Orange agent/Dioxin is very toxic chemical. It has still exist and harmful affected on persons living in many areas of South VietNam since America chemical war. This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of Dioxin residue on changes of serum FT 4, T3, TSH in 318 persons exposed to the toxic. RIA and IMA assays were used to measure serum concentrations of the hormones. The results of the hormones from persons exposed to Dioxin were: 1. Serum concentration of FT4 is 9 to 25 pmol/L and significant lower in comparison with those of control group living in Hanoi. Serum concentration of T3 is 1 to 3 nmol/L and not significant lower in comparison with those of control group living in Hanoi. Serum concentration of TSH is 0,25 - 5 mUlL and not significant higher in comparison with those of control group living in Hanoi. 2. There are significant differences in serum FT4, T3. TSH concentrations between communes sprayed Dioxin in the war. 3. Abnomal ratios of serum FT4, T3, TSH concentrations of persons exposed to Orange agent/Dioxin are higher than those of control persons living in Hanoi.
Serum ; Dioxins

General information is summarized, that is necessary to introduce a scientific assessment of the human health and exposure issue concerning dioxin and dioxin-like compound. Scientific literatures were reviewed to assess the background exposures to the dioxin-like compounds for normal residents. Epidemiologic studies were also reviewed to assess malignant and nonmalignant effects of dioxins. In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as a human carcinogen, primarily based on occupational cohort studies. The US Environmental Protection Agency made the same decision in it's Draft Dioxin Reassessment. Epidemiologic evidences point to a generalized excess of all cancers, without any pronounced excess at specific sites. Reported non-cancer effects included a range of conditions affecting most systems. Among them, chloracne, elevation in gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alterations in reproductive hormones are related to TCDD. Other adverse outcomes, such as lipid concentrations, diabetes, circulatory and heart diseases, immunologic disorders, neurobehavioral effects, and developmental outcomes require further study before their respective relationships to TCDD can be more definitively assessed.
Chloracne ; Cohort Studies ; Dioxins* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Humans* ; International Agencies ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Transferases ; United States Environmental Protection Agency

The study was performed on 26 AO/dioxin exposed patients in the war. Product Naturenz was used to prevent and reduce the damage of polluted substances, and to increase detoxifying process, antioxidant, improve health. Results: Antioxidant enzymes were improved after patients used naturenz with the dose of 2g/day in 2 months (GPX enzyme activity improvement accounted for 57.7%, SOD enzyme activity tented to increase to normal value which accounted for 38.5%, peroxidase activity improvement accounted for 61,8%). Especially, in total antioxidant activity, Hemoglobin content and SH-group content improved significantly (increase by 76.9%). Therefore, naturenz have antioxidant effect and improve health for the patients
Enzymes ; Antioxidants ; Dioxins

Naturenz, a mixture of plant oxydase, protease, natural anti-oxydants, aminoacids and vitamins has been used for treating dioxin exposed patients. This preparation can improve the patients status. An icrease of SH-group, of total hem content and of anilin hydroxylase acitivty in blood, a decreasing of urine urobilinogen was notified on patients after administration
Dioxins ; Chemistry ; Poisons

Study was conducted on 1048 households with 6068 persons in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province, where herbicides were sprayed heavily in war. The relationship between the quantity of herbicide sprayed in war and the severity of environmental pollution at present was recorded. Epidemiological relationship between the pollution of the enviroment and abnormal reproductivity and congenital defects, which were 1.5-4 times higher after the spray versus before the spray with diverse levels among 3 communes exposed to the spray. The most common abnormal reproductivity was spontaneous abortion, then premature delivery with died infants and congenital defects, the stillbirth and hydratiform mole were with lower rate. Dioxine was transported from the enviroment to human body through the exposed food chain such as chicken, fish, duck
Reproduction ; Dioxins ; Herbicides

The aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related chemicals. The application of recombinant reporter plasmid such as the firefly luciferase gene has proven to be a very effective method to detect these chemicals. The bioassay system, CALUX, is sensitive in directly detecting AhR-agonists from a variety of environmental and biologic materials. However, responses of the AhR-dependent bioassays are dependent on the cell types used. Thus, we developed a sensitive bioassay using the recombinant mouse hepatoma cell (Hepa1c1c7) for the determination of dioxins. The recombinant cell line was stably transfected with firefly luciferase reporter gene (pGudLuc1.1). The transfected cells showed the highest induction of luciferase activity at 4.5 hr and a decrease beyond this time point. The system showed the highest sensitivity of detection ever reported. Upon TCDD exposure cells showed 2 fold increase at 10 pM and 7 fold increase at 100 pM, respectively. The passage number after the transfection played an important role in the sensitivity. The increase of passage number tended to increase the sensitivity of the cells up to 15. The media without phenol red showed a higher induction rate than with phenol red, suggesting the preferable use of phenol red-free media for the bioassay. Since each of the assays has unique characteristics that make them suitable for some screening applications and not others, development of sensitive bioanalytical methods based on a variety of cellular systems in a key to the successful determination of dioxins. The bioassay system developed in this study will contribute to further development of successful screening the AhR agonists among the environmental mixture. In addition, the rapid and sensitive nature of this cellular system can be applied as a valuable tool to screen the dioxin-like moieties among the prodrugs at the initial stage, thereby expediting the new drug discovery.
Animals ; Biological Assay* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Line ; Dioxins ; Drug Discovery ; Fireflies ; Genes, Reporter ; Luciferases* ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Phenol ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Plasmids ; Prodrugs ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Transcription Factors ; Transfection

