Preventive effects of cannabis on neurotoxic and hepatotoxic activities of malathion in rat

Objective:To investigate the effect of Cannabis sativa extract on the development of neuro- and hepato-toxicity caused by malathion injection in rats.Methods:The extract of Cannabis sativa was obtained from the plant resin by chloroform treatment. Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol content of the extract (20%) was quantified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The doses of cannabis extract were expressed as Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol content of 10 or 20 mg/kg. Malathion (150 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered followed after 30 min by the cannabis extract (10 or 20 mg/kg, subcutaneously). Rats were euthanized 4 h later. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity were determined in brain and liver. Brain 5-lipoxygenase and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity were measured as well. Histopathological examination of brain and liver tissue was also performed.Results:Compared to controls, malathion resulted in increased oxidative stress in brain and liver. MDA and nitric oxide concentrations were significantly increased (P<0.05) and GSH significantly decreased with respect to control levels (P<0.05). Malathion also significantly inhibited PON-1 and BChE activities but had no effect on brain 5-lipoxygenase. Brain MDA concentrations were not altered by cannabis treatment. Cannabis at 20 mg/kg, however, caused significant increase in nitric oxide and restored the GSH and PON-1 activity. Brain BChE activity significantly decreased by 26.1% (P<0.05) after treatment with 10 mg/kg cannabis. Cannabis showed no effect on brain 5-lipoxygenase. On the other hand, rats treated with cannabis exhibited significantly higher levels of liver MDA, nitric oxide and PON-1 activity compared with the malathion control group. Rats treated with only malathion exhibited spongiform changes, neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and degeneration of some Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. There were also hepatic vacuolar degeneration and dilated and congested portal vein. These histopthological changes induced by malathion in brain and liver were reduced to great extent by cannabis administration at 20 mg/kg.Conclusions:Our data suggest that acute treatment with cannabis alleviates the malathion-induced brain and hepatic injury in rats possibly by maintaining the levels of GSH and PON-1 activity.

Neuroprotection by misoprostol against rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in rat brain

Objective:To investigate the effect of the prostaglandin E1 analogue misoprostol on oxidative stress and neurodegeration caused by subcutaneous rotenone administration in rats.Methods:Rotenone was administered in a dose of 1.5 mg/kg every other day for 2 weeks. Starting from the 1st day of rotenone injection, rats were subcutaneously treated with misoprostol at doses of 10, 100 or 1 000 μ g/kg. Rats were evaluated for brain lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde: MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO) levels, and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. The concentrations of the anti-apoptotic protein B cell/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were determined in the striatum. Histopathologic examination and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cerebral cortex and striatum were also performed.Results:Compared with the vehicle-treated group, rotenone caused a significant increase in brain lipid proxidation (MDA) by 61% (P<0.05) accompanied by an increase in NO by 73.1% (P<0.05) and a decrease in GSH concentration by 29.4% (P<0.05). In addition, brain PON-1 activity significantly decreased by 63.0% (P<0.05) and striatal Bcl-2 significantly decreased by 27.9% (P<0.05) with respect to the corresponding control value. Brain sections from rotenone treated rats showed extensive dark pyknotic and apoptotic nuclei in neurons, shrunken cytoplasm and perineuronal vacuolation. Rotenone also caused pronounced expression of iNOS in the cerebral cortex and striatum. Treatment with misoprostol at doses of 100 and 1 000 μ g/kg resulted in decreased brain MDA (by 16.5%-23.0%) (P<0.05) and NO levels (by 37.1%-40.7%) (P<0.05) and increased GSH concentrations (by 18.8%-30.1%) (P<0.05). PON-1 activity was significantly increased by 80.0%-114.8% (P<0.05) by misoprostol at 100 and 1 000 μ g/kg, respectively. In addition, misoprostol treatment restored striatal Bcl-2 concentrations to its normal value. Misoprostol treatment resulted in markedly reduced brain injury and decreased iNOS expression in the cerebral cortex and striatum of rotenone intoxicated rats.Conclusions:These data suggest that misoprostol prevents the rotenone-induced neurodegeneration in rat brain by reducing brain oxidative stress.

Determination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol content of cannabis seizures in Egypt

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of cannabis seizures in Egypt.@*METHODS@#Unheated and heated extracts of cannabis seizures were prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves (marijuana) or from the resin (hashish) and subjected to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).@*RESULTS@#The heated resin extract had the peak of THC in a relative ratio of 31.34%, while extracting the resin directly without heating contained only 18.34% of THC. On the other hand, marijuana showed minimum percentage of THC at 11.188% on heating and 9.55% without heating.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results indicate the high potency of the abused cannabis plant in the illicit Egyptian market.

