Physicochemical Analysis of the Drinking Water of Al Gedarif City, Sudan

In the present study the highest residual chlorine level (0.2) was detected in the city inlet and the circular line of the Atbara River sources. The taste, color and odor were found acceptable, although, the ground water is a bit salty and the raw water of the main stream of Atbara River, is always brown in color, specially in the autumn season. The highest turbidity value was recorded for the main stream of Atbara River, while, the maximum electric conductivity was found in Al Azasza boreholes. The total dissolved solids were greater in the ground water sources compared to that of the surface water sources. However, the total alkalinity  and  hardness  values  were  higher  in  the  ground  water  of  Al Azaza boreholes than that of all the other sources. On the other hand, the mineral contents (calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium) were higher in the ground water. Fluorides, chlorides and bicarbonates were also higher in ground water. Similarly, were the contents of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. However no carbonates were detected in Al Azaza and Abu Naja nor in Al Saraf dam raw water

Role of Natural Products in Ameliorating Drugs and Chemicals Toxicity

Herbal medicines have a long history over than 7000 years in traditional treatment, therapeutic experiences, and clinical trials including Egypt, China, and Korea. This practice is still the mainstay of about 75–80% of the world population, mainly in the developing countries, for primary health care and promotion because of better cultural acceptability, better compatibility with the human body, and lesser side effects. However, the last few years have seen a major increase in their use in the developed world. Nowadays, we can find a bipolarised market for the active ingredients: those chemically produced and mainly supported by the pharmaceutical companies and those natural constituents that are demanded by an increased number of patients. Although natural products have not been always active as supposed, some of them are scientifically recognised as therapeutically active. Indeed, it has to be noted that some drugs, still used in the current therapies, are extracted from plants. Some of these can have additive action if coadministered with synthesized drugs or ameliorate the drug toxicity

Genotoxic and Anatomical Deteriorations Associated with Potentially Toxic Elements Accumulation in Water Hyacinth Grown in Drainage Water Resources

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs)-induced genotoxicity on aquatic plants is still an open question. Herein, a single clone from a population of water hyacinth covering a large distribution area of Nile River (freshwater) was transplanted in two drainage water resources to explore the hazardous effect of PTEs on molecular, biochemical and anatomical characters of plants compared to those grown in freshwater. Inductivity Coupled Plasma (ICP) analysis indicated that PTEs concentrations in water resources were relatively low in most cases. However, the high tendency of water hyacinth to bio-accumulate and bio-magnify PTEs maximized their concentrations in plant samples (roots in particular). A Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay showed the genotoxic effects of PTEs on plants grown in drainage water. PTEs accumulation caused substantial alterations in DNA profiles including the presence or absence of certain bands and even the appearance of new bands. Plants grown in drainage water exhibited several mutations on the electrophoretic profiles and banding pattern of total protein, especially proteins isolated from roots. Several anatomical deteriorations were observed on PTEs-stressed plants including reductions in the thickness of epidermis, cortex and endodermis as well as vascular cylinder diameter. The research findings of this investigation may provide some new insights regarding molecular, biochemical and anatomical responses of water hyacinth grown in drainage water resources.</jats:p

Dystonia: A Leading Neurological Movement Disorder

Dystonia is the third leading movement disorder arising mainly from the damage of basal ganglia or other parts of the brain that control movements. The objective of this review is to represent the detailed profile of dystonia. A computerized literature review was conducted in authentic scientific databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct and National Institutes of Health (NIH) etc. Terms searched included dystonia, risk factors, etiologies, clinical features, classification, pathology, guidelines, treatment strategies, primary and secondary dystonia. Initially, 97 articles and 9 books were extracted but finally, 64 articles and 7 books were used. After analysis, we found that causes of dystonia could be acquired or inherited and dystonia can be classified based on age at onset, etiology, and distribution of the affected body parts. The risk factors of this heterogeneous disorder could be trauma, thyroid disorder, hypertension, life habits, occupation, use of drugs and genetics. A significant number of articles were found which signify the ability of brainstem and cerebellar pathology to trigger the symptoms of dystonia. Since antipsychotic drugs are the most commonly prescribed among the people with intellectual disability (ID), therefore they possess a greater risk to experience antipsychotic drugs-induced movement side effects including acute dystonia, parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia, and akathisia. Depending on various manifestations and causes, there are several treatment options including oral medications, intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin, neurosurgical procedures and occupational therapy

