Content Of Essential Trace Elements Research Articles

CHEMICAL ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF DATURA STRAMONIUM L. GROWING IN UZBEKISTAN

Inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to study the elemental composition of the underground and aboveground parts of the Datura stramonium growing on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The obtained data show that 41 elements were found in the composition of the vegetative organs of the D. stramonium, including 6 macroelements (Ca, P, K, Na, S, Mg), 8 essential microelements (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, Mo), and 6 conditionally essential. Moreover, 6 trace elements (B, Si, Ni, V, As, Li), 16 toxic (Pb, Cd, Ge, Sr, Zr, Tl, Bi, Sn, Sb, W, Ag, Ba, Al, Ga, Ti, Be) and 5 little studied elements (Nb, Cs, Ta, Rb, Re) were identified. It was revealed that among the detected elements in D. stramonium, 3 macroelements (Ca, K and Fe) are contained in a concentration of more than 1000 mg/kg, 4 elements (P, S, Mg, Si) are from 100 to 1000 mg/kg, 3 elements (Na, Mn, B), ranging from 10 to 100 mg/kg and the rest were in the range of less than 10 mg/kg. The macroelements were located between each other in the following order: in the roots of the plant Ca (40%)>K (39%)>P (9%)>Mg (6%)>S (4%)>Na (2%), and in the aerial part of the plant Ca (50%)>K (30%)>Mg (9%)>P (7%)>S (3%)>Na (1%). The highest content of essential trace elements in the composition of the roots and aboveground parts of the D. stramonium falls on the share of Fe (n/h 2015.4521 mg/kg, n/h 1516.3041 mg/kg), and among the conditionally essential microelements Si (n/h 397.8607, n/ch 234.4246). It has been established that the higher content of toxic elements in the composition in the underground part of D. stramonium falls on the proportion of A1 (36.92%) and Ti (35.54%), and in the aboveground part of Ga (48.57%) and Al (17.37%), relative to the total content toxic elements. According to the content of salts of heavy metals of the D. stramonium growing in Uzbekistan meets the requirements established by the Global Fund XIV and WHO. Salts of toxic elements Hg were not found. Comparative data showed that in both organs of D. stramonium growing in Uzbekistan, the content of the considered elements is lower than amount of the element of D. stramonium growing in Kazakhstan and South Africa.

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF PLANTS OF THE GENUS VITEX L. (LAMIACEAE)

A comparative phytochemical study of selected species of the genus Vitex L. (Lamiaceae) (V. agnus-castus, V. canescens, V. negundo, V. tripinnata) from the flora of Russia and Vietnam out was carried. The largest amount of extractive compounds was obtained from the leaves of V. agnus-castus when extracted with 60 % ethanol. Color reactions with Trim Hill and Stahl reagents, as well as thin-layer chromatography data, showed a high content of iridoids in extracts of leaves of V. agnus-castus and V. negundo and their low content (or absence) in V. tripinnata and V. canescens leaf extracts. The greatest amount of polyphenols and flavonoids is contained in the extract of the leaves of V. agnus-castus. The smaller amount of polyphenols is found in the leaves of V. canescens, and least amount of flavonoids is found in the leaves of V. tripinnata. All Vitex samples studied are characterized by an increased content of essential trace elements – iron, copper and zinc, and the leaves of V. tripinnata are also high in cobalt. High antiradical activity of all leaf samples of Vitex species was established. The relationship between the content of secondary metabolites and the position of species on the molecular phylogenetic tree of the genus Vitex is shown, which makes it possible to develop a chemotaxonomic forecast for search species of this genus with an increased content of biologically active compounds of a certain class (iridoids, polyphenols, phytoecdysteroids) for further pharmacological studies.

