Background: Prolactin is a hormone, as well as a cytokine which is synthesized and secreted from the anterior pituitary gland and various extra pituitary sites including immune cells under control of a superdistal promoter that contains a single nucleotide polymorphism -1149 G/T. Rheumatoid Arthritis has been associated with increased serum prolactin levels.Objectives: To investigate the association of the extra pituitary -1149 G/T promoter polymorphism among Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients and prolactin levels.Methods: We tested 73 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 40 healthy individuals. The DNA samples were genotyped using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction fragment Length Polymorphism method and the levels of prolacti

The impact of exposure to different sizes of particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM7, and PM10) was evaluated in  Babylon concrete plant workers who had been exposed to concrete dust for at least 10 years.  The effects of  these particles on the hematological parameters, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and  antioxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione peroxidase ) were examined. The results exhibited that the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were higher than the acceptable limits approved by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The blood parameters, namely white blood cells (WBC), red blood cell (RBC) and platelets counts, demonstrated non-significant differences between workers exposed to the PM as compared to the control gro

Several symptoms of hypothyroidism characterized by low

FT3 and FT4 were classified into hypothyroidism and Hoffman's syndrome .It was accepted that free radical generation and lipid peroxidation are associated with  many diseases. Creatine kinase in serum is affected by thyroid hormones. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between  malondialdehyde  as a general lipid peroxidation marker and CK activity in patients with primary hypothyroidism and Hoffman's syndrome which indicatees hypothyroidism with undetectable FT3 and FT4 in serum with elevated values of  TSH.

The study revealed that MDA is within the normal range, while CK activities in sera of Hoffman's syndrome were increas

Background: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury may occur in a variety of clinical set­tings and this remains a significant problem. Oxygen free radi­cals, produced on reperfusion have been shown to play a major role in hepatic I/R injury. Various therapeutic effects have been described for Zingiber officinale. Additionally, it has been presented that Zingiber officinale has protective effect against ischemia reperfusion injury to various organs. Therefore, it seems possible that the administration of Zingiber officinale might protect the liver against the ischemia reperfusion  injury.

Objectives : To determine whether Zingiber officinale prevents hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury to the liver.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by an elevation of oxidative stress, which has been implicated in diabetic progression and its vascular complications. Aim: Assessing the impact of gliclazide modified release (MR) versus glimepiride on oxidative stress markers, glycemic indices, lipid profile, and estimated glomerular filtration rate in uncontrolled type 2 diabetic patients on metformin monotherapy. Methods: This was an observational comparative study conducted in Thi-Qar specialized diabetic, endocrine, and metabolism center. Sixty-six patients were randomized into two groups based on the addition of the sulfonylureas (SUs). Group 1 (33 patients) was on gliclazide MR, whereas Group 2 (33 patients)

Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-

Background:
There are many circulatory changes that occur during exercise in order to supply the tremendous blood flow required by the muscles during the stimulatory effects on circulation
by the mass sympathetic discharge, the increased arterial pressure and cardiac output. The metabolic effects and the oxidative stress as a result of the work load on cardiac and skeletal
muscles could also show changes.
Objective:
This study was designed to investigate the effects of aging process on the vascular response during exercise and also in the oxidative stress according to age.
Subjects and Methods: 
Eight healthy Iraqi subjects were enrolled in this study. Divided into three groups according to a

Background:

Systemic lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology affecting multiple organ system. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are claimed to play a role in this disease. However, the potential of Nitrosative/Oxidative Stress to elicit an autoimmune, response remain till now largely unexplored in humans. This study was done to investigate the status and contribution of nitrosative/oxidative stress in Iraqi patients for systemic lupus erythematosus. Blood samples from 19 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 19 age-and sex- matched apparently healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of nitrosative/oxidative stress markers including nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and malondialdehyde. Nitric oxide levels were