Journal of Chemical Health Risks
Volume:4 Issue: 3, Summer 2014

In spite of serious cardiotoxicity side-effects, doxorubicin is frequently used for treatment of several types of cancers. Isolated human adult cardiomyocytes could be the best model for assessing drug-induced cardiotoxicity, while harvesting mature cardiomyocytes is restricted by some limitations such as biopsy size, cell numbers, viability, proliferative capacity and their disability to be passaged as a cell line. In the present study, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cardiomyocytes applied as a model for evaluation of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. In this process, cardiogenic differentiated hESCs spheroids were exposed to different concentrations of doxorubicin for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The viability of spheroids as well as their morphology was assessed as important criterion of cardiotoxicity. Findings of the study showed that the viability of spheroids was significantly reduced at doses of 3 and 30 µM (P<0.05). Moreover, cell morphology was changed in the presence of same doses. Overall hESC-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC CMs) could be a useful in vitro model for evaluating drug-induced toxicity.

The rapid advancement of nanotechnology enables us to use nanoscale particles. This material in terms of physical, chemical and biological characteristics are unique compared to larger particles. Increased cell division, apoptosis, oxidative stress has been associated with toxic effects of nano-silver. The aim of this study was to evaluate histipotological changes and enzyme activity in nanoparticle silver trated pregnant NMRI mice. These experimental were performed on 35 NMRI mice used for treatment with Ag Nps. The average weight of the animals was 30 ± 3 g that divided into five groups of seven were injected intraperitoneally. After mentioned treatment, the blood sampling was done of NMRI. The collected tissues were washed with saline and fixed in Boin΄s fluid and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathology evaluation. After data collection, statistical analysis was done using SAS software. Histological observations showed that the silver nanoparticles had a major effect on fetal development in each experimental groups compared to the control group. No change of histological characteristics of heart tissues was observed in Ag-nps groups as compared to the control group. Different concentrations of silver nanoparticles increased levels of enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, but no significant differences were observed between control and treated groups (P<0.05). Toxicity of silver nanoparticles injected intraperitoneally into the experimental groups were evaluated which had unfavorable effects on embryonic development. So, further investigates are suggested to predict AgNPs toxicity.

We sought to determine levels of oral bioaccessibility of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from frequently consumed dried fruits in Iran. Fifty samples from frequently consumed types of dried fruits were analyzed for moisture, acidity and HMF content before and after in vitro digestion. Besides, bioaccessibility of HMF in dried fruits using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestive model and HMF intake from dried fruits based on consumption of each dried fruit groups wasdetermined. The mean estimated intake of HMF was 72.90 mg/kg and the maximum intake was 240.23 mg/kg for fruit bread. The mean bioaccessibility was 60.26%. There was a correlation between HMF and acid content of fruit bread (r= 0.98, P<0.05). In conclusion, the HMF levels in dried fruits remains high even after the in vitro digestion.

Pharmaceuticals are considered to be important environmental contaminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate their presence in water intended for public supply to Municipally of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The regional environmental assessment was done from the analysis of surface water and distribution for the presence of psychiatric drugs. The study reveals the presence of benzodiazepine derivatives in all samples of surface water samples of the Guandu River, with the amounts of 42 ng L-1, 198 ng L-1 and 335 ng L-1 for bromazepam, clonazepam, and diazepam, respectively. The population served by Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgotos (CEDAE) is the order of ten million. Psychiatric pharmaceuticals, in particular, are thought to impose significant ecological risks. A better understanding of the real impact of these pollutants implies a comprehensive evaluation of their persistence and fate in environmental matrices. The studies presented in this article are intended to contribute to improve the knowledge about the occurrence of some psychiatric drugs in the water supply.

