Drug and chemical toxicology
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The long term effect of sulfur mustard (SM) exposure including, total and differential white blood cells (WBC), hematological parameters, pulmonary function tests (PFT), and respiratory symptoms (RS) in chemical war victims (CWV) exposed to SM 27-30 years ago were examined. Forty-six CWV and 42 control subjects with similar age from the general population were studied. Hematologic parameters, RS including; chest wheezing, night cough, night wheezing and cough, wheezing due to exercise (by Persian questionnaire), and PFT were assessed in all subjects. ⋯ All CWV reported respiratory symptoms, including; chest wheezing, night cough, night wheezing and cough, and wheezing due to exercise were higher in the veterans compared to control group (p < 0.001 for all cases). Increased total WBC count and RS but reduction in monocyte, MCHC, and PFT values were shown in CWV 27-30 years after exposure to SM. These results indicated profound hematologic (mainly WBC) and pulmonary effect of SM long time after exposure.
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Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) is used as a gasoline antiknock additive. However, the toxic effect of MMT is currently not well understood. In this study, we investigated the toxic effect of MMT on rat thymocytes using a flow cytometer and fluorescent probes. ⋯ Moreover, co-treatment with 30-100 µM MMT and 100 µM H2O2 increased the cell lethality further. These results indicate that MMT increases cell vulnerability to oxidative stress on rat thymocytes. This study provides insight into the toxic effect of MMT on the immune system.
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The search for agents that bring about faster induction and quicker recovery in the operating room have yielded numerous anesthetics whose mechanisms of action and potential toxic side effects remain unknown, especially in the young and aging brain. ⋯ This review will focus primarily on the cytotoxic effects of anesthetics, and offer some practical resolutions that may attenuate their long-term harm. An urgent need for studies on animal models and an increased focus on highly controlled prospective epidemiological studies is also reinforced.
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Comparative Study
In vitro antioxidant activities of resveratrol, cinnamaldehyde and their synergistic effect against cyadox-induced cytotoxicity in rabbit erythrocytes.
This study was conducted to explore the potential benefits of using cinnamaldehyde (CIN), resveratrol (RES) separately or in combination on cyadox (CYA)-induced alterations in isolated rabbit erythrocytes. Erythrocytes suspensions were partitioned into 7 groups (5 replicates/group), 1st kept as control treated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO); 2nd group was subjected to CYA (40 μg/ml), 3rd group was incubated with CIN (40 μM), 4th group was subjected to RES (40 μM), 5th group was co-exposed to CYA (40 μg/ml) and CIN (40 μM), 6th group was co exposed to CYA (40 μg/ml) and RES (40 μM), and 7th group was exposed to CYA in combination with both CIN and RES at the same indicated concentrations. The reaction mixtures of different groups were incubated at 37 °C for 3 h with gentle shaking every 15 minutes. ⋯ CYA also lead to hemolysis and energy depletion of erythrocytes beside activation of caspase cascades, suggesting the pro-oxidant effect CYA that could be implicated in eryptosis. CIN and RES were able to inverse these hazardous effects of CYA. However, CIN was more effective than RES, their combination showed a positive synergistic effect in protecting the cells against oxidative injury caused by CYA.
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Concern exists regarding the possible hazards to the personnel handling anti-neoplastic drugs. The purpose of the present study was to assess the genotoxicity induced by anti-neoplastic agents in oncology department personnel. ⋯ Results of the present study demonstrate the cytogenetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of oncology department personnel. Suitable training and proper knowledge when handling anti-neoplastic drugs are emphasized to avoid potential health hazards caused by cytostatic agents.