Effect of oral magnesium supplementation on the lipid profile and blood glucose of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Controversial reports are available regarding the effect of magnesium (Mg) on lipid profile and glycaemic control in diabetic patients. The present study was designed on 1) compare serum Mg levels in diabetic patients with those of non-diabetic controls and 2) to assess the effect of oral Mg supplementation on lipid profile and blood glucose of these patients. METHODS: The study included 40 patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and 54 age and sex matched non-diabetic controls. After the baseline investigations of all the subjects (n=94) including blood glucose, serum lipid and magnesium, the diabetic patients (study group) were supplemented with 600 mg of Mg oxide daily for 12 weeks. They were followed up every four weeks (for a total duration of twelve weeks) and investigated for the above parameters. RESULTS: Mean serum magnesium at baseline in the diabetic patients was significantly lower than that in controls (1.44 +/- 0.48 mg/dl Vs 2.29 +/- 0.33 mg/dl; p < 0.001). A significant fall in serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and a rise in HDL cholesterol levels was observed 4 to 8 weeks after initiation of magnesium supplementation and continued till the end of the study i.e. 12 weeks. Fasting and post-prandial blood glucose levels did not show any significant change after twelve weeks of magnesium supplementation when compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: A significant hypomagnesemia was observed in diabetic patients as compared to controls and Mg supplementation resulted in a beneficial effect on the lipid profile of these patients with no significant effect on blood glucose levels.

Study of drug utilization pattern in dental OPD at tertiary care teaching hospital.

Irrational prescribing is a global phenomenon. The objective of the study was to find out the prescribing practices of dental prescribers in a tertiary care teaching hospital with special emphasis on the utilization of antimicrobial agents. A prospective study was conducted in the month of March 2000. A total of 491 prescriptions were collected randomly. Prescribing pattern was analyzed using WHO basic drug indicators. The average number of drugs for prescription was 2.4. 78.8% of all prescriptions contained antimicrobial agents. It was most commonly prescribed (40.37%) group of drugs followed by anti-inflammatory and analgesics (33.8%). Fixed dose combination of ampicillin and cloxacillin was most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents. Prophylactic use of AMA (78%) was more than therapeutic purpose (21.9%). Prophylactic use of antimicrobial agents was irrational in all the cases as duration for the use of antimicrobial agents was 5.1 +/- 0.5 days. Fixed dose combinations (45%), drugs by brand name (98.5%) were frequently used. Drug prescribed from Essential Drug List was maximum when one drug was prescribed. Results indicate that there is a scope for improving prescribing habits and minimizing the use of antimicrobial agents. This could be facilitated by periodic education to the prescribers.

Interaction of muscle relaxant effect of gallamine with ethanol: in vivo mammalian model.

Ethanol produces alterations in muscular contraction and neuromuscular function both in vitro and in vivo in mammalian and amphibian tissues in dose dependent manner. It is not very well known whether gallamine, a commonly used muscle relaxant produces any interaction with ethanol. Hence in the present study, interactions of ethanol with gallamine are undertaken using rabbit head drop method. The latency time to produce head drop by gallamine in the absence and presence of ethanol (dose which produce ataxia) was insignificantly different (P > 0.05). It may be due to fact that ataxic dose may not be affecting neuromuscular transmission a significant manner. It, therefore, does not warrant to adjust the dose of gallamine in alcoholic persons.

Rational drug therapy as evaluated from student's clinical case reports.

210 prescriptions selected by students from Sucheta Kriplani and R.M.L. Hospitals were subjected to audit prescription in a group discussion with faculty members in the Department of Pharmacology of Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi. It was observed that inadequate treatment was prescribed to the patients suffering from common diseases like amoebiasis, tuberculosis and typhoid fever. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics, antihistaminics, NSAID, vitamins and haematinics was a common observation.

Interactions of neuromuscular blocking agents with ethanol.

Alcohol produces contraction of isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle in a dose dependent manner. In the present study interactions of pancuronium, gallamine and succinylcholine with ethanol have been studied. Pancuronium and gallamine behaved in a non-competitive manner with ethanol. The PD'2 values of pancuronium and gallamine were almost similar. Succinylcholine produced persistent contraction of the muscle which remained unaltered on addition of ethanol. The findings with pancuronium and gallamine suggest that ethanol may be acting through metactoid nicotinic receptors or by the release of acetylcholine like substance.