Determination by ICP-MS of Essential and Toxic Trace Elements in Gums and Carrageenans Used as Food Additives Commercially Available in the Portuguese Market

Gums and carrageenans are food additives widely used in food preparations to improve texture and as viscosifiers. Although they are typically added in small amounts, nowadays people tend to use more and more pre-prepared food. In this work, the content of a wide panel of trace elements in commercial products were analyzed. Carrageenans and gums (n = 13) were purchased in the Portuguese market and were from European suppliers. Samples were solubilized by closed-vessel microwave-assisted acid digestion and analyzed by ICP-MS. Globally, the content of essential trace elements decreased in the following order: Fe (on average, on the order of several tens of µg/g) > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Co > Se > Mo (typically < 0.1 µg/g), while the content of non-essential/toxic trace elements decreased in the following order: Al > Sr > Rb > As > Li > Cd > Pb > Hg. The consumption of these food additives can significantly contribute to the daily requirements of some essential trace elements, namely Cr and Mo. The toxic trace elements Cd, As, Pb, and Hg were below the EU regulatory limits in all analyzed samples. Additional research is needed to define the potential risk of introducing toxic trace elements into food products through the use of these additives.

Content of Essential Trace Elements in the Hair of Residents of the Caspian Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan Who Recovered from COVID-19.

This study aimed to investigate the content of essential elements in the hair of unvaccinated residents of the Caspian region who recovered from COVID-19. This cross-sectional study involved 260 unvaccinated permanent residents of Mangistau oblast aged 18-60. The diagnosis and severity of COVID-19 were based on clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory data, R-graph results, and oxygen saturation by the Clinical Protocol of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry determined the content of trace elements cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). The content of Cr (p &lt; 0.05), Cu (p &lt; 0.05), Fe (p &lt; 0.001), I (p &lt; 0.05), Mn (p &lt; 0.001), and Zn (p &lt; 0.05) in the hair of individuals who had a coronavirus infection was lower than those who did not have this infection. There were significantly higher levels of Cu (p &lt; 0.05) in the hair of participants who had moderate or severe COVID-19 compared to those with mild forms. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that in the presence of a COVID-19 infection in a subject's history, the content of Cr (0.871 (95% CI: 0.811; 0.936)), Cu (0.875 (95% CI: 0.803; 0.955)), Fe (0.745 (95% CI: 0.636; 0.873)), and Mn (0.642 (95%CI: 00.518; 0.795)) decreased in the hair. The data obtained indicate that past COVID-19 infections affect the trace element status of the inhabitants of the Caspian region of Kazakhstan.

Benefit-risk assessment of consuming fish and shrimp from a large eutrophic freshwater lake, China

In this study, contents of fatty acids, essential trace elements (Fe, I, Zn, Se, Cu, Mo, Cr) and non-essential trace elements (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb) were quantified in fish and shrimp species from large eutrophic Chaohu Lake, southeastern China. Total fat acids in the samples were 0.10–2.41 g/100 g, in which DHA+EPA were 0.03–0.24 g/100 g. Mean content of essential trace elements (μg/g) in fish and shrimp species followed the order of Fe (10.3)>Cu (9.9)>Zn (7.7)>Cr (1.42)>Se (0.337)>Mo (0.285)>I (0.023). The As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb content in the samples were <4.5–218, 14–97, 3–47, 4200–11300 and 144–1130 μg/kg, respectively, which was below the national maximum limit with the exception of Pb content in several samples. Benefit-risk assessment for fish and shrimp consumption was conducted on the basis of nutrients and contaminants. To achieve the recommended 250 mg of DHA+EPA daily intake, results of benefit-risk assessment indicated that fish and shrimp consumption can be major source of Se, Cu, Mo and Cr intake, whereas fish consumption was potential non-carcinogenic risk exposure for Ni. Benefit-risk assessment contributed to the identification of main benefits and hazards of freshwater fish and shrimp consumption for general inland population in China, especially those residing in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Effects of Recirculating Aquaculture System Wastewater on Anammox Performance and Community Structure

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are good candidates for the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. A current limitation of RAS is the production and accumulation of nitrogenous waste, which could affect fish health. We investigated the potential of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) process to treat marine wastewater from a cold-water RAS. We show that the marine anammox bacteria Candidatus Scalindua is a promising candidate. However, its activity was affected by unknown compounds in the RAS wastewater and/or the sub-optimum content of essential trace elements (TEs). Anammox activity dropped to 2% and 13% in NH4+ and NO2− removal, respectively, when NO3-rich RAS wastewater was used as a medium in the absence of TE supplementation. A TE supplementation was added to the RAS wastewater in a subsequent phase, and a recovery in anammox activity was shown (25% and 24% in NH4+ and NO2− removal, respectively). Future studies need to identify the unknown factor and determine the specific needs regarding TE for optimal RAS wastewater treatment by Candidatus Scalindua.

