Quantitative analysis of Gallstones in Libyan patients

Jarari AM1, Peela JR1, Patil TN1, Hai A1, Awamy HA1, El Saeity SO2, AbdelKafi

ABSTRACT
Gall stone disease is one of the major surgical problems in the Libyan population; it is probably
related to diet, especially excessive consumption of meat. The study was conducted to determine the
composition of gallstones and their possible etiology in a Libyan population. The chemical
composition of gallstones from 41 patients (6 males and 35 females) was analyzed. The stones were
classified into cholesterol, pigment and mixed stones. Cholesterol stones showed a significantly
higher cholesterol content than pigment stones (p=0.0085) though not significantly higher than mixed
stones. Their phospholipid content and inorganic phosphates were higher than in the other types of
stones; and oxalate content was significantly elevated in comparison with mixed stones (p=0.0471). In
mixed stones, the cholesterol, bile acids and bilirubin were intermediate between cholesterol and
pigment stones whereas triglycerides were significantly more than pigment stones (p=0.0004).
Bilirubin (0.0001) and bile acids (p=0.0009) were significantly higher than cholesterol stones
(p=0.0001). However, they contained the lowest amounts of sodium, potassium, magnesium and
oxalate. In pigment stones, bilirubin (p=0.0001) was significantly higher than both groups. Bile acid
content was significantly higher than cholesterol stones (p=0.0001) but not significantly more than
mixed stones. They showed the highest values of calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and
chlorides compared to the other types of stones. High levels of cholesterol in stones and dyslipidemia
associated with mixed as well as cholesterol gall stones suggest an etiological association and efforts
to reduce dietary fat among the Libyan population may lead to decreased cholesterol and mixed
gallstones.

5' Nucleotidase ,oxidative stress and antioxidant status in alchahol consumers and chirrotic patients

Abstracts
Background: The present study was undertaken to determine the 5'-nucleotidase enzyme activity in liver cirrhotic patients and alcohol consumers. Oxidative stress, antioxidants and their association with 5'-nucleotidase were also investigated.
Methods: The study included three groups of 25 age and sex matched subjects: group I (control), group II (alcohol consumers) and group III (cirrhotic patients). Blood samples were collected and centrifuged for separation of plasma for analysis of 5'-nucleotidase. Separated cells were washed thrice with 0.9% w/v cold normal saline and used for the analysis of glutathione, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase.
Results: The activity of serum 5'-nucleotidase was significantly increased in both cirrhotic patients and alcohol consumers. The levels of malondialdehyde were also significantly increased in both cirrhotic patients and alcohol consumers. The levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase were significantly decreased in both cirrhotic patients and alcohol consumers.
Conclusions: Study results indicated the activity of serum 5'-nucleotidase to be consistently higher in cirrhotic patients and alcohol consumers. The difference recorded might be pointing to the extent of liver damage, hepatobiliary damage, and biliary stasis.
 
Keywords
alcohol consumers; antioxidant effects; 5'-nucleotidase; oxidative stress 

Antioxidant status of atorvastatin in hypercholesterolemic patients

MOHAMMAD A. NASAR1, ABDALLA JARRARI1, MOHAMMAD A. NASEER2,

This study was an attempt to establish the extent of increased oxidative
stress in hypercholesterolemic patients and to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin
on the oxidative stress and antioxidant status. Blood samples of 15
subjects (age and sex matched) from three groups: group I (healthy subjects),
group II (hypercholesterolemic patients with atorvastatin treatment) and group
III (hypercholesterolemic patients without any hypolipidemic drug) were taken
and centrifuged to separate the plasma, which was used for the determination
of vitamin E. The separated cells were washed thrice with 0.90 % w/v cold normal
saline and used for the assay of the percentage hemolysis of the RBCs, and
the determination of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and hemoglobin.
The levels of oxidative stress were higher in the hypercholesterolemic in comparison
to the control and atorvastatin group. The levels of antioxidants were
higher in the atorvastatin group than in the hypercholesterolemic one but were
lower than the controls. From these findings, it was concluded that there is an
increase in oxidative stress in hypercholesterolemia but it decreased significantly
after 2 months of atorvastatin therapy and antioxidant status also improves
in patients taking atorvastatin.
Keywords: atorvastatin; oxidative stress; antioxidant effects; hypercholesterolemic
patients.

Iron status in acute myocardial infarction in hypertensives

Garyounis Medical Journal.Dr.AM Jarari,Dr.MM Abdelmonim,Dr.HA Al Attar and RM Pathak

                                                                  Abstract                                                                                      Background: High blood pressure is no less than an epidemic and remains a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Lately iron has been implicated as a risk factor for the progression to atherosclerosis. The catalytic iron is detrimental by generation of reactive oxygen species that may injure vessels supplying blood to the heart and inflict cardiovascular diseases by promoting lipid peroxidation. Whether iron has any role in inducing or regulating hypertension is not yet known.                                                                            Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate the magnitude of the alterations in the body iron status and the oxidative stress in the hypertensive and normotensive acute myocardial infarction patients and the correlations among the analysates.                                                                                                                  Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on thirty acute myocardial infarction subjects , ten of whom were hypertensives and the remaining twenty were  normotensives. Thirty age and sex matched medically healthy normotensive and non smoking subjects served as controls with normal ECG tracings and no prior history of cardiovascular, kidney , liver and thyroid diseases.                                                                                                                                                          The body iron status, oxidative stress and blood viscosity status were assessed by measuring serum ferritin as a marker along with total iron, total iron binding capacity, erythrocyte lipid peroxidation, haemoglobin and hematocrit values respectively in study groups and controls.                                                                                                                                                                      Results: The total iron, ferritin and lipid peroxidation activity were elevated in acute myocardial infarction in both the hypertensives and normotensives. The lipid peroxidation activity was  elevated  significantly  in hypertensives with acute myocardial infarction as compared to controls and these parameters were positively well correlated.  On the contrary, a statistical non-significant decrease was observed in the total iron binding capacity  in both the study groups compared to controls with a negative correlation with other parameters. No statistically significant deviations were observed when normotensive and hypertensive acute myocardial infarction groups were compared. Hemoglobin and hematocrit remained unaltered in either of the groups.                                                                                                                                                                Conclusion: It is inferred from the present study that the alterations in ferritin , total iron and lipid peroxidation may be modulated by the pro-inflammatory  and pro-oxidant events  potentiated  by increased catalytic iron activity and or hypertension mediated processes in the vessel wall leading to obstruction in the coronary blood flow to myocardium and associated ischemic cell necrosis.
  Key words: Hypertension, atherosclerosis, reactive oxygen species, catalytic iron