Biochemcal studies of hepatocarcinogenesis in rats treated with chemical carcinogens

The present study was conducted on rats receiving nitrosamines precursors in their drinking water, namely 2000 ppm dibutylamine and 4000 ppm nitrite, to follow up biochemical changes that may occur in the growth of liver tumours. Impairment of liver function tests; transaminases and protein pattern occurred 2 months following carcinogenesis.Also, highly significant increase in the activity of several enzyme e.g. glucose -6-phosphate, Y- glutamyltransferase, 5- nucleotidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase were observed in both serum and liver tissue of these treated rats and were shown to parallel with continued carcinogesis moreover, high elevation in DNA content was also observed in liver tissue of rats with hepatocarcinoma and reached 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8 times that of control rats after 2, 4 and 7 months respectively. In contrast, highly significant decrease were observed in hepatic glycogen content and serum glucose level. These observations may be of value for confirming the detection and diagnosis of liver metastasis

Trace elements in bladder cancer

Aluminum, cadmium, calcium, copper, lead and iron levels were determined in human bladder tumors and adjacent non-malignant tissues after their removal from 21 patients. It was found that a significant elevation was observed in lead content of these tumors. At the same time, no significant changes were observed in calcium and cadmium concentrations

Biochemical effects of praziquantel on bilharzial patients

This study was carried out on 52 bilharzial patients. They had active schistosomiasis either S. mansoni or mixed infection with S. mansoni and S. hematobium. All patients were subjected to many investigations before 24 hours and one week after praziquantel therapy in a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight. Under conditions of this study, there were no significant changes in blood picture apart from high significant elevation in eosinophilic count as well as a slight increase in hemoglobin concentration. Also, a significant increase in the activity of both SGOT, SGPT and alkaline phosphatase and a significant decrease in concentration of total proteins and serum albumin were observed, though all values were within the normal range. However, kidney functions as blood urea and serum creatinine were not affected. On the other hand, a significant elevation was observed in sodium level accompanied by a high significant decrease in potassium level. No significant changes were observed in both calcium and magnesium content, while there was a significant increase in zinc level and high decrease in copper level after treatment. Therefore, it can be concluded that praziquantel remains the safety drug that can be given for the treatment of all species of schistosomiasis and it is highly effective in spite of its minimal side effects

Metabolism of porphyrins in experimental lead-, mercury-and cadmium intoxications

Subacute lead-, mercury- and cadmium intoxications were separately induced in 3 groups of adult male rabbits by dissolving the metals [16.6 mM] acetates in the drinking distilled water. A control group of rabbits, drinking distilled water was also included for comparison. After 6 weeks, blood total porphyrins were significantly elevated in both Pb- and Hg intoxicated rabbits and insignificantly elevated in Cd-intoxicated rabbits. Incubation of blood hemolysates from all rabbits with the porphyrin precursor delta-aminolevulinic acid [ALA] indicated excess porphyrin synthesis by blood of Pb- intoxicated and normal synthesis of Hg- and Cd-intoxicated rabbits. Fractionation of the synthesized porphyrins revealed the presence of uroporphyrin [URO, 8 COOH], coproporphyrin [CP, 4 COOH] and porotoorphyrin [PP, 2 COOH] as well as 7 COOH-, 6 COOH-and 5 COOH-prophyrins in varying levels in each metal intoxication. The results of the decarboxylation of URO to CP prompted us to postulate the presence of at least 2 URO-decarboxylases. Excess urine and fecal porpyrin excretion was observed but the excretion was earlier in Pb-intoxication than in Hg- and Cd-intoxications. Total porphyrins in the liver and kidney were elevated in Pb-intoxication only. However, all porphyrin fractions were detected and quantitated in both tissues extracted from all rabbits. The role of kidney in the porphyrin of Pb and other metals poisoning is discussed and a mechanism for the hypersynthesis of porphyrins by kidney of Pb-intoxicated rabbits is presented

Reduced glutathione regeneration by erythrocytes of leadintoxicated rabbits

An experimental model of Iead intoxication was conducted in rabbits by dissolving lead acetate [5 g/1] in the drinking distilled water. Erythrocyte reduced glutathione was converted to the oxidized form by mixing with t-butyl hydroperoxide at 37°C and the amounts of reduced glutathione regenerated by erythrocytes were recorded at various incubation intervals. Reduced glutathione regeneration was higher in lead intoxicated than in control rabbits. The direct assay of glutathione reductase, the enzyme governing the conversion of oxidized to reduced glutathione, revealed that this enzyme activity is higher in lead-intoxicated than in control rabbits. This finding is confirmed by an in vitro experiment. It appears that these changes may be part of a control mechanism to compensate for the decreased erythrocyte glutathione concentration caused by lead