Assessment of trace elements in the scalp hair of hepatitis-C patients in comparison with healthy donors

Abstract

Aim: The present study was conducted to investigate the distribution and mutual variations of trace elements (Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, and Zn) in the scalp hair of hepatitis-C patients in comparison with the healthy subjects. Methods: The scalp hair samples were solubilized in nitric acid and perchloric acid mixture, followed by the quantification of the trace elements on flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The metal data were then subjected to the detailed statistical analyses. Results: Average concentrations of Ca, Mg, Zn and Na were dominant in the scalp hair of both groups, although most of the trace elernents exhibited higher dispersion and tandomness in the patients. Mean levels of Cr, Fe, Cd, Mg and Cu were significantly higher and those of Zn and Mn were lower in the scalp hair of the patients (p < 0.05). The correlation study revealed considerable variations in the rnutual relationships of trace elelnents in both groups. Principal component and cluster analyses exhibited diverse appor

Comparative evaluation of trace elements in the blood of chronic bronchitis patients and healthy donors

“…Trace elements also play important roles in activating or inhibiting enzymatic reactions by competing with other elements and metalloproteins for binding sites, by affecting the permeability of cell membranes and by other mechanisms. They also play vital roles in the oxidant/antioxidant balance and as such, they are involved directly or indirectly in the pathogenesis of several diseases [3,4,5,6]. Many trace elements are essential for humans and various metabolic processes are dependent on their concentrations.…”