Abstract: This review almost covers what is actually known to date about the black seed and its constituents.  It is clear that most of the potent and fruitful activity resides in its volatile oil and a protein component. However, the volatile oil suffers the drawback of the bronhoconstricting effect of thymoquinone.  However, the latter can be easily removed from the oil to obtain a dethymoquinoneated oil that has already been shown to possess the major characteristics of the whole oil.  At this moment there are a lot of experimental data that hopefully, may stimulate the beginning of the era of pilot clinical studies to evaluate the clinical potential of the volatile oil, some of the protein fractions and the dethymoquinoneated volatile oil.  It is hoped that this plea will have a rapid response.

Key words: Blackseed, Thymoquinone, P-Cymene, 1 -pinene –hederin, Nigellane

                                                                                                      J T U Med Sc 2006; 1 (1): 1-19

Abstract: Two common polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, the thermolabile C677T and A1298C polymorphism may contribute to hyperhomocysteinemia, a known risk factor for vascular diseases. Twenty with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 20 patients with cerebro-vascular stroke (CVS) were compared with 20 controls. Using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, we studied C677T and A 1298C MTHFR genotypes and their combined effect on homocysteine, measured by chemiluminescent enzymatic immunometric assay. Homocysteine values were significantly higher in CAD (16.12 ± 5.09 µmol/L) and in CVS (16.79 ± 5.93 µmol/L) compared with controls (10.43± 2.57 µmol/L, P<0.01). In C677T genotype, homocysteine was significantly higher in TT (18.26 ±2.75 µmol/L) and in CT (17.60 ± 7.22 µmol/L) than in CC genotype (12.94 ± 4.16 µmol/L, P<0.01). However, in A1298C genotype, no significant difference was found between the mean homocysteine level in AA genotype (14.14 ± 4.32 µmol/L), AC genotype (14.25 ± 5.50 µmol/L) and CC genotype patients (16.28 ± 8.76 µmol/L, P>0.05). A significant positive correlation between plasma homocysteine and cholesterol (r=0.37, P<0.01) and LDL-C levels was found (r=0.321, P<0.05). The percentage of patients with high homocysteine level (³15 µmol/L) were significantly higher in CAD (50%) and CVS (55%) than controls (5%, P<0.01, odd ratio=21). In contrast to the A1298C polymorphism, the MTHFR TT and CT genotypes were associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. The knowledge of the MTHFR mutation (C677T) status might represent a way to identify subjects at high risk for hyperhomocysteinemia.

Key words: Homocysteine, Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism, C677T MTHFR genotypes,   A1298C MTHFR genotypes.

       U Med Sc 2006; 1(1):20-29

 

Abstract: The underlying cause of age related degenerative valvular calcifications is largely unknown. As a result, a case control study was used to evaluate the hypothesized risk factors. One hundred seventy two elderly matched for age & gender participated in this study (86 cases & 86 matched controls). Assessment of risk factors for atherosclerosis was done with medical history as well as measurement of body mass index (BMI), blood sugar, lipid profile, and homocysteine. Measurement of bone minerals, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone mass density (BMD) were also done. This study confirmed the vascular hypothesis of degenerative calcification of cardiac valves. It showed that with multiple logistic regression analysis, the magnitude of the risk conveyed by atherosclerotic risk factors was particularly high for high cholesterol level, low HDL level, high LDL level & high homocysteine level. Those factors were independent risk factors for degenerative calcification of cardiac valves (P = 0.019).

 

Key words: Degenerative, Calcification, Cardiac Valves

 

   J T U Med Sc 2006; 1(1):42-47

 

Abstract: Hodgkin’s disease (HD) has unique epidemiological features with diversified pathologies. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological pattern of HD at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah. Our results will be compared to those in the literatures. In addition, the relationship between peripheral blood lymphopenia on presentation, and clinical and laboratory variables among HD patients will also be addressed. A total of 81 HD patients were included in this study. The records were analyzed retrospectively from January 1998 through December 2004 and recorded in a structured form. In order to determine the importance of lymphopenia on presentation as a diagnostic marker in HD a comparison was made to a similar number of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) after standardization for age, sex and clinical presentation. Moreover, the association between lymphopenia and clinical and laboratory variables were also studied. There were 54 (66.7%) non-Saudi and 27 (33.3%) Saudi patients with a male to female ratio of 1.3:1.  The mean age of the patients was 40.4 years, ranging from (12-82) years with a SD of ±18.95. Cervical lymph nodes were the most common finding at the time of presentation.  Mixed cellularity was the most frequent pathology followed by nodular sclerosis with prevalence of advanced stages of the disease in 48 (59.2%) and B symptoms 67 (82.7%).  Lymphopenia was seen in 33 patients, 24 (72.7%) of them were above the age of 30. A comparison between Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma regarding lymphopenia, using the same number of patients after standardization for age, sex and presentation did not turn out to be significant (P > 0.05). Relationship between lymphopenia and other clinical and laboratory variables also did not turn out to be significant with the exception of anemia where the P-value was <0.05. Our data demonstrated that HD is more common among males, mainly at middle age with lack of bimodal age distribution. Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common presenting sign. Similar to other developing countries the mixed cellularity type of HD was the most common type followed by the nodular sclerosis type. Lymphopenia on presentation is common among patients with HD especially above the age of 30. In order to analyze the importance of this finding as a diagnostic marker in HD, a comparison was made to NHL patients but the association was insignificant. The relationship between lymphopenia and anemia among HD patients is significant as compared to other clinical and laboratory variables.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                           Keywords: Epidemiology, Histopathology, Hodgkin's disease, Lymphopenia

