Correlation of Rk39-Specific Antibodies and Thyroid Function in Patients with Visceral Leishmaniasis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether anti-rK39 antibodies were diagnostic markers for visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) and to evaluate the correlation between age and gender in disease occurrence in Iraqi patients. In addition, it aimed to evaluate the correlation between thyroid hormones, i.e., thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) and anti-rK39 antibodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunochromatographic technique used for anti-rK39 antibodies detection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for determining the serum TSH, T3, and T4 levels. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-eight patients with visceral leishmaniasis were included. The mean age was 27.65±11.60 years. Sixty-one patients (44.2%) were males, and their mean age was 29.65±11.10 years. The mean age of females was 26.12±11.89 years. Anti-rK39 antibodies were detected in 11.59% of patients. Anti-rK39 antibodies were equally detected (5.8%) in both genders without a significant difference (p=0.212) or correlation between gender and anti-rK39 antibodies (p=0.623). There was neither a significant difference (p>0.05) nor correlation between gender; age groups according to gender and anti-rK39 antibodies (p>0.05). Both males and females who were positive for anti-rK39 antibodies had normal TSH, T3, and T4 levels. Only one patient who was positive for anti-rK39 antibodies had an elevated T4 level (>12 µg/dL). Neither a significant difference nor correlation was reported among genders; anti-rK39 antibody positivity (p>0.05); and TSH, T3, and T4 levels. CONCLUSION: Anti-rK39 antibodies, a daignostic marker for visceral leishmaniasis have no correlation with patients age and gender. Serum TSH and T3 levels were not affected by visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis causes the increase in serum T4 levels. Thyroid involvement appears to be uncommon in patients who present with visceral leishmaniasis.

Wound-healing potential of the fruit extract of Phaleria macrocarpa.

The wound-healing potential of Phaleria macrocarpa was evaluated by monitoring the levels of inflammatory mediators, collagen, and antioxidant enzymes. Experimentally, two-centimeter-wide full-thickness-deep skin excision wounds were created on the posterior neck area of the rats. The wounds were topically treated with gum acacia as a vehicle in the control group, intrasite gel in the reference group, and 100 and 200 mg/mL P. macrocarpa fruit extract in the treatment group. Granulation tissues were excised on the 15th day and were further processed for histological and biochemical analyzes. Wound healing was evaluated by measuring the contractions and protein contents of the wounds. Cellular redistribution and collagen deposition were assessed morphologically using Masson's trichrome stain. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, along with malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined in skin tissue homogenates of the dermal wounds. Serum levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated in all the animals. A significant decrease in wound area was caused by a significant increase in TGF-ß1 level in the treated groups. Decrease in TNF-α level and increase in the collagen formation were also observed in the treated groups. Topical treatment with P. macrocarpa fruit extract increased the SOD and CAT activities in the healing wounds, thereby significantly increasing MDA level. The topical treatment with P. macrocarpa fruit extract showed significant healing effect on excision wounds and demonstrated an important role in the inflammation process by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby accelerating the wound healing process and reducing tissue injury.

Immunomodulatory effect of an isolated fraction from Tinospora crispa on intracellular expression of INF-γ, IL-6 and IL-8.

BACKGROUND: Immunomodulators are substances that modify immune system response to a threat. Immunomodulators modulate and potentiate the immune system, keeping it highly prepared for any threat. The immunomodulatory effect of the traditional medicine Tinospora crispa is investigated in this work. METHODS: T. crispa ethanol extract was fractionated by using different solvents. The ethanol extract and effective isolated fraction were used to investigate the potential immunomodulatory effect of different T. crispa doses ranging from 25 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL on RAW 246.7 cells by detecting intracellular INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. The antioxidant activity of T. crispa was evaluated through FRAP and DPPH. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were also quantified. RESULTS: Results show that T. crispa extract has higher antioxidant potential than ascorbic acid. The FRAP value of T. crispa extract is 11011.11 ± 1145.42 µmol Fe(+2)/g, and its DPPH inhibition percentage is 55.79 ± 7.9, with 22 µg/mL IC50. The results also reveal that the total phenolic content of T. crispa extract is 213.16- ± 1.31 mg GAE/g dry stem weight, and the total flavonoid content is 62.07- ± 39.76 mg QE/g dry stem weight. T. crispa crude extract and its isolated fraction significantly stimulate RAW264.7 cell viability (P ≤ 0.05) and intracellular INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. The results of LC-MS show that four of the active compounds detected in the T. crispa isolated fraction are cordioside, quercetin, eicosenoic acid (paullinic acid), and boldine. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study obviously indicate that T. crispa has immunomodulatory effects through the stimulation of INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. LC-MS phytochemical analysis showed that the T. crispa fraction has cordioside, quercetin, eicosenoic acid (paullinic acid), and boldine, which may be responsible for the immunostimulator effect of T. crispa.