Monitoring of C0 and C2 Blood Concentrations of Cyclosporine on the Roche Hitachi 902 Analyzer

This work provided parameters to perform the widely used enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (Emit) cyclosporine assay on a Hitachi 902 analyzer. Instrument settings were optimized to arrive at assay characteristics regarding precision, linearity, and lower limit of quantitation among 105 samples from renal transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine. We compared successive results with Emit on a Cobas Integra 400 analyzer with HPLC-UV. We validated a quantitation range of 20-500 ng/mL. For all parameters tested total imprecision <5%. Calibration stability was at least 30 days. The reagent cartridge in the instrument was stable for 2 months between runs. We observed good correlations with other analytical methods. The following equations were obtained: Hitachi 902 = 0.984 Cobas Integra + 2.097; r = 0.998 and Hitachi 902 = 1.019 LC-UV + 3.143; r = 0.974. The mean bias was 1.68% for C0 and 0.02% for C2 concentrations between Hitachi 902 and Cobas Integra 400. Overestimations of 5.61% for C0 and 8.81% for C2 levels assayed with Emit Hitachi 902 were observed compared with LC-UV. The proposed, validated protocol enhanced the versatility of the Emit assay for routine therapeutic drug monitoring. The Hitachi 902 analyzer is an acceptable option for evaluation of C0 and C2 blood cyclosporine concentrations in transplant recipients.     

Fruit vinegars attenuate cardiac injury via anti-inflammatory and anti-adiposity actions in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

Context: Fruit vinegars (FVs) are used in Mediterranean folk medicine for their hypolipidemic and weight-reducing properties.

Objective: To investigate the preventive effects of three types of FV, commonly available in Algeria, namely prickly pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill (Cectaceae)], pomegranate [Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae)], and apple [Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae)], against obesity-induced cardiomyopathy and its underlying mechanisms.

Materials and methods: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were equally divided into 12 groups. The first group served as normal control (distilled water, 7?mL/kg bw), and the remaining groups were respectively treated with distilled water (7?mL/kg bw), acetic acid (0.5% w/v, 7?mL/kg bw) and vinegars of pomegranate, apple or prickly pear (at doses of 3.5, 7 and 14?mL/kg bw, acetic acid content as mentioned above) along with a high-fat diet (HFD). The effects of the oral administration of FV for 18 weeks on the body and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) weights, plasma inflammatory and cardiac enzymes biomarkers, and in heart tissue were evaluated.

Results: Vinegars treatments significantly (p?Discussion and conclusion: These findings suggest that pomegranate, apple and prickly pear vinegars may prevent HFD-induced obesity and obesity-related cardiac complications, and that this prevention may result from the potent anti-inflammatory and anti-adiposity properties of these vinegars.     

The biochemical diagnosis of Gaucher disease]

Gaucher disease is a disease of overload lyosomale which we often met since a score of years. Since 1980 we had to answer several requests for diagnosis of this metabolic disease. Requests emanating primarily from paediatric services. Twelve cases were confirmed within sight of measurement of the intra-leucocytic activity of the beta-glucocerebrosidase, enzyme intervening in the catabolism of the sphingolipides. We report here our experiment in the biochemical diagnosis of Gaucher disease by showing mainly the variability and the extreme heterogeneity of the activity of the beta-glucosidasic during practised measurements. In addition, we expose the problems of diagnosis etiologic which certain patients raise in front of the discordances between the measured enzymatic activity and clinical signs of the disease of left-handed person. In addition, we develop the biological parameters useful to proportion for the monitoring of the treatment which is finally available in our country.     

Effect of fruit vinegars on liver damage and oxidative stress in high-fat-fed rats

Context: Vinegar has long been used as a condiment and a traditional medicine worldwide.

Objective: The current study investigates the antioxidant effect of three types of fruit vinegars (FV) namely pomegranate [Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae)], prickly pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae)], and apple [Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae)] vinegars in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic Wistar rats.

Materials and methods: Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups; HFD (80?cal/d) fed rats were orally dosed with fruit vinegars (7?ml/kg) once daily for 28?weeks. At the end of the experiment, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant enzymes, and trace elements were assessed in serum. In addition, a liver histopathological study was performed.

Results: HFD showed a significant increase (p?≤?0.05) in lipid profile and TBARS levels when compared with normal control. Daily oral administration of FV normalized various biochemical, metabolic, and histopathological changes. However, pomegranate vinegar exhibited a very significant (p?≤?0.001) reduction in lipid profile levels (total cholesterol: 165%, triglycerides: 68%, LDL-c: 76%, and atherogenic index: 80%), whereas an increase in antioxidant status (SOD: 7-fold, GPx: 4.81-fold, GRx: 1.66-fold, and TAS: 3.45-fold) when compared with hyperlipidemic control. Histopathological examinations also confirmed the protective effects of pomegranate vinegar against lipid accumulation and the improvement of hepatic lesions.

Discussion and conclusion: The fruit vinegars regulate lipid metabolism and decrease liver damage in high-fat fed rats as shown in this study.