ВОЗМОЖНАЯ РОЛЬ ЭССЕНЦИАЛЬНЫХ ЭЛЕМЕНТОВ В ЭТИОПАТОГЕНЕЗЕ РАССТРОЙСТВ АУТИСТИЧЕСКОГО СПЕКТРА И ЗАДЕРЖКИ ПСИХОРЕЧЕВОГО РАЗВИТИЯ У ДЕТЕЙ РАЗНОГО ВОЗРАСТА

An imbalance of trace elements plays a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of Autism Spec-trum Disorder (ASD) and Speech Development Delay (SDD). The aim of the study was to analyze an essential trace elements content in the hair samples of children with ASD and SDD for better understanding age and gender related diversity. The study included 258 children with ASD and 239 children with SDD. Control group consisted of 620 healthy children of similar age. All children were divided into two age categories (1.5 to 3 years old and 4 to 13 years old). It was shown that girls with ASD had more deviations in hair essential trace elements levels than boys. Children with ASD and SDD (1.5 to 3 years old) had significantly decreased hair iodine level (by 48-58%, p &lt; 0.0001). Low iodine level can be a significant indicator of mental and speech development delay. Normalization of hair iodine level in older boys with ASD accompanied by significant decrease in hair cobalt level (by 24%, p = 0.0001) may reflect age-related characteristics of iodine and cobalt metabolism. Low hair manganese level (by 12-44%, p &lt; 0.05) was observed in all groups of children. It’s possibly associated with decreased manganese excretion from the body and can provoke manganese-induced neurotoxicity. The decrease in copper levels in girls of different ages (by 9-17%, p &lt; 0.01) is probably influenced by hormonal status and earlier onset of puberty.

Characteristics of Trace Element Balance in Children with Pollution-Related Dental Diseases

Summary. Introduction: The necessity to assess, prevent and correct element-dependent diseases, increase the level of safety, predict and reduce the risk of exposures to industrial contaminants in the development of dental diseases in the child population is an important and promising area of modern hygiene. The objective of our study was to establish concentrations of trace elements in dental tissues of children exposed to various levels of industrial pollution. Materials and methods: We used atomic absorption spectrophotometry to measure 13 trace elements in extracted healthy and carious primary teeth in two groups of children aged 7–11. The first group consisted of 56 children living in the area with a significantly high level of anthropogenic burden (Caveraged total = 1.17 units) and a high prevalence of caries (86.9 %) while the second group consisted of 68 children living in the area with a relatively high level of anthropogenic burden (Caveraged total = 0.68 units) and a mean prevalence of caries (77.1 %) according to WHO criteria. Results: Our findings indicate that accumulation of toxic microelements in hard dental tissues of children in the first group was higher than in children of the second group: concentrations of lead, bismuth, cadmium and strontium were 2.6, 1.8, 2.5, and 1.2 times higher, respectively. We also observed higher accumulation of environmental toxicants in carious teeth compared to healthy ones. Thus, lead, cadmium and bismuth levels in carious teeth were 3.04, 1.2 and 3.13 times higher than in healthy teeth, respectively, while the level of strontium was, on the opposite, 2.5 times lower. Conclusions: The study revealed specific features of the interaction of essential trace elements in children in the form of antagonistic effects between cadmium and zinc, copper and manganese, and synergism in the content of copper, iron, nickel, zinc, and cobalt in healthy teeth, the mechanism of which is based on competition for a bond with a carrier substance and replacement of one element with another. In addition, we established that changes in the microelement balance in the hard tissues of healthy and carious teeth are not unidirectional in nature, thus reflecting complex interactions between the child’s organism and anthropogenic factors. The results proved that accumulation of toxic trace elements in hard dental tissues promotes caries development and causes a sharp decrease in the content of essential trace elements, especially chromium, manganese, iron, and copper. The study showed that hard dental tissues are a depot for lead, cadmium, bismuth, and strontium in children environmentally exposed to high levels of industrial chemicals. Features of developing an imbalance of biotic concentrations of essential elements and accumulating toxic microelements in children with pollution-related tooth pathology were also established.