In Vietnam war, US army applied a great amount of herbicides (especially the agent orange) which was contaminated with a very poisonous chemical named dioxin. There were a high prevalence of some cancers among people who were exposed to dioxin. In oncology, the p53 gene plays an important role as a tumor suppression gene. This study was carried out to investigate the p53 gene in peripheral blood lymphocyte from a number of veterans who served in dioxin exposed regions in Vietnam. The 1st group (exposed group) include 25 veterans who served in the dioxin exposed regions in Vietnam for at least three years. The 2nd group (control group) include 15 veterans who served only in Northern Vietnam. DNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood lymphocyte. PCR was carried out for 35 cycles with the specific primers P18-M10. PCR products were checked by electrophoresis. The results showed that: exposed group: The frequency of the investigated p53 gene is 40% (10/25 samples). Control group: the frequency of the investigated p53 gene is 73.3% (11/15 samples). There is a significant difference between the frequency of the p53 gene in the group of dioxin exposed veterans and that of the control group (p<0.05).
Genes, p53 ; Veterans ; Lymphocytes ; Dioxins

BACKGROUND: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, binds to a wide variety of synthetic and naturally occurring compounds. AhR is involved in the regulation of inflammatory response during acute and chronic respiratory diseases. We investigated whether nuclear receptor coactivator 7 (NCOA7) could regulate transcriptional levels of AhR target genes and inflammatory cytokines in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-treated human bronchial epithelial cells. This study was based on our previous study that NCOA7 was differentially expressed between normal and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lung tissues. METHODS: BEAS-2B and A549 cells grown under serum-free conditions were treated with or without TCDD (0.15 nM and 6.5 nM) for 24 hours after transfection of pCMV-NCOA7 isoform 4. Expression levels of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1), IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The transcriptional activities of CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines were strongly induced by TCDD treatment in both BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines. The NCOA7 isoform 4 oppositely regulated the transcriptional activities of CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines between BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that NCOA7 could act as a regulator in the TCDD-AhR signaling pathway with dual roles in normal and abnormal physiological conditions.
Cell Line ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1* ; Cytochromes ; Cytokines ; Dioxins ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Lung ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Transcription Factors ; Transfection

OBJECTIVES: To propose a feasible, valid and appropriate study designs and epidemiologic methods for evaluating the adverse health effects of Agent Orange-chemical defoliants used in Vietnam- in Korea. METHODS: A literature study was performed on Agent Orange, herbicides, pesticides and dioxins. The study subjects, study design, exposure assessment and health outcomes assessment were examined in each study. The potential data sources for the study subjects, study design, exposure assessment and health outcomes assessment in Korea were investigated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In earlier Korean studies, research subjects for studying the effects of Agent Orange were identified from the patients or persons who claimed to have Agent Orange-related diseases due to the difficulties in identifying the entire population of Vietnam veterans in Korea. In this study, an attempt was made to identify the total number of Vietnam veterans in Korea. As a result, the addresses of 20,000 Vietnam veterans were obtained. It is proposed that a retrospective cohort design on a sample of the total number of Vietnam veterans is a feasible and appropriate study design. Self report questionnaires and military records were proposed to assess the exposure level. It is believed that measuring the plasma or tissue TCDD should be used only for a validation study assessing the level of exposure. For the health outcomes assessment, it is possible to obtain the mortality, cancer frequency, physical examination, screening and medical insurance record data.
Citrus sinensis* ; Cohort Studies ; Data Collection ; Defoliants, Chemical ; Dioxins ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Military Personnel ; Mortality ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Pesticides ; Physical Examination ; Plasma ; Questionnaires ; Research Subjects ; Retrospective Studies ; Self Report ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Veterans* ; Vietnam*

Dioxins are a most toxic compound ever studied by human until today. Their significant health effects involved all ranges of age, including infants due to exposure to contaminated breast milk. The objective of the study was to appraise the status of dioxin contamination in breast milk among postnatal mothers live in urban and suburban areas in Klang Valley. It was conducted as a cross sectional study involving 101 postnatal mothers who came for their infant second hepatitis B vaccination. The samples were analysed using High Resolution Gas Chromatography (HRGC) following the USEPA Method 8290. About 70.3% of the samples were found detected with dioxin congeners. More suburban mothers have positive breast milk dioxins compared to urban mothers, 100.0% and 67.0% respectively. Significant associated factors include high fat daily intake (p=0.013), high milk daily intake (p= 0.044), high meat daily intake (p=0.001), body mass index more than 30 kg/m2 (p=0.005), and body fat % of more than 26% (p=0.046). In conclusion, amount daily intake of fat diet, meat, milk, body mass index and body fat are significant associated factors for the present of dioxins in breast milk among postnatal mothers in Klang Valley. More suburban mothers contain dioxins in their breast milk, which poses higher risk of health problems among their infants. A comprehensive study need to be conducted and regular followup need to be established in monitoring the future severity of maternal breast milk contamination to ensure the health of the next generations.
Dioxins ; Milk, Human ; Suburban Population ; Breast Feeding