Biochanin A triglycoside from Andira inermis.

A new isoflavonol triglycoside, biochanin A 7-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->5)-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->6 )-beta-D- glucopyranoside (1), was isolated from Andira inermis roots in addition to the known compounds genistein 7-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and lanceolarin.

[Changes in the hemogram and in the laboratory parameters indicative of iron metabolism in mild viral infections]. / Modificaciones del hemograma y de los parámetros de laboratorio indicadores del metabolismo de hierro en infecciones virales leves.

PURPOSE: To assess the duration and intensity of the changes appearing in laboratory values related to iron utilisation during viral infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With previous parental consent, 120 eutrophic infants received vaccination with attenuated measles virus or a combination of measles, mumps and rubella viruses as a model of mild viral infection. A number of laboratory tests were performed on day 0 and in two later occasions (4-21, 9-14 or 9-30); these included blood cell counts, ESR, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation index, free erythrocytic protoporphyrin, serum ferritin, intra-erythrocytic ferritin, direct anti-human globulin test and C-reactive protein. The statistical analyses were done in accordance with ANOVA, Student's t test, Wilcoxon, Kruskall - Wallis, Mann-Whitney and Fisher methods. RESULTS: A significant haemoglobin drop was seen on days 9 and 14 post-vaccination. This descent was > 10 g/L in 8.2% of the cases, and > or = 6 g/L in 19.6%. Serum iron and transferrin saturation decreased significantly, whereas mean corpuscular volume, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin and serum ferritin were significantly increased. All these but protoporphyrin recovered by day 30. Subjects with normal iron metabolism figures on day 0 and those whose thermal variations were above 38 degrees C had greater changes in the figures related to iron metabolism. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of iron metabolism is not reliable if the patient has suffered from infection, although a mild viral one, in the three weeks prior to the study.

Effectiveness of iron-fortified infant cereal in prevention of iron deficiency anemia.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency continues to be a common problem among infants throughout the world. Iron-fortified formula is effective in preventing iron deficiency but the benefit of iron-fortified cereal is controversial. METHODS: We compared iron-fortified rice cereal to unfortified rice cereal in infants who were exclusively breast-fed for more than 4 months and to iron-fortified formula in infants who were weaned to formula before 4 months of age. The design was double blind in respect to the presence or absence of fortification iron in the cereal or formula and included 515 infants who were followed on the protocol from 4 to 15 months of age. Rice cereal was fortified with 55 mg of electrolytic iron per 100 g of dry cereal and infant formula with 12 mg of ferrous sulfate per 100 g of dry powder, levels approximating those in use in the United States. Measures of iron status were obtained at 8, 12, and 15 months. Infants with hemoglobin levels of < 105 g/L were excluded from the study and treated. RESULTS: Consumption of cereal reached plateaus at means of about 30 g/d after 6 months of age in the formula-fed groups and 26 g/d after 8 months in the breast-fed groups; these amounts are higher than the 19-g/d mean intake by the 73% of infants who consume such cereal in the United States. Among infants weaned to formula before 4 months, the cumulative percentages of infants excluded for anemia by 15 months were 8%, 24%, and 4%, respectively, in the fortified cereal, unfortified cereal and formula, and fortified formula groups (P < .01 unfortified vs either fortified group; the difference between the two fortified groups was not significant). In infants breast-fed for more than 4 months, the corresponding values were 13% and 27%, respectively, in the fortified and unfortified cereal groups (P < .05). Mean hemoglobin level and other iron status measures were in accord with these findings. CONCLUSION: Iron-fortified infant rice cereal can contribute substantially to preventing iron deficiency anemia.

[Circulating immune complexes in the blood and anterior chamber fluid in patients with glaucoma and diabetic angioretinopathy complicated by myopia and senile cataract]. / Tsirkuliruiushchie immunnye kompleksy v syvorotke krovi i vlage perednei kamery glaza u bol'nykh glaukomoi, diabeticheskoi angioretinopatiei, oslozhnennoi blizorukost'iu i vozrastnoi kataraktoi.

Circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the serum and anterior eye chamber were simultaneously measured by 4% polyethylene glycol in 23 ophthalmologic patients. The patients with noncomplicated cataracts were found to have elevated serum levels of CIC (175 +/- 8.1 opt. units, p less than 0.001), whereas the patients with glaucoma, diabetic angioretinopathy, and complicated myopia had even higher CIC levels in the serum (247 +/- 7.1 opt. units, p less than 0.001) together with the increased CIC levels in the anterior eye chamber fluid (29.43 +/- 0.88 opt. units, p less than 0.001), which fact is indicative of the augmentation of the autoimmune component it the progress of the dystrophic changes in the eye tissues.