AIM To investigate the influence of bilirubin on the surface tension activity of a porcine derived (Curosurf) and synthetic (Exosurf) surfactant. METHODS The captive bubble surfactometer at phospholipid doses of 0.5 mg/ml (low dose) and 1 mg/ml (high dose) in solutions of increasing bilirubin concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/ml) was used. RESULTS Curosurf (without bilirubin) showed a h...

1. A densitometric method has been developed for the quantification of azodipyrroles derived from dog bile pigments treated with diazotized ethyl anthranilate. 2. This method was used to estimate the bilirubins in bile and meconium from foetuses of 14-36 weeks gestation. 3. The proportion of the bilirubins in foetal bile changed during gestation. (a) No bile pigments were found until 14 weeks. ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Bilirubin is an orange-yellow tetrapyrrole produced from the breakdown of heme by mammals and some other vertebrates. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria synthesize molecules similar to bilirubin, including the protein-bound bilins and phytochromobilin which harvest or sense light. Recently, we discovered bilirubin in the arils of Strelitzia nicolai, the White Bird of Paradise T...

The study probed the association between bilirubin and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and progression. A cross-sectional analysis of 28,500 middle aged and elderly Chinese participants was performed to analyze the differences of bilirubin in terms of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive or negative and the correlation between bilirubin and severity of hepatic fibrosis estimated by no...

BACKGROUND Gilbert's syndrome (GS) is the most common inherited disorder of bilirubin metabolism. Recent data show that the rifampin test can be used as a diagnostic test but there is controversy about its effect on bilirubin level in normal individuals. We studied the effect of administration of rifampin on serum bilirubin level in patients with GS and in healthy individuals. METHODS Serum t...

In severe and rapidly increasing jaundice, the use of intensive phototherapy provides greater effectiveness and a faster decrement in bilirubin levels compared to conventional phototherapy. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two types of intensive phototherapy: intensive compact fluorescent tube (CFT) and intensive light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy. Forty-three infa...

Obesity can cause insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Moderate elevations in bilirubin levels have anti-diabetic effects. This study is aimed at determining the mechanisms by which bilirubin treatment reduces obesity and insulin resistance in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model. DIO mice were treated with bilirubin or vehicle for 14 days. Body weights, plasma glucose, and insulin toler...

Chronic inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) results in increased oxidative stress that damages the colonic microenvironment. Low levels of serum bilirubin, an endogenous antioxidant, have been associated with increased risk for Crohn's disease (CD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether total serum bilirubin levels are associated with ulcerative colit...

The interaction of the neurotoxic pigment bilirubin with synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from rat brain was investigated. The interaction seems to involve three steps: (a) a rapid formation of an electrostatic complex between bilirubin and polar lipid head groups; (b) a slow inclusion of the pigment into the hydrophobic core of the membrane; and (c) a SPMV-induced bilirubi...

BACKGROUND The cytoprotective effects of hemeoxygenase-1 and its product biliverdin/bilirubin are widely acknowledged in experimental transplant medicine. However, its potentially beneficial effect during organ reperfusion is not established. METHODS In a matched study, we compared markers of reperfusion injury (alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase) and transplantation outcome ...