Protective effects of selected medicinal plants against protein degradation, lipid peroxidation and deformability loss of oxidatively stressed human erythrocytes.

The effects of seven medicinal plants including Artemisia herba-alba, Ferula hermonis, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Nigella sativa, Teucrium polium, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Allium sativum on protein degradation, lipid peroxidation, erythrocyte deformability and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes exposed in vitro to 10 mM H(2)O(2) for 60 min at 37 degrees C have been examined. Preincubation of erythrocytes with Nigella sativa and Allium sativum protected erythrocytes against protein degradation, loss of deformability and increased osmotic fragility caused by H(2)O(2), while the other plants failed to protect erythrocytes against these damages. Artemisia herba-alba did not protect erythrocytes against lipid peroxidation, while Trigonella foenum-graecum unexpectedly increased lipid peroxidation of erythrocytes exposed to H(2)O(2).

Residues of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides in human milk of Jordanian women.

A total of 411 milk samples were screened for the residues of the following chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides using chromatographic methods: DDT insecticides (P,P'-DDT, P,P'-DDE, P,P'-DDD, O,P' -DDT); cyclodiene insecticides (aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlorepoxide, cis-and trans-chlordane); hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH, gamma-HCH) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). The milk samples were obtained from lactating women selected randomly from five different geographical regions in Jordan. These regions were North and Middle Jordan Valley, Amman, Irbid and Zarqa.

Exposure of human neutrophils to oxygen radicals causes loss of deformability, lipid peroxidation, protein degradation, respiratory burst activation and loss of migration.

The effects of oxygen radical generating system of H(2)O(2) on neutrophil deformability, lipid peroxidation, protein degradation, chemotaxis, random migration and activation were studied in the presence and absence of selected anti-oxidants such as vitamin E and carbon monoxide. Hydrogen peroxide caused a significant loss of neutrophil deformability (measured as an index of filtration), loss of chemotaxis (using chemoattractant) and loss of random migration (spontaneous migration) under agarose gel. Hydrogen peroxide also caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation (measured as malonyldialdehye) and protein degradation (measured as free alanine).

Evaluation of different methods used to measure malonyldialdehyde in human erythrocytes.

Malonyldialdehyde (MDA), a secondary product of lipid peroxidation is widely used as an indicator of lipid peroxidation. Eight of the most frequently used methods for measuring MDA have been evaluated with regard to their sensitivity and reproducibility. The sensitivity of these methods for pure MDA solution was in the order: Satoh's > Stocks and Dormandy's >> Buege and Aust's > Dresel's >> Slater's > Yoshioka's et al.

Exposure of human erythrocytes to oxygen radicals causes loss of deformability, increased osmotic fragility, lipid peroxidation and protein degradation.

The effects of two oxygen radical generating systems (H2O2 and ascorbate/Fe+2) on erythrocyte deformability, osmotic fragility, lipid peroxidation and protein degradation were studied. Incubation of erythrocytes with different concentrations of H202 (5-20 mM) or ascorbate/Fe+2 (10/0.1-40/0.

Susceptibility of erythrocytes from non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hemodialysis patients, cigarette smokers and normal subjects to in vitro oxidative stress and loss of deformability.

Incubation of normal erythrocytes with 10 mM H2O2 has caused a loss of deformability. This loss of deformability was correlated with the extent of malonyldialdehyde, MDA (an indicator of lipid peroxidation) and alanine production (an indicator of protein degradation). The susceptibility of erythrocytes from 21 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 18 hemodialysis patients, 21 cigarette smokers and 25 healthy controls to in vitro oxidative stress with H2O2 has been measured as MDA production.

Rheological action of aspirin on human erythrocytes.

The rheological action of aspirin on human erythrocytes was studied by in vitro incubation of normal erythrocytes with aspirin at 1, 2 and 4 mg/ml for 30-60 min and then measuring erythrocyte rheological properties of deformability, osmotic fragility and aggregation. Aspirin (2 and/or 4 mg/ml) significantly (p<0.05) prevented the loss of filterability (deformability) through 5 microm diameter pores of erythrocytes dehydrated with hypertonic buffer (450 mOsm/kg water) or with potassium ionophore valinomycin (18 micromol/l).

Consensus and accuracy in haematology laboratories of developing countries: the Jordanian experience.

A study lasting for 18 months using interlaboratory surveys was carried out to assess the analytical quality of Jordanian haematology laboratories that represent one of the developing countries. The study surveyed 50 laboratories constituting the majority of clinical laboratories in the central region of Jordan using 15 control specimens of whole fresh blood and eight freshly prepared blood smears. The study covered the routine haematological parameters of PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC and differential white blood cell count.

Screening secondary school students in the Gaza strip for beta-thalassaemia trait.

A small scale screening study for beta-thalassaemia trait has been carried out in the Gaza Strip, involving 1650 secondary schools healthy students, 16-18 years old and from both sexes. The results showed that the overall prevalence in the Gaza Strip of beta-thalassaemia was 4.3%.

Effects of selected flavonoids on deformability, osmotic fragility and aggregation of human erythrocytes.

The effects of 8 selected flavonoids of deformability, osmotic fragility and dextran-induced aggregation of human erythrocytes were studied. The following flavonoids were found to protect against loss of filterability (deformability) through 5 microns diameter pores of erythrocytes dehydrated with calcium ionophore A23187 (1.9 mumol/l): apigenin > quercetin > cirsimaritin > rutin > luteolin > chrysoeriol-4'-O-glucoside > 3,5,7-trihydroxy 4'-methoxy flavone 7-rutinoside, whereas beta-naphtho flavone enhanced the loss of filterability.

Effects of sand viper (Cerastes cerastes) venom on isolated smooth muscle and heart and on haematological and cardiovascular parameters in the guinea-pig.

The effects of the venom of the sand viper (Cerastes cerastes) on haematological and cardiovascular parameters and on isolated ileum, trachea, pulmonary artery and atrium from the guinea-pig were studied. In concentrations from 0.2 micrograms/ml to 0.

External quality assessment of Jordanian clinical chemistry laboratories.

A two-year study using inter-laboratory surveys has been carried out to assess the analytical quality of Jordanian clinical chemistry laboratories. The study surveyed greater than 65% (60 laboratories) of Jordanian laboratories using 18 control specimens and covering a total of 15 analytes. Close agreement was obtained between the consensus values and the designated values for analytes which had mean values within the normal range, whereas significantly lower consensus values were obtained for glucose, creatinine, bilirubin and urea in the pathological range.

Rheological action of drugs that prevent erythrocyte dehydration.

The water content of the human erythrocyte is a major determinant of its cytoplasmic viscosity and thus deformability. Loss of cell water may be either primary or secondary to loss of erythrocyte cations (K+). Several existing drugs (cetiedil citrate, pentoxifylline and piracetam) have recently been shown to inhibit K+ loss from erythrocytes and thus have the potential to prevent erythrocyte dehydration.

Oxpentifylline and cetiedil citrate improve deformability of dehydrated sickle cells.

Erythrocytes from 14 patients with homozygous sickle cell anaemia were treated with the calcium ionophore A23187 to induce loss of cellular potassium and water. The dehydrated cells showed a decrease in filterability (loss of deformability) through pores of 5 micron diameter. Oxpentifylline and cetiedil citrate, which preserve erythrocyte cation and water content, had a significant (p less than 0.