Indira Chakravarty

Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiency Based on Obtained from the National Pilot Program of Micronutrient Malnutrition Results on Control

Micronutrient deficiency is a serious public health concern in most developing countries. In India, iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and iodine deficiency disorder are of greatest public health significance. In addition, subclinical zinc deficiency, flourosis, and fluoride-deficient dental caries are important areas of concern. The National Pilot Program on Control of Micronutrient Malnutrition was launched in 1995 to address these problems and the Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition of the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health (Calcutta) was entrusted to coordinate its activities. The program presently covers one northeastern and four eastern states, namely Assam, Bihar (Jharkhand), Orissa, West Bengal, and Tripura. Baseline analyses were conducted on demographic situation, food and nutrient intake pattern, nutritional deficiency diseases (e.g., iron deficiency anemia), iodine deficiency disorder, and vitamin A deficiency. It was observed that except for cereals, the diet was deficient in all other food groups. Nutrient intake (i.e., energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals) was also deficient in almost the entire state. Anthropometric indices (e.g., weight-for-age and height-for-age data) indicated that large percentages of <5-year-old and 6-14-year-old children were in grade II or III malnutrition. Mean dietary zinc intakes in all the surveyed districts were much lower than the RDA. Large percentages of salt samples had iodine levels less than 15 ppm. The point prevalence of anemia in various age groups was found to be high. Bitots spot was mainly noted in the age group of 6 - 71 months. Nightblindness was noted in young children as well as the children 24 -71 months old. High prevalence of nightblindness in pregnant women is a point of concern. Actions needed to control micronutrient deficiencies include: intervention strategies, extensive nutrition and health education through innovative IEC materials to support problem-specific programs, strengthening of various state government programs and the role of NGOs.

Circulating gonadotropin profile in severe cases of protein calorie malnutrition

The circulating levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and prolactin (PRL) were studied in children of both sexes between 2 and 14 years of age who were suffering from severe protein calorie malnutrition (PCM), namely, kwashiorkor, marasmic kwashiorkor, and marasmus. LH and FSH levels in all the age groups and in all forms of PCM were found to be significantly lowered, thereby explaining the possible delay in the onset of puberty in these children. Circulating PRL levels, on the other hand, were significantly raised in all patients with PCM studied, with values in children with kwashiorkor and marasmic kwashiorkor higher than in children with marasmus, possibly accounting for the presence of edema in the former cases. The present work, therefore, proposes a possible correlation between gonadotropin levels and PCM in children.

Effect of subacute administration of three organophosphorus pesticides on the hepatic phosphatases under various nutritional conditions

In developing countries, extensive use of pesticides to meet with increased agricultural needs is inevitable and the indiscriminate use has led to several toxicological implications in humans. The toxic effects, however, to a large extent depend on the nutritional status of the individuals. In the present work, the hepatic susceptibility to pesticide toxicity has been studied in experimental animals maintained on diets containing different levels of protein for a period of 3 weeks. Along with protein deprivation, the rats were also exposed to three organophosphorus pesticides, viz., parathion, malathion, and phosalone, individually at various doses for the same time period. Phosphatases, the functionally important enzymes of the liver, were estimated and the results obtained indicated that protein deprivation further aggravated the pesticide-induced effects on the hepatic phosphatases.

Interaction between parathion toxicity and protein malnutrition.

Abstract The effect of parathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, on some hepatic enzyme activities was observed in rats maintained under normal and protein-deficient dietary conditions for 3 weeks. The doses of parathion used for the study were 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/kg body wt, given 24 hr prior to decapitation. The study indicated that the activities of the liver enzymes, viz., acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase, were increased, with a prominent rise at the highest doses of parathion treatment in both normal and protein-deficient rats. Hepatic alkaline phosphatase activity, on the other hand, was decreased by parathion treatment, with a significant decrease at the highest dose in the case of both normal and low-protein diet groups. A drastic fall in the activities of all these hepatic enzymes was obtained in the untreated rats maintained on a low-protein diet when compared to the normal diet controls. The lipid/protein ratio was also decreased by low protein intake and pesticide treatment. In all these cases, the toxic effects of parathion were observed to be more prominent in rats maintained under protein-deficient conditions, indicating that a low protein intake can aggravate pesticide toxicity in liver.

