Hyparrhenia hirta: A potential protective agent against hematotoxicity and genotoxicity of sodium nitrate in adult rats.

The present study was carried out to examine the adverse hematotoxic and genotoxic effects of water nitrate pollution on male adult rats and the use of hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract in alleviating these effects. Sodium nitrate (NaNO3 ) was administered to adult rats by oral gavage at a dose of 400 mg kg(-1) bw daily for 50 days, while hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract was given by drinking water at a dose of 1.5 mg mL(-1) (200 mg kg(-1) bw). The NaNO3 -treated group showed a significant decrease in red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit and a significant increase in total white blood cell, in neutrophil and eosinophil counts. Platelet count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration remained unchanged in treated groups compared to those of controls. Meanwhile, the results showed a marked reduction in the antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, along with an elevation in the level of lipid peroxidation and a reduction in the total glutathione content, indicating the induction of oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of NaNO3 -treated group. Interestingly, NaNO3 treatment showed a significant increase in the frequencies of total chromosomal aberrations, aberrant metaphases and micronucleus in bone-marrow cells. The oxidative stress induced by nitrate treatment might be the major cause for chromosomal rearrangements as free radicals leading to DNA damage. Hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract appeared to be effective against hematotoxic and genotoxic changes induced by nitrate, as evidenced by the improvement of the markers cited above.

[Post partum acquired hemophilia A with fatal outcome: a case report]. / À propos d'un cas d'hémophilie A acquise du post partum à évolution fatale.

We report the case of a 19-year-old women who developed on post partum day 1 a large hematoma in the vaginal wall. A surgical intervention for evacuating the hematoma was complicated with profuse bleeding of the genital and abdominal cavities. Postoperative coagulation studies revealed a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (87/30 s; ratio: 2.9), a decreased factor VIII level at 7% and the presence of an anti-factor VIII inhibitor in a titer of 64 Bethesda Unit (BU). Due to the active bleeding, the patient received Novoseven(®) (recombinant factor VIIa: 2 doses on post partum day 3 and 1 dose on day 6) and Feiba(®) (activated prothrombin complex concentrates: 1 dose on post partum day 8). These few administrated doses were not enough efficacious to achieve a continuous control of the bleeding. Immunosuppressive treatment used prednisone alone for 3 days, then combined to cyclophosphamide. The outcome was marked by the aggravation of the bleeding and an increase in the inhibitor level (132 BU). Finally, the patient died on post partum day 8 following an hemorrhagic shock.