This study aimed at assessing the effect of gum arabic (Acacia senegal) oral treatment on the metabolic profile of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. A total of 36 CRF patients (under regular haemodialysis) and 10 normal subjects participated in this study. The patients were randomly allocated into three groups-group A: 12 CRF patients under low-protein diet (LPD) (<40 g day(-1)) and gum arabic (50 g day(-1)) treatment; group B: 14 CRF patients under LPD and gum arabic, iron (ferrous sulphate, 200 mg day(-1)) and folic acid (5 mg day(-1)) treatment; group C (control group): 10 CRF patients under LPD and iron and folic acid treatment and group D: 10 normal volunteers (on normal diet) under daily dose of 50 g gum arabic. Each of the above treatments was continued for three consecutive months. Blood samples were collected from each subject before treatment and twice per month "pre-dialysis" for 3 months. Biochemical parameters measured were: serum urea, serum creatinine, serum uric acid, serum calcium and serum phosphorus. By the end of the 3 months of treatment, serum urea levels significantly decreased by 31.2 and 44.18% for group A and B, respectively, compared with the baseline (0.01 < p < 0.001) and control group (p < 0.05). Serum creatinine levels significantly decreased in the groups of gum users (A, B and D) by 9.94, 12.65 and 11.7%, respectively, compared with the control group (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in serum uric acid levels by 14 and 19.9% for group A and B, respectively, compared with the baseline. Serum calcium levels increased by 12.64, 15.75 and 8.75% for group A, B and D, respectively, and these increases were significantly different (0.05 < p < 0.001) from baseline and control group for groups A and B. Serum phosphorus levels significantly decreased by 22.54% for group A, 17.69% for group B and 7.71% for group D, compared with the baseline (0.05 < p < 0.001). From this study, we conclude that oral administration of gum arabic could conceivably alleviate adverse effects of CRF.

Two plastic items were investigated for toxicity, due to chemical migrants, on reproduction and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Extraction of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) food oil jerrycans, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blood bags was carried out. HDPE and PVC were extracted with sesame oil and normal saline, respectively. The extracts were prepared daily and administered (50 ml/kg b.w.) into pregnant Swiss albino mice from gestation day 0 until delivery. Control groups received the pure vehicles that were subjected to the same conditions of extraction and extracts. Pregnancy weight gain, gestation period, litter size, stillbirths and offspring sex ratio were recorded. Blood sex hormones (progesterone, estradiol and prolactin) were assayed for each pregnancy trimester. Birth weight, growth rate and sex hormone levels [females: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), leutenizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E 2 ); males: testosterone] were monitored in offspring. ELISA was applied to assay hormones. HDPE caused significant (p ≤ 0.01) stillbirth. Blood hormone levels in dams and offspring for both treatments indicated no significance. PVC treatment exhibited negative effects on all parameters. In conclusion, HDPE is leachable and could affect reproduction, as indicated by the stillbirth incidence. PVC sample might not be toxic at the conditions of the experiment. Oil-plastic extract could exhibit a pronounced effect on pregnancy outcomes in contrast with the aqueous one.