Element analysis of dried figs (Ficus carica L.) from the Mediterranean areas

The minerals content of 36 dried figs samples collected from three Mediterranean areas in 2018 was presented in this study. The aim of this research was to evaluate whether the mineral elements amounts were significantly different among the production regions. Samples grown in Italy, Greece and Turkey were analyzed in this study. Samples were found to be a good source of potassium (average content between 3.5 ± 0.2 g kg−1 and 8.12 ± 0.88 g kg−1), calcium (between 1.46 ± 0.24 g kg−1 and 4.49 ± 0.28 g kg−1), magnesium (between 0.84 ± 0.04 g kg−1 and 1.28 ± 0.15 g kg−1), and sodium (between 0.45 ± 0.04 g kg−1 and 0.70 ± 0.11 g kg−1). Cadmium ad lead concentrations were always below the regulated values and below the quantification limit in all Italian samples, whereas chromium was detected in all samples from Greece (0.05 ± 0.01 mg kg−1) and Turkey (0.03 ± 0.01 mg kg−1), and in 65 % of samples from Italy (0.08 ± 0.02 mg kg−1). Results confirm the good figs quality related to their essential trace elements content and they highlight the safety of these food products correlated to the intake of toxic elements. Furthermore, statistical analysis of the results pointed out that the mineral elements amount is significantly different among the three sample groups, hence it is possible to discriminate figs according to their geographical origin by PCA.

Main nutrients and functional ingredients in flowers of Polygonatum cyrtonema and P. filipes

To reveal the main nutrients and functional ingredients in the flowers of Polygonatum cyrtonema and P. filipes, the content of the polysaccharides, saponins, amino acids, total phenols, mineral elements, and the DPPH free radical scavenging rates were determined. The flowers and rhizomes of P. cyrtonema were collected from Qingyang in Anhui and Qingyuan in Zhejiang, while the flowers and rhizomes of P. filipes were collected from Longyou in Zhejiang, respectively. The results showed that the polysaccharides content in flowers varied from 60.88 to 97.00 mg·g~(-1), about half of that in rhizomes. The saponins content in flowers varied from 32.55 to 40.93 mg·g~(-1), which was close to the content in rhizomes. The content of total phenols ranged from 40.79 to 50.95 mg·g~(-1), approximately 4.5 times of that in rhizomes. The total amino acids content in flowers was 111.85 to 131.03 mg·g~(-1), about 2.3 times of the content in rhizomes. The essential trace element content was abundant in flowers. The contents of heavy metal elements were all within the limits set by the standards. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate IC_(50) varied from 1.77 to 3.25 mg·mL~(-1), less than one-fifth of that in rhizomes, showing a significant superiority of antioxidant activity compared to rhizomes. The results initially revealed the fundamental of &quot;the flowers exceed the rhizomes in effect&quot;, the common saying about the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs over the years, indicating a great developing potential of the flowers. Besides, as polysaccharides, saponins, amino acids, total phenols and other nutritive substances in flowers differ widely among species and provenances, it's important to develop variety breeding to improve the quality and yield of flowers.

