BackgroundImmunomodulators are substances that modify immune system response to a threat. Immunomodulators modulate and potentiate the immune system, keeping it highly prepared for any threat. The immunomodulatory effect of the traditional medicine Tinospora crispa is investigated in this work.MethodsT. crispa ethanol extract was fractionated by using different solvents. The ethanol extract and effective isolated fraction were used to investigate the potential immunomodulatory effect of different T. crispa doses ranging from 25 μg/mL to 1000 μg/mL on RAW 246.7 cells by detecting intracellular INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. The antioxidant activity of T. crispa was evaluated through FRAP and DPPH. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were also quantified.ResultsResults show that T. crispa extract has higher antioxidant potential than ascorbic acid. The FRAP value of T. crispa extract is 11011.11 ± 1145.42 μmol Fe+2/g, and its DPPH inhibition percentage is 55.79 ± 7.9, with 22 μg/mL IC50. The results also reveal that the total phenolic content of T. crispa extract is 213.16- ± 1.31 mg GAE/g dry stem weight, and the total flavonoid content is 62.07- ± 39.76 mg QE/g dry stem weight. T. crispa crude extract and its isolated fraction significantly stimulate RAW264.7 cell viability (P ≤ 0.05) and intracellular INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. The results of LC-MS show that four of the active compounds detected in the T. crispa isolated fraction are cordioside, quercetin, eicosenoic acid (paullinic acid), and boldine.ConclusionsThe results of this study obviously indicate that T. crispa has immunomodulatory effects through the stimulation of INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-8 expressions. LC-MS phytochemical analysis showed that the T. crispa fraction has cordioside, quercetin, eicosenoic acid (paullinic acid), and boldine, which may be responsible for the immunostimulator effect of T. crispa.

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The wound-healing potential of Phaleria macrocarpa was evaluated by monitoring the levels of inflammatory mediators, collagen, and antioxidant enzymes. Experimentally, two-centimeter-wide full-thickness-deep skin excision wounds were created on the posterior neck area of the rats. The wounds were topically treated with gum acacia as a vehicle in the control group, intrasite gel in the reference group, and 100 and 200 mg/mL P. macrocarpa ‎fruit extract in the treatment group. Granulation tissues were excised on the 15th day and were further processed for histological and biochemical analyzes. Wound healing was evaluated by measuring the contractions and protein contents of the wounds. Cellular redistribution and collagen deposition were assessed morphologically using Masson's trichrome stain. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, along with malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined in skin tissue homogenates of the dermal wounds. Serum levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated in all the animals. A significant decrease in wound area was caused by a significant increase in TGF-β1 level in the treated groups. Decrease in TNF-α level and increase in the collagen formation were also observed in the treated groups. Topical treatment with P. macrocarpa fruit extract increased the SOD and CAT activities in the healing wounds, thereby significantly increasing MDA level. The topical treatment with P. macrocarpa fruit extract showed significant healing effect on excision wounds and demonstrated an important role in the inflammation process by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby accelerating the wound healing process and reducing tissue injury.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the classic acute phase proteins. The study of induction of acute phase reactants synthesis in parasitic infections would aid in understanding the host -parasite relationship. Methods: Seventy three children with parasitic diarrhoea that proved through clinical and microbiological investigation were selected. Thirteen of selected children were infected with G.lamblia and the rest sixty were infected with E.histolytica. Nineteen of the control group was females while the rest eleven were males. Venous Blood were collected from patients and control group for detection of CRP level via latex agglutination test. Results: The high rate of infection was detected among the age group (19-36) months. The highest level of CRP was (192 mg/dl) while the lowest one was (12 mg/dl) with a mean level (51.20 mg/dl). The mean level of CRP in control group was (3.7500 mg/dl). Positive significant correlations between CRP level and the age of infected children (r=0.290, p=0.013), the chronic infection with G.lamblia and E.histolytica (r=0.760, p=0.000). Positive significant correlation between the age group and the chronic infection with G.lamblia and E.histolytica (r=0.493, p=0.000). Significant difference was detected between the patients group and control group regarding the CRP level (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study proved that CRP level was increased in association with the age and chronic presentation of diarrhoea caused by G.lamblia and E.histolytica and can be used as a nonspecific immunological marker for monitoring of clinical presentation of G.lamblia and E.histolytica associated diarrheal .

Reactive arthritis (ReA) is an incendiary joint inflammation that occurs few days to weeks after a gastrointestinal or genitourinary infection. The etiology of the disease is not well-known. Therefore, the present study included 80 females and 25 males, divided into 51 patients with reactive arthritis and 54 healthy individuals as control group.  The study involved the detection of serum levels of anti-rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) as well as those of CRP and C3 in all subjects. In addition, EBV levels were detected by Real Time-PCR technique. The results showed significantly increased levels (P < 0.05) of CRP, C3 and anti-CCP Ab in ReA patients’ group compared to the healthy control group (505.42 ± 402.94 versus 255.62 ± 135.5 U/ml, 61.20 ± 100.64 versus 20.43 ± 47.63 ng/ml and 35.11 ± 30.0 versus 6.82 ± 14.01 pg/ml, respectively), Also, the RF results demonstrated a significantly increased percentage in ReA patients’ group compared to a healthy control group (61.11 versus 37.25 %). While, the molecular study showed a non-significant increase in the percentage of EBV in ReA patients’ group compared to a healthy control group (17.65 versus 12.69 %). The results of this study lead to suggest that the immunological markers used may play a role in the development of ReA disease, while there was a non-significant association between EBV infection and ReA disease development.

