The effect of Artemisia sieberi extracts on the Formation of β-Hematin

The aim of the study is to assess the effect of Palestinian flora Artemisia sieberi extract against the formation of β-hematin in-vitro. β-hematin is a synthetic polymer made of ferriprotoporphyrin-IX and is structurally, chemically and spectroscopically identical to purified hemozoin formed during the intra-erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium life cycle. As strains of the malaria parasite Plasmodium emerged gaining resistance to the known drugs used such as chloroquine, amodaquine, artemisinin, the search for new anti-malarial drugs has become a must. Natural compounds were used throughout time as drugs and the history of anti-malarial drugs is linked with the history of herbal medicinal products. As an attempt to find new anti-malarial drugs, the potential inhibitory effect of Artemisia sieberi plant parts were studied using a semi-quantitative method. Leaves, flowers and stems were collected from various areas around Jerusalem, dried at room temperature and separately ground. Extraction was performed by soaking dried plant parts in 35% ethanol or ultrapure water. Extracts were filtered, rotary evaporated at 50°C and then lyophilized to a constant weight. Results of this study showed the alcoholic stem extract was the strongest in preventing the formation of β-Hematin when compared to that of the leaf or flower extracts. However the need to find the active components of this herbal extract requires further studies.The authors are grateful to the European Commission FP7 Programme for their financial support through DEBPAL2 project. We are grateful to Dr. Ogwang Patrick Engeu for his helpful discussions and insightful comments

Maternal serum screening of Palestinian women in the West Bank

ABSTRACT An audit was made of laboratory records of triple test results from 943 Palestinian women residing in the West Bank from 2000-03. The mean expected age at delivery of the subjects was 25.5 years; 12% were 35 years old or above. Age was the main factor associated with an abnormal calculated risk score. The frequency of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein was 1.3%, abnormal human choriogonic gonadotropin (elevated or reduced) was 1.9% and reduced unconjugated estriol was 0.3%. Dépistage sérologique maternel chez des Palestiniennes en Cisjordanie RÉSUMÉ On a procédé à un audit des dossiers de laboratoire pour les résultats du triple test de 943 Palestiniennes résidentes en Cisjordanie durant la période 2000-2003. L'âge moyen des sujets prévu à la date de l'accouchement était de 25,5 ans ; 12 % étaient âgés de 35 ans ou plus. L'âge était le principal facteur associé à un score de risque calculé anormal. La fréquence du taux élevé de l'alpha-foeto-protéine sérique était de 1,3 % ; pour la gonadotropine choriogonique humaine anormale (élévation ou diminution), la fréquence était de 1,9 %, et pour le taux diminué de l'estriol non conjugué de 0,3 %

Maternal serum screening of Palestinian women in the West Bank

ABSTRACT An audit was made of laboratory records of triple test results from 943 Palestinian women residing in the West Bank from 2000-03. The mean expected age at delivery of the subjects was 25.5 years; 12% were 35 years old or above. Age was the main factor associated with an abnormal calculated risk score. The frequency of elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein was 1.3%, abnormal human choriogonic gonadotropin (elevated or reduced) was 1.9% and reduced unconjugated estriol was 0.3%. Dépistage sérologique maternel chez des Palestiniennes en Cisjordanie RÉSUMÉ On a procédé à un audit des dossiers de laboratoire pour les résultats du triple test de 943 Palestiniennes résidentes en Cisjordanie durant la période 2000-2003. L'âge moyen des sujets prévu à la date de l'accouchement était de 25,5 ans ; 12 % étaient âgés de 35 ans ou plus. L'âge était le principal facteur associé à un score de risque calculé anormal. La fréquence du taux élevé de l'alpha-foeto-protéine sérique était de 1,3 % ; pour la gonadotropine choriogonique humaine anormale (élévation ou diminution), la fréquence était de 1,9 %, et pour le taux diminué de l'estriol non conjugué de 0,3 %

Potential Antimalarial Activity from Alcoholic Extracts of Wild Salvia palaestina Leaves

