This study is the first investigation in Iraq dealing with genotyping of IL-4 −590 (C>T) gene, especially in Iraqi patients with asthma. We studied forty-eight blood samples collected from patients with asthma and compared with age-matched 25 healthy individuals as controls. The polymorphism results of IL-4 −590 (C>T) gene by using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS-PCR) showed the presence of C and T alleles and three genotypes (CC, CT, and TT). Interestingly the frequency of C allele and CC genotype was higher in patients with asthma in comparison with the same allele and geno

Background: Antioxidant, sedative, anticancer, and antibacterial properties are among the numerous pharmacological characteristics of Galium verum. Aim: The primary goal of this research was to investigate the therapeutic effects of G. verum extract against folic acid-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Materials and methods: 18 male rats were assigned into three groups:  Control, AKI, and G. verum. AKI was induced by a dose of folic acid (250 mg/kg, i.p.) while G. verum (250 mg/kg) was administrated for 7 consecutive days. Results: G. verum methanol extract contains flavonoids, anthraquinones, tannins, iridoids, triterpen

Background: Doxorubicin is considered one of the most effective anticancer drugs, yet it is use is limited by its side effect mediated by the generation of reactive oxygen species. Omega-7, an antioxidant has shown to have a cardioprotective effect.

Aim of the study: evaluate a possible protective effect of omega-7 against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in male rats.

Methods: twenty-eight male rats were divided into 4 groups (7 for each group).  Group 1 (Negative control): healthy animals received normal saline orally as the vehicle for eight successive days and were sacrificed on day 9. Group 2 (positive control): animals that r

Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) pollution and poisoning has been a worldwide health ‎concern for decades, especially after the industrial revolutions. The aim of this study ‎was to investigate the role of resveratrol in reversing the deleterious effects of ‎HgCl2 exposure to resume the normal functions of hepatocyte. To achieve the study, ‎mature Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to five groups. Negative control group ‎‎(C) kept without any treatment; vehicle-treated group (D) received dimethyl ‎sulfoxide (DMSO); resveratrol-treated group (R), received 100 mg/kg of resveratrol; ‎HgCl2-intoxicated group (HD), received i.p. injection of HgCl2 at a dose of 1 mg/kg ‎for 30 consecutive days along to oral gavage of DMSO; and finally H

The protective effect of ginger extract against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity was evaluated in 30 albino white rats(weighing 200-300 gm ) classified into 5groups (6 rats per each group). The rats were treated with 0.5g/kg/day or         1g/kg/day ginger extract orally 5 successive days before and 5 successive days after induction of toxicity with intraperitoneal (IP) injection of (10mg/kg ) cisplatin, resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , total serum  billirubin(TSB) , lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase(CK) enzymes in comparison with the cisplatin treated animals; ginger extract

This study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of aqueous green tea (GT) extract in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Forty adult male albino rats weighing 180-200 g were divided into four groups of 10 rats each: The first group was served as control; the second group was treated with GT (250 mg/kg b.w); the third group was affected by inducing experimental diabetes by intraperitonial injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg b.w); and the fourth group was affected by inducing diabetes and treated with GT (250 mg/kg b.w). Level of blood glucose and lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and ve

Flavonoids are known to play a vital role in the management of various liver disorders.They are a large family of compounds synthesized by plants; they belong to a group of natural substances with variable phenolic structures. In this study we aim to scan the types of flavonoids in a newly studied, wild Iraqi plant named Echinops tenuisectus of Compositae family. The medicinal importance of flavonoids on one hand, and the absence of any phytochemical investigation on tenuisectus species of Echinops genus on the other hand, acquired this study it^Û¥s importance. Three flavonoids were identified in the seed^,s extract of this plant (Silymarin, Rutin, Quercetin ) by two chromatographic methods, first Thin laye