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G M Al-Hachim

Publications and source records attributed to G M Al-Hachim.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Effects of oil plastic extract on mice.

In the plastics industry, various chemical additives are used to improve certain properties of plastics. Some of these chemicals, that might be toxic, have been proved to leach from the plastic containers and mix with their contents such as food oils, beverages, drugs, etc. Locally manufactured polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jerrycans were bought from the market and cut into small chips of 0.5 cm in the larger dimension. Four grams of chips were extracted with 20 ml cottonseed oil in the autoclave for 1 h at 121 degrees C. The extract was prepared daily and given orally to adult MFI mice in a dose of 10 ml kg(-1) body weight. Pure cottonseed oil was prepared under the same conditions and given in a dose of 10 ml kg(-1) body weight to the control group. Treatment of both groups continued for 1 month. Each group comprised 60 animals, regardless of sex. Effects of the oil plastic extract were observed on blood elements, serum transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase, AST, and alanine aminotransferase, ALT), organ-to-body weight of the liver, kidneys and brain, and the nervous system (effects on the neuromuscular junction and analgesia, using the Rota-Rod(R) treadmill 'RRT', and the hot plate, respectively). All the results were subjected to Student's t-test. The results showed that the extract induced significant effects: an increase in the activities of AST (p< 0.001) and ALT (p< 0.02), an increase in the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p< 0.01), and the monocyte count (p< 0.01). It decreased the white blood cell count (WBC) (p< 0.01), the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (p< 0.05), and the lymphocyte count (p< 0.05). It also reduced the weight of the liver (P< 0.01), kidneys (P< 0.05), and the endurance time on the RRT (p< 0.001).

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Perinatal effects of nicotine.

Nicotine alkaloid as a base was administered to 3 groups of pregnant Swiss albino mice during each trimester of their pregnancy. Three doses of the drug (900, 1,800 and 2,700 micrograms/kg/day) which respectively correspond to 3 levels of cigarette smoking (10, 20 and 30 cigarettes per day) were used. In order to find out which stage of pregnancy is most vulnerable to the effects of nicotine, each dose of the drug was administered subcutaneously to a group of animals during each trimester of their pregnancy. The perinatal effects, i.e., gestation period, percent of delivering mothers, the male to female ratio of the offspring, and the perinatal mortality, i.e. still-birth and neonatal death, were observed. In general, nicotine has increased the perinatal mortality. When large doses of the drug were given especially in the second and third trimesters of gestation, there was a significant shortening of the gestation period (p less than 0.05; p less than 0.01). Hence, during pregnancy, mothers who smoke should be warned against the harmful effects of smoking especially in the late period of their pregnancy.

Animals↗
PubMed1973

Effects of chlordane on conditioned avoidance response, brain seizure threshold and open-field performance of prenatally-treated mice.

1. Three groups of six pregnant albino mice at the third stage of gestation were given chlordane 1 or 2.5 mg/kg body weight or olive oil 10 ml/kg. They were dosed orally for seven consecutive days.2. Ten young mice, regardless of sex, were randomly selected from the progeny of each group of treated mothers and tested for conditioned avoidance response, electroshock seizure threshold, and open-field performance.3. Offspring of chlordane-treated mice made fewer conditioned avoidance responses than the controls on each day of training.4. Electroshock seizure threshold was raised.5. In the open-field test, progeny of mothers receiving the larger dose were more active than controls. A dose x days interaction indicated a complex response of the chlordane-treated mice to experience in the open-field.6. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal nicotine and CNS development.

The teratological effect of nicotine has been studied during different trimesters of pregnancy. Three groups of pregnant albino Swiss mice were used for each trimester. The daily doses of nicotine base used were equivalent to 10 (900 micrograms/kg), 20 (1,800 micrograms/kg), or 30 (2,700 micrograms/kg) cigarettes. The control groups were given normal saline. The drug and the saline solution were administered subcutaneously. The results showed that prenatal nicotine prolonged the latency and delayed the onset and extinction of audiogenic seizures in the offspring. These effects were more pronounced during the third trimester and particularly with the largest dose. These findings indicate that prenatal nicotine might delay the postnatal development of the CNS if it is given during the late stage of pregnancy.

Acoustic Stimulation↗