Occurrence of aerobic and anaerobic spore forming bacteria in some packaged soft cheese at Matrooh and El.Gharbia governorates

Forty-five samples of packaged white soft cheese [15 of Tallaga, Domiatta and Feta cheeses] were collected from Gharbia and Matrooh governorates. The samples were examined bacteriologically for the presence of aerobic and anaerobic spore forming bacteria. The obtained results indicated that 53.33% of Tallaga cheese samples were contaminated with aerobic spore formers followed by Domiatta cheese [46.67%], then Feta cheese [33.33%]. The mean values were 7.74x10[3] +/- 2.31x10[3], 3.51x10[3] +/- 1.07x10[3] and 8.96x10[2] +/- 2.63x10[2]/g. for Tallga, Domiatta and Feta cheeses, respectively. Moreover, the mean values of total B. cereuscounts were 1.38x10[3] +/- 0.68x10[3], 6.23x10[2] +/- 1.55x10[2] and 2.85x10[2] +/- 0.42x10[2]/g, for Tallaga, Domiatta and Feta cheeses, respectively with an incidence of 33.33%, 20% and 13.33% for tallaga, domiatti and feta cheeses, respectively. However, bacteria belonging to aerobic spore formers and anaerobic spore formers species were detected and identified in the examined samples of packaged soft cheeses in varying percentages. Furthermore, the results declared that Tallaga cheese were the most contaminated samples with anaerobic spore forming bacteria [73.33%], then Domiatta cheese [53.33%] and Feta cheese [40%] with mean values of total anaerobic counts contaminating examined samples of tallga, domiatti and feta cheese, were 2.17x10[4] +/- 0.82x10[4], 6.89x10[3] +/- 2.76x10[3] and 3.43x10[3] +/- 0.9x10[3]/g, respectively. The incidence of total C. Perfringens count in the examined samples of Tallaga, Domiatta and Feta cheese was 46.67%, 26.67% and 20% respectively with average counts of 5.36x10[3] +/- 1.49x10[3], 9.97x10[2] +/- 3.01x10[2] and 4.60x10[2] +/- 1.13x10[2]/g, for Tallaga, Domiatta and Feta cheeses, respectively. The public health significance of the isolated organisms and application of the sanitary measures for minimize and prevent contamination of the packaged white soft cheese samples with aerobic and anaerobic spore formers were discussed

Histological and physiological studies to evaluate the protective effect of honey on paracetamol induced testicular lesions in adult male rats

Paracetamol is one of the commonly used analgesics and antipyretics, however paracetamol related lesions were observed in the liver, kidney and reproductive organs [testis and ovary]. Honey is one of the known medicine that has been found to have a significant antioxidant content, so, it acts as a free radical scavenger. The purpose of this study is a trial to evaluate the protective effect of honey on the testicular lesions induced by paracetamol. Thirty adult male albino rats, weight [200-250 gm] were used in this experiment. The animals were divided into three groups [I,II and III]. Group I: was kept as control. Group II: was treated by paracetamol once daily for one month by oral route in a dose of 800 mg/kg. Group III: treated with honey in a dose of 2.5 gm/kg once daily for one month concomitant with paractetamol. Blood samples were taken for determination of testosterone, lipid peroxide and total glutathione. The animals then sacrificed and specimens were taken from the testes and processed for light and electron microscopic examination. Tissue homogenate was taken for determination of lipid peroxide and total glutathione. In paracetamol treated animals [Group II] showed some altered somniferous tubules as well as few degenerated tubules. Within the tubules, multiple vocuoles were present between the germ cells as well as inside their cytoplasm secially in the spermatids, also some of the supermatids showed well developed golgi complex as well as mitochondrial changes and multinucleated giant cells. Some of the tubules showed folded irregularly outlined basement memberane. Some leydig cells appeared dark, degenerated while others showed dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The same animal, showed that paracetamol treatment caused a significant reduction in serum testosterone level. Also, paracetamol induced increase in the level of free radical [lipid peroxide] and decreased level of antioxidant [total glutathione] both in serum and testicular tissue. Honey treated animals, concomitant with paracetamol [Group III] showed a reduction in the number of altered and/or degenerated tubules with reduction in the degenerative changes in germ cells. Few degenerated leydig cells could be detected. The same animals, showed significant elevation of serum testosterone level as well as a decrease in lipid peroxide and on increase in total glutathiolne [in serum and testicular tissue]. The protective effect of honey on paracetamol induced testicular lesions was incomplee and exerted mainly throught a decrease of free radicals and increase in the antioxidant level

In-vitro interaction of l-histidinol and cisplatin on [3H] thymidine incorporation into DNA and the viability of cultures EAC cells

The cytotoxic activity of cisplatin and/or L-histidinol was studied on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma [EAC] cell line. Cisplatin in concentration ranged from 1-20 microM reduced cell survival of cultured EAC cells in a concentration-related manner. The concentration of cisplatin that inhibited the survival of 50% of cells [IC50] was 16 micro M. L-Histidionl [0.5-4 mM] per se did not affect the survival tumor cells, however, it significantly potentiated the cytotoxicity of cisplatin. An important observation is that with the use of L-histidinol [4 mM] in combination with cisplatin, the IC50 of cisplatin was shifted to be 4 micro M only. By means of tritiated thymidine incorporation into the cellular acid-insolube material, cisplatin [8 and 16 micro M] inhibited DNA synthesis [41% and 51% respectively] in cultured tumor cells. Also, a marked inhibition of DNA synthesis [31% and 42%] was observed with L-histidinol [2 and 4 mM respectively]. In conclusion, L-histidinol, a structural analog of the essential amino acid L-histidine, enhances cisplatin cytotoxic activity against EAC cells. These findings may reflect a potential of L-histidinol to improve the therapeutic index of cisplatin. Further studies should thoroughly investigate the mechanism[s] of enhancement of therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin by L-histidinol

transplacental carcinogenic promoting activity of chloroacetonitrile the role of L-ornithine and its relation to glutathione content in embryonic tissue

The possible transplacental carcinogenic promoting activity of chloroacetonitrile [CAN, a by-product of drinking water chlorination process] in timed pregnant mice was studied. The activity was investigated through the assessment of the embryonic ornithine-decarboxylase [ODS] activity in relation to the embryonic glutathione [GSH] content after maternal administration of CAN. CAN was administered orally in a single dose of 25, 50, 70, 100 and 150 mg/kg diluted in 0.2 ml corn oil to the pregnant mice [GD 11.5]. All mice were killed 2 hours after treatment and the embryonic tissue was prepared for analysis. Also, a time course study protocol was studied, CAN was given in a single oral dose of 25 or 75 mg/kg to the pregnant mice and they were killed at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours post-treatment at GD 11.5. Maternal administration of CAN in doses of 25, 50, 75 mg/kg produced a marked increase in ODC activity expressed as pmole 14CO2/mg protein/30 min., associated with a significant reduction in GSH content. However, treatment with CAN either in a dose of 100 or 150 mg/kg showed significant reductions in ODC activity and GSH content. Concerning time-course study protocol, maternal administration of CAN either in 25 or 75 mg/kg produced a significant increase in the embryonic ODC activity accompanied with a remarkable decrease in GSH content measured at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours post-maternal treatment. The increase in the embryonic carcinogenic marker ODC which was associated with GSH depletion after administration of non-cytotoxic doses of CAN reflected an indication towards the mechanistic pathway of the transplacental carcinogenic promoting potential of CAN