Risk Assessment in Mining-Based Industrial Workers by Immunological Parameters as Copper Toxicity Markers.

BACKGROUND: Manifestation of certain health morbidity in copper dust-exposed subjects impels us to obtain a cogent view regarding the implicate relationship of immunoglobulin on health risk assessment in them. We present here immunological profile of copper pit worker and office employees residing in the vicinity. Rationale of this study is to delineate the risk factors involved for copper toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Copper mine workers (n = 87) were selected from a copper mine at Malanjkhand. Blood metal concentration and immunological profile such as IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE were analyzed from these subjects. Data analysis was carried out using proper statistical tools. RESULTS: Chronically copper dust-exposed miners (N = 71) and office employees (N = 47) exhibited significantly higher contents of copper (P < 0.0001) when compared with normal control. Serum IgG and IgA were found to be elevated significantly (P < 0.0001) in them when compared with both office employees and normal control. Contrarily, significant decrease in serum IgM was observed in both the groups when compared with normal control (P < 0.0001). Serum IgE was found to be elevated more significantly only in miner when compared with normal control. Copper exhibited significant positive Pearson's correlation coefficient with IgE, IgG, and IgA (r = 0.39; r = 0.28; r = 0.21) but negative correlation (r = -0.39) with IgM. Odds ratio analysis validated that elevated levels of IgE in miner and decrease in levels of IgM in both groups were truly affected by increase in copper levels from normal to abnormal. CONCLUSION: Miners are prone to morbidity such as type 2 diabetes and respiratory discomfort (asthma and hypersensitivity) since imbalance in both IgM and IgE is known to be associated with such morbidity. Immunopathy observed in chronically exposed miners could be attributed to copper toxicity in them.

Antihepatotoxic effect of Nymphaea stellata willd., against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in albino rats.

Nymphaea stellata willd., a medicinal plant mentioned in Ayurveda for the treatment of liver disorders, has not been subjected to systematic scientific investigations to asses its hepatoprotective effects. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of extract of Nymphaea stellata willd., flower against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in albino rats. The oral administration of varying dosage of extract of Nymphaea stellata willd., flower to rats for 10 days afforded the good hepatoprotection against carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation in serum marker enzymes, serum bilirubin, liver lipid peroxidation and reduction in liver glutathione, liver glutathione peroxidase, glycogen, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity.

Protective effect of Lawsonia alba Lam., against CCl4 induced hepatic damage in albino rats.

The oral administration in varying doses of aqueous suspension of extract of L. alba, bark extract to rats for 10 days afforded good hepatoprotection against CCl4 induced elevation in serum marker enzymes, serum bilirubin, liver lipid peroxidation and reduction in total serum protein, liver glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase, glycogen, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity. The results suggest hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of extract of L. alba bark.

Hypoglycaemic effect of defatted seeds and water soluble fibre from the seeds of Syzygium cumini (Linn.) skeels in alloxan diabetic rats.

The effect of feeding orally along with diet of different fractions obtained from the seeds of S. cumini was tried on fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance in normal and alloxan diabetic rats. The quantitative determination showed that S. cumini seeds contained 40% of water soluble gummy fibre and 15% of water insoluble neutral detergent fibre (NDF). This study demonstrated that feeding for 21 days of the diets containing 15% powdered unextracted (intact) seeds containing water soluble gummy fibre, 15% powdered defatted seeds from which lipid and saponins were removed only and 6% water soluble gummy fibre isolated from S. cumini seeds significantly lowered blood glucose levels and improved oral glucose tolerance whereas feeding of the diets containing 15% powdered degummed S. cumini seeds from which water soluble gummy fibre was removed but which contained neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and 2.25% water insoluble neutral detergent fibre (NDF) isolated from S. cumini seeds neither lowered blood glucose levels nor improved oral glucose tolerance in both normal and diabetic rats. These observations indicate that the hypoglycaemic effect of S. cumini seeds was due to water soluble gummy fibre and also that water insoluble neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and other constituents of the seeds had no significant hypoglycaemic effects.