Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
Year:2002 | Volume:4 | Issue:4 (12)|Papers Count:7

A λZAP library of B. cereus 569 UM20.1 chromosomal DNA was constructed and screened for the desired clone. Chromosomal DNA from the above strain was extracted and partially digested with Sau3A restriction enzyme. DNA fragments with 4-9 kb size were cut out of the agarose gel and purified. The DNA was then cloned into BamHI digested Lambda arms and the reaction was packaged. In order to determine the concentration of infective phage particles and the proportion containing insert DNA, the packaged extract was titered and a recovery of 2.8×105 pfu.µg-1 of vector was obtained. In vivo excision of the pBK-CMV plasmid from the λZAP express vector was carried out and resulted in isolation of two plasmids,pJB1 and pJB2. The two plasmids were used for DNA sequence analysis.

In this study, the effect of Salvia leriifolia leaves extract on liver transaminases was evaluated in mice. Dry powdered leaves were macerated in 80%ethanol for 2 days. The maximum tolerated dose of extract was 1500 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection. The level of blood enzyme SGOT and SGPT of mice was measured as an index of hepatotoxicity. The high doses of the extracts (200, 900, 1200 and 1500 mg/kg) induced hepatotoxicity but the low dose of the plant extracts (50 and 100 mg/kg)did not induced any significant effect on the isoenzymes. The lower doses did not show any hepatoprotective effect against carbon tetrachloride (25 µl/kg) and acetaminophen (500 mg/kg) hepatotoxicity.The present results indicated that the maceratede thanolic extract of S. leriifolia leaves extract did not have hepatoprotective effects and in high doses itself induced heptotoxicity.

Human chorionic gonadotropine (hCG) is used as a medicinein several diseases like infertility of men and women. This hormone is excreted by urine. At the present time, isolation of hCG from urine is the only way for preparation of this hormone. The highest concentration of hCG in urine and serum is in the early second trimester of pregnancy.Finding the best method for isolating of hCG from urine and finally its purification is the purpose of this study.There are several methods for isolation of this hormone from urine. In this study, the adsorption method (adsorption on benzoic acid crystals), precipitation method (precipitation by cold acetone) and ultrafiltration (flat membrane) are compared. The purification processes of hCG were done by ion exchange chromatography (DEAE Sephadex A50) and Gel filtration (Sephadex GI00) respectively. Purified hCG was identified by Western Blotting technique. The purity and molecular weight of purified hormone was determined by SDS-PAGEtechnique. Sialic Acid was identified on intact hormone and its subunits by sialic acid identification kit on membrane. The molar extinction coefficient in distilled water and dissociation rate constant at 25°C (pH=2) were determined.The yields of different isolation methods were 56.6%, 88.6% and 92.3% for adsorption, precipitation and ultrafilteration methods respectively. The molecular weight of purified hormone and its subunits were approximately 50,000, 30,000 and 20,000 Dalton. The molar extinction coefficient was determined to be 10420. The potency of purified hormone was approximately 17560 IU/mg by immunologic methods.

Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Avishan Shirazi) is a plant belonging to the labiatae family indigenous to Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The plant is used in traditional medicine as antiseptic and antispasmedic.In the present study, the analgesic effect of Z. multiflora fractions was investigated. The dried and powdered plant was extracted with methanol and preliminary phytochemicl tests were performed. The presence of alkaloids and flavonoids was shown. The methanol: chloroform (1:1) extract was prepared and partitioned between methanolic water (9:1) and n-hexane. The active hydroalcoholic fraction was further partitioned between methanolic water (3:2) and chloroform. The hydroalcoholic fraction showed significant activity in whriting test. This fraction was further fractionated on silica gel column giningsix fractions. FractionsA, C, F showed activity comparable to that of morphine.

Conjoined twins are generated, because of rejoining parts of inter cell mass (Embryoblast) during the first week of development. Depending upon place of adhesion, it is divided into various types. 12 pairs of conjoined twins all thoraco omphalopagus, were born in different hospitals in Mashhad over the past 10 years. They died within two weeks after birth. Different dissections were conducted in one rare pair of these twins which also had different congenital defects. The features of these twins included one common heart, with one common atrium and one aortic arch, towards one infant. One pulmonary artery inclined toward other infant. One infant showed a deep cleft lip with cleft palate, small cleft of tragus, cleft of external ear, malformation in part of upper face, defects of heart and thymus. Other features of these twins included common liver and common bileduct.One very interesting point was that they had no similarities in their faces probably because of the existence of the second zygot which needs more investigation.Generally the mechanism of conjoined twin formation is not clear. Presence of malformation in only one baby, as well as common anatomical structures like the pair of twins that we just described, are interesting subjects for future studies.

Salvia leriifolia is an Iranian native plant that grows in the east and north east of Iran. The plant was collected in the middle of spring 1999, dried in the shade, ground and defatted by maceration using petroleum ether. Extraction was completed by applying ethanol (85%). Total extraction of Salvia leriifolia was divided into 4 different fractions using liquid-liquid extraction procedure applying 3 solvents (Dichloromethan, n- Hexan and Isobutanoul).The plants were tested by TLC for absence of histidine and contamination with aflatoxin before proceeding with the extraction. The other steps were as follow: 1) Genotyps of three standard tester strains (TA98, TA100 and TAI02 of Salmonella typhimurium) were confirmed with study five important factors that were:histidine requirement, rfa mutation, uvrB mutation, presence of R factor and pAQ1 plasmid. 2) The MIC of fractions were determined. 3) The antimutagenic effects of 4 different concentrations of each fraction (less than 0.1 MIC) were studied in absence and presence of S9. The sample, tester strains and mutagen specific for each tester strain were incoporated into the top agar of atnimutagenisity assay plates and incubated for 48 hrs. at 370C.The revertant colonies were counted and compared with control plates. Analysis of the results showed antimutagenic effects for aquatic and isobutanulic fractions.