Withdrawal effect of codeine and phenobarbitone on the brain and cardiac function enzymes and glucose metabolism in adult albino rats

This study is to elucidate the withdrawal of codeine and phenobarbiton and their effects on some brain, cardiac activity and glucose-insulin-glucagone relations. This may help to clarify the side effect and metabolic changes which may occur as a result of drug administration. For this aim forty adult albino rats were randomly divided to 5 groups each of eight animals. First group was kept as control. Second and third group received codeine orally in therapeutic and double therapeutic dose. Forth and fifth group were given phenobarbiton intramuscular in therapeutic and double therapeutic dose. Drugs were administered day after day for four consecutive weeks. Alterations in serum Monoamine oxidase [MAO] activities, Cholinesterase [ChE] activities, whereas 5' nucleotidase [5'NT] and creatine kinase [CK] activity lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], Aspartat-aminotransferase [AST], glucose, insulin and glucagon were recorded. Such alterations were discussed in relation to doses and levels of drugs in urine of rats that actually stopped drug and exhibited that the analgesic effects symptoms of the drugs are expression of changes of functioning enzymes

Study of some biochemical and genetic aspects of schizophrenic disorders

Molecular genetics and Biochemistry have been devoted to establish the genetic contribution to aetiology of schizophrenia. The biochemical changes in brain neurotransmitters may contribute to the patho genesis of schizophrenia. The human platelets contain monoamine oxidase [MAO] which is similar in many physiochemical properties to that of the brain, the similarity was also established between brain catechol-O-methytransferase [COMT] and acetyicholinesterase [AChE] and that of RBCs. So, this study was directed towards monitoring the platelet MAO and RBCs, COMT and AchE as possible indices for the CNS cellular events. The present study was carried out on 144 subjects classified into normal control group free of any psychiatric manifestation and schizophrenic patients group. Assessment of the changes in neurotransmitters metabolism, was tested e.g. that of catecholamine and acetylcholine by determination of the activity of the enzymes involved in its catabolism e.g. MAO, COMT and AChE either by fluorimetric method or colorimetric method. Our results indicated a highly significant reduction in platelets MAO activity among schizophrenic patients than control group [P<0.001]. Concerning the COMT activity, there was no statistical significant difference between control and patients group. Assessment of AChE activity indicated a significant reduction in patients group [P<0.02]. So, the changes in cholinergic activity in relation of that catecholamine may play a role in the explanations of schizophrenic dysfunction. The genetic contribution was conducted by phenotyping of group specific component [Gc] and phosphoglucomutase I [PGMI] as genetic makers of schizophrenia using isoelectro focusing techniques. In the present study analyzing the distribution of different Gc genotypes among control and schizophrenic groups demonstrated the increase of Gc 2-1 genotype frequency among schizophrenics [P<0.001] with a relative risk factor of RR=2.56. There was significant difference in distribution of PGM1 1+1+ between normal control group and schizophrenic group [P<0.001]. No correlation could be detected between MAO, COMT, AChE enzyme activity and Gc genotypes or PGM1 phenotypes

Comparative study of platelet histamine and serotonin with their corresponding plasma oxidases in asthmatics with normals.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma is well controllable but non-curable disease. Exact pathophysiology involved is unresolved till today. Role of allergic hypersensitivity reaction in asthmatic on-set is well established. Present work is an effort to elucidate some basic points of unresolved pathophysiology of asthma taking platelets as marker. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 52 normal human subjects in the age group of 20-60 years were studied for platelet histamine and serotonin levels and also for their plasma metabolising enzymes diamine oxidase (DAO) and monoamine oxidase (MAO). The data was collected for 79 asthmatic patients at different stages of asthma and accordingly were studied as four different groups of seventy nine asthmatics those were on regular treatment and were comfortable with drugs and were free from symptomatic attack formed gr. I; these (79) patients were followed-up during their symptomatic phase (gr. II) and same (79) patients immediately after their recovery from symptomatic stage studied as gr. III members. All the 79 asthmatic patients fall in gr. I, II and III in a serial manner i.e. all (n = 79) in each group. A separate group of thirty seven patients with known history of asthma but were symptom free and also off drugs for last 2-4 years formed gr. IV. RESULTS: Results showed mean platelet count in asthmatics at all four stages were in the normal range but were slightly low in comparison with normals. Both the enzymatic levels (DAO and MAO) in gr. I, II and III were significantly higher than normals but were same in the case of gr. IV patients. Low levels of platelet biogenic amines were observed in asthmatics (gr. I to gr. IV) than normals. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, study parameters showed significant difference in asthmatics and normals. Findings of the study have been utilized to understand unanswered hypersensitivity shown by the asthmatics over normal individuals (non-asthmatics).

