Unsaponifiable Compounds and Phenols Content, Antioxidant and Antitrypsin Activities of Prunus persica Kernel Oil.

Although peach kernels are rich in oil, there is a lack of information about its chemical and biological properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the lipid profile, antioxidant capacity, and trypsin inhibitory propriety of peach oil extracted from two varieties (sweet cap and O'Henry) cultivated in Tunisia. The investigated peach kernel oil contains significant amount of unsaponifiable (2.1±0.5-2.8±0.2% of oil) and phenolic compounds (45.8±0.92-74.6±1.3 mg GAE/g of oil). Its n-alkane profile was characterized by the predominance of tetracosane n-C24 (47.24%) followed by tricosane n-C23 (34.43%). An important total tocopherol content (1192.83±3.1 mg/kg oil) has been found in sweet cap cultivar. Although rich in polyphenols and tocopherols, the tested oil did not display an inhibitory effect on trypsin. However, all peach oil samples showed effective antioxidant capacity and the highest values (86.34±1.3% and 603.50±2.6 µmol TE/g oil for DPPH test and ORAC assay, respectively) were observed for sweet cap oil. Peach oil has an excellent potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries as source of naturally-occurring bioactive substances.

A new practical approach for the biological treatment of a mixture of cheese whey and white wastewaters using Kefir grains.

Kefir grains are a microbial consortium of different genera of bacteria and yeasts. In this study, the performance of Tunisian Kefir grains during the biological treatment of a mixture of Gouda cheese whey and white wastewaters (GCW) in ratio 1:1 with very high organic matter concentration is investigated. The biological process was evaluated and optimized through the response surface methodology. Under the optimum conditions, Kefir grains concentration of 1.02%, temperature at 36.68 °C, and incubation time of 5.14 days, the removal efficiencies of COD, PO43-, and NO3- were 87, 37.48, and 39.5%, respectively. Interestingly, the reusability tests of the grains proved not only their high resistance to harsh environmental conditions but also their great potential for more practical applications. Particularly, different strains were isolated from the grains and identified as Kluyveromyces marxianus, Lactoccocus lactis, Lactobacillus kefiri, and Bacillus spp. using 16S rDNA sequence analysis and rep-PCR fingerprinting. At the biological level, the raw GCW (RGCW) has a negative impact on the Hordeum vulgare both on seed germination, and on the growth parameters of seedlings. Interestingly, after Kefir grains treatment, the treated GCW (TGCW) allow a seedlings growth and germination rate similar to those soaked in water.

Cerebral venous thrombosis associated with homozygous factor V Leiden mutation in a 15-year-old girl of Tunisian origin.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare disease. It has numerous and complex etiologies. Inherited or acquired prothrombotic states play a key role in the development of this disease, such as factor V G1691A mutation (FV Leiden). A 15-year-old girl presented to the Department of Neurology with a complaint of severe headache with visual blurring. The diagnosis of CVT was not initially suspected because of the patient's condition on presentation. An MRI showed thrombosis in the superior sagittal sinus, confirming venous stroke. Anticardiolipin and antiphospholipid antibodies were assessed. In addition, inherited prothrombotic defects, such as protein C, protein S, and antithrombin deficiencies, and genetic mutations for FV Leiden, prothrombin gene G20210A (FII G20210A), and methyltetrahydrofolate reductase C677T (MTHFR C677T) were studied. All results were unremarkable except for the unique homozygous FV Leiden mutation, which likely contributed to this prothrombotic situation. This study highlights the fact that FV Leiden may play a significant role in the onset of CVT in young patients.

Hyperhomocysteinemia, C677T MTHFR polymorphism and ischemic stroke in Tunisian patients.

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinaemia has been identified as a strong risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS). A point mutation in methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) has been associated with increased plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels. AIM: This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinaemia and/or MTHFR C677T mutation are associated with ischemic stroke. METHODS: A case-control study including 50 consecutive patients with confirmed IS and 97 controls was performed. Fasting plasma homocysteine levels, MTHFR C677T genotypes were assessed. Other factors such as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, recurrent stroke tobacco and alcohol were investigated. RESULTS: Mean plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in IS patients than in controls (15.83+/-10.60) µmol/L vs 13.78+/-6.29 µmol/L, p=0.04), while no association of MTHFR C677T variant was observed even with homocysteine. The risk to develop ischemic stroke in hyperhomocysteinemic subjects was 2.4 times more than in subjects with normal Hcy levels (OR= 2.4; 95% CI: 1.13-5.06; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that high levels of homocysteine but not MTHFR C677T polymorphism represent risk factors for arterial ischemic stroke in Tunisian subjects.