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.
Background: Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and BiodentineTM cements are new materials with numerous exciting clinical applications. Both have appreciable properties which include good physical properties and the ability to stimulate tissue regeneration as well as good antibacterial effects. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the antibacterial effects of MTA and BiodentineTM, when they were mixed with different concentrations of aqueous solutions of Black Seed extract, against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and methods: MTA and BiodentineTMwere prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The method of Mawlood was followed to prepare the Black Seed aqueous solution. Agar diffusion method on Brain Heart
... Show MoreThe present study develops the sorption model for simulating the effects of pH and temperature on the uptake of cadmium from contaminated water using waste foundry sand (WFS) by allowing the variation of the maximum adsorption capacity and affinity constant. The presence of two acidic functional groups with the same or different affinity is the basis in the derivation of the two models; Model 1 and Model 2 respectively. The developed Bi-Langmuir model with different affinity (Model 2) has a remarkable ability in the description of process under consideration with coefficient of determination > 0.9838 and sum of squared error < 0.08514. This result is proved by FTIR test where the weak acids responsible of cadmium ions removal
... Show MoreThis research aims to explain the effect of the imported inflation (which moves through the raise of global prices to Iraqi economy) over local prices, besides, the recognition the most important channels of imported inflation moving, its causes, effects, ways and policies that reduce the negative effects. To achieve the research aim, the deductive approach was adopted through using descriptive method to describe and determine phenomenon. The most important conclusion is that the research found out that there are two channels to transmission imported inflation in world. The first channel is the direct channel (prices) and the second channel is the indirect (income). The most important recommendation is to create sovereign fund (O
... Show MoreToxoplasma gondiiis an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, and toxoplasmosis is an important disease of both humans and economically important animals. With a limited array of drugs available there is a need to identify new therapeutic compounds. Aureobasidin A (AbA) is an antifungal that targets the essential inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC, sphingolipid) synthase in pathogenic fungi. This natural cyclic depsipeptide also inhibits
To elucidate the anti- Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) effect of pomegranate alone and in combination with moxifloxacin fluoroquinolone. A total of five clinical isolates of MRSA (ATCC 43300) were used in the study. Disc diffusion method was used to determine the anti-MRSA effect of pomegranate and/or moxifloxacin by using Mueller-Hinton agar. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of moxifloxacin and pomegranate were calculated, the dynamic picture of the bactericidal effect of pomegranate and/or moxifloxacin was determined. SPSS version 20.00 was used for data analysis. Zone of inhibition (ZOI) of moxifloxacin was 19.67±4.84mm which was not significant compared with pomegrana
... Show MoreThis paper presents a three-dimensional Dynamic analysis of a rockfill dam with different foundation depths by considering the dam connection with both the reservoir bed and water. ANSYS was used to develop the three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model of the rockfill dam. The essential objective of this study is the discussion of the effects of different foundation depths on the Dynamic behaviour of an embanked dam. Four foundation depths were investigated. They are the dam without foundation (fixed base), and three different depths of the foundation. Taking into consideration the changing of upstream water level, the empty, minimum, and maximum water levels, the results of the three-dimensional F