Tunisian Artemisia campestris L.: a potential therapeutic agent against myeloma - phytochemical and pharmacological insights.

Background: Artemisia campestris L. (AC) leaves are widely recognized for their importance in traditional medicine. Despite the considerable amount of research conducted on this plant overworld, the chemical composition and the biological activity of the leaves grown in Tunisia remains poorly investigated.

Sewage analysis as an alternative tool for assessing drug of abuse and new psychoactive substances in Tunisia.

Many studies attest to the pollution of wastewaters by organic molecules including drug of abuse (DAs) residues and new psychoactive substances (NPS) at trace levels. The occurrence of these emerging micropollutants in influent wastewaters (IWW) from three Tunisian Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) was assessed. Influent wastewater composite samples (24 h) were collected over 7 consecutive days in November 2019.

Assessing The Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting Systems In Improving Wintering Bird Richness In Pre-Saharan Tunisia.

The impact of rainwater harvesting systems on biodiversity in hyperarid North African areas has not been assessed to date despite its demonstrated usefulness. The present study investigated this impact by considering the richness of wintering birds (RWB) in the Tataouine region (pre-Saharan Tunisia). We used data from three sets of variables-rainwater harvesting system type, microhabitat conditions, and topography-to determine the best predictors causing variation in the RWB by means of generalized linear mixed models.

[Drug abuse of pregabalin - state of the situation, risks and means of control].

Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant widely used for the treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain. However, there is a growing concern about its misuse, particularly among drug users and patients with substance use disorders (SUD). It is often used in combination with other psychoactive molecules and at levels well above the recommended doses.

Illicit substances identified in the urine of 11.170 suspected drug users in North Tunisia.

Introduction: according to the latest World Drug Report, 271 million people worldwide (5.5% of the global population) aged 15-64 years are drug users. Drug addiction and trafficking became an urgent public health problem that affects human health and social life.

Effects of lead, cadmium, copper and zinc levels on the male reproductive function.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of heavy metals on measures of male fertility. One hundred and two infertile men with occupational exposure and thirty fertile men were included in this study. Blood and urinary levels of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Protective and Curative Effects of Aqueous Extract of (Edible Desert Truffle Specie) against Paracetamol Acute Toxicity in the Rat.

The current study was aimed to evaluate the protective and curative effect of aqueous extract of edible desert truffle specie () against rat's liver and kidney injuries induced by paracetamol (PCM). was genetically identified by PCR and then sequencing (Genbank NCBI: LT718236.1).

Evaluation of the reliability of human teeth matrix used as a biomarker for fluoride environmental pollution.

Environmental contamination by heavy metals has been a matter of great concern in many countries for several decades. Human exposure to such elements may cause adverse health effects and young children are particularly at risk. Many matrixes have been used for determination of metal exposure levels.

LC-MS/MS methodology for simultaneous determination of patulin and citrinin in urine and plasma applied to a pilot study in colorectal cancer patients.

Biomarker-driven research has been proposed as a successful method to assess the exposure of individuals to xenobiotics, including mycotoxins, through estimation of their metabolites in biological fluids. A methodology to determine patulin (PAT) and citrinin (CIT) in human urine and plasma using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated in the present study. Selectivity/specificity, linearity, limit of detection and quantification, apparent recovery, intraday- and interday-precision and measurement uncertainty were investigated for validation purposes.

The mycotoxin patulin: An updated short review on occurrence, toxicity and analytical challenges.

Patulin (PAT) is a common mycotoxin in fruit products, especially in apples and apple-based products. The European Commission has set maximum levels for PAT in food. Nevertheless, worrying PAT levels were recently recorded in diverse foods across the world.

Biomonitoring chronic lead exposure among battery manufacturing workers in Tunisia.

The aim of the study was the biomonitoring of the chronic exposure to Pb by measuring its levels in blood, urine, and hair of battery workers. Blood lead (BPb), urinary lead (UPb), hair lead (HPb), and urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid (UALA) levels were determined for 52 workers in a battery plant and compared to those of 20 non-occupational exposed subjects (controls). BPb and UPb levels were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS).

Evaluation of the status and the relationship between essential and toxic elements in the hair of occupationally exposed workers.