Malaria threatens the lives of more than one third of the world’s population; it is a major cause of human deaths. As a result of the emergence of resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum to common antimalarial drugs, the search for new antimalarial drugs is urgently needed. Hemozoin synthesis is an indispensable process for the parasite survival and is the target of action for several known antimalarial drugs. Sage, Salvia palaestina, is an aromatic Mediterranean plant. Its leaves have been used over centuries in Palestinian traditional medicine and are now being investigated for potential antimalarial activity. This study reveals the antimalarial activity of crude and HPLC separated fractions tested using two methods; the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) biomineralization: semi-quantitative micro-assay used by Deharo and a previously self-developed quantitative in vitro method. Reversed phase preparative liquid chromatography coupled to Photo Diode Array (PDA) detector was used to isolate and enrich eight fractions. Three fractions showed promising antimalarial activity. The crude alcoholic extract of sage leaves seems to have the potential of an antimalarial drug; it prevents β-hematin formation with an efficiency of about 72% when compared to the standard Chloroquine which gave 93% at comparable concentrations of chloroquine and extract.The authors are grateful to the European Commission FP7 Programme for their financial support through DEBPAL2 project. We are grateful to Prof. Pierre Lutgen for his helpful discussions and insightful comments

Polyglycolide/polylactide-coated platinum coils for patients with ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms: a single-center experience

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recanalization of cerebral aneurysm is a limitation of bare platinum coils (BPCs). In a swine aneurysm model, polyglycolide/polylactide (a polymer)-coated platinum coils (Matrix) accelerated clot fibrosis and reduced recanalization rate and aneurysmal volume. We aimed to evaluate the safety of Matrix coils in patients with intracranial aneurysm. METHODS: This is a single-center, prospective study of patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with Matrix alone or in combination with BPCs. Follow-up evaluation included a 1-month clinical evaluation and a 6- and 12-month clinical and angiographic examination. Primary adverse events included death, stroke, and permanent neurological deficits. RESULTS: Between May 2002 and January 2004, 52 patients (range 34 to 79 years of age; 38 females) were treated for 54 aneurysms (size 7.9+/-4.6 mm; neck 3.9+/-1.5 mm; 26 ruptured). Matrix alone was used in 13 aneurysms. In 39, we used a combination of Matrix and BPCs. Twenty-one aneurysms had a 6-month follow-up examination (11 Matrix; 10 Matrix combined with bare platinum), and 11 completed the 12-month follow-up evaluation (Matrix only). Adverse events not related to the procedure were 2 deaths (ruptured basilar aneurysms) and 1 stroke at day 10 postcoiling secondary to vasospasm. Procedure-related adverse events were 2 strokes. At 6-month follow-up (n=21) evaluation, 2 of 3 recanalizations needed retreatment. At 12-month follow-up (n=11), there was no recanalization in patients treated with Matrix alone and no significant reduction in aneurysmal size. CONCLUSIONS: Polyglycolide/polylactide-coated coils had a satisfactory safety profile. Significant aneurysmal size reduction after coiling was not observed

Intronic CYP46 polymorphism along with ApoE genotype in sporadic Alzheimer Disease: from risk factors to disease modulators

Increasing biological and clinical findings argue for a link between brain cholesterol turnover and Alzheimer Disease (AD), high cerebral levels of the former increasing Abeta load. Cerebral cholesterol elimination involves two mechanisms dependent on Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46). The aim of this study was to evaluate an intronic variation in CYP46 (intron 2, T --> C ) along with ApoE genotype as risk factors for AD and to establish the correlation between CYP46/ApoE polymorphism and disease progression. One-hundred and fifty-seven AD patients, who had been followed periodically through 1-year follow-up after enrollment, and 134 age- and gender-matched controls entered the study. The distribution of CYP46 genotypes was significantly different in AD compared to controls (P<0.004), being CYP*C allele higher in AD patients ( P<0.002). ApoE 4 genotype was more frequent in AD (41.4%) than in controls (15.9%, P<0.0001). The odds ratio (OR) for AD risk in CYP46*C carriers was 2.8, and in ApoE epsilon4 carriers was 4.05; the OR for having both CYP46*C and ApoE epsilon4 was 17.75, demonstrating the their synergic effect on AD risk. In AD patients, CYP46*C along with ApoE epsilon4 genotype were associated with a higher cognitive decline at 1-year follow-up (P<0.02). These findings provide direct evidence that CYP46 and ApoE polymorphisms synergically increase the risk for AD development, and influence on the rate of cognitive decline

Post-coital intra-cerebral venous hemorrhage in a 78-year-old man with jugular valve incompetence: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Spontaneous intra-cerebral hemorrhage can occur in patients with venous disease due to obstructed venous outflow.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 78-year-old Caucasian man with jugular valve incompetence who experienced an intra-cerebral temporo-occipital hemorrhage following sexual intercourse. He had no other risk factors for an intra-cerebral hemorrhage.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of intra-cerebral hemorrhage due to jugular valve incompetence in association with the physical exertion associated with sexual intercourse.</p