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ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Zinc is one of the important elements necessary for human growth. CNS utilizes zinc for its biological functions. Zinc is one of the important cofactors of many enzymes in the body and about 200 enzymes contain zinc as their integral part of their structure. If for any reason zinc is omitted from the enzyme structure, those enzymes can not catalyze any biological functions. The fluctuation of this trace element in the body is clinically important. The concentration change of this trace element can lead to some overt and unrecognized manifestations in haemodialysis patients. This study is to determine the possible fluctuation of serum level of zinc in haemodialysis patients before and after dialysis,to explain the differences in concentration of such trace element in these patients. Materials & Methods: This study is a comparative and nonexperimental study which was carried out on 50 haemodialysis patients chosen randomly from the patients referred to the department of haemodialysis in 5th Azar hospital in Gorgan university of medical sciences. The concentration of urea, creatinine, zinc of these patients were determined using laboratory kits and spectrophotometry tchnique before and after the dialysis. The findings were analyzed by wilkacson non parameter analytical method. Results: Results of this study indicated that the average concenteration of zinc in haemodialysis patients after dialysis was 135.32±59.32 microgram / deciliter which markedly increased in comparison to the serum concentration of this trace element before the dialysis which was 78.38±37.46 microgram / deciliter ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Uremia, dialysis membrane, contaminations, heavy metals, and the quality of consumed water in the dialysis procedure, all can pave the way for the abnormality of trace element and clinical manifestation in haemodialysis patients. The trace element variation concentrations in human body clinically are very important because the decrease and increase in level of each trace element has its own clinical manifestation. The increased concentration of this trace element leads to toxification accompanied with clinical syndromes such as diarrhea and vomiting. Therefore, it is suggested that before the process of dialysis the level of released zinc from the different part of dialysis machine (such as pipeline, consumed water and dialysis membrane) be determined and on the basis of such information the level of zinc in haemodialysis patients can be replaced by proper nutrition.

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Introduction & Objective: Zinc is an important nutrient which is critical for normal immune function and physical growth. Zinc deficiency seems to be common in developing countries and this makes children in those countries prone to infectious diseases. The aim of This study was to find out the effect of zinc supplementation on growth of school children in Yasuj, in Southwest of Iran. Materials & Methods: The study was done as a double – blinded clinical trial. Eight hundreds and four school children aged 8-11 were the subjects of this study. Children were randomly assigned to zinc or placebo group to receive daily supplementation of zinc or placebo, in an identical form (syrup) and identical pre-coded containers, 6 days per week, for 7 months. Anthropometric assessment was first performed at the time of enrolment and then monthly. The data were analyzed by standard statistical tests using SPSS software. Results: Results showed significant weight gain in zinc supplemented group compared with placebo group (1.71± 1.48 VS 0.65 ± 1.98 p<0.0001). Also the mean height gain was significantly higher in zinc supplemented group than placebo group 3.26 ± 1.55 VS 1.65 ± 0.94 p<0.0001). Conclusion: Zinc supplementation improves children’s growth and measures should be taken to supply this nutrient to the children, particularly where zinc deficiency is common.

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Backgrounds & aim: Wheezing after bronchiolitis is known as a risk factor for asthma. No cure or effective vaccine has been identified for such disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of zinc sulfate on persistent wheezing after bronchiolitis in infants less than two years. Methods: The present randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 90 infants under two years of age suffering from the first attack with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis wheezing hospitalized in Imam Sajjad Hospital, Yasuj. All infants were equally placed in test groups and control group. In addition to bronchiolitis usual treatment, test group received 20 mg of elemental zinc for seven days. Patient information including risk factors associated with wheezing and persistent wheezing were compared 48 hours and two weeks after treatment. Data were analyzed using chi-square and t tests. Results: In all 90 infants diagnosed with bronchiolitis, wheezing was observed. After 48 hours and two weeks wheezing was continued in 67 patients (74.4%) and 54 patients (60%) respectively Conclusion: The results showed Zinc sulfate had no effect on the improvement of wheezing after bronchiolitis.

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Background & aim: Jaundice is one of the most significant problems to consider in the neonatal period. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of oral zinc sulfate on uncomplicated neonatal jaundice using comparison of effect of just phototherapy with the effect of combination of phototherapy and oral zinc sulfate.

Methods: The present double blind randomized clinical trial was carried out on 78 normal term neonates with the age of 2-7 days who were admitted for uncomplicated jaundice in neonatal ward of Imam Sajjad Hospital of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences. These infants were divided to experimental group (40 cases) and control group (38 cases) using block random allocation. In the control group, phototherapy was done alone and experimental group received elemental zinc orally as 10 mg daily for 5 days in combination with phototherapy.  The total bilirubin serum levels were measured at the beginning of the study , 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours after the beginning of the study, discharge, and one week after discharge. The collected data were analyzed by the Chi Square test, independent t-test, and analysis of variance with repeated measurement.

