Biochemical studies on the toxicity of hematite dust

Biochemical alterations in guinea pig lungs caused by hematite dust were followed at 150 days after intratracheal administration of the dust. In vivo dust exposure caused a significant increase in mitochondrial protein content and cytochrome c oxidase activity whereas diaphorase activity remained unaltered. Mitochondria from the exposed animals were apparently in a swollen state and their contraction profile upon the addition of ATP reflected permeability changes. However, in vitro dust caused no significant alterations. Significant increases in glycogen content along with an insignificant decrease in glycogen phosphorylase activity were also observed in hematite-treated guinea pig lungs. Decrease in drugmetabolizing enzymes such as aniline hydroxylase and tyrosine aminotransferase activities were also evident in the postmitochondrial fraction of the siderotic lungs. [³H]Leucine-incorporation studies showed increased protein synthesis in the postmitochondrial fraction. Increase in protein synthesis in mitochondria was only marginal whereas in whole homogenate it decreased considerably. Experiments employing dust tagged with radioactive iron indicated the rapid mobilization of iron from lung and its distribution to various organs. The presence of iron-binding protein was confirmed by employing Sephadex gel-filtration techniques.     

Chromium in Some Herbal Drugs

No abstract available.     

Comparative pharmacognostic studies of three Phyllanthus species

Different species of Phyllanthus are considered to be very effective hepatoprotective agents in the Indian indigenous systems of medicine and are considered bitter, astringent, stomachic, diuretic, febrifuge, deobstruant and antiseptic. Still ayurvedic practitioners prescribed fresh juice of 'Bhuiamlki' for jaundice. Various species of Phyllanthus are being sold in India under the trade name 'Bhuiamlki'. During market surveillance of herbal drug, it was observed that almost all the commercial samples, either comprise of Phyllanthus amarus Schum & Thonn. or Phyllanthus maderaspatensis Linn. or mixture of Phyllanthus amarus, Phyllanthus fraternus Webster. and Phyllanthus maderaspatensis. Therefore, in this context the detailed pharmacognostical evaluation of all the three species has been carried out with the aim to establish the identification markers of this important hepatoprotective agent (effective in hepatitis B too). The study conclude that all the three species can be differentiated on the basis of macro and microscopic characters, physico-chemical values, HPTLC fingerprint profile, and detection of phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin as marker components. Besides, an interesting conclusion can also be drawn that phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin said to protect hepatocytes against carbon tetrachloride and galactosamine induced toxicity, may not be exclusively responsible for hepatoprotective activity as these are present only in Phyllanthus amarus while Phyllanthus fraternus and Phyllanthus maderaspatensis also possess significant hepatoprotective activity.     

Longitudinal growth patterns of Pakistani infants in a clinic based growth promotion program

OBJECTIVE: To describe the operation of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) clinic and longitudinal growth patterns of children. DESIGN: Prospective observation and intervention. SETTING: Outpatient department of a teaching hospital. METHODS: Less than 6 months old infants were registered at GMP clinic and followed for up to two years of age. Mothers were provided information, education and counselling about healthy growth of their infants. The outcome measure was change in weight after follow-up. RESULTS: We enrolled a cohort of 553 children in the first 6 months of life, of which 318 were males. Mean follow up period was 15.7 (SD+/-6.4) months. At enrollment 207 were underweight [weight-for-age Z score (WAZ<-2], of which 153 were from low-income families. The children from poorer families also gained weight regularly, although it was less than the higher income families. Of 346 infants with normal weight at registration, 305 maintained their weight gain by last follow-up visit. Of 207 underweight infants at enrollment 128 improved their weight gain by the last follow-up visit. Overall 433 infants followed-up at our GMP clinic either maintained or improved their weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: Children at risk of undernutrition should be identified at an early age and through effective interaction between health workers and the family, their growth can be improved. Children of poor families can also benefit from this activity, provided a comprehensive approach is made available.     

Protective effects of l-carnitine upon toxicopathological alterations induced by ochratoxin A in white Leghorn cockerels

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of l-carnitine (LC) against ochratoxin A (OTA) induced toxicopathological alterations in white Leghorn cockerels. Parameters studied included behavioral parameters, mortality, feed intake, body weight gain, relative organ weights and histopathological alterations. Results suggested that OTA induced suppression in behavioral parameters, feed intake, body weight gain, relative organ weights and histopathological alterations were progressively improved when LC was given with 1?mg/kg OTA; however, this protection subsided when 2?mg/kg OTA was given with it. The optimum level of LC required to produce such mitigation at higher OTA levels is yet to be determined; however, the level used in this study is quite sufficient enough to ameliorate toxicopathological alterations induced by OTA up to 1?mg/kg feed.     

Examination of two genetic polymorphisms within the renin-angiotensin system: no evidence for an association with nephropathy in IDDM

Summary Premature cardiovascular disease is common in insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients who develop diabetic nephropathy. Genetic polymorphism within the renin-angiotensin system has been implicated in the aetiology of a number of cardiovascular disorders; these loci are therefore candidate genes for susceptibility to diabetic renal disease. We have examined the angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and angiotensinogen methionine 235 threonine polymorphism in a large cohort of Caucasian patients with IDDM and diabetic nephropathy. Patients were classified as having nephropathy by the presence of persistent dipstick positive proteinuria (in the absence of other causes), retinopathy and hypertension (n=242). Three groups were examined for comparison: ethnically matched non-diabetic subjects (n=187); a geographically defined cohort of newly diagnosed diabetic patients (n=341); and IDDM patients with long duration of disease (>15 years) and no evidence of overt nephropathy (n=166). No significant difference was seen in distribution of angiotensin converting enzyme or angiotensinogen genotypes between IDDM patients with nephropathy and recently diagnosed diabetic subjects (p=0.282 and 0.584, respectively), nor the long-duration non-nephropathy diabetic subjects (p=0.701 and 0.190, respectively). We conclude that these genetic loci are unlikely to influence susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in IDDM in the United Kingdom.Abbreviations IDDM Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus - ACE angiotensin converting enzyme - PCR polymerase chain reaction - LDNN long duration-non-nephropathy group - I/D insertion/deletion - RAS renin-angiotension system     

A new filamentous bacteriophage with sex-factor specificity

The bacteriophage IKe is a filamentous bacteriophage 6.6 nm wide, 900–1300 nm long. In neutral CsCl gradients, it bands at a density of 1.286 g.cm−3. The phage contains DNA but no RNA. This DNA is single-stranded and in CsCl has a buoyant density of 1.7218.