Background and Aim: The use of food dyes can cause certain diseases, such as anemia and indigestion, along with other disorders, tumors, and even cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the chemical nature and toxicity of some commercial dyes locally used in processed foods compared with standard food dyes. Materials and Methods: Three types of standard and commercial food color additives (Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine, and Carmoisine) were extensively examined. The chemical structures and functional groups of the dyes were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The melting temperatures of the dyes were also determined by chemical thermal analysis. The acute toxicity test to evaluate the standard and commercial food color safety was estimated by a range-finding study using 150 Wistar albino rats. Sub-groups were administered one of the three colors under study at doses of 2, 3, 4, and 5 g/kg body weight (BW) orally for 7 days. When no mortality was observed, an additional 15 g/kg BW was administered. Concerning the median lethal dose 50 (LD50), 38 rats were exploited using the up-and-down method. Results: Commercial dyes had lower melting points than standard colors. Regarding the range-finding study, rats receiving different doses of the dyes exhibited no signs of toxicity, no deaths, and no clinical or gross pathological signs throughout the 7 days of the experiment. However, the animals that were dosed with 15 g/kg BW of each dye showed signs of loss of appetite, tachycardia, drowsiness, and eventual death. The LD50 values of the commercial food dyes, particularly Sunset Yellow and Carmoisine, were lower than those of the standard dyes. Conclusion: Commercial food colors were more toxic to rats than standard food colors. Differences were observed between the purity of the standard and commercial dyes, and the latter ones contained different percentages of salt, indicating the occurrence of fraud in commercial markets. Keywords: acute toxicity, food colors, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, lethal dose 50, range-finding study.
Many diseases can produce cardiac overload, of these disease hypertension, valve disease congenital anomaly in addition to many other disease. One of the most common diseases causing left ventricle overload is hypertension. A long term hypertension can cause myocardium hypertrophy leading to changes in the cardiac contractility and reduced efficiency. The investigations were carried out using conventional echocardiography techniques in addition to the tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) from which many noninvasive measurements can be readily obtained. The study has involved the effect of hypertension on the myocardium stiffness index through the measurement of early diastolic filling (E) and the early velocity of lateral mitral annulus (Ea
... Show MoreBackground: Leishmaniasis is important public
health problem owing to its impact on morbidity
and mortality and difficulties in application of
effective control measures.
Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the
using of impregnate bed nets in the control of
leishmaniasis.
Methods: The study was conducted throughout
the years 2004 and 2005, in Diala Governorate
(about 60km north-east Baghdad). This is the first
study in Iraq for evaluation of the impregnated bed
net in control of leishmaniasis. Two villages were
selected to achieve this aim. The nets were
distributed for the first village to be used by their
population. The second village was served as
control.
Results: The
... Show MoreEvaluation of Dot. ELISA test for Diagnosis Visceral Leishmaniasis in Infected Children
For the first time in Iraq, this study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of Dot.ELISA, for detecting anti - Leishmania donovani antibodies in serum samples from suspected patient (children under 8 years ) with Visceral Leishmaniasis V.L.. Sera from 73 V.L. , 60 Healthy controls, and 57 patient with other parasitic diseases other than V.L. (Amoebiasis, Giardiasis , Toxoplasmosis, Schistosomiasis , Hydatidosis, Ascariasis , Lupus Erythromatosus , Viral Hepatitis, and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis) were examined. Anti Leishmania donovani antibodies detected in 71 out of 73 suspected Visceral Leishmaniasis . Data of this study showed that infection in male group was more than female group. Result o
... Show MoreNasiriya field is located about 38 Km to the north – west of Nasiriya city. Yammama, a giant lower cretaceous reservoir in Nasiriya field which is lithologically formed from limestone. Yammama mainly was divided into three main reservoir units YA, YB1, YB2 and YB3 and it is separated by impermeable layers of variable thickness. An accurate petro physical evolution of the reservoir is of great importance perform an excellent geological model so that four petro physical properties which are shale volume, porosity, water saturation and permeability was re-evaluated. The volume of shale was calculated using the density and neutron logs (VSH-DN) rather than using gamma ray log because of presence a uranium content in the formation that make
... Show MoreMany diseases can produce cardiac overload, of these disease hypertension, valve disease congenital anomaly in addition to many other disease. One of the most common diseases causing left ventricle overload is hypertension. A long term hypertension can cause myocardium hypertrophy leading to changes in the cardiac contractility and reduced efficiency. The investigations were carried out using conventional echocardiography techniques in addition to the tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) from which many noninvasive measurements can be readily obtained. The study has involved the effect of hypertension on the myocardium stiffness index through the measurement of early diastolic filling (E) and the early velocity of lateral mitral annulus (E
... Show MoreBackground: Mitral valve stenosis is a condition in which the hearts mitral valve is narrowed (stenosis), This narrowing blocks the valve from opening properly obstructing blood flow through the heart and the rest of the body and this causes changes in physical parameters (resistance and conductance). Aim of the study: To assess the changes in the physical parameters in mitral valve stenosis disease in different gender and age by using Doppler ultrasound. Methods : The examination of patients at the Division of Echo - at the Iraqi Center for Heart Disease in Medical City for surgery specialist - Baghdad - Iraq, during(February2009 till November2010). The current study included fifty eight cases containing (27 males and 31 females) ages rang
... Show MoreObjectives: to assess the normal range of different lip parameters with gender difference and its role in esthetic procedures for Iraqi people. Methods: direct lip measurements were performed with closed lip position using a digital vernier caliper in 132 young Iraqi subjects (89 female and 43 male). Results: Lip measurements showed sexual dimorphism with higher value in men than women in six parameters. Cutaneous height of the upper lip was higher in both sexes. The mustache area in males was longer in males compared to females. Also, it was noticed that upper lip vertical thickness had a higher value, especially in subjects with cosmetic procedures. In addition to that, vertical upper lip thickness showed a higher rise in values
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