INFLUENCE OF CYANOGENIC GLUCOSIDE FRACTION OF CASSAVA ON PERFORMANCE, THIOCYANATE CONCENTRATION AND RHODANESE ACTIVITY OF RATS DURING GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION

FEEDING of fresh and dried cassava (CMC 84 variety) containing 172.6 and 90.6mg FICN/Kg fresh material respectively caused a non-significant (P > 0.05) increase in daily feed intake as com­pared to a corn starch control diet. Growth rate of suckling rats was least on the fresh cassava diet and intermediate on the dried cassava diet. Post weaning feed consumption, growth rate and feed utilization were also considerably reduced by the cassava diets .The fresh cassava diet caused a significant (P < 0.01) increase in serum thiocyanate of Weaning Rats. At the end of the post-weaning growth study period, serum thiocyanate was significantly (P < 0.01) higher on both the fresh and dried cassava diets. Rhodanese activity changes did not show any consistent treatment effect.

Treatment of Aqueous Effluents from Steel Manufacturing with High Thiocyanate Concentration by Reverse Osmosis

The feasibility of reverse osmosis (RO) for treating coking wastewaters from a steel manufacturing plant, rich in ammonium thiocyanate was assessed. DOW FILMTECTM SW30 membrane performance with synthetic and real thiocyanate-containing solutions was established at the laboratory and (onsite) pilot plant scale. No short-term fouling was observed, and the data followed the known solution-diffusion model and the film theory. Those models, together with non-steady state mass balances, were used in simulations that aided to design a full scale two-stage RO plant for thiocyanate separation.

Usefulness of Thiocyanate as a Biological Marker for Discrimination of Smoking Status

Smokers have increased risk of death more than non-smokers due to its association with cancer, vascular and respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis. Epidemiological research has generally relied upon self-report information concerning smoking status but the validity is limited. Biochemical markers have been used in research on smoking are based on thiocyanate, nicotine, cotinine and carbon monoxide. Among them, thiocyanate is chosen as biomarker of smoking because of its long half-life. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the suitability of urinary, blood and salivary thiocynates (SCN‾) as indicators of smoking and to investigate the correlation among its content in salivary, serum and urinary SCN‾, and duration and amount of smoking. Thiocyanate levels were determined by spectrophotometric method in saliva, serum and urine samples to compare in smokers, passive smokers and non-smokers. The median saliva thiocyanate concentration of smokers [43.79(8.14-187.59 mg/ml)] was significantly higher (p<0.001) as compared to that of passive smokers [26.26(7.95-80.04 mg/ml)] and non-smokers [25.00(5.23-69.96 mg/ml)]. The salivary thiocyanate levels significantly correlated with duration of smoking in years (r=0.366) and number of cigarette smoking per day (r=0.316). Among three types of body fluids, saliva thiocyanate is the best biological marker for discrimination of smoking status. Heavy smokers can be distinguished from passive smokers and non-smokers by determination of thiocyanate level in saliva.

Thiocyanate Accumulation in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Nitroprusside Infusions

Purpose: This study evaluated thiocyanate concentrations and factors associated with thiocyanate accumulation in intensive care unit patients receiving nitroprusside with and without sodium thiosulfate coadministration. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated critically ill adults who received nitroprusside infusions and had at least one thiocyanate concentration. Patients with thiocyanate accumulation (concentrations ≥30 µg/mL) were compared to patients without accumulation. Factors associated with accumulation were determined by Spearman correlation and multivariate regression. Results: Thiocyanate concentrations (n = 192) were obtained from 87 patients. Fourteen of the 87 (16%) patients experienced thiocyanate accumulation with a mean (SD) thiocyanate concentration of 44 ± 11 µg/mL. Patients with accumulation had received greater cumulative nitroprusside doses (28 vs 8.2 mg/kg, P < .01), greater cumulative sodium thiosulfate doses (16.8 vs 10.1 mg/kg, P < .01), and longer infusion durations (10.9 vs 6.0 days, P < .01), compared to patients without accumulation. Sodium thiosulfate coadministration resulted in greater thiocyanate concentrations (22.8 ± 16.7 vs 16.8 ± 14.9 μg/mL, P = .01), despite utilization of lower cumulative nitroprusside doses (10.2 vs 14.6 mg/kg, P = .03). Cumulative nitroprusside dose ( r2 .44, P < .001) and cumulative sodium thiosulfate dose ( r2 .32, P < .001) demonstrated a significant correlation with measured thiocyanate concentrations. Thiocyanate accumulation was independently associated with cumulative nitroprusside dose in mg/kg (regression coefficient 0.75, 95% CI 0.63-0.89; P < .01). No clinically significant adverse effects of cyanide or thiocyanate toxicity were observed. Conclusions: Cumulative nitroprusside dose was independently associated with thiocyanate accumulation. Despite elevated thiocyanate levels in 16% of patients, there was no clinical evidence of cyanide or thiocyanate toxicity. Routine monitoring of thiocyanate concentrations appears most warranted in patients receiving higher cumulative doses of nitroprusside.

Variations of lactoperoxidase activity and thiocyanate content in cows' and goats' milk throughout lactation

Lactoperoxidase activity and thiocyanate content were monitored in the milks of seven individual cows and six goats during lactation. Lactoperoxidase activity exhibited a cyclic pattern with alternating peaks and troughs throughout lactation. Extremely large variations were observed between and within animals. For example, lactoperoxidase activity ranged from 0·05–5·60 U/ml for one cow on different sampling days. Variations between cows were also large, ranging from 0·98–5·1 U/ml on a specific sampling day. Mean lactoperoxidase activity in cows ranged from 1·5–2·7 U/ml with an overall mean of 2·3±1·0 U/ml while the thiocyanate concentration ranged from 6·0–10·2 μg/ml with an overall average of 8·5±5·1 μg/ml. Lactoperoxidase activity means for goats ranged from 0·04–0·16 U/ml with a grand mean of 0·1±0·06 U/ml while the thiocyanate content means ranged from 6·6–8·2 μg/ml with a grand mean of 7·0±2·59 μg/ml. There was no correlation between lactoperoxidase activity and thiocyanate content in either cows' (R2 = 0·011) or goats' (R2 = 0·015) milk. These experiments have revealed that lactoperoxidase activity is affected by many factors including the individual animals, species, feed and stage of lactation. Therefore the exogenous supply of thiocyanate and hydrogen peroxide needed to activate the lactoperoxidase system for raw milk preservation will vary in quantity depending on these factors.