Biochemical studies on bilharzial and nonbilharzial hyperoxaluria: effect of pyridoxine and allopurinol treatment.

The urinary excretion levels of oxalic acid, calcium, kynurenic, and xanthurenic acids and serum pyridoxal and pyridoxal phosphate concentrations were determined for nonbilharzial and bilharzial hyperoxaluric patients with or without urinary stones. The effects of pyridoxine and allopurinol treatment were also studied. The different groups studied showed elevated levels of urinary oxalic acid, calcium, kynurenic, and xanthurenic acids as well as decreases in serum pyridoxal and pyridoxal phosphate concentrations. These data indicate that nonbilharzial hyperoxaluric patients suffer from dietary B6 deficiency, whereas bilharzial hyperoxaluric patients may suffer from impaired pyridoxine phosphokinase activity. Pyridoxine supplementation is recommended for the treatment of nonbilharzial hyperoxaluric patients. Allopurinol may be the proper drug in the treatment of oxaluria and stone formation or of bilharzial patients.

Effect of new anticancer methanesulfonates on different biochemical parameters of mouse liver.

The comparative effect to two chemically related new synthesized anticancer drugs namely 3,3'-(methylimino) di(l-propanol)dimethanesulfonate(ester)diphenyl disulfonate, No. 838 D (NSC, 140-115) and 3,3' iminodi-l-propanol dimethanesulfonate(ester)p-toluene disulfonate, No. 864 T (NSC, 140-117), on liver DNA, RNA, lipids and glucose-6-phosphatase, after single 100 mg i.p. injection was studied. Both drugs significantly reduced DNA, RNA and total lipid content on day one and two after administration. Normal levels were regained on day three. Both drugs did not cause a decrease in glucose-6-phosphatase activity level, on the contrary, the enzyme was significantly elevated on day three after administration. The present results demonstrate that these drugs induce no severe or permanent damage to hepatic cells in the administered dose.

A study on the etiological factors of bilharzial bladder cancer in Egypt. 6. The possible role of urinary bacteria.

A correlation was obtained between a positive nitrite test in urine and the severity of urinary bacterial infection. Bacteria isolated from the urine of bilharzial or bladder cancer patients were found to be rich in nitrate reductase activity. "Escherichia coli" was the most common microorganism isolated from these specimens. Urine and several urinary constituents activate bacterial nitrate reductase. beta-Glucuronidase activity in the urine of patients with chronic "Schistosoma haematobium" infection and bladder cancer was measured and shown to be significantly greater than that of urine of normal control subjects. Urinary bacterial infection was shown to be the source of the increased urinary level of enzyme activity at pH 7.0.

Effect of dietary trans fatty acids on cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase activities in different organs of rats.

The effect of trans fatty acids and essential fatty acid deficiency upon the activities of cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase in livers, hearts, brains and lungs of rats was studied. This study was performed using three groups of male albino rats. Two out of these three groups were fed essential fatty acid low diets containing 10% hydrogenated coconut oil (HCNO) or margarine stock (MS, partially hydrogenated soybean oil) while the third group was fed an adequate supply of essential fatty acids through a diet containing 10% corn oil (CO). In the group of rats fed HCNO the activities of cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase in their livers, hearts, brains and lungs were not significantly different from those of the control group fed CO. In the group of rats fed MS, the activity of cholinesterase was significantly decreased in the livers, hearts and brains, but not affected in the lungs, while the activity of monoamine oxidase was significantly decreased in the livers and hearts but not affected in the brains and lungs as compared to the control group fed CO. The levels of serum total lipids, total cholesterol and triglycerides were elevated in both groups of rats fed HCNO or MS than in the group fed CO, but this elevation was more highly significant in the group fed MS than in the group fed HCNO.

Inhibition of erythrocyte and plasma cholinesterase by 5-hydroxytryptamine.

The inhibition of human erythrocytes and plasma cholinesterase (ChE) by 5-hydroxytryptamine in vitro was studied. Constants characterising this inhibition, namely the inhibition rate for red blood cells RBCs (2.5 x 10(4) (mol/l)-1 min-1) and plasma ChE (1.08 x 10(4) (mol/l)-1 min-1) as well as the rate constant for spontaneous reactivation for RBCs (0.3 min-1) and plasma ChE (0.26 min-1) were calculated. The inhibition of RBCs and plasma ChE by 5-hydroxy-tryptamine was found to be of the competitive type.