Chemical Composition of Gallstones from Al-Jouf Province of Saudi Arabia

Background: It is essential to understand the aetiopathogenesis of gallstone disease. This study was undertaken to determine the chemical composition of gallstones from patients living in Al-Jouf Province of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a descriptive study where 46 gallstones from Al-Jouf Province of Saudi Arabia were analysed by semiquantitative titrimetric and colourimetric methods. The proportion of different types of gallstones was described using 95% confidence interval based on exact method. Results: Gallstones were found more frequently in female patients (60.9%) than males (39.1%), and these stones were composed of pure cholesterol (54.3%), pure bilirubin (2.2%), or mixed stones (43.5%). The most common chemical constituent was cholesterol (82.6%), while bilirubin was seen in 26.1% of the stones. Calcium was present in 32.6% of the stones in the form of calcium salts of bilirubin and carbonate. Bilirubin-containing stones were slightly more frequent in males than in females, while cholesterol-containing stones were less frequent in males. Conclusion: The findings indicate that gallstones in the Al-Jouf Province develop more frequently in the age group of the third decade of life, with more risk among females than males, and are predominated by cholesterol together with calcium bilirubinate and calcium carbonate.

Epidemiological aspects of scorpion stings in Al-Jouf Province, Saudi Arabia

Information on scorpion stings is available for many parts of Saudi Arabia, but not for Al-Jouf Province. We reviewed and analyzed 1449 cases of scorpion stings that presented to the emergency department of the hospitals and medical centers in Al-Jouf Province during a 2-year period [2005-2006]. The majority of patients [92.7%] manifested class I envenomation with local pain at the sting site as the primary complaint. Systemic toxicity was noticed in 7.3% of cases but no deaths were reported. Scorpion stings were recorded throughout the year with the highest seasonal incidence in the summer [64.3%] and the lowest during the winter [10.6%]. The highest monthly incidence was in June [21.5%] and the lowest in December [1.5%]. Most of the patients were male [77.3%] and the age of 44.2% of victims ranged between 15 to 30 years. Diurnal stings exceeded the nocturnal ones with a ratio of 3:2, and most of the stings were located mainly on the exposed limbs [88.6%], especially the lower limbs [51.7%]. Leiurus quinquestriatus and Androctonus crassicc cauda were incriminated in most recorded cases. Our findings indicate that scorpion stings are common in Al-Jouf Province, especially during the summer. The overall threat to human health was found to be low

Ultrastructural alterations in renal tissues of rabbits induced by dicofenac sodium [Voltaren]

Although diclofenac sodium [Voltaren] is one of the most frequently prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] worldwide for the treatment of inflammation and pain; data on the ultrastructural alterations in renal tissues due to its chronic exposure are limited. Therefore, the present study was designed to identify the ultrastructural renal alterations induced by diclofenac sodium. The experiment was conducted at the animal house of the Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period from April 2003 to June 2003. A total of 30 male rabbits were exposed to intraperitoneal injection with a daily dose of diclofenac sodium [1.5 mg/kg body weight] for 70 days to investigate the resultant ultrastructural alterations in renal tissues. In comparison with the respective control rabbits, chronic exposure to therapeutic doses of diclofenac sodium produced significant ultrastructural renal alterations, which involved swelling and cristolysis of the mitochondria, marked dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum, detachment of ribosomes, increased lysosomal structures, nuclear chromatin condensation in the tubular cells, thickening of the glomerular basement membranes, distention of glomerular capillaries, which showed lodgment of neutrophils, mesangial and endothelial cell proliferation in the glomeruli, swelling and fusion of the glomerular podocytes foot processes with focal obliteration of the filtration slits. The obtained results indicate that chronic exposure to diclofenac sodium produces significant ultrastructural alterations in renal tissues