Future regenerative medicine developments and their therapeutic applications

: Although the currently available pharmacological assays can cure most pathological disorders, they have limited therapeutic value in relieving certain disorders like myocardial infarct, peripheral vascular disease, amputated limbs, or organ failure (e.g. renal failure). Pilot studies to overcome such problems using regenerative medicine (RM) delivered promising data. Comprehensive investigations of RM in zebrafish or reptilians are necessary for better understanding. However, the precise mechanisms remain poorly understood despite the tremendous amount of data obtained using the zebrafish model investigating the exact mechanisms behind their regenerative capability. Indeed, understanding such mechanisms and their application to humans can save millions of lives from dying due to potentially life-threatening events. Recent studies have launched a revolution in replacing damaged human organs via different approaches in the last few decades. The newly established branch of medicine (known as Regenerative Medicine aims to enhance natural repair mechanisms. This can be done through the application of several advanced broad-spectrum technologies such as organ transplantation, tissue engineering, and application of Scaffolds technology (support vascularization using an extracellular matrix), stem cell therapy, miRNA treatment, development of 3D mini-organs (organoids), and the construction of artificial tissues using nanomedicine and 3D bio-printers. Moreover, in the next few decades, revolutionary approaches in regenerative medicine will be applied based on artificial intelligence and wireless data exchange, soft intelligence biomaterials, nanorobotics, and even living robotics capable of self-repair. The present work presents a comprehensive overview that summarizes the new and future advances in the field of RM

Diosmin Attenuates Methotrexate-Induced Hepatic, Renal, and Cardiac Injury: A Biochemical and Histopathological Study in Mice

The current study was designed to investigate the beneficial role of diosmin, a biologically active flavonoid, against methotrexate- (MTX-) induced hepatic, renal, and cardiac injuries in mice. Male Swiss albino mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of MTX (at 20 mg/kg, body weight) either alone or in combination with oral diosmin (at 50 or 100 mg/kg body weight, for 10 days). Serum was used to evaluate tissue injury markers, while hepatic, renal, and cardiac tissue samples were obtained for determination of antioxidant activity as well as histopathological examination. Diosmin treatment ameliorated the MTX-induced elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase, aminotransferases, urea, creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinases as well as plasma proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Additionally, both diosmin doses significantly reduced tissue levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide and increased those of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, compared to the MTX-intoxicated group. Histopathological examination showed that diosmin significantly minimized the MTX-induced histological alterations and nearly restored the normal architecture of hepatic, renal, and cardiac tissues. Based on these findings, diosmin may be a promising agent for protection against MTX-induced cytotoxicity in patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases

Long-Term Resveratrol Supplementation as a Secondary Prophylaxis for Stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, as well as a source of long-term disabilities and huge socioeconomic costs. This study investigates the effects of resveratrol, an antioxidant supplement, on blood pressure, weight status, glucose, and lipid profile in patients who had a stroke in the last 12 months. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients were divided into three groups: group I received only allopathic treatment (control group), while groups II and III received allopathic treatment with a daily supplementation of oral resveratrol (100 and 200 mg, resp.) for 12 months. In all groups, the changes of the studied parameters were monitored at 6 and 12 months from the initial evaluation. In groups II and III, resveratrol induced significant changes (p<0.05) in the blood pressure, body mass index, as well as all parameters of the lipid profile, and glucose (in nondiabetic patients), compared to the control group. The supplementation of the allopathic treatment with resveratrol had a beneficial effect on all monitored parameters, which serve as major risk factors for stroke

