ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the concentration of N terminal proBNP [NT-proBNP] and partially the serum uric acid in the severe condition of aortic valve dysfunction for assessment of left ventricle hypertrophy
Methods: The study was conducted in the signal transduction lab department of biochemistry Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad from September 2013 to February 2017. NT-proBNP and serum uric acid were measured in one hundred patients of aortic valve dysfunction. The patients were divided into three main groups: 1] Aortic stenosis, 2] Aortic regurgitation, and 3] Aortic stenosis with Aortic regurgitation. The results were compared between disease and controls groups
Results: High level of plasma NT-proBNP was detected in all the three disease groups of aortic valve [stenosis, p<0.001], [regurgitation, p<0.001] and [stenosis with regurgitation, p<0.001]. In addition, non-significantly increased level of serum uric acid was also observed in left ventricle hypertrophy in all the three respective disease groups of aortic valve
Conclusion: Increased secretion of NT-proBNP during cardiac remodeling can be related to the severity of left ventricle hypertrophy due to aortic valve abnormality in all the disease groups of severe stenosis, severe regurgitation, and combine disease condition of severe stenosis and severe regurgitation. However, non-significant increase in uric acid concentration is also identified which may be due to one of the factors involved in left ventricle hypertrophy in all the three disease groups of aortic valve. The interaction of uric acid with NT-proBNP during cardiac remolding due to aortic valve dysfunction is still not clear
ABSTRACT
Due to ever increasing antibiotic resistance offered by pathogenic bacterial strains and side effects of synthetic antibiotics, thereof, there is a need to explore the effective phytochemicals from natural resources. In order to help overcoming the problem of effective natural drug and the side effects posed by the use of the synthetic drugs, five different plants namely Thymus vulgaris, Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cymbopogon citratus and Achillea millefolium were selected to study their antibacterial potential. Antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] checked against the selected bacterial strains. As compared to other test plants, ethanolic extract of Rosmarinus officinalis leaves showed the most promising inhibitory effect i.e: inhibition zone [18.17+/- 0.44mm] against Klebsiella pneumoniae and the lowest inhibition [15.5+/-0.29mm] against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli [p<0.05]. The MIC values were recorded in the range of 1 to 20mg/ml. Screening of the selected extracts for the test plants additionally indicate some unique variations. Results were further confirmed through TLC for alkaloids and terpenoids [15% sulphuric acid and Dragedroff's reagent] in ethanolic extract. Characterization of Rosmarinus officinalis of ethanolic extract was carried out using column chromatography. The appearance of orange crystals may indicate the presence of alkaloidal bioactive compounds which need to be further investigated. The tested plants may have a potential for fighting against some infectious diseases caused by selected human pathogenic bacterial strains. This knowledge may incite a gateway to effective drug search and so on
ABSTRACT
Oxidative stress down regulates antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase [SOD] and contributes to the development of cardiac hypertrophy. N-Acetyl cysteine [NAC] can enhance the SOD activity, so the aim of this study is to highlight the inhibitory role of NAC against endothelin-1 [ET-1]-induced cardiac hypertrophy. In this experimental study at QAU from January, 2013 to March, 2013. ET-1 [50 microg/kg] and NAC [50 mg/kg] were given intraperitoneally to 6-day old neonatal rats in combination or alone. All rats were sacrificed 15 days after the final injection. Histological analysis was carried out to observe the effects caused by both drugs. Reactive oxygen species [ROS] analysis and SOD assay were also carried out. Expression level of hypertrophic marker, brain natriuretic peptide [BNP], was detected by western blotting. Our findings showed that ET-1-induced cardiac hypertrophy leading towards heart failure was due to the imbalance of different parameters including free radical-induced oxidative stress and antioxidative enzymes such as SOD. Furthermore NAC acted as an antioxidant and played inhibitory role against ROS-dependent hypertrophy via regulatory role of SOD as a result of oxidative response associated with hypertrophy. ET-1-induced hypertrophic response is associated with increased ROS production and decreased SOD level, while NAC plays a role against free radicals-induced oxidative stress via SOD regulation