Assay of partially purified glutamate dehydrogenase isolated from asparagus beans for VMAX and KM as a measure of its role in ammonium ion assimilation

Glutamate dehydrogenase (E C 1.4.1.1) isolated from the seeds of asparagus beans was partially purified to a factor of 22 by dialysis after fractional precipitation with solid ammonium sulphate at 40 and 60% saturation. A specific activity of 11.78μmol min-1 mg-1 protein was calculated for the partially purified enzyme when the NAD+ - linked deaminating activity was assayed with glutamate as the substrate (ranging in concentration from 8.33 mM to 33.33 mM). From the Lineweaver – Burk plot, the Vmax and Km, representing the maximum velocity and Michaelis constant, respectively were deduced. Vmax was found to be 25 μmol min-1 while the Km was 33 mM. Keywords: Glutamate dehydrogenase, asparagus beans, enzyme, ammonium ion International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 197-20

Effect of experimental quinine administration on plasma levels of hemoglobin and methemoglobin in guinea pig

In vivo studies were carried out to ascertain the effect of increasing dose of quinine on plasma levels of hemoglobin and methemoglobin in guinea pigs. Increasing dose of quinine in the order of 0.02 g/kg, 0.03 g/kg, 0.04 g/kg, 0.05 g/kg 0.06 g/kg, 0.07 g/kg, 0.08 g/kg, 0.10 g/kg and 0.12 g/kg were introduced into the peritoneal cavity of the designated nine sets of test animals. The doses were administered for 48 hours at a regular interval of 6 hours. Six hours after the last dose administration, blood samples were withdrawn for the determination of plasma levels of hemoglobin and methemoglobin. Plasma hemoglobin concentration increased from 11.55 +0.32 g/100ml to a critical value of 14.30 g/100ml from the control to 0.08 g/kg dose administration. A further increase in the dose of quinine beyond 0.08 g/kg engendered a rapid decrease of plasma hemoglobin concentrations. Plasma methemoglobin levels exhibited a biphasic characteristic with peak value of 2.52 + 0.20% at 0.07 g/kg dose administration followed by decrease when doses of quinine were further increased. It appeared that at a relatively low dose quinine was moderately haematinic while exhibiting low propensity to elicit increased plasma levels of methemoglobin. International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 1(2) 2005: 150-15

Serum aminotransferases and bilirubin levels in malaria patients

Alanine aminostransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and bilirubin are known for their clinical significance in pathogenesis of liver and blood. We monitored the serum status of these substances in 37 patients diagnosed with malaria. All assays were carried out using the colorimetric (spectrophotometric) method. The mean serum concentration for total bilirubin (T B) and direct bilirubin (D B) were 26.54µmol/l + 2.17 and 30.75µmol + 6.16, respectively. The mean activity for ALT was 9.05 u/l + 1.11 and AST was 10.38u/l + 1.09. These mean values recorded for the test samples across all the parameters analyzed were significantly higher (

The physicochemical characterizes of cistern water samples in Ichida town, Anabra state, Nigeria

No Abstract.International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 4 (3) 2008: pp. 181-18