue in chronic hepatitis C Egyptian patients: relation to TNF-alpha, Leptin, IL-i and IL-6

Fatigue is a common symptom in chronic hepatitis C [CHC]; but it is not well understood and remains poorly investigated. One of the major obstacles to research is the highly non specific nature of fatigue. In 1994; the fatigue impact scale [FIS] was developed to improve our understanding of the effect of fatigue on quality of life. Recent attention has focused on the role of leptin and energy expenditure in chronic hepatitis C [CHC]. The importance of leptin in the regulation of energy balance, body composition and food intake has been demonstrated in both animal and human studies. 4herations in immune activation and cytokine release have been implicated in the occurrence of fatigue in CHC patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze fatigue in chronic hepatitis C Egyptian patients and to determine its relationship with the degree of underlying hepatitis, resting energy expenditure [PEE], circulating leptin and tumor necrosis factor-a [TNF-alpha], IL-1, and IL-6. Ninety patients were included in the study [61 males, 29 females], who were referred to the department of Tropical Medicine Al Hussein and Bab-Al-Sharyia University Hospitals during the period from March 2004 to March 2006. They were divided into two groups. Group I: 65 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Group II: 25 healthy persons, tested negative for hepatitis C [Control group]. All were submitted to history and clinical examination, liver function tests, HCV [Ab and PCR], the modified fatigue impact scale, resting energy expenditure, tumour necrosis factor [TNF-alpha], serum leptin. IL-alpha, and IL-6. FIS and REE, serum leptin, TNF-, IL-alpha and IL-6 were significantly elevated among HCV patients in comparison to controls. Fatigue didn't correlate with the degree of underlying hepatitis. Fatigue impact scale is a beneficial tool for subjective valuation of fatigue. Fatigue is present in CHC patients but it is not related to the degree of hepatitis. TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-6 may contribute partially to the occurrence of fatigue in these patients

Commercial non-invasive immuno-assay versus upper gastrointestinal invasive endoscopy in diagnostic approach to helicobacter pylori infection in pediatric cases with recurrent abdominal pain. [immuno-assay versus histological and electron microscopic study]

Knowledge about Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] infection is evolving, particularly in the pediatric age group for which there are still large gaps in knowledge. Some hope to find an explanation for a larger number of the pediatric recurrent abdominal pain [RAP] was raised with the discovery of H. pylori. Clinical trials are underway for the validation of non-invasive diagnostic tests for theH. pylori infections. The purpose of the present study was to find out the association between RAP and H. pylori infection as well as to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the stool antigen test [HpSA] versus the invasive endoscopic biopsy and other non-invasive serological methods for detection of H. pylori infection in Egyptian children: Patients and methods: Seventy the children were classified into 2 groups: Group I: 50 children suffered from obscure RAP. Group II: 25 children [control group] underwent endoscopy for indications other than RAP. Each patient was subjected to I] Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination and multiple gastric biopsies were taken for histological examinations. 2] Non-invasive tests [Serology] for H. pylori infections: Sera and saliva were assayed for H. pylori IgG antibodies. Stool specific H.pylori antigen [HpSA] assay. Results: Endoscopic examination observed that 76% of children presented by obscure RAP had pathological findings in the form of antral gastritis [32%], esophagitis [20%], pangastritis [14%], duodenal ulcer [6%], duodenal erosions [2%] and esophageal varices [2%]. The prevalence of H. pylori organism among children presented by RAP was 38% versus 16% in control group. The most common findings among children colonized by H. pylori were non active and active chronic superficial antral gastritis. H. pylori stool antigen assay showed a diagnostic accuracy [92.5%; 95.5%], sensitivity [93.8%; 100%] and specificity [9 1.7%; 80%] in both RAP and control groups respectively. In conclusion: Prevalence of H. pylori among children presented by RAP was 38% but with no significant etiological relationship. The HpSA test is a very sensitive, specific, and easy to perform non-invasive diagnostic tool for the primary diagnosis of H. pylori infection in Egyptian children

Molecular characterization of Egyptian trichomonas vaginalis clinical isolates by HSP70 restriction fragment length polymorphism