Effect of GABA, muscimol and picrotoxin given in third ventricle on serum cholinesterases and monoamine oxidase and on plasma succinic dehydrogenase in rats.

Effect of injection in third ventricle of GABA, the GABA agonist muscimol, and the GABA antagonist picrotoxin on the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) in serum and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in plasma has been studied. Surprisingly, the AChE, BuChE, MAO and SDH enzymes activity were inhibited by GABA and muscimol, while they were enhanced by picrotoxin.

Actividad de la monoamino-oxidasa plaquetaria en pacientes con depresión mayor con y sin melancolia: resultados preliminares / Activity of platelet monoamino-oxidase in major depressive illness: melancholic and non-melancholic patients: preliminary data

Se analizaron muestras sanguíneas de 99 pacientes libres de tratamiento (80 mujeres y 19 hombres) con diagnóstico de depresión mayor (DSM-III), 41 con melancolía y 58 sin melancolía. Se encontró que la actividad de la MAO plaquetaria fue significativamente mayor en las mujere que en los hombres, y en los pacientes con depresión mayor sin melancolía, que en aquellos con melancolía. No se encontraron correlaciones significativas de los valores de actividad de la enzima con la edad , ni con la severidad de la sintomatología depresiva medida por la EDH. Estos hallazgos coinciden con los de investigaciones previas al confirmar el hecho de que la mujer tiende a presentar una mayor actividad de la MAO plaquetária que el hombre, y apoyan la hipótesis de la presencia de una actividad enzimática elevada en las depresiones no endógenas. Sin embargo, para ubicar adecuadamente este posible marcador, deverán desarrolarse estudios cuidadosos, con un enfoque fenomenológico y controles adecuados, de las variables orgánicas y metodológicas que sabemos afectan la actividad de la MAO

Neurotoxic studies in humans occupationally exposed to pesticides

Neurotoxic studies on a group of male workers exposed to pesticides included studies at the neurochemical level examining such targets as acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase and catecholamines levels. In addition, blood sugar and blood pressure were determined. Also, the exposure index that measures the relative levels of occupational exposure to pesticides was calculated. The results showed a significant increase in the level of blood adrenaline but no significant change in the noradrenaline level was observed. The activities of serum acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase were decreased. The systolic blood pressure was apparently increased in pesticide-exposed workers. The fasting blood sugar was significantly increased in exposed than in control persons. The exposure index indicated a high chronic exposure level

Interaction of pesticide exposure level with some biochemical enzymes among fleld workers

Enzymatic studies were done on workers with different exposure levels to pesticides before and after pesticides application. The results showed a decrease in the activities of serdm acetyicholinesterase and monoamine oxidase. Acid phosphatase activity was increased accompanied by decreased ChE activity. Also, the liver function tests [SCOT, SGPT, AP] were affected. All these effects were more pronounced among the high exposure group after the pesticides application

Plasma monoamine oxidase levels in mammals.

Plasma monoamine oxidase (MAO) levels in ruminants and non-ruminants including man are reported. The mean MAO levels in units are, goat 6699.7+/-367.4; cattle 6272.9+/-9.257.4; camel 5166.0+/-666.8; sheep 4831.4+/-543.8; buffaloe 4045.8+/-387.3; rabbit 837.0+/-19.3; dog 441.8+/-55.5 and man 20.0+/-2.8 respectively.