CONDITIONS OF MICROELEMENTS EXCHANGE PROCESSES IN WOMEN’S PLACENTS IN INTRAUTERINE INFECTION OF THE FETUS

The aim:to study the content of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb) in the placenta of pregnant healthy women and with signs of intrauterine infection of the fetus, features of transplacental transmission of infectious process from mother to fetus and to investigate the role of the placenta in trace element supply of the fetus. Materials and methods. 43 pregnant women between the aged 16 to 40 years were monitored, including 12 with physiological pregnancy (group 1) and 31 with signs of STI (group 2). All pregnant women underwent standard comprehensive examination, evaluation of fetal cardiac output and non-stress testing using cardio-toсography (CTG) in the third trimester. The group of pregnant women with signs of fetal ulcers included women whose pregnancy was complicated by chronic fetoplacental dysfunction (FPD), infectious lesions of the fetoplacental complex, which were diagnosed on the basis of ultrasound signs of placenta, syndrome of infectious and surrounding infections. Results:The content of essential trace elements in the placenta of the main group was significantly lower than in the placenta of the control group. There was a decrease in the concentration of iron by 32%, zinc - by 46%, nickel - by 44%, copper more than tripled, chromium - 4 times. Deficiency of essential trace elements (iron, zinc, copper, chromium, nickel) and elevated lead content in the placenta leads to the formation of conditions for the development of placental dysfunction, the progression of which leads to fetal distress, developmental delay syndrome and antenatal fetal death. Conclusions:1. One of the links in the pathogenesis of intrauterine infection in the fetus is the imbalance of essential trace elements in the system «mother - placenta - fetus». 2. Pregnant women with signs of intrauterine infection are characterized by a deficiency of serum Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and an increased content of Pb, Cr and Co compared with pregnant women with physiological pregnancy. 3. Umbilical cord blood of women with evidence of fetal fetal infection also has a reduced content of iron, copper, zinc and high levels of lead, cobalt and chromium. 4. Disruption of placental function in intrauterine infection of the fetus is caused by reduced content of iron, zinc, copper, nickel and lead accumulation.

Effects of Early Life Adverse Experience on Contents of Essential Trace Elements Related to the Antioxidative System in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus

Neonatal maternal separation has been found to affect adult brain function. However, the molecular basis has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the changes in mineral levels related to the antioxidative system in the adult mouse hippocampus after neonatal maternal separation. Male mouse pups in the maternal separation group were separated from their dams for 3 hours daily during the first 2 postnatal weeks. The hippocampal selenium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese contents were analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer at 13 postnatal weeks, and plasma protein carbonyl and 8-OHdG concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was found that the hippocampal selenium content was about three times lower in the maternal separation group than that in the control group, representing a significant difference. The hippocampal calcium content was more than 2 times higher in the maternal separation group than that in the control group. The plasma protein carbonyl concentration was about seven-fold higher in the maternal separation group than that in the control group. However, no significant differences were found in the hippocampal calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese contents, or in plasma protein carbonyl and 8-OHdG concentrations between the maternal separation and control groups. Therefore, neonatal maternal separation affects the hippocampal selenium content of adult male mice, but does not affect other mineral contents, such as zinc, copper, manganese, and calcium in the hippocampus.

Economic-analitical research of the compounding of the innovative product "volga region" from the offal ii categories with the balanced structure of albuminous components on the basis of modern methods of mathematical modelling

Taking into account the resources and dietary properties of low-priced by-products of 2nd category, the authors have developed a nutrient-balanced formulation of products with a limited content of essential trace elements for the prevention of dismicroelementosis in the framework of the innovative product “Povolzhsky”. Integrated processing of low-grade by-products will increase the profitability of production, will contribute to the introduction of non-waste technologies and ensuring the biological balance.

Cicer arietinum extract ameliorate γ-irradiation disorders via modulation of oxidative/antioxidative pathway

