Evaluation of diuretic activity of Amaranthus spinosus Linn. aqueous extract in Wistar rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Siddha medicine literature claims that the Amaranthus spinosus Linn. (family: Amaranthaceae) whole plant possesses diuretic property. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the diuretic potential of Amaranthus spinosus aqueous extract (ASAE) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Different concentrations of ASAE (200, 500, 1000, 1500mg/kg), thiazide (10mg/kg) and vehicle were orally administered to rats (n=6 animals per group) and their urine output was collected after 24h. Volume, pH, Na(+), K(+) and Cl(-) concentrations of urine were estimated. RESULTS: ASAE produced increase in Na(+), K(+), Cl(-) excretion, caused alkalinization of urine, showed strong saluretic activity and carbonic anhydrase inhibition activity. These effects were observed predominantly at 500mg/kg dose and there was no dose-response relationship. CONCLUSION: Our study strongly suggests that the Amaranthus spinosus is acting as a thiazide like diuretic with carbonic anhydrase inhibitory activity which restates the claim as diuretic herb in Siddha medicine.

Serum paraoxonase 1 activity status in patients with liver disorders.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is an esterase, exclusively synthesized by liver. The present study has two objectives: to determine the PON1 activity status in various disorders associated with hepatocellular damage and to correlate the changes of PON1 activity with the standard liver function and fasting lipid profile tests in these disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study groups consisted of 95 patients with liver diseases including acute viral hepatitis (14), cirrhosis with portal hypertension (33), leptospirosis (14), sepsis and multi organ failure (15), left ventricular failure (9), and falciparum malaria (10); and 53 healthy controls. Serum PON1 activity was measured manually using spectrophotometer. Liver function test parameters and fasting lipid profile were performed in clinical chemistry auto analyzer (Hitachi 912). RESULTS: The serum PON1 activity in patients with acute viral hepatitis and sepsis decreased significantly ( P < 0.001) and moderately in falciparum malaria ( P < 0.05). However, in patients with cirrhosis, leptospirosis and left ventricular patients, its activity did not change significantly. On applying Pearson correlation, serum PON1 activity correlated positively with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with sepsis (r=0.633, P < 0.05), left ventricular failure patients (r=0.814, P < 0.05) and negatively with acute viral hepatitis patients (r=-0.528, P <0.05). CONCLUSION: PON1 activity has decreased significantly in acute viral hepatitis, sepsis with multi organ failure and falciparum malaria patients. Determination of PON1 activity may serve as a useful additional test in assessing these conditions.

Relationship between free iron and glycated hemoglobin in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes patients associated with complications.

Free iron in serum has been found in several disease conditions including diabetes. In the present work, we studied the relationship between free iron, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)). Study was carried out on 50 type 2 diabetes cases under poor glycemic control associated with complications, 53 type 2 diabetes cases under good glycemic control and 40 healthy controls. We estimated free iron, both ferrous (Fe(+2)) and ferric (Fe(+3)) form, protein thiols, lipid hydroperoxides, FBG, HbA1c and serum ferritin levels in serum. There was a significant increase in free iron in Fe(+3) state (p <0.01), HbA(1c) (p<0.01), serum ferritin (p<0.01), lipid hydroperoxides (p<0.01) and significant decrease in protein thiols (<0.01) in diabetes cases under poor glycemic control compared to diabetes cases under good glycemic control and healthy controls. Free iron correlated positively with HbA(1c) (p<0.01). Poor glycemic control and increase in glycation of haemoglobin is contributing to the increase in free iron pool which is known to increase oxidant generation.

Urinary protein thiols in different grades of proteinuria.

Total thiol status of plasma, especially thiol groups over protein contributes maximum to the plasma antioxidant status of the body. Serum protein thiols were found to be decreased in various disease conditions including chronic renal failure patients. Only few studies determined the levels of urinary protein thiols in disease conditions. The current study was designed to know the levels of urinary protein thiols in patients with different grades of proteinuria. The study was conducted on urine of 40 healthy controls and 61 cases with proteinuria. Based on proteinuria cases were further divided into two groups; group I - microproteinuria (150-300 mg protein/d), 32 cases, group II - frank proteinuria (>300 mg protein/d), 29 cases. Urinary thiol levels were determined by spectrophotometric method using dithionitrobenzoic acid. A significant decrease (p<0.01) in urinary thiol in group I and group II cases was observed in present study and this decrease was associated with proteinuria.

Iron supplementation and oxidative stress in patients with uremia.

The existence of oxidative stress in uremia is well proved but the relative importance of uremic status versus the role of free iron in exacerbating oxidative stress in patients with uremia is not been clarified. Serum creatinine, free iron both in ferrous and ferric state, protein thiols, lipid hydroperoxides levels were estimated by spectrophotometric methods. The study groups comprised of patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative management, on hemodialysis with and without iron supplementation, and compared with healthy controls. Free iron levels were higher in patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative management, hemodialysis patients with and without iron supplementation. Hemodialysis cases with iron supplementation had significantly higher free iron levels as compared to hemodialysis cases without iron supplementation. The levels of lipid hydroperoxides were higher and protein thiols were lower in patient groups. Creatinine correlated positively with free iron and lipid hydroperoxides, and negatively with protein thiols. In conclusion, uremia per se may be responsible for enhanced oxidative stress in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Serum non-transferrin bound iron in hemodialysis patients not receiving intravenous iron.

BACKGROUND: Non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) has been found to be raised in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis (HD) receiving intravenous (IV) iron. Such NTBI is proposed to cause oxidative damage to biomolecules. METHOD: NTBI, both ferrous (Fe(+2)) and ferric (Fe(+3)) forms, serum ferritin, protein thiols and lipid hydroperoxides were estimated by spectrophotometric and electrochemiluminescence immunoassay methods in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), patients with ESRD on HD not receiving IV iron, and in normal controls. RESULTS: NTBI (Fe(+2)) in HD patients not receiving IV iron was higher than in normal controls. NTBI (Fe(+3)) was significantly higher in HD patients not on IV iron therapy than in CRF and normal controls. There was no significant increase in NTBI in CRF patients when compared to normal controls. Serum ferritin was higher in HD patients compared to CRF and normal controls. There was a significant increase in lipid hydroperoxides and protein thiols in HD patients and CRF patients when compared to normal controls. The NTBI did not correlate with serum ferritin and oxidative markers. CONCLUSION: The source of NTBI in hemodialysis is not only IV iron therapy but also the hemodialysis procedure per se. It may be due to microhemolysis during hemodialysis. The NTBI is however found to be catalytically inactive.