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.
The MTHFR C677T and CBS 844ins68 variants tested in this study, individually or combined, are not associated with CVD in the Algerian population.
The C677T variant of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), a key enzyme in the remethylation of homocysteine (HCY) to methionine, is a frequent genetic cause of moderate hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) among individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and particularly when combined with other factors such as hyperlipidaemia. However, in Algeria the influence of nutrient-gene interactions is not known. The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of age and gender, together with folate status, on the association between the C677T MTHFR polymorphism and plasma total HCY (tHCY) concentrations. This research was carried out as a prospective study on 98 patients hospitalized in the Cardiology Section, University of Sétif, Algeria. Mean age of participants was 57 y (range 20-96 y).The genetic analysis of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on Light Cycler in borosilicate capillaries with MTHFR 677CT polymorphism detection kit. The concentrations of tHCY, folic acid vitamin B 12 levels were determined using a competitive immunoassay on the IMMULITE 1000 Analyzers. Plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine and urea concentrations were measured by colorimetric methods. Assays were conducted according to the manufacturers' instructions. Plasma tHCY was significantly higher in the patients with CVD, and HHCY was associated with the presence of mildly elevated serum urea and creatinine (p <0.05). MTHFR gene mutation does not seem to be associated with elevation of plasma tHCY in the studied patients and this lack of correlation could be influenced by the higher folate concentrations in our study. CVD patients with 677CT/TT genotypes had a higher concentration of total cholesterol than those with 677CC genotype (p <0.05). Although, the presence of 677T variant together with hypofolatemia (<15.4 ng/ml) had a more detrimental effect on the level of total cholesterol (p <0.05). Folatemia and vitamin B 12 were much higher in 677CC genotype compared to 677CT/TT genotype in CVD subjects without hyperlipidemia (p <0.05). However in patients with hyperlipidemia these values became lower also with 677CC genotype. In conclusion, hyperlipidemia affects the levels of plasma folate and vitamin B 12 concentrations independent of mutated MTHFR genotype. The effect of 677T variant on total cholesterol, folate and vitamin B 12 concentrations may relate to possible adverse effects of elevated tHCY on lipid profiles and on plasma folate and vitamin B 12 .
Homocysteine (HCY) has been identified as a risk factor for vascular disease in the general population. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) itself rather than hyperhomocysteinemia is the leading cause of blindness among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our study was conducted with 60 healthy control subjects and 178 subjects with T2DM. They were enrolled in the Diabetes Prevention Program from September 2007 to December 2008. Of the 178 patients, 121 cases (68%) had DR Mean plasma total HCY (tHCY) levels were found to be higher in T2DM patients compared to controls (p <0.001), and were also higher than that of the DR group (p <0.001). Plasma folic acid levels were lower in the DR group compared with T2DM without DR and the control group (p <0.001), but there were no significant differences between the latter and the controls. Moderate hyperhomocysteinemia was significantly associated with lower vitamin B12 and folic acid concentrations and older age. Concentrations of serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were significantly raised (p <0.001) whereas the level of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) was decreased (p <0.001) in diabetic subjects as compared to controls. Logistic regression analysis showed that DR after adjustment was significantly associated with the following factors: cholesterol, HDL-C and TG. The analysis in DR patients after controlling for cholesterol and TG was independent of plasma tHCY concentrations (OR = 28.5 and OR = 11.9; respectively). In conclusion, results suggest a possible association between moderate hyperhomocysteinemia, traditional risk factors and folic acid deficiency could be an independent risk factor for DR.
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