Biochemical changes in patients with combined chronic schistosomiasis and viral hepatitis C infections.

This study was undertaken to assess the biochemical changes induced in chronic schistosomiasis and/or chronic HCV, as well as to pinpoint the most significant parameters which could be used as dependable indices for the differentiation of single and coupled infections with or without liver cirrhosis. The selected patients were allocated into 2 broad groups: GrII (Schistosomiasis) which was subdivided into 3 subgroups: GrII(a) schistosomal patients with hepatosplenomegaly; GrII(b) hepatosplenic schistosomal patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis; GrII(c) schistosomal patients with no organomegaly. GrIII (Combined) comprised 2 subgroups: GrIII(a) schistosomal-HCV infection with decompensated liver cirrhosis; GrIII(b) schistosomal-HCV infection without liver cirrhosis. For statistical comparison normal healthy subjects were taken as a reference group (Gr I). Results showed that schistosomal patients without organomegaly manifested non significant changes in all studied parameters compared to normal controls. Highly significant elevations in serum ALT, AST, ALP and GGT activities were recorded in all other subgroups but the highest levels are reported in GrIIb. AST/ALT and direct/indirect bilirubin ratios were highest in GrIIIa (1.17+/-0.26, 1.54 +/- 0.37, respectively). Serum total protein and albumin levels showed the highest reduction (33 and 59%) concomitantly with the highest increase in gamma-globulin level (75%) in GrIII(a). Blood total iron was significantly reduced in GrII(a,b) (15.6 and 12%) (8.8%) bilirubin, GGT and AST in this order are good discriminators between the different subgroups in GrII. On the other hand, ALT, AST, albumin, ALP, GGT, protein and direct bilirubin are the most significant indices to differentiate chronic schistosomiasis and the combined group with/or without liver cirrhosis.

Allied studies on the effect of Rosmarinus officinalis L. on experimental hepatotoxicity and mutagenesis.

The hepatoprotective and antimutagenic effects of the rosemary essential oil and the ethanolic extract were investigated using carbon tetrachloride and cyclophosphamide as hepatotoxic and mutagenic compounds, respectively. Our results revealed that i.g. administration of the rosemary ethanolic extract (0.15 g/100 g BW) to rats for 3 weeks produced the most pronounced hepatoprotective effect compared to silymarin (reference compound) due to the amelioration of most of the studied serum and liver parameters and confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver tissue. Pretreatment of mice for 7 days with the rosemary essential oil (1.1 mg/g BW) followed by i.p. injection with cyclophosphamide reduced significantly the induced mitodepression in the bone marrow cells of the animals. The potential hepatoprotective and antimutagenic activities of the rosemary ethanolic extract and essential oil, respectively, are attributed to the presence of a relatively high percentage of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity (according to our chemical studies).

Serum LDH and ALP isozyme activities in mice bearing solid Ehrlich carcinoma and/or treated with the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of aloin.

Determination of total LDH and ALP activities and their isozyme patterns in the sera of normal and tumour-bearing animals treated with aloin, a natural anthraquinone with potential antitumour activity, was carried out at 3, 6 and 9 weeks of treatment. Treatment of normal mice with the MTD of aloin (50 mg/Kg b.w.) showed non-significant changes in serum total LDH and ALP activities along with their isozymes throughout the experimental periods. In untreated tumour-bearing animals, serum LDH activity and its isozymes: LDH1-LDH5 showed highly significant increases (192, 32.4, 25.2, 24.7, 29.2 and 30.6%, respectively) after 3 weeks. Highly significant inhibition was recorded in serum total ALP activity and its intestinal and bone isozymes (64, 100 and 56%, respectively), while liver ALP isozyme was increased by 82.3%. Treatment of tumour-bearing mice with the MTD of aloin manifested a significant gradual improvement in both enzyme activities and their isozymes, which were normalized at the end of the experiment (9 weeks), with the exception of intestinal ALP isozyme. All results were reported in comparison to the normal control group.

Effects of dietary magnesium and/or manganese variables on the growth rate and metabolism of mice.

The effects of seven feeding schedules differing only in their Mg and Mn contents on the growth rates and some metabolic aspects of Swiss albino female mice were studied. The animals were placed for 5 weeks on the seven dietary regimens and weighed weekly according to the following scheme: (1) normal diet fed (control) group; (2) Mg-deficient fed group; (3) Mn-deficient fed group; (4) coupled-deficient fed group; (5) Mg-supplemented fed group; (6) Mn-supplemented fed group, and (7) coupled-supplemented fed group. Dietary Mg and/or Mn deficiencies were found to exert unfavorable effects on the growth rate of the animals. However, dietary supplementation of Mg has a favorable influence on the growth rate of the animals. Also, several biochemical tests on the plasma and livers of the tested animals were carried out and discussed accordingly.

Role of dietary magnesium and/or manganese variables on Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing mice.

Female Swiss albino mice were placed on seven dietary regimens for five weeks. These regimens differed only in magnesium and/or manganese contents. At the end of the feeding period, the animals were inoculated with Ehrlich ascites tumor. Ten days after transplantation, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells were harvested, and all animals were killed. EAC cells and plasma samples were subjected to several biochemical tests. The results suggest several conclusions. 1. Dietary supplements of magnesium and/or manganese have no effect on retarding tumor growth in vivo. 2. Dietary restriction of manganese and combined magnesium and manganese gave promising effects on retarding tumor growth in vivo. 3. Dietary magnesium deficiency, per se, had no significant effect on tumor regression in vivo. 4. In contrast to in vitro studies, manganese supplementation appeared to exert no effect on tumor progression in vivo. 5. Magnesium supplementation seemed to have no effect on tumor progression in vivo, which is in agreement with in vitro studies.