Molecular typing of 20 Egyptian Trichomonas vaginalis clinical isolates was performed using the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism [RFLP] analysis employing a probe from the heat-inducible cytoplasmic HSP70 gene family hybridized with EcoR I-digested genomic DNA. In each of the isolates tested 5 to 6 distinct DNA fragments ranging from 2.7 Kb to 7.5 Kb in size were detected. Analysis of 13 isolates from symptomatic and 7 isolates from asymptomatic women revealed 6 distinct RFLP pattern subtypes of T. vaginalis. Eleven isolates [55%] showed the same RFLP pattern, teen of them [90.9%] were from symptomatic patients. T. vaginalis virus [TVV] was present in 7 isolates [35%]. Only one isolate was considered resistant to Metronidazole. There were no relations between TVV infection or Metronidazole susceptibility and RFLP subtypes

The probable relationship between toxoplasma gondii infection and cryptogenic epilepsy

Cryptogenic epilepsy is a group of epilepsy syndromes for which the etiology is unknown but the underlying brain disease is suspected. So the present work aims to study the probable relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and cryptogenic epilepsy. Fifty patient, were selected with cryptogenic epilepsy and 50 patients with known cause of epilepsy in comparision to 50 healthy as control group to investigate the sero-positivity rate for anti-To-Toxoplasma IgG antibody by ELISA. The sero-positiviry rate of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies among cryptogenic epilepsy patients was [20%] and it was higher than healthy controls [2%] and known cause epilepsy patients [4%] with highly significant statistically difference [P< 0.01]. There might be a causal relationship between chronic toxoplasmosis and cryptogenic epilepsy

Preparation of polyacrylic acid / pyrodextrins adducts and utilization in cotton sizing

Extremely high concentrated aqueous solutions of acrylic acid [AA] were polymerized in presence of British Gum [BG] using ammonium persulfate initiator. The reaction was carried out at different ammonium persulfate concentration [9.5x10[-3]- 38.1x10[-3] mol/l], temperature [65-95°C], degree of neutralization of AA [Na-form] [0-20%], and LR [0.6-3.6 l/k]. At optimal reaction conditions, the reaction was extended to include other pyrodextrins [PDs], namely Dexy 84 [D84] and Dexy 85 [D85] to prepare three polyacrylic acid [PAA/PD] adducts, namely PAA/BG, PAA/D84 and PAA/D85 adducts. These adducts were found to compose mainly of PAA-g- PDs and ungrafted PD with small amounts of PAA homopolymer and a very slight amount of AA. Rheological properties of aqueous solutions [8% w/v] of these adducts at 75 +/- 0.1°C showed that all were characterized by a non- Newtonian thixotropic flow. 15% and 100% neutralized [Na-form] adducts were utilized in sizing of gauzy cotton fabric. It was found that PAA/BG [100% neutralization] is the best amongst adduct studied in improving the mechanical properties of sized samples. Complete removal of size was observed upon using all adducts at a 100% degree of neutralization

Biological variability of trichomonas vaginalis clinical isolates fom symptomatic and asymptomatic patients

The vaginal specimens of 60 women were cultured using modified thioglycolate medium. Thirteen samples were positive for Trichomonas vaginalis. The pathogenicity of these clinical isolates was investigated by intraperitoneal injection to mice. Additionally, their susceptibility to metronidazole was evaluated. All the clinical isolates produced infection in mice, but marked variations in pathogenicity and susceptibility were observed. Four out of 13 isolates produced mortality in mice, indicating a higher pathogenicity of the four isolates. Concerning metronidazole susceptibility, only one isolate was considered resistant and the other twelve showed different degrees of susceptibility

Acute viral hepatitis in Egyptian pregnant women; natural history

Seventy-three pregnant women with acute hepatitis were selected for this study. All cases were subjected to history taking, obstetric status, clinical and abdominal ultrasonography examinations. Out of these cases, 61 patients agreed to participate in this study. The commonest symptoms and signs were jaundice, urine darkness, anorexia, abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Fulminant hepatitis was found in seven cases. Serum bilirubin and transaminases were about 3-5 fold above the normal level. Two deaths, three were still birth and five premature labor were the mean complications and the normal labor was 82.2%. A benign clinical course was given in 88.7% and the mortality rate was 3.2%. There was no specific clinical course indicated to a specific virus infection. Pregnancy did not aggravate the course of acute viral hepatitis, but the viral hepatitis could complicate the pregnancy course