                                             J T U Med Sc 2006; 1(1):48-56

 

Abstract: Macrophages, neutrophils and other phagocytic cells are key components of the antiparasitic, antimicrobial and tumoricidal immune responses. These cells are capable of generating large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). ROS and RNS have a possible role in the pathogenesis of parasitic disease. Lipid peroxidation is a well-established mechanism of cellular injury and is used as an indicator of oxidative stress in cells and tissues. To examine oxidant status and lipid peroxidation in fascioliasis patients, the malondialdehyde (MDA) (an end-product of lipid peroxidation) has been studied. Serum MDA level was measured in 34 patients infected with Fasciola gigantica and their age and gender were matched to 36 healthy controls. The difference between MDA levels of patients infected with Fasciola gigantica and the control group was statistically significant both in females (P< 0.05) and males (P< 0.05) with no correlation between age and MDA levels both in females and males of patient and control group. The high infection/control ratio of MDA concentration and the significant correlation strongly indicate the occurrence of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation as a mechanism of tissue damage in cases of F. gigantica infection.

                                                                                                                                                                              

Keywords: Fascioliasis, Reactive Nitrogen Species, Reactive Oxygen Species

 

    J T U Med Sc 2006; 1(1): 57-64

 

Abstract: A case series of six patients with uncontrolled anterior uveitis of different etiology were treated with subconjunctival injections of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU 5.0 mg/0.1 ml with a total dose of 15-20 mg over 2-3 weeks. All patients showed complete remission of anterior uveitis and control of uveitic glaucoma for > 9 months. 5-Fluorouracil might be an effective alternative to corticosteroids in controlling anterior uveitis. Patients at high risk of corticosteroids complications and those with uveitic glaucoma may benefit from this drug.

                                                                                                                                               

Key words: Anterior uveitis, Glaucoma, Endophthalmitis, 5-Fluorouracil

   J T U Med Sc 2006; 1(1): 65-71

 

Abstract: Most xenobiotics and carcinogens are metabolized primarily by the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes including cytochrome P450, cytochrome b₅, arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), and dimethylnitrosamine N-demethylase I (DMN-dI) as phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes. Therefore, changes in the activities of the above mentioned enzymes as well as free radical levels measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS] were determined in the livers of sixty mice pretreated with glutathione [100 mg/kg], as antioxidant, before intraperitoneal administration of dimethylnitrosamine [DMN] [10 mg/kg], diethylnitosamine [DEN] [10 mg/kg], or methylpropylnitrosamine [MPN] [10 mg/kg] for seven consecutive days. Ten control animals received distilled water as vehicle for comparison with treated animals. The hepatic content of cytochrome P450 induced after treatment of mice with DMN, DEN and MPN while DMN, DEN, or MPN increased AHH activity. Also, cytochrome b₅ content and DMN-N-dI induced after treatment with DMN or DEN. Interestingly, glutathione pretreatment restored the activities of the previously mentioned enzymes caused by DMN or DEN. On the other hand, DMN, DEN, and MPN depleted the levels of glutathione, and increased the levels of free radicals [TBARS]. DMN and DEN increased the activity of GST. Interestingly, pretreatment of mice with glutathione before administration of DMN, or DEN was found to restore the levels of TBARS and GSH to their normal levels. In addition, GSH pretreatments induced the activity of GST above the normal levels after administration of DMN or MPN except DEN did not change such activity. It was concluded that N-nitrosamines enhanced the activity of phase I & II carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes as well as increased the production of free radicals. The mechanism by which GSH restores the activity of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes or free radical production to their normal levels is possibly due to induction of GST activity and/or a direct binding to the xenobiotic molecules.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Key words: Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, N-nitrosodimethylamine N- demethylase

 

  J T U Med Sc 2006; 1(1): 72-81