Results: There were no significant statistical difference between the experimental group and control group in sex, age, birth weight, hemoglobin, reticulocyte percentage, G6PD deficiency, and of serum total bilirubin level at the beginning of study(p>0.05). Analysis of variance with repeated measurement showed that there were no significant statistical difference between the total bilirubin serum level at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours after beginning of the study, discharge, and one week after discharge (p>0.05). Also, the mean of hospitalization duration was not significantly different between the two groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Although oral zinc salts inhibit the enterohepatic circulation of bilirubin, however probably not effective in the treatment of neonatal physiologic jaundice. Due to lack of human studies on the effect of oral zinc salts, further studies are recommended.

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Background & aim: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia through enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes causes induction of spontaneous oxidation of glucose and, by stimulating the production of active oxygen and nitrogen components, leading to oxidative stress. Thus, according to the antioxidant effects of atorvastatin and zinc oxide, the aim of this study  was to investigate the combined effect of atorvastatin and zinc oxide on oxidative stress and antioxidants in diabetic rats.

Methods: In the present experimental study, 50 female Wistar rats were selected randomly and divided into five groups of 10 (n=10) including : normal control (NC), diabetic control (DC), diabetic rats treated with, atorvastatin (20mg/kg daily-orally) (DA), zinc oxide (30mg/kg daily-rally) (DZ) and combination of each drug in half-dose (daily-orally) (DAZ), were each treated separately. Diabetic rats were induced by injection of 60 mg per kg of body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally.All treatments were dissolved in distilled water for four weeks. After completion of treatment (forth week), weight and blood sugar were measured and then compared with data measured  on weight and blood sugar in the weeks before the start  and second week of the study. The lipid peroxidation level (MDA), the activity of catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as an indicator of oxidative stress were measured in the hippocampus. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey tests.

Results: Zinc oxide and atorvastatin alone rather than decrease blood sugar, reduced the complications of diabetes, including oxidative damage and combination  of both reduced levels of diabetic complications led to the significant decrease in blood glucose levels and inhibiting the animal lose weight.

Conclusion: It seemed that the combination of atorvastatin and zinc oxide have synergistic benefits to control blood sugar levels and oxidative stress, and also resulting in control  of diabetes.

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Abstract:
 
Background and Aim:  Zinc phosphate is a solid gray chemical compound whose commercial sample is dark or even black and white. Severe hypertension and cardiac poisoning are the most serious complications of zinc phosphate poisoning and are associated with a high mortality rate. Poisoning with zinc phosphide as a rat poison, which has similar effects to aluminum phosphide tabletsis is uncommon. The report relates to a death case following poisoning with zinc phosphide mice.
 
Case Report: The patient was a young 18-year-old man who was admitted to suicide attempted at hospital. Due to the lack of toxic poison, the patient was treated with supravavalin as probable toxicity. After several hours of admission, his level of consciousness was reduced with deep breathing. In the tests after the onset of shortness of breath, pH was 6.94, HCO3: 4.9, blood sugar 21, creatinine 6.1 and BUN: 24. Then, the zinc phosphate was detected. Despite the onset of treatment, after 1 hour, the patient suffered from cardiopulmonary arrest and eventually died.
 
Conclusion: Poisoning with zinc phosphide can cause acute renal failure. Considering that phosphide is one of the poisonous toxins of rodents, especially in rat poison, toxic poisoning with phosphodies is also recommended in poisonous toxin poisoning cases.
 
 

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Background & aim: Intense and prolonged exercise and physical activity are the factors that can disrupt the balance of free radical production, antioxidant systems of the body and decreased leptin levels. It has also been suggested that zinc acts as a mediator in leptin production while affecting superoxide dismutase activation and food intake. The purpose of the present study was to determine and evaluate the effect of 8 weeks of incremental aerobic training with zinc supplementation on muscle superoxide dismutase activity, serum leptin level and weight changes in male Wistar rats.
 
Methods: In the present experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups (control, exercise, exercise + zinc and zinc). The training protocol consisted of incremental aerobic exercise on the treadmill for 8 weeks (5 days a week). In the zinc supplement group, 227 mg of zinc sulfate was dissolved in 100 ml of edible water and made available to the animals. 48 hours after the last training session, blood and tissue samples were collected and leptin concentration and the amount of superoxide dismutase activity was measured by ELISA and spectrophotometrically respectively. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation tests.
 
Results: no significant difference was observed after eight weeks of training with zinc supplementation in skeletal muscle superoxide dismutase activity among groups (p<0.05), but serum leptin and weight changes in the groups Zinc supplementation and exercise group consumed significantly less zinc supplementation than the control group (p<0.05) In the control group (P=0.04, R=0.71) and in the exercise group (P=0.03, R=0.75), there was an inverse correlation was observed between serum leptin level and muscle superoxide dismutase activity.
 
Conclusion: according to the results of the present study, it was concluded that zinc supplementation has been shown to control weight, decrease leptin and reverse the correlation between serum leptin and superoxide dismutase activity.