Outcome of the pregnant women suffering from acute viral hepatitis in Egypt

Seventy-three pregnant women with symptoms and signs of acute viral hepatitis were included in this study. Out of these patients, 36 pregnant women and their newborns could be followed up to two months after labor. All pregnant women were subjected to clinical history and examinations, obstetric status and abdominal ultrasound. The mothers and their babies were clinically followed and HAV IgM, HBsAg, HBcAb, HBcIgM, HBeAg and Ab, delta IgM, HCV Ab, HEV IgG, CMV IgM and EBV IgM were done. The symptoms and signs in pregnant women were similar as in the nonpregnant ones. Pregnancy is not a risk factor for acute viral hepatitis, but the latter may complicate the clinical course of pregnancy. The clinical course of pregnant women was benign in 97.2% and acute fulminant hepatitis was in one case with a morbidity rate of 2.8%. These pregnant women delivered 39 newborns [with three twins]; out of them, five newborns had positive seromarkers as HAV IgM, HBsAg, IE3cIgM, HCV Ab and CMV IgM. Only two newborns were positive HBsAg due to vertical transmission. The vaccination of newborn to positive HBV mother is essential. PCR was recommended for the diagnosis of acute cases with negative seromarkers

Microalbuminuria: an early marker of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus

The present study comprised 50 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients with no clinical evidence of renal disease. Twenty healthy subjects matched for age and sex served as a control group. All patients and controls were subjected to a complete history taking, thorough clinical examination and laboratory tests. The study concluded that in the absence of clinical evidence of renal disease in SLE patients, microalbuminuria can indicate subclinical nephropathy and measurements may have a role in the early diagnosis and subsequent monitoring of renal disease in SLE patients

Influence of male sex hormone on some hepatic enzymes in liver for non-castrated and castrated male rats

Effect of testosterone on liver functions was studied. Administration of testosterone led to significant elevation in serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases in both noncastrated and castrated groups, but the levels were lower in castrated group than in noncastrated group. On the other h and, levels of these enzymes in homogenated rat livers were low as a result of testosterone treatment. In addition, no significant changes were recorded in serum proteins in treated rats with testosterone, but the levels of proteins were low in homogenated rat livers in noncastrated and castrated rats. Testosterone did not elevate serum bilirubin in noncastrated rats. Finally, estimation of serum testosterone revealed significant rise in noncastrated and castrated male rats after administration of testosterone

Influence of female sex hormones on nucleic acid metabolism in diabetic females rats

Effect of combined estrogen-progesterone [EP] on DNA and RNA contents of liver and kidney in nondiabetic and diabetic female rats was studied. RNA content was elevated in liver, while DNA content was not affective after treatment with EP. But in kidney, EP treatment had no effect on RNA content. Diabetes caused reduction in RNA and elevation in DNA content in highly significant effects in both liver and kidney. Ovariectomy had no effect on RNA and DNA of kidney, but it caused significant elevation in RNA and DNA contents in liver

Influence of female sex hormones on liver function in normotensive and doca-salt hypertensive female rats

Effects of estrogen, progesterone, and combined estrongen-progesterone on hepatic functions were studied. Serum glutamyl pyruvate transferase [SGPT], glutamyl oxaloacetic transferase [SGOT], and alkaline phosphatase were significantly elevated in normotensive as well as hypertensive groups as a result of estrogen and progesterone treatment. While serum albumin revealed non-significant changes in all groups. Histological studies revealed slight dilatation in central vein and blood sinusoids due to estrogen and progesterone treatment in normotensive groups. Whereas marked dilated central vein and blood sinusoids and disappearance of some nuclei of hepatic cells were observed in hypertensive group treated with combined estrogen-progesterone. It is concluded that some of the observed side effects frequently observed in contraceptive pill users could be explained on the light of the obtained results