In vivo and in vitro studies on the effect of larvin and cypermethrin on adenosine triphosphatase activity of male rats

Liver is removed from albino rat and assayed for total adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity following administration with single and repeated doses of larvin and cypermethrin. The data indicate that the total (Na+, K+; Mg2+) dependent ATPase in the liver tissue is significantly inhibited by single and repeated doses of both insecticides. This inhibition is more pronounced by the repeated dose of cypermethrin than that of larvin. The in vitro study revealed that the inhibition encountered by different concentration of both larvin and cypermethrin is of the irreversible non-competitive type. This data indicate that these insecticides can cause biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver ATPase activity which may inhibit several biochemical functions of ATPase system such as: the active transport of metal ions, oxidative phosphorylation of liver cells and generally the muscle contraction.

Studies on serum beta-glucuronidase activity and urinary tryptophan metabolites in human fascioliasis

In the last few years, human fascioliasis has been reported more frequently from different parts of the world including Egypt. The present work aimed to study the ability of fascioliasis affected patients to metabolize tryptophan and to explore how this disease can affect the activity of the hydrolytic lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase. Liver and kidney functions and complete blood pictures of the studied patients were considered. Eleven tryptophan metabolites together with 4-pyridoxic acid, the major metabolite of vitamin B6, were determined. Fascioliasis showed an abnormal pattern of tryptophan metabolism which resembled that described earlier by Kupke and Knapp and which indicated that those patients were suffering from vitamin B6 deficiency. This conclusion was proved by the decreased levels of 4-pyridoxic acid. Abnormally high levels of beta-glucuronidase were also encountered in the fascioliasis cases which points to the liver damage caused by the fluke.

The correlation between certain tryptophan metabolites and the N-nitrosamine content in the urine of bilharzial bladder cancer patients

The present work is an up-to-date approach to study the correlation between the excretion pattern of tryptophan metabolites along the kynurenine pathway (after loading with 2 gm. L-tryptophan), and the N-nitrosamine content in urine of bilharzial bladder cancer patients. The control group was composed of healthy subjects who had no reported history of S. haematobium infection and no current bacterial cystitis. The N-nitrosamine content was determined by the colorimetric method of Eisebrand and Preussmann (1970). It was demonstrated that 64 per cent of the patients metabolized the tryptophan load abnormally and the others metabolized it almost normally. Moreover, the N-nitrosamines were present in 43 per cent of controls and 93 per cent of patients have these derivatives in higher values. The presence of an inverse correlation between certain tryptophan metabolites, shown previously to be bladder carcinogens, and the N-nitrosamine content, especially after loading, was interpreted in view of the possible conversion of some tryptophan metabolites into N-nitrosamines either under endovesical conditions or during the execution of the colorimetric determination of these compounds. Therefore, thorough investigation is urgently needed to study the origin of these urinary N-nitrosamines. Moreover, improved method(s) for their colorimetric determination are also urgently needed.