Determination of Organochlorinated Pesticide Residues By Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry after Elution in A Florisil Column

The purpose of the present study was to develop an easy analytical method for determining alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor (HC), aldrin (ALD), 4,4-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4-DDE) and 4,4-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4-DDT) residues by gas chromatography with mass spectrometre (GC-MS) for routine analysis. Chicken muscles were utilized as samples in this study. A florisil packed column was used in sample preparation step and showed good performance. The average precision and accuracy ranged 8.03-24.00% and -4.36-30.67%, respectively (n=6). The average recoveries were between 95.74 and 130.67% for various spiking levels (25, 50, 100 ng/g). The average of inter- and intra-day precision was <13 and the limits of detection were ranged 7-19 ng/g, depending on different organochlorinated (OC) pesticides. In conclusion, the extraction method used in the present study was inexpensive (do not require skilled operators, high volume of solvent or costly apparatus), easy and rapid. Additionally, the validation parameters show that the proposed method in this study is sensitive, reproducible and reliable alternative to the normally used methods. Thus, it could efficiently be used in the routine and monitoring studies so that several samples can be run in parallel

Screening Cage Culture Fish Species for Organic Chlorinated Pesticide and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Residues in Turkey

Organic chlorinated compounds (aldrin, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, 2,4’-DDT, and 4,4’-DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyles (PCB28 and PCB52) were screened in fish culture cages off the Aegean Coast of Turkey. Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sea bream (Sparus aurata) were randomly selected from three coastal areas during June-December 2004. Samples of 114 fish were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with an electron capture detector and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). No residues exceeding limits established by the European Union Directive were detected. However, 4,4’-DDE was found in 2.63% of the samples. The amounts of residues in all positive samples were lower than the maximum tolerance limits (0.2-1 mg/kg) accepted by the EU Directive. Contamination levels varied with species, ranging 18-200 ng/g wet weight. Other chemicals were not detected in fish samples

The Investigation of Protective Effects of the Panax ginseng on Oxidative Damage Induced by Chronic Fluoride Toxicity in Mice Testis Tissue

The aim Of this Study was to investigate the effects of Panax ginseng (PG) on antioxidant activity in testis tissue Of healthy mice. In the Study, totally 40 adult male Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into 4 equal groups; each group containing 10 mice. These groups were divided as control (group K, only drinking water), fluoride (group F, 40 mg F/lt/day flouride), fluoride + Panax ginseng (group F+PG, 40 mg F/lt/day fluoride +100 mg/kg/day PG) and Panax ginseng (group PG, 100 mg/kg/day PG). At the end of the experimental period (30 days), the mice were sacrifed by cervical dislocation. Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA), the activities of glutathione (GSH), glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were investigated in testis tissues. Also were examined histological changes occured in testes tissue. In fluoride treated mice were observed significant increases in MDA levels and marked decreases in GSH, GSH-Px and SOD activities (p<0.05), and was determined damage of cell integrity in wall of tubuli seminiferous contorti and decrease to density of spermatozoon in epididymal lumen in compared to the control group. Panax ginseng treatment was significantly blocked the increases of MDA level and the decreases of GSH, GSH-Px and SOD activities (P<0.05). Also, the degenerative changes and the decreases of spermatozoon density induced by fluoride administration were ameliorated with PG treatments. As a result, fluoride may affect spermatogenesis by enhancing lipid peroxidation, and this injury can be decreased with PG treatment

Influences of flunixin and tenoxicam on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of flunixin (FM) and tenoxicam (TN) on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol (FF) after coadministration in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemic rabbits. Fifteen male rabbits were used in this study. FF (20 mg/kg), FM (2 mg/kg), and TN (1 mg/kg) were coadministered via intravenous injection to the animals. The concentrations of FF were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection from 0.08 to 12 h in plasma. The plasma concentration-time profile of FF was described using a noncompartmental open model. In this study, terminal half-life, area under the curve, mean residence time, and volume of distribution at steady state were significantly increased, whereas total body clearance was decreased in coadministered groups. In conclusion, FM and TN have effects on the pharmacokinetics of FF in coadministered endotoxemic rabbits. When FF is coadministered with FM and TN, it can be given at a dose of 20 mg/kg b.w. every 8 h for treatment of infections caused by susceptible pathogens with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of <= 2 mu g/mL or 12 h for treatment of infections caused by susceptible pathogens with MIC of <= 1 mu g/mL in critically ill rabbits. Further studies are necessary to determine variations in dosage regimens

Direct Role of alpha(2)-Adrenoreceptors in Antiulcer Effect Mechanism of Tianeptine in Rats

Tianeptine is an anti-depressant drug that also has an anti-ulcer activity. In this study, it was investigated whether or not alpha(2)-adrenoreceptors have a role in the anti-ulcer effect mechanism of tianeptine. Furthermore, we investigated both intact and adrenalectomized rats to determine whether or not the anti-ulcer activity of tianeptine is related to adrenal gland hormones involved in this mechanism. In all rats, 25 mg/kg indomethacin produced gastric ulceration. Tianeptine was administered to the indomethacin-induced ulcers in the rats at different doses. Yohimbine, selective alpha(2)-receptor blocker, was given (10 mg/kg) to some rats (adrenalectomized 6 groups and intact 4 groups), for blockage of the alpha 2-receptor. Tianeptine showed antiulcer effects of 59.6-81.6% in all animals. The results of this study show that tianeptine caused a significant anti-ulcer activity in both adrenalectomized and intact rats. Tianeptine does not have an anti-ulcer effect in rats which have been given yohimbine. Thus, the adrenal gland hormones do not have a direct effect on the anti-ulcer activity of tianeptine. This drug may be directly related to the alpha 2-adrenoreceptors. Moreover, the anti-ulcer effect shows an increase in parallel with increasing dose. This property of tianeptine could make it suitable for use in the treatment of both depression and peptic ulcer patients

Influence of experimentally induced. toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) on the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin

The pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin was evaluated in Toxoplasma gondii infected and control mice. Single dose of levofloxacin (10 mg/kg b.w.) was administered orally to the T. gondii infected and control mice. The experimental infection was done by intraperitoneal administration of 200 W of antigen solution (antigen solution concentrations were prepared under microscope at x40: 5, 10, and 20 trophozoites per microscopic field) per mouse from each concentration. Plasma concentrations of levofloxacin were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Following the administration of levofloxacin, T. gondii infection resulted in significant reduction (p<0.05) of the distribution half life (t(1/2 alpha)) parameters and also in increase of the peak drug concentration (C-max) compared with in control group. Also the area under curve (AUC) and mean resistance time (MRT) values of levonoxacin in T. gondii infected group (4.72 +/- 1.03 and 6.63 +/- 0.71, respectively) were found smaller than in control group (6.12 +/- 0.72 and 8.46 +/- 0.27, respectively). The study results show that a clinician may have to suitably modify the dosage regimens of the levofloxacin while setting up therapy of bacterial infection or other disease