The effect of Argania spinosa seed oil on diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in Wistar rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Diabetes is a significant metabolic disease impacting many of the world's population. In Morocco, a wide range of medicinal plants has taken great importance in the treatment of diabetes, among these plants; we find Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels. AIM: The objective of our work is based on the evaluation of the effect of roasted (Roil) and unroasted (UnRoil) Argan seed oil on diabetic nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Roasted and unroasted oils from Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels seeds were examined for their effects on diabetic nephropathy using an experimental streptozotocin-induced model. Biochemical and histopathological analyses were conducted on blood and kidney samples to assess renal function and tissue damage. RESULTS: Both oils ameliorated significantly diabetic nephropathy symptoms. They limited the renal damage caused by streptozotocin and improved diabetes symptoms, including blood glucose levels, body weight, water intake, urinary volume, and kidney parameters. This activity could be elucidated by the antioxidant effect of Argan oil, enabling to neutralize free radicals and undertake a fundamental role in preventing the onset of these complications. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, Argan oil could be used as dietary supplement for people with diabetes as a preventive measure against the emergence of diabetic complications.

Beneficial effects of oral antioxidant supplementation on semen quality parameters, reproductive hormones, and sperm DNA integrity in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

Objective: Recently, oral antioxidants in combined forms have been used to treat men with idiopathic infertility. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment with vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, arginine, L-carnitine, and coenzyme Q10 on sperm quality parameters, DNA integrity, reproductive hormones, and pregnancy rates in men with infertility and idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 420 men with infertility and idiopathic OAT who took an oral supplement of antioxidant SP-Power tablets twice daily for 6 months. Semen quality, reproductive hormones, and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were evaluated at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after supplementation, using the World Health Organization 2021 guidelines. Results: No significant difference was observed in volume or the percentage of typical morphology during treatment. A significant improvement in sperm concentration was observed after supplementation (8.67±1.41, 12.17±1.91, and 19.01±0.86 at baseline, 3, and 6 months respectively, p<0.01). The total motility, progressive motility, and total motile sperm count also increased significantly (p<0.01), whereas the DFI decreased after 6 months. There was an increase in normal FSH levels and testosterone levels after 6 months of supplementation of antioxidant SP-Power but these differences were not statistically significant (p=not significant and p=0.06, respectively). Conclusion: Supplementation with SP-Power tablets improved sperm quality parameters, sperm DFI, some reproductive hormones, and pregnancy rates in men with infertility and idiopathic OAT, which could be attributed to the supplement's synergistic antioxidant action. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of supplementation on oxidative stress markers.

Hormonal, clinical, and genetic profile of infertile patients with azoospermia in Morocco.

Introduction: azoospermia affects more than 10%-15% of infertile male subjects attending the infertility center. In Morocco, there have been no studies on male infertility with azoospermia. Thereby, our objective was to evaluate the clinical, hormonal, and genetic characteristics of infertile men with azoospermia in Morocco. Methods: we conducted a retrospective descriptive study performed with a convenience sample of 80 infertile men from 2021 to 2022, in the Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit of the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center in Oujda-Morocco. All patients with azoospermia were subjected to a quantitative hormone assay to evaluate the functionality of the sertolic and leydigial compartments. Human karyotyping and AZF microdeletion analysis are routinely performed in azoospermic patients. Results: the results show that the mean age of patients in the study was 45.7 ± 3.5 years. Primary infertility accounts for the majority, with a rate of 96% (n=77). There were 12 cases of azoospermia of secretory origin, 22 cases of excretory origin, and 3 of undetermined origin. Azoospermia was associated with hydrocele in 29% (n=27) of cases. The average levels of FSH, LH, testosterone, and inhibin B were 15.54 ± 5.5 mIU/mL, 7.71 ± 2.7 mIU/mL, 405.09 ± 6.13 ng/dl and 38.44 ± 5.13 pg/ml, respectively. The prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was 30.7%. Of these, the sex chromosome aneuploidy with 47, XXY karyotype (Klinefelter syndrome) accounted for 11% (n=9). The incidence of microdeletions of azoospermia factors (AZF) was 9%, and AZFc deletion was the most common at the rate of 3%. Conclusion: our research shows that hydrocele, varicocele, and chromosomal abnormalities are the leading causes of azoospermia. In the Moroccan population, azoospermia is essentially of excretory origin.

Biomarkers Predicting Poor Prognosis in Covid-19 Patients: A Survival Analysis.

