A Study on the Clinical profile and the Outcome of Treatment of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Children– Early versus Late diagnosis

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common diseases in pediatric endocrinology. Congenital hypothyroidism in this vital period will result in mental retardation and other neurological sequelae and is one of the commonest causes of preventable mental retardation and hence early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory. Methods: The prospective, observational study was conducted in Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Calicut Medical College for a period of two years on the Clinical profile and the outcome of treatment of Congenital hypothyroidism in children based on their age at diagnosis (below one year versus above one year) . After getting informed consent, history was taken. Physical and systemic examination was done. Anthropometric measurements were taken and laboratory investigations were done. Treatment was given and followed up to see the effect. Results are expressed in terms of frequencies and means. Data is analyzed using SPSS. Results: Delayed passage of meconium, constipation, prolonged physiological jaundice, wide fontanels and umbilical hernia were the clinical features present in a statistically significant proportion in the early treated group. Microcephaly, short stature, macroglossia, dry skin, and delayed bone age was high in the late diagnosis group. Treatment outcome was comparable in both groupsexcept for improvement in coarse facies and development quotient. Conclusion: Developmental delay at diagnosis is a significant problem even in the early diagnosis group, emphasizing the need of new born screening program. Irrespective of the age at diagnosis, thyroxine replacement helps to attain a comparable intellectual and physical development.

Nephroprotective activity of Solanum xanthocarpum fruit extract against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and renal dysfunction in experimental rodents

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate nephroprotective potential of Solanum xanthocarpum (S. xanthocarpum) fruit extract(SXE) against gentamicin (GM) induced nephrotoxicity and renal dysfunction.@*METHODS@#Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6). Control rats that received normal saline (i.p.) and 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose (p.o.) per day for 8 d. Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by intraperitoneal administration of GM (100 mg/kg/d for 8 d) and were treated with SXE (200 and 400 mg/kg/d (p.o.) for 8 d). Plasma and urine urea and creatinine, kidney weight, urine output, blood urea nitrogen, renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and lipid peroxidation was evaluated along with histopathological investigation in various experimental groups of rats.@*RESULTS@#It was observed that the GM treatment induced significant elevation (P<0.001) in plasma and urine urea, creatinine, kidney weight, blood urea nitrogen, renal lipid peroxidation along with significant decrement (P<0.001) in urine output, renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. SXE 200 and 400 mg/kg treatment to GM treated rats recorded significant decrement (up to P<0.001) in plasma and urine urea and creatinine, renal lipid peroxidation along with significant increment (up to P<0.001) in renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Histological observations of kidney tissues too correlated with the biochemical observations.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These finding powerfully supports that S. xanthocarpum fruit extract acts in the kidney as a potent scavenger of free radicals to prevent the toxic effects of GM both in the biochemical and histopathological parameters and thus validates its ethnomedicinal use.

Evaluation of chemopreventive effect of Fumaria indica against N-nitrosodiethylamine and CCl4-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in Wistar rats

OBJECTIVE@#To investigation the chemopreventive potential of Fumaria indica (F. indica) extract (FIE) on N-nitrosodiethylamine and CCl(4)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar rats.@*METHODS@#The experimental animals were divided into six groups (n=6). Hepatocellular carcinoma was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) in normal saline at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight followed by weekly subcutaneous injections of CCl(4)(3 mL/kg/week) for 6 weeks, as the promoter of carcinogenic effect. After administration of the carcinogen, 200 and 400 mg/kg of FIE were administered orally once a day throughout the study. At the end of 20 weeks, the body weight, liver weight and relative liver weight were measured. The percentage of nodule incidence and liver cancer markers such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), total bilirubin level (TBL), α-feto protein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen were estimated along with histopathological investigation in experimental groups of rats.@*RESULTS@#Obtained results demonstrated that the cotreatment with FIE significantly prevented the decrease of the body weight and also increased in relative liver weight caused by NDEA. The treatment with FIE significantly reduced the nodule incidence and nodule multiplicity in the rats after NDEA administration. The levels of liver cancer markers such as AST, ALT, ALP, γ-glutamyl transferase, TBL, AFP and carcinoembryonic antigen were substantially increased by NDEA treatment. However, FIE treatment significantly reduced the liver injury and restored the entire liver cancer markers. Histological observations of liver tissues too correlated with the biochemical observations.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These finding powerfully supports that F. indica exert chemopreventive effect by suppressing the tumor burden and restoring the activities of hepatic cancer marker enzymes on NDEA and CCl(4)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar rats.

Anti-hyperglycemic activity of leaves extract of Hyptis suaveolens L. Poit in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity of leaves of Hyptis suaveolens using streptozotocin model.@*METHODS@#Hyptis suaveolens extract (HSE) 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight was administered orally to streptozotocin induced diabetes, once daily for 21 days.@*RESULTS@#A significant reduction in blood glucose was observed in diabetic animals treated with HSE at different doses when compared with diabetic rats. Levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein were decreased while administering HSE at different doses, compared with their control values in diabetic animals.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results show that HSE possesses significant antihyperglycemic activity which might be attributed to stimulating effects on glucose utilization and antioxidant enzyme.