[Effect of aqueous extract of turnip root on glucose and lipid profile in Alloxan induced diabetic rats]

Background and Objective: Diabetes meltius is a metabolic disorder which characterized with disorder in carbohytdrate and lipid metabolism. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of turnip root [Brassica rapa] on glucose and lipid Profile in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Methods: In this experimental study 40 male wistar rats randomly allocated into 5 equal groups including diabetic control, Metformine 50mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg/bw of aqueus extract of turnip root and normal control groups. Alloxan monohydrate 150 mg/kg/bw was used to induce diabetes mellitus and two weeks after Alloxan injection rats with fasting blood sugar [FBS] more than 350mg/dl considered as diabetic rats. All administrations were done orally and daily in a same volume for 28 consecutive days. The FBS concentrations were determined on the first, 14th and 29th days. On 29th day, blood was collected from overnight fasted rats. Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol [TC], triglyceride [TG], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-c], aspartate amino transfarase [AST] and alanine amino transferase [ALT] activities were measured

Results: The statistical data indicated [P<0.05] in the levels of FBS [4.5 times], TC, TG, AST and ALT [about 2.5 times] and LDL-c [2 times] significantly increased in diabetic rats compare to healthy normal control group. Administration of 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg/bw of turnip root extract did not exhibit hypoglycemic activity. Turnip root extract significantly inhibited the increasing of TC, TG, LDL-c and ALT in diabetic rats [P<0.05], but had no effect on AST sera level

Conclusion: Although, the aqueous extract of turnip root had not any hypoglycemic activity but it was effective in reduction of TC, TG, LDL-c and ALT in diabetic rats

[Comparison of the intranasal and intraperitoneal injection of MPTP on density of dark neurons in pars compacta of substantia nigra in animal model of Parkinson's disease]

Background and Objective: Parkinson disease [PD] is the second most common neurologic disorder that results following degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the pars compacta of substintia nigra [SNc]. The 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropiridine [MPTP] is a chemical neurotoxin that widely used in animal models of PD. This study was carried out to evaluate the numerical density of dark neurons [DNs] in the SNc in mice subjected to intraperitoneal and intranasal injection of different doses of MPTP

Methods: In this experimental study, 90 male adult BALB/c mice were randomly allocated int four experimental groups including: group 1 [MPTP was injected via i.p. at the dose of 20mg/kg per 2 hours for 4 times], group 2 [MPTP was injected via i.p. at the dose of 30mg/kg for 5 consecutive days], group 3 [MPTP was injected via i.n. at a single dose of 1mg/kg], group 4 [MPTP was injected via i.n. at a single dose of 1mg/kg], four sham and one normal groups. 20 days after the final injection, the animal's brain were removed and stained by toluidine blue. Numerical density of DNs was counted

Results: Intranasal injection of MPTP significantly increased density of dark neurons in the pars compacta of substintia nigra in compare to intraperitoneally injection of MPTP [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Intranasal injection of MPTP is more effective manner to induce degeneration of neurons in substintia nigra in animal model of Parkinson's disease

Elevated levels of interleukin 18 in children with acute and chronic liver disease: further evidence of T cell-mediated liver injury

IL-18, derived from macrophages and kupffer cells, is the central pro-inflammatory cytokine leading to experimental liver failure. The objective of this study was to evaluate IL-18 in sera of infants and children suffering from acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis and to define its role as a predictive factor for chronicity of liver disease. Eighteen children suffering from acute viral hepatitis, 26 from chronic hepatitis and 15 suffering from cirrhosis were included in this study. They were attendants of the Hepatology Clinic of the New Children's Hospital, Cairo University. Twenty-three age and sex matched, clinically free infants and children, were also included as a control group. All studied infants and children, and the control group underwent quantitative determination of IL-18 in serum by ELISA. The mean IL-18 was found to be statistically significantly lower among the control group compared to the others. The mean IL-18 values were 38.65 +/- 15.46, 510.27 +/- 757, 305.03 +/- 647 and 257.86 +/- 395 pg/ml for the healthy control, acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis groups respectively. IL-18 level was not found to be predictive of pathology or etiology [P=0.067]. No correlation was found between IL-18 level and total bilirubin [P=0.70], direct bilirubin [P=0.79], ALT [P=0.29], AST [P=0.48] or alkaline phosphatase [P=0.222]. Higher levels of IL-18 were encountered in those children having more severe AIH. High IL-18 was present in children having various liver diseases. This supports the view that hepatocytes destruction is in part immune mediated. Immune modulation remains a potential future perspective for liver disease intervention