Introduction With the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and its overwhelming impact on health systems in several countries, the importance of identifying predictors of severity is of paramount importance. The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between death and the biological parameters of patients with Covid-19. Materials and methods This is an analytical retrospective cohort study conducted on 326 patients admitted to the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Oujda, Morocco. The statistical analysis concerned the biological parameters carried out on the admission of the patients, in addition to age and sex. The comparison between the two surviving and non-surviving groups was made by a simple analysis than a multivariate analysis by logistic regression. Next, a survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method and then by Cox regression. Results A total of 326 patients were included in the study, including 108 fatal cases. The mean age was 64.66 ± 15.51 and the sex ratio was 1.08:1 (M:F). Age, procalcitonin, liver enzymes, and coagulation factors were significantly higher in patients who died of Covid-19 and are therefore considered to be the main prognostic factors identified in this study. Conclusion Knowledge and monitoring of predictive biomarkers of poor prognosis in patients with Covid-19 could be of great help in the identification of patients at risk and in the implementation of an effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategy to predict severe disease forms.

Comparative analysis of clinical and biological characteristics of COVID-19 patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by a betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly evolved into a pandemic since it was first reported in December 2019. thus, SARS-CoV-2 has become a major global public health issue. Objective: The objective of this work is to compare demographics, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, biology and imaging findings between severe and non-severe COVID-19 patients and to identify clinical and biological risk factors and biomarkers for the development of severe COVID-19 as well as predictive thresholds for severity in order to best rationalize management and decrease the morbidity and mortality caused by this condition. Patients and methods: This is a single-center retrospective study, from June 25 to December 31, 2021, on 521 patients at the level of the unit COVID-19 of the central laboratory of the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center Oujda, then classified into two groups according to the severity of the disease. Results: Out of a total of 521 patients, a severe group including 336 cases (64.5%) and a non-severe group with 185 cases (35.5%). Hypertension, diabetes and obesity were noted in the majority of patients. Severe COVID-19 cases had higher C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, D-dimer, ferritin, elevated white blood cell count, and lower lymphocyte count than non-severe cases with a significant difference between the two groups. The areas under the curve (AUC) for C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and D-dimer were 0.886, 0.708, and 0.736 respectively. The optimal thresholds predictive of severity were 105 mg/l for C-reactive protein, 0.13 ng/ml for procalcitonin, 7420/µl for white blood cell count, and 0.55 mg/l for D-dimer. Conclusion: Comparison of the proportion of clinical, biological and radiological data between severe and non-severe cases of COVID-19, as well as identification of biomarkers for the development of severe form in the present study, will allow optimal streamlining of management with rapid triage of patients.

Cardiovascular markers and COVID-19.

COVID-19 is an emerging viral disease with incompletely elucidated pathogenesis, a heterogeneous clinical profile, and significant interindividual variability. The major cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 include acute cardiac injury, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), myocarditis, arrhythmia, heart failure, and venous thromboembolism (VTE)/pulmonary embolism (PE). Elevated BNP /NT-proBNP, troponin and d-dimer levels has been found in a significant proportion of patients since the first data analysis, suggesting that myocardial damage is a likely pathogenic mechanism contributing to severe disease and mortality. The level of these markers is now associated with a risk of adverse outcome, namely mortality. The aim of our study is to highlight the importance of these biomarkers for the prediction of cardiovascular complications and their potential role in the evolution of COVID-19.

Interleukin 6: A biomarker for COVID-19 progression.

COVID-19 was discovered in China for the first time in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Due to its rapid geographic expansion over the last three years, it has now become a global health issue. The infection is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is obtained from a zoonotic source and transmitted directly or through contact. Following exposure, the immune system becomes hyperactive resulting in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly interleukin-6 (IL-6), a naturally occurring pleiotropic cytokine that plays a significant role in respiratory failure and multi-organ dysfunction. This massive inflammatory phenomenon is reminiscent of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or "cytokine storm", which may be at the root of many severe complications. In fact, serum IL-6 levels are significantly high in patients with severe Covid-19 disease. The goal of treatment is to change the cytokine's concentration or activity. Interleukin-6 production could be inhibited, reducing inflammation and so serving as a therapeutic target. anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibodies have been proven to reduce the severity of COVID-19 in clinical trials aimed at clarifying the function of immunoregulation. As a result, the Il-6 assay is a reliable predictor of morbidity and mortality at the time of infection diagnosis. The aim of our study is to highlight the role of interleukin 6 as biomarker of the COVID- 19 progression.

