Chronic effect of gabapentin on liver function in adult male rats

Gabapentin [GPN] is a new antiepileptic agent currently in used as add-on therapy in adult patients suffering from partial seizures. The extent of liver damage at different dosage and long term treatment with GPN is not yet clear. Therefore this study was undertaken to find out the possibility of liver damage by this drug. Adult male [Wistar] rats of 180-220 g were administered intraperitoneally with GPN [20 or 100 mg/kg] for 45 days. After the experimental period, the liver function tests were carried out in control and experimental groups. The activity of liver enzymes, with 20 mg/kg of GPN were not significantly different from the control group but, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin were enhanced significantly with 100 mg/kg of GPN. Total protein and albumin decreased in this group as compared with control animals. The histopathology of the liver parenchymal cells also showed minute foci of necrosis in a few rats treated with high dose of GPN, whereas, at therapeutic dose the histopathology and biochemical indices showed almost normal values. At therapeutic dose GPN is a safer drug with regards to liver function and hepatocellular damage as compared with other antiepileptic drugs

BCL-2 associated athanogene-1 overexpression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Apoptosis and cell cycle regulation play an important role in pathogenesis and tumor progression in patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma [DLBCL]. Bcl-2 associated athanogene-l [BAG-1] is an antiapoptotic protein as well as a regulator of cell growth. There is no conclusive evidence about BAG-i protein expression in this disease. To investigate the expression level of BAG-i protein in DLBCL. Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed from 1997-2004, as having DLBCL, were selected. Also 30 normal lymph nodes were included as normal counterparts in this study. BAG- 1 expression was determined by inmiunohistochemical staining in both DLBCL and normal lymph node samples. Of the 30 DLBCLs examined, 100% were positive for nuclear and 83% were positive for cytoplasmic BAG-1 staining. Of the 30 normal lymph nodes investigated, 20% were positive for nuclear and 0% were positive for cytopiasmic BAG-1 staining. Nuclear staining in DLBCL samples was significantly higher than those of normal lymph nodes [100% versus 20%, p < 0.001]. Besides, cytoplasmic staining in DLBCL samples was significantly higher than those of normal lymph nodes [83% versus 0%, p < 0.001]. There was no association between BAG-i staining and patients' overall survival. Our data indicated that BAG-i protein was deregulated in this disease similar to some other malignancies such as breast and colon cancer. Overexpression of BAG-I in DLBCL suggests that this protein probably plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DLBCL. Besides, higher nuclear BAG-1 staining might be correlated with poor prognosis

Study of psychiatric distrbance in infertile women

The experience of infertility can be extremely stressful and associated with a range of psychiatric problems in infertile women. Generally; some of the risk factors which may lead to psychiatric problem are repeated unsuccessful treatment of infertility, low socioeconomic status, lack of partner support, being female, life events, etc. In this study, we have analyzed the psychiatric problems of infertile women by means of primary health questionnaire [PHQ]. In a cross sectional study 100 infertile women were selected and advised to fill up PHQ. After obtaining their consents psychiatric problems such as somatoform, panic, other anxiety disorder major depressive and other depressive disorders, were assessed, and their results were analyzed and compared with these results from 98 fertile women. According to PHQ results major depression and anxiety disorders were significantly more frequent in infertile women, but considering somatoform and panic disorder there was no significant difference between infertile and fertile women. Infertility may be considered as one of the major casual factor in major depressive and anxiety disorders in association with other social problems