Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of aqueous and ethanolic extract of Oxalis corniculata against intoxication of thioacetamide induced rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous and ethanolic leaves extracts of Oxalis corniculata L., Oxalidaceae, against thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats of either sex by subcutaneous injection of thioacetamide. An aqueous and ethanolic extract of aerial parts of O. corniculata (200 and 400 mg/kg/day) were evaluated. Oral administration of O. corniculata aqueous and ethanolic leaves extract at 400 mg/kg resulted in a significant reduction in SGOT (146.42±2.54 and 136.75±1.37 IU/L respectively), SGPT (81.96±3.15 and 72.05±2.33 IU/L respectively), GGTP (16.6±0.49 and 15.02±0.68 IU/L respectively), ALP (241.86±3.94 and 202.42±5.37 IU/L respectively) and total bilirubin (0.226±0.00 mg/dL 0.288±0.01 mg/dL respectively) content that were lesser than positive control, thioacetamide damaged rats. Histology of the liver sections of the animals treated with the extract also showed dose dependent reduction of necrosis. Hence the study concluded that O. corniculata has potential hepatoprotective activity.

Chemical classification of hereditary amyloidosis in Brazilian families and identification of gene carriers.

Plasma prealbumin was isolated from individuals in 3 kindreds from Brazil with biopsy proven heredofamilial amyloidosis as well as from a number of asymptomatic family members. The prealbumin samples were cleaved with cyanogen bromide and the resulting peptide mixtures separated by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The peptide elution pattern seen for the individuals with confirmed amyloidosis is consistent for the presence of a prealbumin variant with a methionine for valine at position 30 of the molecule. Sequence analysis of the isolated peptides confirms this observation and shows that the 3 Brazilian families investigated in our study have the same prealbumin variant as individuals with amyloidosis of Swedish/American, Portuguese and Japanese origins.

Serum amyloid protein levels in south american children with rheumatoid arthritis: a co-operative study.

Serum amyloid protein (SAA) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 90 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Significantly higher levels of SAA were present in children with the polyarticular and systemic forms of the disease. SAA levels correlate with disease activity, increasing during acute exacerbations, decreasing during remission and in patients having prednisone therapy. High serum SAA concentrations in children with JRA did not correlate with the presence of secondary amyloidosis and may be useful as a disease monitor.