: This study was designed to identify the active contents of Citrullus colocynthis plant and to examine their teratogenicity in rats. The fruit pulp of the poisonous plant was collected randomly from Suq-Alkhamis district, Tripoli, Libya
Amer ELgerwi(8-2013)

The relationship between ATP-induced membrane potential and contraction was inestigated in the smooth muscle of chicken anterior mesenteric artery using micro-electrode and tension recording techniques respectively. Application of ATP to en-dothelium-denuded arterial preparations developed concentration-dependent, slow depolarization which started only at concentrations not less than 10 μM. On the other hand the tension recording experiment revealed that ATP produced concentration dependent contractions, which were evident at concentrations lower than those evoked depolarizing response to ATP (as lower 100 nM). Both depolarizing & contracting responses were abolished by the P2X receptor blocker, PPADS (50 μM) but not by P2Y receptor blocker CBF3GA (100 μM), indicating that the excitatory responses of ATP were mediated via activation of P2X receptor. These findings suggest that ATP-mediated contraction is not dependent on membrane depolarization only, at least at low concentrations in the first order branches of chicken anterior mesenteric artery. arabic 21 English 153
Marwan Draid(7-2012)

he present prospective study was designed to conduct a local survey on patients under anti-tuberculosis therapy hospitalized in Abo-Seta hospital, Tripoli, Libya from the safety point of view. The study was carried out on 75 inpatients. The effects of the used drugs on some hematological parameters and liver function biomarkers were monitored for six-month period of treatment. Our survey showed that tuberculosis affects people with low and medium levels of education and with no job. The frequency of adverse effects related to treatment with Abo-Seta hospital regimen were decreases in WBCs count (-38.7%), RBCs count (-32.1%), platelets count (-33%) and hemoglobin concentration (-35.5%). However, in most of the cases, it was not necessary to modify the treatment regimen because of such side effects. Some parameters showed spontaneous recovery as RBCs count (+22.1%) and hemoglobin level (+20.1%). Combined therapy of ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and rifampicin has been used in Abo-Seta hospital, as a regimen for tuberculosis infection, may be associated with a high risk of hepatic toxicity during first month of treatment. However, during the remaining five months there was a good recovery of liver enzymes profile. Upon the data obtained from the present study, it could be concluded that TB patient after 6 month of treatment didn't develop multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB arabic 13 English 83
Marwan Draid(7-2013)