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The aim of the present work is to understand the lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane and the spectrin protein content of RBC membrane cytoskeleton of thalassaemic carrier state (trait) of β and hemoglobin E variant (HbE). We have measured the hemoglobin (Hb), malondialdehyde (MDA) and spectrin content of RBC membrane of thalassaemic carrier. The spectrin content (α and β band) of both β and HbE carrier was not changed than normal individuals. However, lipid peroxidation of RBC membrane was significantly increased in both β and HbE trait, and Hb level was also decreased in thalassaemic carrier. It may be assumed that oxidative damage by excess lipid peroxidation may have no role on irreversible membrane damage in β thalassaemia and HbE thalassaemia carrier.

Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. is an important medicinal plant of North Eastern (NE) region of India, having number of medicinal properties and used against various diseases in folk medicine. An empirical research was designed to carry out evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of the leaves of G. pedunculata with special reference to its putative protective role. Methanolic extract from the dried leaf powder of G. pedunculata Roxb. was prepared by hot continuous extraction method. The prepared extract was investigated at different dose levels for its hepatoprotective nature and further histopathological study was carried out to ascertain the degree of reversing the hepatotoxic manifestation induced by CCl4 (Carbon tetrachloride). LD50 values of the G. pedunculata Roxb. extract was found to be safe up to 2000 mg. The in vivo biological studies on serum and tissues of male Wister rats at the doses of 100 mg, 300 mg and 600 mg/kg body weight respectively was carried out taking Silymarin as standard. The methanolic extract of G. pedunculata Roxb, improved the cholesterol level along with significant improvement of SGPT (Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase), SGOT (Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase), ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) and total protein in respect to Silymarin group. The test extract at the dose 600 mg/kg body weight was found to significantly reverse the elevated marker enzymes i.e. SGOT, SGPT, ALP indicating its hepatoprotective role. The higher dose extracts were also found to have pronounced effect on oxidative stress parameters such as GSH and catalase on CCl4 induced rats. The histopathological studies further augmented the protective activity of G. pedunculata leaf extract thereby endorsing the traditional usage of the plant.

Defects in biotin metabolism are mainly associated with either the enzyme Biotinidase or Holocarboxylase synthetase. Defects in either enzymes depletes biotin utilization by the cells. Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency is an inherited disorder in which the body is unable to use the vitamin biotin effectively. This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. We present a case of a 9 year old girl with atypical symptomology as a case holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency, who demonstrated an increased excretion of propionic and methyl malonic acids, with her biotinidase activity being normal. She demonstrated remarkable improvement on biotin supplementation.

Vitiligo là một rối loạn da có nguồn gốc tự phát, thu acquired, được giới hạn, tăng sắc tố thấp, đặc trưng bởi các đốm trắng sữa có kích thước và hình dạng khác nhau. Nó phát sinh do sự phá hủy các tế bào sắc tố melanocyte dẫn đến sự thiếu hụt sản xuất sắc tố trên bề mặt da và niêm mạc. Stress oxy hóa đã được chỉ ra là có liên quan đến bệnh sinh của vitiligo. Để nghiên cứu hoạt động của Superoxide dismutase (SOD) trong máu và Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) ở bệnh nhân vitiligo, một nghiên cứu trường hợp - đối chứng đã được thực hiện với 100 bệnh nhân tham gia sau khi có sự đồng ý bằng văn bản. Trong đó, 50 trường hợp viêm vitiligo hoạt động và 50 trường hợp còn lại là đối chứng (25 đối chứng khỏe mạnh và 25 trường hợp vitiligo ổn định). SOD – Trong nghiên cứu của chúng tôi, trong số các trường hợp vitiligo hoạt động, 90% có mức SOD cao và 10% có mức SOD bình thường. Trong số các đối chứng vitiligo ổn định, 92% có mức SOD bình thường và 8% có mức SOD thấp. Sự khác biệt giữa các trường hợp vitiligo hoạt động và đối chứng vitiligo ổn định cũng như đối chứng khỏe mạnh là có ý nghĩa thống kê (giá trị P < 0,05). GPx – Trong số các trường hợp vitiligo hoạt động, 74% có mức GPx bình thường, 22% có mức thấp và chỉ 4% có mức cao. Trong số các đối chứng vitiligo ổn định, 64% có mức GPx bình thường, 16% có mức thấp và 20% có mức GPx cao. Sự khác biệt giữa các trường hợp vitiligo hoạt động và đối chứng vitiligo ổn định cũng như đối chứng khỏe mạnh là không có ý nghĩa thống kê (giá trị P > 0,05). Nghiên cứu của chúng tôi cho thấy stress oxy hóa có liên quan đến bệnh sinh của vitiligo, như được chỉ ra bởi mức độ hoạt động cao của superoxide dismutase trong huyết thanh.

