ABSTRACT
Radiation-induced oxidation of membrane lipids and proteins appear to be responsible for damaging the red cell membranes. The membrane integrity of circulating red blood cells (RBCs) is compromised by the deleterious action of γ-radiation in humans. Trianthema portulacastrum L. is an inexpensive, non-toxic herb commonly used in ayurvedic medicine due to its significant pharmacological activities. Methanolic extract of different parts of T. portulacastrum L. contain carbohydrates, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids; whereas saponin is present only in root extract, while cardiac glycosides are absent in root extract. Here, we explored the radio-protective role of leaf, stem, root and whole plant extracts of T. portulacastrum L. against the γ-radiation induced membrane damage of human red blood cells (RBCs). The RBCs on γ-irradiation (4 Gy) exposure showed elevated TBARS level while inhibited ATPase activities in the membrane ghosts. Treatment of RBCs-with different extracts of T. portulacastrum L. at different doses (50 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 200 µg/mL) 1h prior to the exposure of γ-radiation significantly mitigated these changes in the RBC membranes due to presence of antioxidants in the extracts.
ABSTRACT
Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) being one of the most common and a serious health problem both in the community and hospital settings each year worldwide, the emergence of antibiotic resistance in the management of UTI is a serious public health issue. The present study will analyse the antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of pathogens isolated from the urine samples of admitted patients suffering from UTI in Tripura Medical College and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Teaching Hospital (TMC).Methods: This was a hospital record-based study. The urine samples of clinically diagnosed UTI patients admitted in various departments of the hospital during the study period were included. The reports of culture and sensitivity testing of the samples were collected. The results were interpreted according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI).Results: During the 12-month study period, a total of 752 urine samples were analysed. Enterococcus (43.75%) was the most frequently isolated bacteria, followed by E. coli (28.45%) and Klebsiella (14.89%). Enterococcus was highly sensitive (p<0.001) to vancomycin (95.33%), E. coli was mostly sensitive to nitrofurantoin (83.65%) and Klebsiella mainly sensitive to imipenem (75.49%).Conclusions: The study showed that positive urine culture with the antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates is very important for antimicrobial therapy, as antibiotic resistance is a worldwide problem which causes ineffectiveness of treatment.