Ionized radiations trigger thoughtful adverse hazards through multiple organ dysfunctions. Recently, antioxidant-based biodrugs are used to prevent and treat ionizing radiation hazards. The present study aimed to investigate the prospective ameliorative effect of Cicer arietinum extract (CAE) against γ-irradiation and the pathway of this amelioration in male albino rats. Twenty four rats were allocated into four groups; (i) control group, (ii) CAE group in which rats treated with a dosage of 500 mg CAE/kg b.wt, (iii) γ-irradiated group in which rats exposed to 6Gy γ-irradiation, (iv) γ-irradiated+CAE group; rats of this group treated with CAE 1 h post exposure. All rats treated for 21 days. Liver, kidney and femoral bone were rapidly excised and homogenized for the biochemical analysis. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICP) analyses exhibit that γ-irradiation elicits significant change in the essential trace elements content in liver, kidney, and bone. Further, significant increases in TBARS and H2O2 contents accompanied by significant decreases in GSH, SOD, CAT, and GPx activities in liver, kidney and bone tissues were recorded in the γ-irradiated rats compared to control group. Additionally, marked reduction in the thickness of cortical bone was recorded in rats exposed to γ-irradiation. Conversely, CAE (500 mg/kg b.wt, p.o) administration for 21 days to γ-irradiated rats effectively reverses most of the altered parameters of the γ-irradiated rats. In conclusion, the present findings suggested that CAE is a potential agent that can be used against radiation hazards. This effect may be owing to its antioxidant mechanism, as CAE has an inhibitory effect against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radical (O2·−) beside its ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). This finding recommended that CAE can be utilized clinically to mitigate ionized radiation-induced hazard effects.

Toxic and Essential Trace Element Content of Commonly Administered Pediatric Oral Medications.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that commonly administered pediatric oral medications are a significant source of toxic elements. The concentrations of 16 elements were determined in 14 frequently used pediatric oral medications. Samples were prepared for analysis by dilution or nitric acid microwave-assisted digestion and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The intake of each element from administration for 1 week of the medication's maximum recommended daily dose to 6-month-olds was calculated and compared to an exposure guideline for that element. Exposure guidelines used for adverse effects were minimal risk levels, oral reference dose, permissible or permitted daily exposure, provisional tolerable weekly intake, and tolerable upper intake concentrations. Exposure guidelines utilized for desired effect were adequate intake and recommended dietary allowance. Intake of the maximum recommended daily dose by 6-month-olds for 1 week would not deliver more than the exposure guideline of any of the elements, with the exceptions of chromium in several medications and zinc in the pediatric electrolyte solution, if it was consumed for 1 week. Consumed alone, these frequently administered pediatric oral medications would not deliver amounts of toxic elements that exceed established exposure guidelines for adverse effects, nor would most significantly contribute to adequate intake of essential elements.

Content of essential trace elements in the hair of children with short stature due to somatotropic insufficiency

The content of essential trace elements (zinc, selenium, chrome, magnesium, copper) was studied in 102 children with short stature due to total (n = 66; 54 - boys; mean age 10.23 ± 0.4 years) or partial (n = 36; 26 - boys; mean age 8.91 ± 0.4 years) somatotropic insufficiency.Aim. The aim of our research was a complex studying the content of essential trace elements (zinc, selenium, manganese, chrome, copper) in the hair of children with low growth, caused by somatotropic insufficiency, to determine the additional ways to optimize the treatment of these patients.Methods. The content of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was determined once a morning in the blood sample by radioimmunoassay using standard kits «IRMA IGF-1" firm «Immunotech» (Czech Republic). The body height was measured using stadiometer «System Dr. Keller J.», the body mass - using Seca electronic scales. The atlas of W.W. Greulich, S.P. Pyle (1993 was used to determine the bone age.Results. As a result of our examination a significant decrease in the content of all the studied tracer elements: zinc, selenium, manganese, chrome, copper was noted in the hair of the great majority of children with complete (group I) or partial (group II) somatotropic insufficiency. A sharp decline in zinc content in the hair of patients with complete (78,50 ± 4,31 mcg / g, p˂0.001) and partial (83.94 ± 4.89 mcg / g, p˂0.001) somatotropic insufficiency, compared with reference values and control indices was established. The mean values of selenium, manganese did not differ between themselves and the indices of control group (p˃0.1) in both groups, but they were significantly lower than the reference values. A significant decrease in the chromium content in the hair of girls with the total somatotropic insufficiency comparing to the control group (p˂0.05) was revealed. The tendency to decrease in the content of copper in the hair of boys in the whole group with total somatotropic insufficiency was established.Conclusions. The obtained data indicate the expediency of studying the tracer elements status in children with short stature due to somatotropic insufficiency and of carrying out the corresponding correction, in a case of essential tracer elements deficiency

The influence of physical activity on hair toxic and essential trace element content in male and female students.

