β-thalassemia major is severe hemolytic anemia which requires repeated blood transfusion and for survival, which leading to iron overload. Serious complications due to iron over load are recognized in the thalassemia patients. objectives Vitamin D and calcium are important factors for homeostasis of calcium in this study. This study was conducted for a period of two year including from patients with β- thalassemia major from Duhok Thalassemia Centre between 2014 -2015. Thirty eighth β- thalassemia major patients and thirty eighth persons with age- matched as control group were enrolled in the study. Serum concentration of 25- hydroxy vitamin D and calcium were estimated by enzyme linked fluorescent assay and colorimetric method, respectively. In patients, the level of serum 25- hydroxy vitamin D was significantly lower 11.11±4.36 ng/mL compared with control group (14.03±5.96ng/mL). Vitamin D deficiency is observed about 94.73% in patients. The mean level of serum calcium in patients group is 7.9±0.47mg/dL and 8.98±0.77 mg/dL in control group. There was a statistically significant difference in serum calcium value between patients and control group. 44.73% of patients have hypocalcaemia. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency and low total serum calcium levels in thalassemia patients with a significantly lower than healthy group. Hypocalcemia and vitamin D deficiency may be results from the negative effect of the repeated blood transfusion and malnourishment.

This study was designed to evaluate the role of local Onopordum acanthium L. (cotton thistle) seed extracts (200mg/kg) in diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats with the histopathological examination of liver, kidney and spleen tissues. Ninety adult male rats were randomly divided into nine equal groups. The first group was used as a control fed on a standard diet; the second group was treated with water extract and the third group was treated with the ethanolic extract. The fourth group was injected with streptozotocin (40mg/kg) as a diabetic group, while in the fifth group, diabetic rats were treated with water extract and in the sixth group, diabetic rats were treated with the alcoholic extract. The seventh group was fed on high cholesterol diet (hyperlipidemic group). In the eighth and ninth groups, hyperlipidemic rats were treated with water extract and alcoholic extracts, respectively. The fasting blood glucose (FBS), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), lipid profile, liver and renal function parameters, CRP, WBCs, hematological parameters and body weight were almost improved when diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats were treated with water extract and ethanol extract. Histopathological changes in the liver, kidney and spleen in diabetic groups were improved in groups treated with both extracts. Conclusion: from the results of this study, it can be reported that extracts of local cotton thistle seeds (mostly water extract) were effective in controlling abnormal parameters and histopathological changes in diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats.

In this study, the attention was focused on the protective role of seeds oil from local Onopordum acanthium L. (cotton thistle) against tissues damage in the liver, kidney and spleen in male albino rats. Forty adult male rats were randomly divided into four equal groups including control group, rats were treated orally with seeds oil (0.5ml/kg), carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) injected group, and last group was intoxicated with CCL4 and daily treated with seed oil (0.5ml/kg). After four weeks of the experiment, rats were anaesthetized and blood was taken directly by cardiac puncture for the evaluation of studied parameters. Samples of liver, kidneys and spleen were fixed in 10% formalin for histological studies.       From the obtained results, no significant changes were seen in the estimated parameters in the group treated with oil only. In the group injected with CCL4 and treated with oil extract, the level of serum lipids, liver enzymes, total serum bilirubin (TSB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells (WBCs) were significantly reduced in comparison with untreated CCL4 intoxicated group. The toxicity of CCL4 on the level of fasting blood sugar (FBS), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), renal function parameters, hemoglobin and body weight were ameliorated with seeds oil. These effective roles were further supported by the histopathological improvement of the liver, kidney and spleen tissues of rats against CCl4. Conclusion: from the results of this study, it can be concluded that the extracted oil from local Iraqi Onopordum acanthium L. seeds reduced the tissue damages with an improvement of biochemical, hematological and immunological parameters during the four weeks of the experiment.