Crocus sativus L. Stigmas, Tepals, and Leaves Ameliorate Gentamicin-Induced Renal Toxicity: A Biochemical and Histopathological Study.

The most costly spice in the world, Crocus sativus L. (C. sativus), has been used for more than 3,000 years. It has various beneficial applications in a range of fields, including aromas, colorants, and medications, but its usefulness as a food flavoring and coloring ingredient is the highest. Large quantities of by-products from the processing of saffron are typically thrown as unwanted bio-residues. This study's goal was to assess and compare the nephroprotective effects of hydroethanolic extracts of C. sativus stigmas, tepals, and leaves on gentamicin (GM)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. For that, we used a biochemical and histological investigation to propose new pharmaceutical valorizations. Based on the biochemical and histological analyses, it is concluded that all the studied parts of C sativus showed a renoprotective effect. Markedly, tepals revealed the most significant reduction of relative liver weight (p < 0.05), water intake (p < 0.05), plasma creatinine (p < 0.01), plasma urea (p < 0.01), plasma uric acid (p < 0.05), urinary protein (p < 0.01) and albumin (p < 0.001), and renal malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.001). In addition, C. sativus tepals caused a significant increase in body weight (p < 0.05), urinary creatinine (p < 0.01), creatinine clearance (p < 0.05), and urinary urea (p < 0.05) compared with the gentamicin untreated (GM) group. This is confirmed by the histopathological study which shows that treatment with stigmas, tepals, and leaves preserved kidney morphology at the glomerular and tubular cell level. The studied extracts exhibit good recovery potential for nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin. In order to create potent dietary supplements or phytomedicines, it would also be very interesting to confirm these actions through clinical research.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), Lemon (Citrus limon L.) Juices as Preventive Agents from Chronic Liver Damage Induced by CCl4: A Biochemical and Histological Study.

Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Citrus limon L. are well known for their multi-use and for their pharmacological effect in the treatment of many illnesses. This study aims to investigate the chemical composition of the ginger and lemon juice extracts and in addition, to evaluate their antioxidant properties and their hepatoprotective effect against the liver damage of Wistar rats induced by the injection of CCl4 to treated animals. The obtained effects were completed by a histological study for better confirmation of the registered pharmacological effects. The ginger juice extract was found to be rich in 4-gingerol, 6-gingediol, and 6-gingerol, while the lemon juice extract chemical composition was highlighted by the presence of eriodyctiol, rutin, hesperidin, and isorhamnetin. Concerning the antioxidant activity, the ginger, lemon juice extracts, and their formulation showed an important antioxidant potential using TAC (total antioxidant capacity), an antiradical activity against the radical DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil), and a ferric reducing power. Finally, the ginger, lemon, and their formulation at different doses were able to prevent CCl4 induced liver damage. Indeed, these different bioactive compounds could be used as alternative agents for the treatment of chronic liver diseases.

The Nephroprotective Effect of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruits in a Gentamicin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Model in Rats: A Biochemical and Histopathological Investigation.

Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant largely distributed all over the Mediterranean basin and is traditionally used by Moroccan people to treat many illnesses, including kidney failure. The nephrotoxicity of gentamicin (GM) has been well documented in humans and animals, although the preventive strategies against it remain to be studied. In this investigation, we explore whether the extract of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruit (ZLF) exhibits a protective effect against renal damage produced by GM. Indeed, twenty-four Wistar rats were separated into four equal groups of six each (♂/♀ = 1). The control group was treated orally with distilled water (10 mL/kg); the GM treated group received distilled water (10 mL/kg) and an intraperitoneal injection of GM (80 mg/kg) 3 h after; and the treated groups received ZLF extract orally at the doses 200 or 400 mg/kg and injected intraperitoneally with the GM. All treatments were given daily for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the biochemical parameters and the histological observation related the kidney function was explored. ZLF treatment has significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity induced by the GM. This effect was indicated by its capacity to decrease significantly the serum creatinine, uric acid, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, albumin, calcium, sodium amounts, water intake, urinary volume, and relative kidney weight. In addition, this effect was also shown by the increase in the creatinine clearance, urinary creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels, weight gain, compared to the rats treated only with the GM. The hemostasis of oxidants/antioxidants has been significantly improved with the treatment of ZLF extract, which was shown by a significant reduction in malondialdehydes levels. Histopathological analysis of renal tissue was correlated with biochemical observation. Chemical analysis by HPLC-DAD showed that the aqueous extract of ZLF is rich in phenolic compounds such as 3-hydroxycinnamic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol, naringenin, p- coumaric Acid, quercetin, rutin, and vanillic acid. In conclusion, ZLF extract improved the nephrotoxicity induced by GM, through the improvement of the biochemical and histological parameters and thus validates its ethnomedicinal use.