Subacute administration of organophosphorus pesticides and hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme activity in normal and malnourished rats

Organophosphate pesticides have reportedy caused numerous fatalittes in man and domestic animais (Namba et al 1971). Over 100 deaths in India during the spring of 1958 resuited from eating food aec|dentally eontamlnated with parathion (Karunakaran 1958)o Some reports are avallable on the effects of malathion on behavioutal and reproduetlve functions (Krause 1977~ Kurtz 1977). High level exposure to phusalone in rats and dogs hes been reported to cause changes in body welght, Uver weights, RBC etc~ (FAO/ WHO 197 87

Augmented hepatic susceptibility to malathion toxicity in rats on low-protein diets.

With an increasing world population, use of pesticides is unavoidable. However, indiscriminate use of these chemical agents has resulted in several incidents of human intoxication. Toxic effects of human exposure may be influenced by their nutritional status. Effects of malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, on the hepatic lipid and protein levels and GOT, GPT, and beta-glucuronidase activities in rats maintained on 16, 6, and 1% protein diets for a period of 3 weeks is reported. The doses of malathion used were 5, 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg body wt, administered 24 hr prior to decapitation. The results obtained indicated that malathion induced alterations in enzyme activity; lipid and protein levels were further perturbed by the dietary protein deficiency.

Profile of drug metabolizing enzymes in rats treated with parathion, malathion, and phosalone under various conditions of protein energy malnutrition.

Pesticides particularly those of the organophosphorus group are extensively used for agricultural and various other purposes throughout the world. However, the indiscriminate use of these chemicals have often resulted in several incidences of human intoxication (Namba 1971). Recent experimental data further indicate that the toxic effects of human exposure may subsequently be influenced by their existing nutritional status (Chakravarty and Ghosh 1980). This aspect of pesticide toxicity is of great importance particularly in the developing countries where protein malnutrition is a major public health problem and use of pesticides for various purposes is also common. The toxicity of any drug or chemical, depends to a large extent on the process of detoxification of the compound in the body, which is again interdependent on the nutritional status. Liver is the organ which takes one of the most important roles in the detoxifying functions of the body (Chatterjee 1975). The liver microsomal drug metabolising enzymes, responsible for the metabolism of a variety of endogenous and exogenous substances (Conney 1967) are also known as mixed function oxidase system (MFO). In animals, a number of agents affec, t the microsomal drug metabolism either by induction or inhibition of these enzymes. Exposure to environmental chemicals (Goodman and Gilman 1975) and insecticides (Wagstaff and Street 1971) induced hepatic microsomal MFO system in animals and man.

Influence of cannabis and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the biochemistry of the male reproductive organs

Abstract Studies have been made on the effect of repeated subcutaneous administration of cannabis extract and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the fructose and citric acid contents of male reproductive organs of prepubertal as well as adult albino rats. Results indicate that both the fructose and the citric acid contents of the male reproductive organs are reduced significantly by cannabis. The reduction further appears to be dose-related to the amount of THC being administered, in case of both young and adult rats. Thus the study corroborates the previously reported antitestosteronic action of the drug.

Effect of cannabis extract on uterine glycogen metabolism in prepubertal rats under normal and estradiol-treated conditions.

Abstract Repeated administration of cannabis extract on two uterine glycogen metabolising enzymes, glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthetase in prepubertal rats, treated with or without estradiol benzoate reduces the glycogen content of uterus by increasing phosphorylase activity (both total and form a) and by decreasing glycogen synthetase activity. In estradiol treated rats, however, cannabis extract has been found to inhibit the estradiol-induced rise in type a phosphorylase activity, glycogen synthetase activity being inhibited as in the previous case. Hence reduction of glycogen content in uterus by cannabis extract in estradiol-treated rats appears to be primarily due to decreased synthesis. The results indicate the antiestrogenic effect of this drug at the level of uterine glycogen metabolizing enzymes.

Action of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on the binding of estradiol to uterine and other tissues in rats

Abstract In the present paper three binding studies have been done to evaluate any possible interaction of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) with estrogen in adult female rats. (1) Treatment with THC for 10 consecutive days and eventual binding studies with the uterine cytosol receptors in the presence of estradiol indicate that the drug has almost no effect on the binding affinity of the hormone. (2) In vitro incubation of cytosol receptors in the presence of different concentrations of THC further shows that there is no change in binding affinity to estradiol as well. (3) Treatment of ovariectomised rats with delta-9-THC and subsequently with radioactive estradiol indicates that binding of estradiol in most organs (viz. the uterus, vagina, liver, hypothalamus, pituitary, fallopian tube, kidney and adrenal) remains unaffected. The present paper therefore shows that delta-9-THC does not appear to alter the binding of estradiol to its receptors in any way. Hence, the antiestrogenic action previously reported to be exerted by the drug may be due to its direct action on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis and not due to any inhibitory action at the steroid receptor level.