Lead poisoning is a common disease in lead-acid battery manufacturing industries. Workers can be also exposed to various toxic elements present as contaminants or used as catalysts to enhance batteries' performances. In the present study, levels of essential and toxic elements and their relationship were assessed by analyzing scalp hair samples of 52 workers in a Pb battery manufacturing plant.

Penicillium tunisiense sp. nov., a novel species of Penicillium section Ramosa discovered from Tunisian orchard apples.

Two similar Penicillium isolates could not be identified as previously described species in a survey of orchard apples from Tunisia for patulin-producing fungi. These isolates are described as novel species using multilocus DNA sequence analysis of partial β-tubulin, calmodulin and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions; and morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. The isolates were considered negative for patulin production since the IDH gene fragment was not detected and the compound detected at the same retention time of patulin (14.

Fast screening tests for the simultaneous detection of 11 drugs of abuse in urine specimens. A forensic epidemiology study of 28,298 cases in Tunisia.

Forensic investigation performed on people suspected to be drug abusers covering all Tunisian cities was conducted by monitoring an epidemiological study of human urine samples surveying positive rates of consumption for drugs of abuse. The forensic investigations were conducted on a total of 28,298 arrested individuals suspected to be drug addicts during five years (January 2010-December 2015). An immunoassay screening tests to detect elevated levels of drugs classes in urine samples was performed.

Pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in wastewater samples in north-eastern Tunisia.

Pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) and drugs of abuse (DAs) are two classes of contaminants of emerging concern that have attracted great concern and interest by the scientific community during the last two decades. Numerous studies have revealed their presence in treated urban wastewaters. This is mainly due to the fact that some compounds are not efficiently removed during wastewater treatment processes, and are thus able to reach the aquatic environment through wastewater discharge and reuse practices.

Urinary levels of bisphenol A, benzophenones and parabens in Tunisian women: A pilot study.

Bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenones and parabens are commonly used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, as UV-filters and as antimicrobial preservatives, respectively, and they are thought to exhibit endocrine disrupting properties. Exposure to these compounds remains poorly characterized in developing countries, despite the fact that certain behaviors related to westernization have the potential to influence exposure. The aim of this pilot study was to measure urinary concentrations of BPA, six different benzophenones and four parabens in 34 Tunisian women.

Zinc and copper status in childbearing age Tunisian women: Relation to age, residential area, socioeconomic situation and physiologic characteristics.

Plasma zinc and copper status of 1689 non pregnant Tunisian women, aged 20-49 years old, was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. A multiple regression was run to predict plasma trace element concentrations from age, BMI, marital status, menopause, education level, professional activity, economic level and area of living. The mean zinc and copper values were similar to those measured among comparable populations in earlier studies.

Toxic Effects of Rhamnus alaternus: A Rare Case Report.

In Tunisia, there are about 478 species of plants commonly used in folk medicine. Medicinal plants and herbal remedies used are responsible for 2% of intoxications listed by Tunisian National Poison Center. Most cases are related to confusion between edible plants and toxic plants lookalikes or to an excessive consumption of therapeutic plants.

Risk of female breast cancer and serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls: a case-control study in Tunisia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum concentrations of a group of organochlorine pesticides/polychlorinated biphenyls with xenoestrogenic potential and the risk of breast cancer in a female population from Tunisia. The relationship between serum levels of the pollutants and the risk of cancer was assessed using logistic regression analyses. In the unadjusted models, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, polychlorinated biphenyl congeners 138, 153, and 180, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were positively associated with breast cancer risk.

Assessment of estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities of the mycotoxin zearalenone and its metabolites using in vitro receptor-specific bioassays.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a well-known mycotoxin present in numerous agricultural products. Humans and animals are therefore at a risk of exposure to zearalenone through consumption of contaminated food. After intake, ZEN is reduced to α- and β-zearalenol (α-ZEL and β-ZEL), zearalanone (ZAN), and α- and β-zearalanol (α-ZAL and β-ZAL).

Application of Plackett-Burman and Doehlert designs for optimization of selenium analysis in plasma with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was the optimization of selenium determination in plasma samples with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using experimental design methodology.

Design And Methods: 11 variables being able to influence selenium analysis in human blood plasma by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) were evaluated with Plackett-Burman experimental design. These factors were selected from sample preparation, furnace program and chemical modification steps.