Morocco's First Biobank: Establishment, Ethical Issues, Biomedical Research Opportunities, and Challenges.

BACKGROUND: Biobanks are highly organized infrastructures that allow the storage of human biological specimens associated with donors' personal and clinical data. These infrastructures play a key role in the development of translational medical research. In this context, we launched, in November 2015, the first biobank in Morocco (BRO Biobank) in order to promote biomedical research and provide opportunities to include Moroccan and North African ethnic groups in international biomedical studies. Here, we present the setup and the sample characteristics of BRO Biobank. METHODS: Patients were recruited at several departments of two major health-care centers in the city of Oujda. Healthy donors were enrolled during blood donation campaigns all over Eastern Morocco. From each participant, personal, clinical, and biomedical data were collected, and several biospecimens were stored. Standard operating procedures have been established in accordance with international guidelines on human biobanks. RESULTS: Between November 2015 and July 2020, 2446 participants were recruited into the BRO Biobank, of whom 2013 were healthy donors, and 433 were patients. For healthy donors, the median age was 35 years with a range between 18 and 65 years and the consanguinity rate was 28.96%. For patients, the median age was 11 years with a range between 1 day and 83 years. Among these patients, 55% had rare diseases (hemoglobinopathies, intellectual disabilities, disorders of sex differentiation, myopathies, etc.), 13% had lung cancer, 4% suffered from hematological neoplasms, 3% were from the kidney transplantation project, and 25% had unknown diagnoses. The BRO Biobank has collected 5092 biospecimens, including blood, white blood cells, plasma, serum, urine, frozen tissue, FFPE tissue, and nucleic acids. A sample quality control has been implemented and suggested that samples of the BRO Biobank are of high quality and therefore suitable for high-throughput nucleic acid analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The BRO Biobank is the largest sample collection in Morocco, and it is ready to provide samples to national and international research projects. Therefore, the BRO Biobank is a valuable resource for advancing translational medical research.

Valorization of Moroccan Crocus sativus L. By-products: Foliar Spraying of Aqueous Tepal Extract Stimulates Growth and Confers Antioxidant Properties in Eggplant Seedling under Greenhouse Conditions.

The valorization of Crocus sativus L. by-products has become important given its interesting content of bioactive molecules. In the present study, aqueous tepal extract (ATE) studied eggplant seedling's growth and physiology under a plastic tunnel. ATE was foliage sprayed 3 times every 15 days, with various concentrations (1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, 3 mg/mL) in addition to a treatment containing 2 mg/mL of tepals and 0.6 mg/mL of stigmas (T+S). The concentration of 2 mg/L ATE significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased the plant's height, the chlorophyll content, and decreased antioxidant activity and MDA (malondialdehyde). However, the concentration 3 mg/mL inhibited the plant growth; increased the content of ascorbic acid and polyphenol; and resulted in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activities increases, indicating oxidative stress (p ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, T+S significantly influenced some parameters analyzed. Our findings demonstrate that ATE can act as a biostimulant at 2 mg/mL to enhance eggplant growth in plastic tunnel production and used in plant stress situations.

Acute and Subacute Toxicity Studies of the Aqueous Extract from Haloxylon scoparium Pomel (Hammada scoparia (Pomel)) by Oral Administration in Rodents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute toxicity test was performed on Swiss albino mice at a single oral dose of 1-10 g/kg for 14 consecutive days. General behavioral adverse effects, mortality, and latency of mortality were determined. In the subacute study, the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was administered orally at doses of 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg daily for 30 days to Wistar rats. Body weight and selected biochemical and hematological parameters were determined at the end of the experiment. Sections of livers and kidneys were removed for histological studies. RESULTS: Acute toxicity study showed that the oral LD50 value of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was 5000 mg/kg. The subacute toxicity study of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg did not produce any observable symptoms of toxicity and no significant variation in body weight, organ weights, food, and water consumption or mortality in all treated rats. However, the administration of the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract to rats at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg showed a significant decrease in platelets. Moreover, only at the highest dose (2000 mg/kg), the extract caused a significant increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin. Our results showed that subacute treatments with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses of 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase and triglycerides. Histological studies showed that the subacute treatments of rats with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts, at the doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, induced some histopathological changes in the livers but a slight changing in kidneys. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated low acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel. Furthermore, daily oral administration of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract caused some damages to the livers of rats treated with high doses, expressed by an increase in some enzyme activities such as ALP. Regarding the renal function, we did not find remarkable toxicity in the subacute treatment with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts at doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. However, further toxicity assessments should be done to ascertain the safety or the toxicity of this valuable plant species "Haloxylon scoparium pomel" in subchronic treatments.

