Phytochemical Screening and chemical investigation of lipoidal matter of the leaves of Latania verschaffeltii Lem. Family Arecaceae cultivated in Egypt

Abstract This study presents the first preliminary phytochemical screening and investigation of the lipoidal matter of Latania verschaffeltii Lem. leaves, belonging to the Arecaceae family. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) was used to analyze and identify compounds of saponifiable and unsaponifiable content. The preliminary phytochemical screening of total methanolic extract of Latania verschaffeltii Lem. leaves revealed the presence of unsaturated sterols and/or triterpenes, carbohydrates and/or glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and phenolic acids in the leaves. However, cardenolides, cyanogenic compounds, alkaloids, and iridoids were not detected. The results of the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis indicated that the percentage of saturated fatty acids (83.82%) is higher than that of unsaturated fatty acids (9.42%). The predominant methyl ester of a saturated fatty acid detected in the sample was hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, accounting for 41.68% of the total. The composition of the unsaponifiable matter consisted of hydrocarbons (5.66%), fatty alcohols (0.96%), terpenes (85.97%), and sterols (2.18%). The major terpenes observed were phytol (43.62%) and squalene (39.27%).

Cytogenetic profile of adult acute myeloid leukemia in Egypt: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a diverse disease characterized by the expansion of blasts of myeloid lineage. Cytogenetic testing is the cornerstone for risk stratification of AML patients. Geographical and environmental factors may play a very important role in the development of leukemia and several differences in genetic profile may be seen among different ethnicities. In our study, we evaluated cytogenetic findings of adult AML patients in South Egypt. METHODS: Cytogenetic testing (karyotyping and M-FISH) was performed for 120 adult patients with AML. Twenty metaphases were analyzed for each patient. RESULTS: In our study, the median age of AML patients was 36.5 years, with an age range between 18 and 86 years. 56.7% of patients had normal karyotypes and 43.3% of patients had clonal cytogenetic abnormalities. t (15;17) was the most detected structural abnormality, and + 8 was the most detected numerical abnormality. Regarding cytogenetic risk stratification, 65% of patients were in the intermediate-risk category. CONCLUSION: The cytogenetic profile of AML patients in our locality showed some differences and some similarities with cytogenetic profiles in different Arab, Asian and Western countries. Further studies are needed using advanced techniques such as next-generation sequencing and optical genome mapping to elucidate more ethnic and geographic genetic heterogeneity among different countries.

Differential alterations in peripheral lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients: upregulation of double-positive and double-negative T cells.

BACKGROUND: Viral infections cause alteration in the total number of lymphocytes and their subset distribution. We aimed to study peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients and to correlate these subsets with clinical and laboratory data, which may help in clarifying the pathogenesis to develop novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for COVID-19. METHODS: Twenty-six reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 patients were subjected to medical history-taking and a thorough clinical examination. Laboratory tests included complete blood count, D dimer, ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Chest CT was used to diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia. Lymphocyte subsets were compared with those in 20 healthy controls using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Leucopenia, relative neutrophilia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia together with marked elevation in neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were observed in our COVID-19 patients. A marked reduction was observed in T cells, including both CD4 and CD8 cells, natural killer (NK), and natural killer T cells (NKT). Double-positive T (DPT) cells, double-negative T (DNT) cells, and B cells were elevated in the patients relative to the other lymphocyte subsets. CONCLUSION: Immune-inflammatory parameters are of utmost importance in understanding the pathogenesis and in the provisional diagnosis of COVID-19. Yet, adequate care must be taken during their interpretation because of the vast discrepancies observed between studies even in the same locality. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of B cells, DPT, and DNT cells in the pathogenesis and control of COVID-19.