On mechanism of action of ethanol-induced contraction of frog rectus abdominis.

Ethanol in low doses (0.5 to 4 M) causes contraction of isolated frog rectus abdominis muscle. Higher concentration did not produce any further increase in maximum response. Pretreatment with dantrolene produced partial but equal inhibition of acetylcholine (Ach) induced as well as ethanol-induced contraction in equieffective doses. Pretreatment with pancuronium produced right and downward shift of ethanol induced contraction. Pretreatment with succinylcholine produced persistent contraction of tissue and this response remained unaffected on subsequent treatment with Ach as well as ethanol. Pretreatment with hemicholinium abolished ethanol induced contraction, although tissue remained viable as confirmed on addition of Ach. The contraction induced by ethanol decreased on pretreatment with dantrolene as well as in Ca2+ free ringer. The results indicate that ethanol induced contraction may be due to release of Ach or Ach like neurotransmitter at neuromuscular junction and calcium acts as mediator to produce these effects.

Effect of alcohols and their potentiating responses on acetylcholine induced contractures on frog rectus abdominis.

Ethanol, propanol and butanol cause contraction and potentiate the responses of acetylcholine (Ach) on frog's rectus muscle. These actions are minimum with ethanol and maximum with butanol. Various drugs acting at different levels of neuromuscular transmission inhibited the responses of alcohol itself and also its potentiating responses of Ach. The results show that these effects are partly due to enhanced release of Ach at neuromuscular junction and partly due to release of sarcoplasmic calcium suggesting that more than one mechanism may be responsible for these actions.

Effect of inadequate frequency response of direct writing electrocardiograph on rat electrocardiogram.

Fairly good electrocardiograms of rats can be recorded by using a band width of 0.5 to 75 Hz. Change in low frequency did not alter the wave pattern or duration. Change in high frequency altered the durations and wave pattern grossly. 50 Hz filter is useful in avoiding AC interference but creates artificial notches in all the waves.

Effect of change in limb position on mean electrical axis and amplitudes of QRS complex of rat electrocardiogram.

The effect of altered fore limb alignment to trunk on mean electrical axis (MEA) and on amplitude of the QRS complex of frontal plane leads was studied in both prone and supine postures in 32 albino rats. It was found that in both postures bilateral extension of fore limbs caused a significant change in MEA to right. Unilateral change in the fore limb alignment caused a shift in MEA to right only in supine position, but was ineffective in prone position. The amplitudes of QRS complexes also changed with change in MEA. The changes in MEA with change in limb alignment and subsequent alteration in amplitude of QRS complexes can be attributed to the alteration in anatomical orientation of the heart in the chest cavity.

Production of myocardial lesions in a graded fashion by noninvasive technique in albino rats.

Systematic study of producing graded lesions of myocardium with the use of Isoproterenol (IPT) reveals that mild to severe degree of infarction can be induced by administering the compound for one to four consecutive days in the dose of 85 mg/kg body weight in rats. These findings differ slightly from those of Rona et al. where they have not attempted to produce the lesions in a graded fashion. The experimental period can be reduced to two days by using high dose (170 mg/kg), but such procedure increases significantly the mortality in these animals and lesions are not produced in graded fashion.

Production of reinfarction in rat heart.

An experimental mode of producing reinfarction in rat heart by Isoproterenol administration is described. Such preparation can be helpful in evaluation of drugs in chronic myocardial infarction, which is commonly encountered in clinical practice.

E.C.G. findings in normal rats and after administration of isoproterenol.

Electrocardiograms of normal rats were studied and compared with those of the rats receiving parenteral IPT. The rat E.C.G. resembles essentially human E.C.G. IPT administration brought about E.C.G. changes suggesting myocardial infarction. Appearance of Q wave in aVL was a consistent feature of E.C.G. after 24 hr of IPT injection. With additional doses of IPT the ECG in these rats showed a well marked Q wave and increase in the amplitudes of R and T waves in limb and increase in the amplitudes of R and T waves in limb and chest leads.