Iohexol assay for direct determination of glomerular filtration rate: optimization and development of an HPLC-UV method for measurement in serum and urine.

Determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is considered the best indicator of renal function. Iohexol, a non-ionic contrast agent, is currently considered to be a reference marker since it meets all the requirements of an ideal GFR marker. The aim of our work is to develop and optimize a method for iohexol measurement by HPLC-UV. The results showing the following optimal conditions : a mobile phase with water and 5% of acetonitrile, a C18 analytical column (250 × 4 mm, 5 µm particle size) with a temperature of 40 °C and a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Serum samples are deproteinized by addition of perchloric acid (6%), while urine samples are only diluted. For both matrices, the method is linear (r2 > 0.99) and the recovery is > 98%. For selectivity, no interfering endogenous components at the retention time of iohexol was observed. The results of the matrix effect showed a clinically acceptable variation in most concentration levels except for 100 µg/mL, in urine, where the effect was slightly present. Iohexol stability in urine decreases significantly only after 3 freeze-thaw cycles and after freezing at -80 °C for two months. According to those findings results this method is simple, specific, linear, precise and robust, which allows its application for the direct measurement of the GFR after its analytical validation.

[Serum protein electrophoresis: study of 410 electrophoretic profiles]. / Electrophorèse des protéines sériques: étude de 410 profils électrophorétiques.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is a routine analysis in the daily practice of a medical biology laboratory. This study aimed to analyze the different electrophoretic profiles seen in our current practice. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 410 serum samples collected during the routine analyses in the Laboratory of Biochemistry at the University Hospital Mohammed VI in Oujda. Serum protein electrophoresis was performed using automated instrument CAPILLARYS 2 FLEX-PIERCING, SEBIA. 241 sera from women and 169 sera from men were collected. Patients were aged between 1-91 years, with an average age of 49 years; 19.5% of SPEs were normal, hypoalbuminemia was found in 34% of cases, chronic inflammatory syndrome in 19.5% of cases, nephrotic syndrome in 2% of cases, 5.8% of our patients had betagamma block, hypogammaglobulinemia was found in 8.5% of cases and 29 monoclonal peaks were noted, bisalbuminemia was found in 2 patients. Out of 410 collections: 92 immunofixations were performed, of whom 23 were positive (showing monoclonal gammopathy). This study highlights the variability in prescribing serum protein electrophoresis as well as the importance of clinical data for a better interpretation.

Comparison between Roche Integra 400 plus and Abbott Architect ci8200 in Alanine aminotransferase assay.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work is to present the results of a comparative study between the ALT assay on Integra 400 plus Roche Diagnostic versus Architect ci8200 of Abbott Diagnostic. METHODS: A total of 200 patients hospitalized in the various departments of the university hospital Mohammed VI of Oujda were prospectively tested on two systems: Abbott Architect ci8200 and Roche Integra 400 plus. Both analyzers use the spectrophotometric technique by coupling the transamination reaction to the oxidation-reduction reaction at NAD. The agreement of the results between the different techniques was evaluated using the Bland-Altman difference diagram and the Passing-Bablok and Deming regression line. RESULTS: There was a high concordance between the two assays: the equation of the Passing-Bablok line is YArchitect â€‹= â€‹-0,5625 â€‹+ â€‹0,9917 XIntegra with a correlation coefficient r2 = 0.999. The Bland-Altman diagram shows that the mean bias between the two methods is of the order of 1.1 IU/L and the difference between the ALT measurements by Architect and Integra is in the range of -1.4 to 3.6. CONCLUSION: Our study shows a high correlation of the ALT assay results between the architect ci8200 and Integra 400 plus.

Protective Effect of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruit against CCl4-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Rat.