Effects of Antioxidant Supplements on the Survival and Differentiation of Stem Cells

Although physiological levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are required to maintain the self-renewal capacity of stem cells, elevated ROS levels can induce chromosomal aberrations, mitochondrial DNA damage, and defective stem cell differentiation. Over the past decade, several studies have shown that antioxidants can not only mitigate oxidative stress and improve stem cell survival but also affect the potency and differentiation of these cells. Further beneficial effects of antioxidants include increasing genomic stability, improving the adhesion of stem cells to culture media, and enabling researchers to manipulate stem cell proliferation by using different doses of antioxidants. These findings can have several clinical implications, such as improving neurogenesis in patients with stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as improving the regeneration of infarcted myocardial tissue and the banking of spermatogonial stem cells. This article reviews the cellular and molecular effects of antioxidant supplementation to cultured or transplanted stem cells and draws up recommendations for further research in this area

Development of a new drug candidate for the inhibition of Lassa virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein by modification of evodiamine as promising therapeutic agents

The Lassa virus (LASV), an RNA virus prevalent in West and Central Africa, causes severe hemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate. However, no FDA-approved treatments or vaccines exist. Two crucial proteins, LASV glycoprotein and nucleoprotein, play vital roles in pathogenesis and are potential therapeutic targets. As effective treatments for many emerging infections remain elusive, cutting-edge drug development approaches are essential, such as identifying molecular targets, screening lead molecules, and repurposing existing drugs. Bioinformatics and computational biology expedite drug discovery pipelines, using data science to identify targets, predict structures, and model interactions. These techniques also facilitate screening leads with optimal drug-like properties, reducing time, cost, and complexities associated with traditional drug development. Researchers have employed advanced computational drug design methods such as molecular docking, pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness, and molecular dynamics simulation to investigate evodiamine derivatives as potential LASV inhibitors. The results revealed remarkable binding affinities, with many outperforming standard compounds. Additionally, molecular active simulation data suggest stability when bound to target receptors. These promising findings indicate that evodiamine derivatives may offer superior pharmacokinetics and drug-likeness properties, serving as a valuable resource for professionals developing synthetic drugs to combat the Lassa virus

In Vitro Screening for Antioxidant and Anticholinesterase Effects of Uvaria littoralis Blume.: A Nootropic Phytotherapeutic Remedy

Background: Oxidative stress is strongly linked in the development of numerous chronic and degenerative disorders. Medicinal plants with antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities exert a key role for the management of oxidative stress related disorders mainly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore the purpose of this study was to assess antioxidant potentiality and anticholinesterase inhibitory activity of crude methanolic extract (CME), petroleum ether fraction (PEF), chloroform fraction (CLF), ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) and aqueous fraction (AQF) of Uvaria littoralis (U. littoralis) leaves. Methods: The antioxidant compounds namely total flavonoids contents (TFCs) and total proanthocyanidins contents (TPACCs) were determined for quantities constituent’s characterization. Antioxidant capacity of U. littoralis leaves were estimated by the iron reducing power (IRPA), 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging capacity. Anticholinesterase effects were estimated for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinestrase (BChE) activity. Results: The EAF of U. littoralis leaves showed the highest TFCs as compared to CLF, CME, PEF and AQF. TPACCs were also found highest in EAF. The highest absorbance for IRPA was found in EAF (2.220 nm) with respect to CME and other fractions at the highest concentration. The EAF showed best DPPH and NO radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 31.63 and 55.47 μg/mL, respectively with regard to CME and remaining fractions. The PEF represents highest AChE inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 35.19 μg/mL and CLF showed highest BChE inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 32.49 μg/mL. Conclusions: The findings of the current study demonstrate the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals, likewise, turns out antioxidant and anticholinesterase potentiality of U. littoralis leaves which could be a prestigious candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases especially AD