Gabapentin (GBP) is one of the new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) applied extensively in neurology and psychiatry. The advantage of new AEDs includes newer mechanism of action, broad spectrum of anti-seizure effects, lesser drug interactions and fewer side effects. GBP is a cyclized analogue of GABA but it does not interact with GABA receptors, nor does it inhibit GABA uptake or prevent the degeneration of GABA. Restricted studies have been performed on acute and chronic effects of GBP on passive avoidance (PA) learning and little is known about its chronic phase. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate acute and chronic effects of GBP on passive avoidance learning in 100 mice (w=30 gr). Ten mg/kg GBP were injected interaperitoneally for assessment of memory in three steps (acquisition, consolidation and retrieval). Shuttle box trial was used for PA task assessment. Retrieval memory was tested 24h after injection, and the results indicated increased Step Through Latency (STL), showing the enhancement of memory. Moreover, in acute phase of PA, GBP enhanced acquisition and retrieval of memory. In chronic phase of PA, GBP showed no effect on memory. The present study suggests that GBP exerted no destructive effects on cognition; however, it improved emotional cognitive performance in mice in PA tasks.

Polyamide 6 has been widely used in food packaging applications and also green tea contains amounts of antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was investigation of green tea effects on properties of polyamide packaging polymer. Polyamide 6 was dissolved in methanol which was saturated with calcium chloride. The active packaging film was produced by incorporation of methanol green tea extracts at levels of 2.5, 5, 10 and 20% in polyamide solution by solution casting method. Mechanical and barrier properties of polyamide films were investigated using ASTM standards and antioxidant activity of polyamide films was evaluated using DPPH method. Results indicated that green tea extract increased antioxidant properties and tensile and young modulus of polyamide films. Oxygen and water vapor permeability of films were decreased by incorporation of green tea extract into polyamide matrix. Green tea extract improved barrier and tensile properties of polyamide films, however elongation at break reduced as increasing of green tea extract in polyamide-based films significantly (P<0.05).

Application of nanofertilizers is one of the promising methods for increasing resources use efficiency and reducing environmental pollutions. Uncontrolled application of chemical fertilizer and pesticides has caused many problems to human health and domestic animals. Nanofertilizers application could be a suitable way to reduce these problems. Accordingly, in order to assess the silicon nanoparticles effect on some vegetative features of basil under salinity stress, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in greenhouse condition. Treatments included different levels of silicon fertilizer (without silicon, normal silicon fertilizer and silicon nanoparticles) and salinity stress (1, 3 and 6 ds/m). Physiological traits (chlorophyll and proline content of leaves) and morphological traits (shoot fresh weight and dry weight) were investigated in this study. Results showed a significant reduction in growth and development indices due to the salinity stress. Leaf dry and fresh weight reduced by increment in NaCl concentration while significantly (P≤0.01) increased with silicon nanoparticles application. The chlorophyll content reduced in salinity stress, but increased by silicon nanoparticles treatment. Proline content increased under salinity stress which was a response to stress. Moreover, proline increased by silicon nanoparticles which was due to tolerance induction in plant. Silicon nanoparticles application reduced the pollution effects originated from salinity in Basil.

Artemisia plants are the most abundant plants species in Iran which contain strong antioxidant properties and as such, have medicinal and economic value. Despite wide distribution of Artemisisa species, ecophysiology of its adaptation to changes in altitude and soil property had not been investigated. In this study, the relationships between ecophysiological and adaptation capabilities of A. aucheri to altitude changes through measuring changes in the activity of its antioxidant enzymes and secondary metabolites in situ was investigated based on a completely randomized experiment. The enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and the amount of total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, malondialdehyde and chlorophylls A and B were measured in A. aucheri plants growing in three different altitudes at and above the 36° latitude on the southern slopes of Eastern Alborz Mountain ranges in triplicate 10*10 m quadrates. Statistical analysis of data showed that soil type was loamy significantly becoming more sandy- loam with lowering in altitude and the soil contained greater amounts of oxides of silicone, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus in upper altitude except calcium which was present in greater quantity in lower altitude. With increasing altitude, activity of superoxide dismutase and quantities of chlorophylls and total phenols in leaves increased. Some biochemical factors in A. aucheri showed significant positive correlation(P ≤ 0.05) between them. Adaptation of A. aucheri to changes in altitude occurred through changing its antioxidant enzymes activity and production of secondary metabolites in response to factors related to the altitude including soil type and texture, moisture level, temperature and most importantly radiation