The anticancerous drug isolated in our laboratory from estuarineAeromonas was characterised and is found to be an enzyme, L-asparaginase. The antileukaemic effect of this drug was studied in mice by inducing leukaemia with Ehrlich ascites cell lines. It was compared with commercially available drug, Leunase, isolated fromE. coli. The lipid profiles in mice during leukaemia and under treatment was studied. The decreased levels of cholesterol and increased levels of triglycerides and phospholipids in serum, liver and kidney were observed in tumour bearing mice. Significant changes in the above values were observed with enzyme therapy. It could bring some of the values to near normal level. L-asparaginase fromAeromonas was found to be more effective.

Helicobacter pylori infection stimulates strong local inflammatory and specific IgA antibody production. The influence of antibodies on the bacterial colonization is not clear. Here, we have analysed the association between the mucosal IgA level and IL-1β in various manifestations of the infection seen endoscopically. Antral biopsies of 57 dyspeptic patients were taken for culture, histology and estimation of mucosal levels of anti-H. pylori IgA and IL-1β. Mean mucosal IgA level was higher in patients with normal mucosa compared to all other groups and lower IgA level was associated with higher bacterial density. IL-1β was higher in ulcer patients and suspicious malignancy group as compared to normal group and higher level of IL-1β was associated with higher grades of metaplasia. Present study indicates that local immunity seems to have a protective role against H. pylori infection and higher level of IL-1β induced by the pathogen may be associated with metaplasia and carcinogenesis.

Effects of treatmentin vivo with the antimalarials:chloroquine (CQ), primaquine (PQ) and quinine(Q) on lysosomal enzymes and lysosomal membrane integrity were examined. Treatment with the three antimalarials showed an apparent increase in the membrane stability. CQ treatment resulted in increase in both the ‘free’ and ‘total’ activities of all the enzymes i.e. acid phosphatase, RNase II, DNase II and cathepsin D. PQ treatment lowered the ‘free’ and ‘total’ activities of acid phosphatase and cathepsin D, but the DNase II activities increased. Treatment with Q resulted in increased ‘free’ and ‘total’ activities of RNase II and DNase II. While ‘free’ activities of acid phosphatase and cathepsin D were low; the ‘total’ activities increased significantly. Our results suggest that a generalized increase in free nucleases activities following prolonged treatment with antimalarials may lead to cell damage and/or necrosis.

Inflammation plays an important role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Increasing evidence points to the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated the adiponectin: leptin and IL-8 genes in COPD-induced T2DM patients, along with the effect of polymorphism on the levels of these cytokines. We enrolled COPD, COPD plus T2DM, and healthy subjects from the institution according to standard criteria. Further, we drew a blood sample and performed genotypic analysis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We enrolled a total of 500 subjects in this study, including 250 controls, 191 COPD patients, and 59 COPD patients with T2DM. Genotyping of leptin (C/T), adiponectin (C/G), and IL-8 (C/T) polymorphisms was performed. Serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, and IL-8 were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in COPD with diabetes when compared with COPD in healthy individuals. The genotype frequency of the “CT” leptin gene variant was significantly associated with the risk of developing COPD by 3.7 folds, although it was not associated with the development of T2DM in COPD. Whereas genotype ‘TT’ was significantly associated with the risk of developing T2DM in COPD patients by 2.4 folds. It indicates that individuals with genotype ‘TT’ are at higher risk of developing COPD, and moreover, they are at higher risk of developing T2DM. We conclude that genotypes ‘TT’ of leptin, ‘GG’ diponectin, and ‘TT’ of IL-8 may be exploited as biomarkers for the prognosis and diagnosis of T2DM in COPD and COPD, respectively. While ‘CT’ of IL-8 was a protective biomarker against COPD.