In this study we use two types of methods for detecting Rota virus in 91 stool specimens from children with acute gastroenteritis. The aim of this study to determine the performance (sensitivity & specificity) of latex agglutination (LAT) and enzyme linked immunos-orbentassay (ELISA) for evaluation children acute gastroenteritis by Rotavirus. Fecal samples were collected from ninety one children suffering from acute gastroentritis. their age ranged between(1 132) months. The highest sensitivity was(92.5%) obtained with LAT followed by ELISA (84.09%). while the highest specificity was(93.6%) obtained with ELISA followed by LAT(86.3%). the highest predictive positivity value was obtained with ELISA(92.5%) followed by LAT (84.09%). LAT is easy to performance and gave high sensitivity with accepted specificity therefore, could be applied successfully for routine diagnosis and Epidemiological study. But ELISA techniques allow quantitative estimation of Rotavirus antigens.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether anti-rK39 antibodies were diagnostic markers for visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) and to evaluate the correlation between age and gender in disease occurrence in Iraqi patients. In addition, it aimed to evaluate the correlation between thyroid hormones, i.e., thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) and anti-rK39 antibodies. Materials and Methods:Immunochromatographic technique used for anti-rK39 antibodies detection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for determining the serum TSH, T3, and T4 levels.Results: One hundred thirty-eight patients with visceral leishmaniasis were included. The mean age was 27.65±11.60 years. Sixty-one patients (44.2%) were males, and their mean age was 29.65±11.10 years. The mean age of females was 26.12±11.89 years. Anti-rK39 antibodies were detected in 11.59% of patients. Anti-rK39 antibodies were equally detected (5.8%) in both genders without a significant difference (p=0.212) or correlation between gender and anti-rK39 antibodies (p=0.623). There was neither a significant difference (p>0.05) nor correlation between gender; age groups according to gender and anti-rK39 antibodies (p>0.05). Both males and females who were positive for anti-rK39 antibodies had normal TSH, T3, and T4 levels. Only one patient who was positive for anti-rK39 antibodies had an elevated T4 level (>12 µg/dL). Neither a significant difference nor correlation was reported among genders; anti-rK39 antibody positivity (p>0.05); and TSH, T3, and T4 levels.Conclusion: Anti-rK39 antibodies, a daignostic marker for visceral leishmaniasis have no correlation with patients age and gender. Serum TSH and T3 levels were not affected by visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis causes the increase in serum T4 levels. Thyroid involvement appears to be uncommon in patients who present with visceral leishmaniasis.Keywords: rK39-specific antibodies, thyroid-stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine, thyroxin. ÖZAmaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı anti-rK39 antikorlarının visseral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) için tanısal belirteç-ler olup olmadıklarını belirlemek ve Iraklı hastalarda hastalığın ortaya çıkmasında yaş ve cinsiyet arasın-daki ilişkiyi değerlendirmektir. Ayrıca tiroit stimule edici hormon (TSH), triiyodotironin (T3) ve tiroksin (T4) gibi tiroit hormonları ile anti-rK39 antikorları arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Anti-rK39 antikorlarının tespiti için immünokromatografik teknik kullanıldı. Serum TSH, T3 ve T4 seviyelerini belirlemek için Eliza testinden yararlanıldı.Bulgular: Visseral leishmaniasis hastalığı olan 138 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Ortalama yaş 27,65±11,60 yıl olarak bulundu. Hastaların 61'i (%44,2) erkekti ve ortalama yaşları 29,65±11,10 yıldı. Kadın hastaların ortalama yaşı 26,12±11,89 yıldı. Hastaların %11,59'unda anti-rK39 antikorları tespit edildi. Anti-rK39 antikorları cinsiyet ve anti-rK39 antikorları arasında anlamlı bir fark (p=0,212) veya korelasyon olmaksızın h...

Objective: The aim is to determine the effectiveness of indirect Haemagglutination (IHA) as diagnostic techniques for Cystic Echinococcosis in Iraqi and the possible correlation of age and gender in disease occurrence. Material and Methods: IHA technique using sensitized sheep red blood cells coated with an Echinococcus granulosus antigen. A chi square, Pearson correlation used for analysis of categorical variables. Results: Patients presented with clinical manifestation of hydatidosis (202) selectively enrolled in this study. The mean age was 31.64±8.98 years. The minimum age was 18 years and the maximum age was 70 years. Males represent 50%, with the mean age of 33.50±7. 8 years. The rest of patients were females with a mean age of 29.78±9. 6 years. Positive cases represent 19.3%, and the 80.7% were negative. The number of positive cases was higher among females (22.8%) compared with males (15.8%) with no significant difference (p= 0.212) or correlation between gender and IHA results (p = 0.214) .The majority of patients had a the rage of 24-30 years, 31-36 years and 18-23 years. Among males, a higher number of positive cases at 31-36 years followed by 24-30 years and 49-54 years. Among females, a higher number of positive cases with 24-30 years of age was followed by those with 37-42 years of age and 18-23 years of age. There was a significant difference (p= 0.001) between age groups according to gender without a significant correlation between the age group and IHA results according to gender (p= 0.268). Conclusion:The IHA is considered as rapid, reliable and adequate technique that makes it possible to process a large number of samples simultaneously. It does not require highly trained technical personnel. Females appear to be more susceptible to CE than males especially in younger age groups.