Cardiac toxicity can occur during the therapy with several cytotoxic drugs, including 5- Fluorouracil (5- FU). It is an antimetabolite that acts during the S phase of the cell cycle and is activated by thymidine phosphorylase into fluorodeoxyuridylate (5 fluoro 2'deoxyuridine 5'monophosphate, 5-FdUMP) that inhibits thymidylate synthase, thus preventing DNA synthesis that leads to imbalanced cell growth and ultimately cell death. It is still a widely used anticancer drug, since 1957. The present study aimed to evaluate the possible cardio-protective effects of ethanolic artichoke extract (Cynara scolymus L.) against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) induced cardio-toxicity in rats by evaluating serum levels of Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase enzymes. Methods: Twenty -four female albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups each group with 6 rats. Group I: (negative control) received oral daily dose of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (2 ml/kg /day) for 10 successive days. Group II: (positive control) received oral daily dose of DMSO (2 ml/kg /day) for 10 successive days and subsequently administered single dose of 5-FU (150 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection on 8th day in association with DMSO. Groups III: received oral daily dose of ethanolic artichoke extract (200 mg/kg/day) for 10 successive days. Groups IV: received oral daily dose of ethanolic artichoke extract (200 mg/kg/day) for 10 successive days with subsequently administered single intraperitoneal dose of 5-FU (150 mg/kg) on 8th day in association with ethanolic extract. Results: Treatment of ethanolic artichoke extract prior 5-FU intoxication significantly attenuate the increase of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase (CK) enzymes activities caused by 5-FU-induced cardio-toxicity in rats. Conclusions: Results of the present finding suggest that the ethanolic artichoke extract may be an effective modulator in mitigating 5-FU induced cardiac toxicity in rats.
Keywords: Ethanolic artichoke extract, 5-Fluorouracil, Cardio-protection, AST, ALT and CK.
A 20 year-old male was admitted with a history of recurrent palpitations from 5 years. Baseline ECG revealed premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) with delta waves. Stress ECG showed short non-sustained Ventricular tachycardia (VT). Echocardiography showed moderate dilation of the left ventricle with mild reduced systolic function and Ejection fraction was estimated to be 42%. Right ventricle was mildly dilated and hypokinetic. Both atria were mildly dilated. The patient referred to CVC for EP study with possible ablation. The ablation of the focus led to complete suppression of the ectopy. Post-procedure ECG and echocardiography showed normalized rhythm and systolic function.
Background: Successful root canal therapy depends on thorough chemo mechanical debridement of pulpal tissue, dentin debris and infective microorganisms. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles, sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine in reducing the bacterial infection of the root canals. Materials and Methods: The root canals of 55 single-rooted teeth were cleaned, shaped, and sterilized. All the teeth samples were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and incubated at 37°C for 2 weeks. Then, the teeth were divided into four groups. Group I (n=15): 100 ppm silver nanoparticles, Group II (n=15): 2.5 sodium hypochlorite, Group III (n=15): 2% chlorhexidine, IV (n=10): Normal saline as a contr
... Show MoreThe consequences of ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress on radiographers in X-ray and CT-scan departments utilizing several biochemical were analyzed. The study found highly considerable discrepancies in the interplay between radiation levels and gender in terms of mean Malondialdehyde (MAD), Vitamin D3 (Vit.D3), Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4), and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), but not Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL). The findings indicated that malondialdehyde is a useful biomarker for assessing oxidative stress in radiographers with exposure to ionizing radiation.
The experimental proton resonance data for the reaction P+48Ti have been used to calculate and evaluate the level density by employed the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble, GOE version of RMT, Constant Temperature, CT and Back Shifted Fermi Gas, BSFG models at certain spin-parity and at different proton energies. The results of GOE model are found in agreement with other, while the level density calculated using the BSFG Model showed less values with spin dependence more than parity, due the limitation in the parameters (level density parameter, a, Energy shift parameter, E1and spin cut off parameter, σc). Also, in the CT Model the level density results depend mainly on two parameters (T and ground state back shift energy, E0), which are app
... Show MoreThis study investigated the effect of applying an external magnetic field on the characteristics of laser-induced plasma, such as its parameters plasma, magnetization properties, emission line intensities, and plasma coefficients, for plasma induced from zinc oxide: aluminum composite (ZO:AL) at an atomic ratio of 0.3 %. Plasma properties include magnetization and emission line intensities. The excitation was done by a pulsed laser of Nd:YAG with 400 mJ energy at atmospheric pressure. Both the electron temperature and number density were determined with the help of the Stark effect principle and the Boltzmann-Plot method. There was a rise in the amount of (ne) and (Te) that was produced
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At any moment, the continuous usage of medications can accompanied by DNA damage and the accumulation of such damages can cause serious consequences. Antidepressants are long-term used drugs and the incidence of their genotoxic impacts cannot be excluded. Therefore, this work was designed to investigate the possible genotoxic effects of the commonly used antidepressants (fluoxetine and amitriptyline) in adult male rats.
Detection of DNA damage in individual cells was assessed by comet and micronucleus assays in three different cell populations i.e. liver, testis and bone marrow tissues of 24 swiss albino adult male rats. The animals were randomly allocated into three groups of 8 rats ea
... Show MoreThe products of composites material are very sesetive to many variables, such as manufacturing process, additive materials, …. etc. Filler or additive plays a major role to determine the formation of the properties and behavior of the composites. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate-based compounds were produced and characterized. The work is concerned to prepare samples of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - zinc-ferrite (ZnFe2O4) with different addition ratio as zinc-ferrite (1, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20) wt% obtained from mixing the solution with a hot pressing method applied under optimum conditions. The densities of the composites for all samples were calculated. Through the work the diffusion of zinc-ferrite i
... Show MoreThis study was designed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds on reducing glucose level for white albino mice. Twenty adults mice were used, divided randomly into four groups (five mice per each group). The first group (normal mice) was administrated with 0.1 ml of distilled water as a control, the second group (normal mice) was administrated with 0.1 ml of the plant extract, whereas the third and fourth groups (diabetic mice) were administrated with single dose of alloxan (150 mg/kg of the body weight) to induce diabetes, and the fourth group was administrated with 0.1 ml of the plant extract for 10 days, then blood glucose level was measured for all of the experimental animals (diabetic and no
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