Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry

Saraswathi, A.; Malati, T.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873664pmid: N/A

In this study tumor markers CA 125, CEA and CA 19-9 were evaluated to assess the best tumor marker for epithelial ovarian carcinomas in diagnosis, prognosis and management. The results indicated that CA 125 is the best and the most superior marker today for the epithelial ovarian malignancies irrespective of the histologic type. CA 125 has the highest positivity rate in mucinous tumors compared to CEA and CA 19-9. Combined assay of either CEA or CA 19-9 or both along with CA 125 did not increase diagnostic sensitivity compared to sensitivity achieved by CA 125 alone for epithelial tumors of the ovary. Serum CA 125 concentration correlated well with pretherapy, stable course and recurrence of ovarian carcinoma. CA 125 could be used effectively for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the ovarian malignancies as evident from long term follow up of adenocarcinoma ovary.

Shukla, Rimi; Anand, Kiran; Prabhu, K.; Murthy, P.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873662pmid: N/A

The hypocholesterolemic effect of the water extract of the bark ofFicus bengalensis was investigated in 3 groups of rabbits, 5 in each group. Group 1 rabbits served as healthy controls and were fed with groundnut oil 1 ml/kg body wt. (bw) for five weeks. Groups 2 and 3 were made hypercholesterolemic by feeding orally cholesterol suspended in groundnut oil (1 ml/kg bw) at a dose of 100 mg/kg bw/day. Group 2 animals (untreated) continued to get the same amount of cholesterol for another four weeks. Group 3 animals received water extract of the bark (50 mg/kg bw/day) in addition to cholesterol as above. At the end of the 5th week, water extract not only prevented the elevation of serum cholesterol in the treated animals (Group 3) but also brought down its level to 160±14 mg% as compared to untreated animals (Group 2) 290±42 mg%. There was improvement in other parameters of lipid profile namely HDL & LDL+VLDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol.

Tripathi, R.; Srivastava, L.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873670pmid: N/A

Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were estimated in 45 dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients and were compared with 31 healthy controls. The total serum cholesterol (215±50 mg/dl) and serum triglyceride (162±76 mg/dl) levels in DCM patients did not show any significant changes as compared to normal controls. The cholesterol and triglyceride and the individual lipoprotein fractions, viz HDL, VLDL, LDL and chylomicrons were analysed in 10 patients. The values did not differ significantly when compared to those of controls. These findings suggest that serum lipids may not play a role in the antietiopathogenesis of DCM.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873659pmid: N/A

Ratnakar, P.; Murthy, P.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873666pmid: N/A

Allicin was prepared from the ethanol extract of garlic without the use of heat. It inhibited the growth ofMycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv andM. tuberculosis TRC-C 1193 resistant to isoniazid completely when grown as surface cultures as well as shake cultures. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 70 μg/ml for both organisms. Further purification of allicin over silica gel-G columns gave a chloroform elutable fraction called CEF-allicin which inhibited the growth of both the susceptible and the isoniazid resistant strains ofM. tuberculosis. Its MIC is 25 μg/ml and is the lowest reported so far when compared with very high inhibitory concentration of 1 to 3mg/ml reported by other workers. It completely inhibited the synthesis of lipids and DNA from14C-acetate and3H-thymidine respectively and almost completely that of proteins and glycine derived carbohydrates from14C-glycine ofM. tuberculosis within 6 hr of exposure to CEF-allicin.

Saraswathi, A.; Malati, T.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873665pmid: N/A

The present study deals with the evaluation and comparison of the tumor markers for prostatic carcinoma—The Total Acid Phosphatase (ACP Total) and its Prostatic Fraction (ACP PF) estimated by the enzyme kinetic method, an immunoreactive Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) estimated by enzyme immunoassay. The comparison of all four markers revealed that there was no perfect positive correlation between any of these four markers. PSA had shown a better correlation with ACP Total and its prostatic fraction ACP PF. No correlation was observed between PSA and PAP. Of the four markers PAP exhibited a very low sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values. PSA had shown an absolute specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values for adenocarcinoma prostate. PSA levels in all phases of disease showed a 100% correlation with disease status. Being a marker with very high tissue specificity and sensitivity, it is revolutionizing the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma. Hence, it could be used effectively for screening of elderly people over 50 years of age who are at high risk for developing prostatic carcinoma for early diagnosis of this disease.

Ramprasad, Mysore

doi: 10.1007/BF02873660pmid: N/A

Chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) are the major carriers of triglycerides (TG) in the plasma. Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) which is characterized by elevated plasma TG can occur either by overproduction of VLDL triglycerides or lipoprotein particles, by the impaired catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins or a combined defect in TG metabolism. These abnormalities can result from primary (genetic) disorders or innumerable secondary effects (diet or disease). Primary causes of HTG include the familial hyperlipoproteinemias, types I,IIb, III, IV and V respectively. Secondary effects can arise due to carbohydrate, alcohol or diabetes induced HTG, obesity, chronic renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, excessive stress and trauma. Structural abnormalities and the consequent receptor mediated pathways in foam cell generation are discussed.

Puri, Dinesh; Kaul, Nancy

doi: 10.1007/BF02873668pmid: N/A

Studies on serum arginase have shown that it is having the least unexplained variation and its activity is closely related with the severity of jaundice. Arginase is thus stable, consistent, efficient, specific and sensitive to changes. It is a better indicator of hepatocellular damage.

Warrier, Anjali; Rao, Narasimha; Kulpati, Devdutta; Mishra, Tarun; Kabi, Bhaskar

doi: 10.1007/BF02873661pmid: N/A

There was increase in erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in red blood cells (RBC's), white blood cells (WBC's) and plasma, in 30 patients of confirmed diabetes mellitus, 10 each of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM or type I), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM or type II) and diabetes with ketoacidosis when compared with 20 healthy individuals (controls). Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c%, plasma free fatty acid (FFA) and glycerol levels were also elevated in all the cases when compared with controls. The increase was more in diabetic ketoacidosis group. Significant positive correlations were seen between erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and ADA activities in RBC's, WBC's and plasma. It is suggested that decreased tissue adenosine levels due to increase in ADA activity, is related to the severity of hyperglycemia and lipid peroxidation in diabetes mellitus.

Revathi, G.; Talwar, V.

doi: 10.1007/BF02873667pmid: N/A

A simple, rapid and inexpensive test is described based on the activity of the enzyme pyrazinamidase, which hydrolyses pyrazinamide to pyrazinoic acid. This test differentiates most of the corynebacteria possessing this enzyme from the exotoxin producing human pathogenic members of this group, i.e.,C. diphtheriae, C. ulcerans andC. pseudotuberculosis, which do not produce this enzyme. In our laboratory, 16 isolates ofC. diphtheriae and 75 isolates of non-diphtheric corynebacteria were rapidly identified, over the past three years.