Determination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol content of cannabis seizures in Egypt

Objective To determine the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of cannabis seizures in Egypt. Methods Unheated and heated extracts of cannabis seizures were prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves (marijuana) or from the resin (hashish) and subjected to analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results The heated resin extract had the peak of THC in a relative ratio of 31.34%, while extracting the resin directly without heating contained only 18.34% of THC. On the other hand, marijuana showed minimum percentage of THC at 11.188% on heating and 9.55% without heating. Conclusions These results indicate the high potency of the abused cannabis plant in the illicit Egyptian market.

Some health aspects of school adolescents in Egypt

Unhealthy dietary pattern, a decline in energy expenditure associated with a sedentary lifestyle, together with tobacco use are among the major risk factors for diet related chronic non-communicable diseases and pose an increasing challenge to public health

Objectives: Investigate some health aspects of adolescents to: assess eating practices, investigate physical activity pattern and study smoking status, study of electrolytes among school adolescents

Methodology: A representative national sample of preparatory and secondary schools students were the subjects of the study. Schools were randomly selected so that school type, sex and urban/rural residence were adequately representative. The number of schools investigated was 98 schools. Three specially designed questionnaires had been used to collect data on modifiable lifestyle related health factors [dietary practices; food habits for 7340 participants] and meal pattern [for 2161 participants], physical activity [for 8492 participants] and smoking [for 8495 participants]]. Scoring system was used for dietary and physical activity practices, each was given 12 points. Grading score was divided into three levels [0-4 poor, 5-8 needs improvement and 9-12 good]. Serum calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium were determined for 464 participants. Results: Dietary behaviors score among all adolescents was more toward the poor grade [41.6%]. Females showed higher percentage of poor category than males [44.6% and 38.6%] respectively. Second category [needs improvement] percentage was 58.9% among males and 52.1% among females. Only 3% of participants achieved the highest category [good]. Generally no statistical difference was found between urban and rural adolescents, whereas males showed more positive dietary behaviors than females. Majority of schools [90.5%] serve items high in saturated fat and calories in the form of chips, karate, bakeries, cakes and biscuits. About 55.95% of the schools serve soft drinks and readymade juices [high in calories]. Milk and milk products are served by only 13.0% of schools, while vegetables and fruits have no place in school canteens. The mean physical activity score for adolescents was [7.73+/-1.98] out of 12 [more towards the upper level of needs improvement category]. Overall, adolescents were generally in the category [needs improvement] for physical activity practices [57.7%], about 37.0% of the sample had a grade of good physical activity behavior. Exposure to second hand smoking is very high among adolescents [71.2%]. Percent of those reporting being tobacco user was 7.0%. Almost 32.3% of the sample had low calcium level. Low magnesium level had been found in 19.4%. Potassium low level had been found in 19.2%. Only 7.1 % showed high sodium level

Conclusion and recommendations: Adolescents lifestyle urges for promotion. An obesogenic environment surrounds adolescent's needs attention and modification

Helicobacter pylori: does it play a role in pathogenesis of acute appendicitis

The exact aetiology of acute appendicitis remains uncertain but an infective origin has been proposed. It was postulated that helicobacter pylori infection could cause mucosa associated lymphoid tissue hypertrophy in the appendix to the extent that under certain conditions luminal obstruction and acute appendicitis might occur. This study was done to confirm whether helicobacter pylori forms part of the microenvironment of the appendix and whether it play a role in the pathogenesis of acute appendicitis. This study was performed on 62 patients with acute appendicitis ranging in age from 8 to 42 years. There were 39 females and 23 males. All patients subjected to open appendicectomy, fresh specimens from the appendix was taken and cultured on blood agar and subjected to urease test. Other specimens was subjected to histopathological examination. Pathological grading of the appendicitis was performed according to the depth of inflammatory infiltrate. 10 ml of blood was drawn from all patients for serological assessment of helicobacter pylori. Fifty patients had a pathological appendix [80.6%] with different grades of inflammation. The appendix was histologically normal in 12 patients [19.3%]. Forty-two cases [67.7%] were sero negative in whom the appendix was inflamed in 33 cases [78.6%]. Twenty cases [32.3%] were seropositive in whom the appendix was inflamed in 1 7 cases [85%]. Multiple organisms were grown on all plates and 7 biopsies were positive for urease activity. There was no evidence of helicobacter pylori in any sample on histological examination. We have concluded that helicobater pylori does not colonize the appendix and is unlikely to be a pathogenic stimulus for appendicitis. However, downstream effect of gastroduodenal infestation might induce immunological effect