In Morocco, "Zizyphus lotus L." is one of the most widely and traditionally used plant species to treat various diseases, including liver disorders. The present study was conducted to evaluate the aqueous extract of Zizyphus lotus L. fruit against carbon tetrachloride- (CCL4-) induced liver damage in Wistar rats. The animals were daily treated with the aqueous extract of Zizyphus lotus L. fruit using two doses separately 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. CCL4 was injected intraperitoneally (1 ml/kg body weight) at two times, 7th and 14th days. At the end of the treatment, rats were sacrificed, and the blood was collected for the assessment of biochemical parameters. Moreover, the body weight as well as liver weight was determined. The injection of CCl4 to the rats induced various alterations such as the increase of relative liver weight, serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, triglycerides, very low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol (slight increase), creatinine, urea, uric acid, and malondialdehyde. On the contrary, the effects of CCL4 lead to the reduction in serum levels of high-density lipoprotein. However, the daily administration of the aqueous extract of Zizyphus lotus L. fruit to the injected rats with CCL4 restored this abnormal variation in these biochemical parameters to normal values. Based on the results obtained in this study, it seems that the aqueous extract of Zizyphus lotus L. fruit has an hepatoprotective effect against hepatic lesions induced by CCL4 in rats.

[Comparative study of the serum measurement of PTH on Roche Cobas e411® versus the Abbott Architect ci8200®]. / Étude comparative du dosage de la PTH sérique sur Architect ci8200® versus Cobas e411®.

Parathormone (PTH) is the main hormone of phosphocalcic homeostasis. It is synthesized and secreted by the parathyroid glands. PTH has become a routine test in the medical biology laboratory. However, its measurement presents analytical difficulties with the various marketed kits. The aim of this work is to present the results of a comparative study between the PTH measurment on Abbott architect ci8200 and on Roche's Cobas e411 automaton. It is a prospective study carried out for 252 hospitalized patients in the various departments of the University Hospital Center Mohammed VI of Oujda. The "intact" PTH tests were performed on two automata: Abbott Architect ci8200 and Roche Cobas e411. The first uses chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The second uses electrochemiluminiscence sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The agreement of the results between the different techniques was evaluated using the Bland-Altman difference diagram and the Passing-Bablok and Deming regression line (MedCalc software version 14.8.1.0®). By analyzing the diagram of Bland-Altman, we note that the average bias between both methods is of the order of 193.9 pg/mL. As for the equation of the right of Passing-Bablok, it is: Y(Architect) = 3.11 X (Cobas) - 12.26. In conclusion, our study shows a great discrepancy between the results of the PTH assay on the Architect ci8200 versus the Cobas e411, hence the biologist's indisputable role in the control and evaluation of the kits marketed through the various validation tests.

[Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: development and a case illustration]. / Hypercholestérolémie familiale homozygote : mise au point et illustration par un cas.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease caused by a mutation of the gene encoding for the low density lipoproteins (LDL) membrane receptor. The mutation is transmitted in an autosomal dominant mode and is manifested by permanent elevation of the plasma LDL-cholesterol concentration; such elevation is responsible for the early onset of cardiovascular complications. The other clinical manifestation is the existence of extravascular cholesterol deposits: xanthomas and corneal arcus. There are two forms of familial hypercholesterolemia: homozygous FH and heterozygous FH which is generally less severe biologically and clinically. We report in this work, a case of FH diagnosed at the laboratory of clinical chemistry of Rabat children's hospital. The lipid profile revealed a dramatic LDL-cholesterol elevation (24 mmol/L) with normal triglycerides concentration (0.84 mmol/L). The physical examination revealed cutaneous xanthomas. The diagnosis of homozygous FH was strongly suggested by family study.

[Mantle cell lymphoma diagnosis]. / Diagnostic du lymphome du manteau.

Recent classifications of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas based on combination of morphologic, immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic criteria have individualized mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). This clinico-biological entity which accounts for 3 to 10% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, now appears to be a biological and therapeutic model for the understanding and treatment of hematologic malignancies. The present study consisting of two cases of MCL collated at laboratory of hematology of Rabat Ibn Sina hospital. The morphological appearance of MCL is characterized by diffuse or nodular lymph infiltration in the mantle zone, the osteo-medullary biopsy shows an interstitial infringement characterized by the presence of lymphocytes resembling centrocytes with cleaved and angular nuclei, dispersed chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli and scanty cytoplasm. The flow cytometry showed immunophenotype positive for surface Ig, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD79b, CD5 and cyclin D1, and negative for CD10, CD23 and CD25. In conclusion, the methods of diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of mantle cell lymphoma are based on the nodular, medullary and blood morphology, the immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular study of neoplastic cells.