Anti-diabetic effect of Artemisia annua [kaysom] in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Nowadays, herbal drugs are gaining popularity in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. The current study was aimed at evaluating the significance of supplementation of Artemisia annua [Kaysom] extract in reducing the metabolic abnormalities accompanied with alloxan-induced diabetes in male albino rats. Thirty male albino rats were divided equally into three groups including control, diabetic and diabetic treated with Kaysom extract. A single dose of alloxan [120 mg/kg body weight] was used to induce diabetes in rats. Diabetic rats were administered Kaysom extract orally twice daily for 30 days. At the end of the experimental period, level of serum fasting insulin and glucose in addition to serum lipids profile such as total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], high density lipoproteins [HDL], low density lipoproteins [LDL], and very low density lipoproteins[VLDL]; serum proteins including total proteins, albumin and globulin; renal markers [creatinine, urea and uric acid] and activity of certain enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase [ASAT], alanine aminotransferase [ALAT] and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT] was determined for all groups. In. addition, estimation of% change of body weight, values of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] and ratios of albumin:globulin [A:G], TC/HDL, LDL/HDL [risk ratios 1 and2] were calculated for each group. Diabetic rats showed a marked decline [p<0.01] in the level of; serum insulin, body weight [4.98%], total proteins, albumin, globulin and HDL accompanied with marked elevation [p<0.01] in level of; fasting blood glucose, HOMA_IR, ASAT, ALAT, GGT, urea, creatinine, uric acid, serum TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and ratios of TC/HDL and LDL/HDL [risk factors] as compared to the corresponding of controls. Supplementation of diabetic rats with Kaysom extract significantly ameliorated most of the estimated biochemical parameters. These results demonstrate that Kaysom extract may be of advantage in inhibiting hyperglycemia and ameliorating metabolic abnormalities induced by diabetes

Effects of iron chelating therapy and / or HBV-vaccination on beta-thalassemia major patients

Thalassemia is a genetic inherited blood disorder in which the body makes abnormal hemoglobin with excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anemia. For many years, hepatitis B virus was a major problem for patients with thalassemia substantially contracted from blood transfusions. The development of effective vaccine has further reduced the magnitude of the problem of hepatitis B. Iron chelators are used to remove excess iron that accumulates due to repeated blood transfusion. To compare thalassemic patients either have or haven't HCV with healthy persons as regards biochemical indices taking in consideration effect of vaccination against HBV or not and using iron chelating therapy or not by the studied persons. A case control study in which 40 thalassemic, blood transfusion dependent patients were chosen randomly to act as a case group from thalassemic patients attending the VACSERA Company. The cases [40 patients] they were classified to patients having HCV, patients were HBV vaccinated, other non vaccinated, using iron chelating therapyor don't use it. Another 10 healthy and non thalassemic persons were chosen randomly among persons attending the same company as a control group to be matched with the case group. 50% of studied thalassemic patients had HCV seropositivity. Biochemical blood indices which were found to be significantly elevated among thalassemic patients than controls were ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and LDH enzymes in addition to serum iron, ferritin and globulin mostly in HBV non-vaccinated and iron chelating therapy non dependent patients while, other biochemical indices which were significantly decreased among thalassemic patients compared to controls included: total cholesterol, total protein, albumin and albumin/globulin ratio mostly in HBV vaccinated and iron chelating non dependent patients. This study illustrated the effectiveness of iron chelators agentsand the importance of vaccination for reduction of morbidity and mortality