Assessing Barriers for Delayed Antenatal Care Services among Tribal Women of Bangladesh

@#Introduction The time to start Antenatal Care (ANC) check-up is very significant because it determines the way to resolve complications and remedies during pregnancy. Different parameters play important roles in participating ANC in a society. A global consensus gives us the idea that most tribal people living in remote areas are far from basic needs related to education, employment, and affordable healthcare. The study aimed to delve into delayed ANC practices and the factors affecting the decision to receive ANC among tribal women dwelling in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh. Methods This paper is a quantitative study. Interview schedule or questionnaire was mainly used as an instrument for data collection from 556 married women having babies for less than one year. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to determine significant factors related to the time of the introduction of ANC. Results Only 16.4% of the women had started to receive ANC in the early stage of pregnancy (≤3 months) and 13.5%, after three months (delayed ANC) of their pregnancies. 70% did not seek ANC. The result found that one-third (29.9%) of the pregnant women wanted ANC from a trained doctor, but only 16.4% initiated attendance within three months of the pregnancy. Conclusions The study results suggest that specific efforts are needed to advance the socio-economic status of the tribal people; they need to increase the educational level of women and their husbands, build their nearest health centers, and strengthen family planning programs.

Evaluation of antitumour activity of Calotropis gigantea L. root bark against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in Swiss albino mice

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate experimentally the possible antitumor effect of methanol extract (ME) of Calotropis gigantea L. (C. gigantean) root bark and its petroleum ether (PEF) and chloroform (CF) soluble fractions against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice.@*METHODS@#The effects of ME (10 and 20 mg/kg), PEF (40 and 80 mg/kg) and CF (20 and 40 mg/kg) on the growth of EAC and life span of EAC bearing mice were studied. Hematological profile and biochemical parameters (SALP, SGPT and SGOT) were also estimated.@*RESULTS@#Results of in vivo study showed a significant decrease in viable tumor cell count and a significant increase of life span in the ME and CF treated group compared to untreated one. The life span of ME and CF treated animals was significantly (P<0.05) increased by 43.90% (20 mg ME/kg) and 57.07% (40 mg CF/kg). ME and CF brought back the hematological parameter more or less normal level. ME and CF also restored the altered levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP) and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Methanol extract (ME) of C. gigantea root bark and its chloroform soluble fraction (CF) possesses significant antitumor activity.

Tagetes erecta Linn. and its mosquitocidal potency against Culex quinquefasciatus

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate mosquitocidal effects of ethanolic extract of flowers of Tagetes erecta (T. erecta) and its chloroform and petroleum ether soluble fractions against the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The fresh flowers of T. erecta were extracted in cold with ethanol (5.0 L) and after concentration, the ethanol extract was fractionated with chloroform and petroleum ether to afford a brownish syrupy suspension of ethanol extract (50.0 g), petroleum ether soluble fraction (18.6 g) and chloroform soluble fraction (23.8 g). The larvicidal effect of ethanol extract and their solvent fractions were determined by the standard procedure of WHO against different instars of Cx. quinquefasciatus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the tested samples the chloroform soluble fractions showed the highest toxicity and consequently, the lowest LC50 values (14.14 µg/mL, 17.06 µg/mL, 36.88 µg/mL and 75.48 µg/mL) for all the instars larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The larvae showed comparative tolerance in the course of increasing age and time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It can be concluded that the flowers of T. erecta are very effective natural larvicide and could be useful against Cx. quinquefasciatus.</p>

Inhibition of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma by Manilkara zapota L. stem bark in Swiss albino mice

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the antitumor activity of Manilkara zapota (M. zapota) L. stem bark against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The in vivo antitumour activity of the ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of M. zapota L. (EASM) was evaluated at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw against EAC using mean survival time. After administration of the extract of M. zapota, viable EAC cell count and body weight in the EAC tumour hosts were observed. The animal was also observed for improvement in the haematological parameters (e.g., heamoglobin content, red and white blood cells count and differential cell count) after EASM treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intraperitoneal administration of EASM reduced viable EAC cells, increased the survival time, and restored altered haematological parameters. Significant efficacy was observed for EASM at 100 mg/kg dose (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It can be concluded that the ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of M. zapota L. possesses significant antitumour activity.</p>

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate and Anhydrosophoradiol-3-acetate Isolated from Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) Flower

A phytochemical study on the flowe r of Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) using silica gel column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography, led to the first time isolation of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (compound 1) and anhydrosophoradiol-3-acetate (compound 2). The structures of these compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic analyses (IR, HRTOFMS and NMR). The antibacterial and antifungal activities of ethyl acetate extract, compound 1 and compound 2 were measured using the disc diffusion method. Ethyl acetate extract and compound 1 presented better results than compound 2. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extract and compounds were found to be in the range of 16~128 microg/ml. The cytotoxicity (LC50) against brine shrimp nauplii (Artemia salina) were also evaluated and found to be 14.61 microg/ml for ethyl acetate, 9.19 microg/ml for compound 1 and 15.55 microg/ml for compound 2.

Antishigellosis and Cytotoxic Potency of Crude Extracts and Isolated Constituents from Duranta repens

The crude ethanol extracts (stem and fruits), their fractions and two triterpenes, beta-Amyrin and 12-Oleanene 3beta, 21beta-diol, isolated as a mixture from the chloroform soluble fraction of an ethanolic extract of Duranta repens stem, were evaluated for antibacterial, antifungal activities by the disc diffusion method and cytotoxicity by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The structures of the two compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and LC-MS spectral data. The chloroform soluble fraction of stem and ethanol extract of fruits possess potent antishigellosis activity and also exhibited moderate activity against some pathogenic bacteria and fungi but the isolated compound 1 (mixture of beta-Amyrin and 12-Oleanene 3beta, 21beta-diol) showed mild to moderate inhibitory activity to microbial growth. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extracts (stem and fruits), their fractions and compound 1 were found to be in the range of 32~128 microg/ml. The chloroform soluble fractions of stem and ethanol extract of fruit showed significant cytotoxicity with LC50 value of 0.94 microg/ml and 0.49 microg/ml, respectively against brine shrimp larvae.