Morpho-chemical characterization of individual ancient starches retrieved on ground stone tools from Palaeolithic sites in the Pontic steppe.

Despite the extensive literature on the retrieval of digestible starches from archaeological contexts, there are still significant concerns regarding their genuine origin and durability. Here, we propose a multi-analytical strategy to identify the authenticity of ancient starches retrieved from macrolithic tools excavated at Upper Paleolithic sites in the Pontic steppe. This strategy integrates the morphological discrimination of starches through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with single starch chemo-profiling using Fourier transform infrared imaging and microscopy. We obtained evidence of aging and biomineralization in the use-related starches from Palaeolithic sites, providing a methodology to establish their ancient origin, assess their preservation status, and attempt their identification. The pivotal application of this multidisciplinar approach demonstrates that the macrolithic tools, from which starches were dislodged, were used for food-processing across the Pontic Steppe around 40,000 years ago during the earliest colonization of Eurasia by Homo sapiens.

[The correction of the hepatotoxicity of antitubercular preparations with tocopherol acetate and riboxin]. / Korrektsiia gepatotoksichnosti protivotuberkuleznykh preparatov tokoferola atsetatom i riboksinom.

It has been established in experiments on white rats that prolonged (for 2 weeks) intoxication with antituberculous drugs (isoniazid plus rifampicin plus pyrazinamide) results in cytolytic liver injury. This manifests by hyperaminotransferasemia, initiation of lipid peroxidation, suppression of the antioxidant system and bile production. Daily injections of tocopherol acetate (15 mg/kg) and riboxine (100 mg/kg) together with administration of antituberculous drugs reduce their hepatotoxicity. The combined use of these hepatoprotectors and antioxidants provides a dramatic increase of their efficacy in durable intoxication with antituberculous drugs.

[The comparative action of isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol on liver function]. / Sravnitel'noe deistvie izoniazida, rifampitsina i étambutola na funktsional'noe sostoianie pecheni.

It has been established in experiments on white rats that antituberculous drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol) given in toxic doses affect the liver, its membranes and organelles, inhibit bile production and bioenergy. This is supported by activation of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, (ALT and AST), alkaline phosphatase in blood serum and acid phosphatase in the liver, by a decrease of the activity of Na(+)-, K(+)-ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase and cytochromoxidase in the liver, lowering of the rate of bile secretion, excretion of bile acids, bilirubin and cholesterol with bile. Provided the drugs are administered in combination, the hepatotoxicity rises, particularly in combination of isoniazid with rifampicin, and especially as isoniazid is combined with rifampicin and ethambutol.

[The efficacy of vitogepat and sirepar in combination with karsil in chronic liver lesions]. / Effektivnost' vitogepata i sirepara v sochetanii s karsilom pri khronicheskom porazhenii pecheni.

It has been shown in experiments on white rats that chronic (for one month) intoxication with CCl4 and C2H5OH results in liver injury. It manifests by activation of aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and alkaline phosphatase in blood serum, initiation of lipid peroxidation, depletion of the liver pool of reduced glutathione, and suppression of bile production. The liver preparations (sirepar and vitohepat) reduce hepatotoxicity of the poisons in question. The use of vitohepat and sirepar in combination with carsil potentiated hepatoprotective and antioxidative activity of the liver preparations.

[Effectiveness of tocopherol and anti-hypoxic agents in liver damage caused by antitubercular agents]. / Effektivnost' tokoferola i antigipoksantov pri porazhenii pecheni protivotuberkuleznymi preparatami.

Two-week administration of isoniazid, rifampicin (50 mg/kg and pyrazinamide (1,5 g/kg) to white rats brings about liver affection characterized by a higher activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, lipid peroxidation activation and bile production inhibition. With the liver affected by antituberculous drugs, protective action is provided by acetate tocopherol an antioxidant, and piracetam riboxin and pyriditol, antihypoxic agents.

[Comparative hepatic toxicity of isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol]. / Sravnitel'naia gepatotoksichnost' izoniazida, rifampitsina i étambutola.

Isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol administered in equimolecular dosages (50, 250 and 100 mg/kg, respectively) for 4 days caused liver affection. This was manifested by elevated activity of serum aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase, inhibition of lipid peroxidation of hepatocyte membranes and antioxidative system dysfunctions. Isoniazid and rifampicin were proved to be most hepatotoxic. The combined use of antituberculous drugs increases their membrane-damaging action, especially when isoniazid and rifampicin are used together, but mostly when isoniazid in combination with rifampicin and ethambutol is applied.

[The experimental pharmacotherapy of the liver lesion induced by indomethacin]. / Eksperimental'naia farmakoterapiia porazheniia pecheni, vyzvannykh indometatsinom.

In experiments on albino rats it was established that three administrations of indomethacin in a dose of 0.01 g/kg body weight induced a severe damage of the liver characterized by disturbances of hepatocytic membranes, bile-producing and protein-producing functions of the liver, an enhancement of lipid peroxidation, a decrease of reduced glutathione pool. Antioxidants (tocopherol acetate, essentiale, legalon, flacumin) limit manifestations of indomethacin, hepatotoxicity, as a result of which tha functional-biochemical disorders in the liver show up to a lesser degree. During the combined use of antioxidants in indomethacin-induced lesions of the liver their hepatoprotective activity increases.

[Effectiveness of antioxidants in a combined carbon tetrachloride and ethanol lesion of the liver]. / Effektivnost' antioksidantov pri kombinirovannom porazhenii pecheni chetyrekhkhloristym uglerodom i étanolom.

Carbon tetrachloride administered together with ethanol was found in experiments on male albino rats to cause a severe liver damage. The use of unithiol, flakumin, tocopherol acetate, silymarin and silybor and also their combinations under these conditions not only decreases lipid hyperperoxidation and prevents depletion of the reduced glutathione pool but also retains a functional liver disturbance. Silybor, silymarin and tocopherol acetate in combination with flakumin proved to be the most efficient.

[Excretory function of the liver with an allyl alcohol lesion and the antioxidant correction of the disorders]. / Ekskretornaia funktsiia pecheni pri porazhenii allilovym spirtom i korrektsiia narushenii antioksidantami.

In experiments on 33 albino male rats it was established that during allyl alcohol-induced damage of the liver its excretory function is impaired that was judged by the biliary excretion of intravenously injected Bengal pink-131I. Antioxidants (tocopherol acetate, sodium selenite, unithiol) reduced the toxic effect of allyl alcohol on the liver.

[Effectiveness of legalon and essentiale in a tetracycline-induced liver lesion]. / Effektivnost' legalona i éssentsiale pri porazhenii pecheni tetratsiklinom.

It was shown in the experiments with albino rats that legalon and essentiale had a pronounced hepatoprotective effect in tetracycline affections of the liver. They retarded the increase in the activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in blood serum, prevented suppression of cholopoiesis by tetracycline and inhibited lipid peroxidation. The drugs may be used for prevention and treatment of tetracycline affections of the liver.