Nigella sativa is a medicinal plant widely used in the Arabic and Islamic world against a number of human pathologies. In this present study the methanol extraction (85 % then 50 %) of plant seeds gave an important yield of 27 % of dry substance. The anti-hyperglycaemia effect of the crude methanolic extract and the commercial oil of these seeds were tested in alloxan-induced, intra peritoneal, diabetic rats (150 mg/kg). Effects of these two substances on other diabetes-linked factors such as the reducing power of the plasma and the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. The daily orally administration of the crude methanolic extract (810 mg/kg/day) and the oil (2.5 ml/kg/day) for 25 days leads to a significant decrease of glycaemia, especially during the first 10 days of treatment (decreases of 58.09 and 73.27 % respectively). However, the dose of 270 mg/kg of crude methanolic extract had no effect, which is probably due to the low dose. In addition the antioxidant capacity, measured by the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) technique, increased in all diabetic rats and the introduction of either the crude methanolic extract or the oil fraction showed any improvement on this factor. However, a slight resistance, not reaching significance, against the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes was induced in diabetic rats. The antihyperglycaemic effect of both substances is not related to inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption or stimulation of insulin secretion. We suggest that the action is a result of the inhibition of enzymes involved in the neoglucogenesis pathway in the liver. As shown the stress associated with the metabolic perturbation observed in diabetes induces a physiological anti-oxidant response, which probably masks the antioxidant effect of our two substances of this medicinal plant.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) including spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele are among the most common birth defects, with high associated mortality and morbidity. There are no data concerning the incidence, associated anomalies, treatment and outcome of NTDs in Algeria. The objective of this study is to analyse data on NTD cases from 2004-2006 at Sétif Hospital, a hospital with 8,000-10,000 deliveries annually. A retrospective chart review of patients with NTDs was performed, who were born at Sétif Hospital 2004-2006. During the 3 year period we examined, there were 215 patients with NTDs treated in the Sétif Hospital. The incidence of NTD is 7.5 per 1,000 births. The sex distribution was not equal among NTD cases, 126 (58.6%) females, 88 (40.9%) males and one (0.5%) unidentified sex. Among all NTD cases, there where 122 (56.7%) with spina bifida, 69 (32.1%) with anencephaly, 1 (0.5%) with encephalocele and 23 (10.7%) with anencephaly and spina bifida. Hundred and seventeen (54.4%) cases died in utero and 4 cases (1.9%) unknown. The rate of consanguinity among all NTD cases was 13% (28/215). The rate of affected newborns was highest in mothers aged 31-35 years (21.9%). The peak prevalence was in June (15.8%). A half of NTDs were spina bifida and there was a high rate of mortality. This study demonstrates that NTD represents a significant public health problem in Algeria. In Algeria there were no population-wide educational campaigns about folic acid or its association with the prevention of birth defects. Public health interventions aimed at increasing the periconceptional consumption of folic acid should be implemented or enhanced to reduce the incidence of NTDs in Algeria.

Elevated homocysteine levels observed in CHF patients, whatever the etiology of their heart disease (ischemic or non-ischemic), were correlated with the severity of the disease. Hyperhomocysteinemia appears to be a predictive factor of mortality in CHF patients.

No abstract

The polymorphic mutation 677 C-T in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene presents a heterogeneous worldwide distribution and is associated with different disorders such as cardiovascular disease. Its frequency shows great ethnic and geographic variations. The aim of this work is to determine the frequency of MTHFR 677 C-T and coexistence of MTHFR 677 C-T with 2 other common, hereditary thrombophilia causes-namely, factor V 1691 G-A and prothrombin (PT) 20210 G-A mutation-in the Sétif region of Algeria. The study involved 147 apparently healthy participants (82 men and 65 women). Genotyping was carried out by a real-time polymerase chain reaction. The MTHFR 677T carrier frequency was found to be 54.4% (80/147); 59 individuals were heterozygous (40.1%), and 21 were homozygous (14.3%). The frequency of MTHFR 677T was found to be 34.3%. Among the 147 individuals, 3 (2.0%) had factor V Leiden, and 5 (3.4%) had PT 20210 A mutation. Of the 80 participants with MTHFR 677T mutation, 2 had heterozygote factor V 1691 G-A gene mutation, and 4 had heterozygote PT 20210 G-A gene mutation. The results showed that MTHFR 677T prevalence is quite high: an allelic frequency of 34.3% with a genotype frequency of 14.3%. Factor V 1691 G-A and PT 20210 G-A gene mutations are rare in the healthy population of the Sétif region of Algeria.