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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Estimation of Ochratoxin A in human blood of healthy Tunisian population.

Human exposure to Ochratoxin A (OTA) has been investigated in many Mediterranean countries, where OTA was found with a higher frequency in foodstuffs and blood samples. The aim of this study was to assess OTA concentrations in human blood serum in Tunisia and to evaluate the impact of several factors (age, origin, sex) on these prevalence reference values. One hundred and seven blood serum samples from healthy subjects were analyzed using a solid-phase extraction linked to a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.

Effect of high calcium and phosphate concentrations on the physicochemical properties of two lipid emulsions used as total parenteral nutrition for neonates.

Premature infants require protein and energy for their growth and an adequate intake of calcium and phosphorus for their bone formation. However, several factors can affect the stability of intravenous lipid emulsions intended to be administered as neonatal total parenteral nutrition. This study evaluated the effect of additives and various concentrations of both calcium gluconate and glucose-1-phosphate on two intravenous lipid emulsions (Clinoleic 20% and Ivelip 20%) when using Primene 10% as source of amino acids and simulating clinical conditions (24-h storage at 37 degrees C).

Effect of the intravenous lipid emulsions on the availability of calcium when using organic phosphate in TPN admixtures.

Purpose: The addition of high amounts of calcium remains a pharmaceutical concern due to its precipitation with phosphate in total parenteral nutrient (TPN) admixtures, compromising also the stability of the lipid emulsion.

Materials And Methods: Calcium-phosphate solubility was compared when using binary PN solutions versus all-in-one TPN (admixtures with lipid emulsions) in three formulas using organic calcium gluconate and glucose-1-phosphate.

Results: It was found that variation of Ca-P solubility exists between formulation with or without lipid emulsions.

Inhalant abuse detection and evaluation in young Tunisians.

Occupational exposure biological monitoring techniques were applied for the diagnosis of inhalation abuse and for the evaluation of the levels of exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and n-hexane, in 44 Tunisian adolescents and children suspected for volatile substance addiction. Urinary trans,trans-muconic acid, hippuric acid (HA), mandelic acid, and methylhippuric acids determinations were performed by high performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector, and urinary o-cresol (o-Cr) and 2,5-hexanedione (HD) were extracted simultaneously and measured using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. Given the high linearity ranges, HD and o-Cr occupational exposure monitoring techniques could be applied without modification.

Both aluminum and polyphenols in green tea decoction (Camellia sinensis) affect iron status and hematological parameters in rats.

Background: Green tea leaves naturally contain high levels of polyphenols and aluminum (Al). Polyphenols in green tea decoction are considered to be one of the major factors responsible of low iron status. However, the effects of Al from green tea decoction on iron status and hematological parameters remained unclear.

Methanol poisoning in Tunisia: report of 16 cases.

Methanol poisoning continues to be a public health problem in Tunisia in spite of the different legislative measures. We report a series of 16 cases of methanol poisoning admitted to our Intensive Care Unit between December 2003 and April 2004. The patients' median age was 21.

Artemisia herba-alba Asso (Asteraceae) has equivalent effects to green and black tea decoctions on antioxidant processes and some metabolic parameters in rats.

Aims: The objective was to compare the long-term effects of Artemisia herba-alba Asso decoction with a green or black tea decoction, prepared without sugar, on the antioxidant processes in rats.

Methods: The direct parameters used in the control of antioxidant processes were total antioxidant status, glutathione peroxidase activity and conjugated dienes, as early markers of lipid peroxidation. However, the indirect parameters used in this control were the body weight gains, plasma glucose and lipid concentrations, iron, copper and zinc status.

[Oxidative stress in end stage renal disease: evidence and association with cardiovascular events in Tunisian patients].

We assessed oxidative stress in 35 chronic renal failure under conservative treatment (CRF), 50 hemodialysed (HD) and 30 renal transplant (RT) patients, and 31 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Compared to controls, CRF patients exhibited significantly higher conjugated dienes (139 +/- 37 versus 121 +/- 22 micromol/l) and LDL oxidation (126 +/- 65 versus 99 +/- 46 micromol/l). Glutathione peroxidase activity was decreased in CRF and HD (5.

Prognostic value of human erythrocyte acetyl cholinesterase in acute organophosphate poisoning.

Acute organophosphate poisoning (OPP) such as dichlorvos may be monitored by the measurement of the erythrocyte acetyl cholinesterase (EAChE) and the serum cholinesterase (SChE) activities. The aim of this study was to look at correlation between the severity of the OPP judged by certain parameters such as coma, hemodynamic disturbances, respiratory failure, and the decrease of cholinesterases enzymes including EAChE and SChE at admission. Cholinesterase activity was determined upon admission and then on days 3 and 15 in the morning.

Impact of ceftazidime restriction on gram-negative bacterial resistance in an intensive care unit.

The present study included three periods: (1) a 12-month pre-restriction and control period in 2001; (2) a 12-month restriction period with reduced ceftazidime prescribing in favor of piperacillin-tazobactam (2002); (3) and a 24 month post-restriction period (2003-2004). Note that, for results, P represents the difference between 2002 and 2001; P', the difference between 2003 and 2001; and P'', the difference between 2004 and 2001. No changes in hygiene practices were observed during these three periods.