A flow diagram for the automated determination of ferricyanide reductase activity in red blood cells was prepared in the modules from AutoAnalyzer AA I (Technicon Instruments Inc). Ferricyanide reductase assay can be substituted for assay of cytochrome b5 reductase (EC 1.6.2.2), which plays a major role in reducing methaemoglobin in erythrocytes, and is defective specifically in the erythrocyte...

Benzocaine is a widely used topical anaesthetic and has been reported to cause toxic methaemoglobinaemia in otherwise healthy individuals with no predisposing risk factors. This article reports on a rare case of benzocaine-induced methaemoglobinaemia following adenotonsillectomy in a 5-year-old girl. Topical benzocaine was applied orally for the relief of postoperative wound pain on the eighth ...

A comparison of the erythrocyte (RBC) antioxidant metabolites and enzymes in nine marsupial and two monotreme species was carried out. Reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations were comparable with those reported for other marsupial and eutherian species. An important finding was that the erythrocytes of the southern hairy nosed wombat regenerated GSH faster than the erythrocytes from its close ...

Para-chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB), a hazardous and toxic substance, is widely used as an intermediary in chemical industries. p-CNB can cause methaemoglobinaemia due to electron-withdrawing properties of the nitro and chlorine groups. We present a case of a 23-year-old man suffering from thermal burns and p-CNB poisoning. In this case, severe methaemoglobinaemia was caused by the absorption of p-...

A population-based-cross-sectional survey was carried out to investigate the potential risk of exposure to premium motor spirit (PMS) fumes in Calabar, Nigeria, among Automobile Mechanics (AM), Petrol Station Attendants (PSA) and the general population. Structured questionnaire was administered on the randomly chosen subjects to elicit information on their exposure to PMS. Duration of exposure ...

The use of landfills as foraging areas by white storks (Ciconia ciconia) is a recent well-known behaviour. While several studies have highlighted positive effects at populational level others suggest that the presence pollutants, pathogens and lower antioxidants in food could pose health risk for individuals. objective this study was to evaluate potential resource on physiology stork nestlings,...

Methaemoglobinaemia is a rarely diagnosed, life-threatening pathology and involves the presence of more than 1% of oxidised haemoglobin in the blood that is unable to carry oxygen. We report the case of a 49-year-old male who developed fulminant symptoms of acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure and in whom acute and chronic cardiovascular and respiratory conditions had been ruled out. The discre...

1. We describe a rapid and reliable technique for the assessment of basal nitric oxide release in clinical situations, using peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes isolated by a single-step density gradient procedure. The assay is based on the quantitative conversion of oxyhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin by nitric oxide. We have further examined the ability of these cells to respond to var...

Two young women had unexpected cyanosis a few hours after cardiac catheterisation for electrophysiological investigation. The first patient had atrioventricular septal defect, had undergone repeated surgical interventions, and was referred because of atrial flutter. The second patient had ablation of an accessory pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Local anaesthesia was performed with 40...