In vitro activity of mefloquine and its enantiomers against Plasmodium falciparum

The in vitro activity of rac-mefloquine hydrochloride and its pure enantiomers was tested against a chloroquine-resistant (PF.IBS2) strain of Plasmodium falciparum . The parasite isolated from Iranian patients was cultured in vitro by the candle jar method described by Tranger and Jensen and was exposed to the racemic mefloquine or its enantiomers over the concentration range of 10-9 to 10-4 M. Neither rac-mefloquine nor the enantiomers showed antiparasitic activity at 10-9 M. The (+)-mefloquine was more potent than the (-)-mefloquine and the racemate by IC50 equal to 1.17 μM in comparison to 4.09 μM

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in a sample of Iranian adult population: Age is a risk factor

Objectives: Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is a cause of cirr-hosis. Detecting its preventable causes could be useful in decreasing the disease and its complications. This study aimed to assess the preva-lence of NASH in adult population living in Isfahan city as a sample of Iranian population. Methods: Blood samples of 2030 individuals referring to Dr. Shariati Hospital for routine health check-up were collected. All individuals with high liver enzymes [aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and/or Alanine aminotransferease (ALT)] were included in the study. Known causes of altered liver enzymes were excluded. Second blood samples were obtained 6 months later and those cases with persistent enzyme elevation were surveyed with ultrasonography. Results: In the first survey, 234 individuals (11.5 %) had ALT levels of more than 40 U/L. By rechecking samples after 6 months, 50% of all high serum ALT individuals remained at high level. After conducting complementary biochemical tests, 3.3% of the population was consi-dered to have NASH; 20% of NASH cases did not have any abnormal findings in ultrasonography. Hypercholesterolemia was the most co-existing risk factor in NASH cases. We found a reverse correlation between ALT level and age (P = 0.02). Conclusions: The prevalence of NASH was comparable with other countries. According to the significantl correlation between ALT level and age, preventive interactions in younger individuals would decrease the incidence of NASH

Defective O-Glycosylation due to a Novel Homozygous S129P Mutation Is Associated with Lack of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Secretion and Tumoral Calcinosis

Background: Homozygous mutations in fibroblast growth factor (FGF23) have recently been described as the genetic cause of one form of hyperphosphatemic tumoral calcinosis (HFTC). However, it remained unclear to date how these mutations lead to loss of biologically active FGF23 in the circulation