The primary aim of the current study is to estimate the effect of different physical activity levels on hair trace element content in male and female students. A total of 113 students (59 women and 54 men) of P. G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University (Yaroslavl, Russia) took part in the current investigation. According to the level of the physical activity, all students were divided into three groups: high, medium, and low physical activity. Essential and toxic metal content (μg/g) in hair samples was assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using NexION 300D + NWR213 (Perkin-Elmer, USA). The obtained data show that hair iodine, zinc, arsenic, nickel, and tin levels are not related to physical activity in male and female students. At the same time, increased physical activity is associated with decreased hair copper, vanadium, bismuth, and mercury content in comparison to the low physical activity groups. Students with higher physical activity are also characterized by significantly higher hair cobalt, iron, manganese, selenium, cadmium, lithium, and lead concentrations. Finally, statistical analysis has revealed maximal gender differences in hair trace element content in the high physical activity groups, whereas in the low activity groups, the hair metal concentrations were nearly similar in females and males.

A survey on hepatic and renal trace elements status of sheep and goats in Zarrinshahr region, Isfahan, Iran: an abattoir study

Hepatic and renal contents of essential trace elements provide good clues to monitor the nutritional status of grazing animals. Liver and kidney samples were collected from 60 sheep and 60 goats slaughtered in Zarrinshahr abattoirs and analyzed for essential trace elements. Hepatic Fe concentrations were significantly higher in sheep than goats. There were also higher renal and hepatic Fe concentration in age group of 2-4 year Scompared with age groups of <2 and 4-6 years. The concentration of hepatic trace elements including Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni and Cr was significantly higher than renal ones. Concentration of Cu in the liver and kidney of the sheep from Zarrinshahr were lower than normal values and findings from other countries. Fe, Cr and Ni in the organs, however, were high and Zn and Co concentrations were in normal ranges. It is concluded that high concentrations of Fe, Cr and Ni in the liver and kidney of sheep and goats from Zarrinshaher area may be related to industrial operations and should be considered with regards to animal and human health, while potentially copper deficiency may be regarded as a potential burden to flock efficiency.

Influence of Tropaeolum Majus Leaves Extract in Ameliorating Damage Induced by Gamma Radiation in Rats

Background:Medicinal plants were commonly used in primary health care.They can ameliorate the action of oxidative stress and free radical-induced damage. The present studywas proposed to investigate the possible hepatoprotective role of hydroethanolic extract of Tropaeolum majus leaves (HETM), in modulating the toxicity and the oxidative stress induced by exposure to gamma radiation (IR) in the liver of male rats. Material &methods: HETM (300 mg/kg body weight) was administered to male albino rats via gavages during 21 successive days before whole body exposure to gamma rays (6 Gy) and during 7 days after irradiation. The animals were sacrificed on the 7th day post-irradiation. Results:the exposure to gamma-radiation caused liver dysfunction manifested by significant (p<0.05) increases in the plasma level of the alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol, low densitylipoprotein (LDL-C) and triglycerides. Moreover, IR induced oxidative stress as indicated by a significant increase in the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) with a concomitant decrease in the reduced glutathione (GSH) content as well as in the activity of superoxide dismutase, (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the liver tissue. Pretreatment with HETM in IR-treated rats alleviated the previously mentioned alterations in the biochemical and oxidative stress parameters and restored their values toward the normal value of the control group. Conclusion: hydroethanolic extract of T.majus leaves by its bioactive components and essential trace elements content might attenuate the severity of radiation-induced biochemical disorders in liver tissues.

Indicators of Trace-Element Status of Children Living in Rural Areas

The content of essential and toxic elements, except beryllium and mercury, in the hair of examined children (girls aged 7-9 years) is within the biologically acceptable levels set by WHO. The data on the content of essential trace elements suggest that urgent measures aimed at normalization of the elemental status of children are required.