Assessment of urinary interleukin-18 in the early post-burn period to predict acute kidney injury of various degrees of burn patients

Background:Early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) in burn-injured patients can help modify the treatment to prevent progression of acute renal failure and reduce the need for renal replacement therapy. The aim of the study was to evaluateurinary interleukin-18 in the early post-burn period to predict the AKIfor the various degrees of burn patients. Methods:This prospective observational study was conducted in the department of nephrology, Dhaka medical college in collaboration with burn and plastic surgery unit of the same medical college hospital, from July 2017 to June 2018 for a period of one year. The 48 burn patients (Age>18 years) who attended in the burn unit of Dhaka medical college, Dhaka of both sexes were enrolled in this study. Data were analyzedby using SPSS 22.0. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant for all tests. Results:In this study, mean age of the burn patients was 32.41�.59 years. Male female ratio was 3.36:1. Urinary IL-18 in diagnosis of AKI showed accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 93.8%, 91.7%, 94.4%, 84.6% and 97.1% respectively. AUC for urinary IL-18 at admission was 0.968 (CI, 0.921-1.000) and AUC for serum creatinine at admission was0.937 (CI, 0.871-1.000).Conclusions:According to Kappa value, AUC and sensitivity and specificity urinary IL-18 is a good biomarker in predicting of early AKI in burn patients

Free radical scavenging, antidiarrheal and anthelmintic activity of Pistia stratiotes L. extracts and its phytochemical analysis

In this phyto-pharmacological screening of Pistia stratiotes L leaf and root extracts each separately in two different solvents demonstrated its potential medicinal value. Apparent antioxidant value is demonstrated by DPPH, Nitric oxide scavenging and Ferric ion reducing method. Additionally, total flavonoid and phenolic compounds were measured. The leaf methanolic extract scavenged both nitric oxide [NO] and DPPH radical with a dose dependent manner. But the pet ether fraction of root was found to have highest efficacy in Fe3+ reducing power assay. Flavonoid was found to contain highest in the pet ether fraction of root [411.35mg/g] in terms of quercetin equivalent, similarly highest amount [34.96mg/g] of total phenolic compounds [assayed as gallic acid equivalents] were found to contain in the same fraction. The methanolic fractions appeared less cytotoxic compared to pet ether extracts. The plant extracts caused a dose dependent decrease in faecal droppings in both castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhea, where as leaf extracts in each solvent appeared most effective. Also, the plant extracts showed anthelmintic activity in earthworm by inducing paralysis and death in a dose dependent manner. At highest doses [50 mg/ml] all fractions were most effective as the positive control piperazine citrate [10 mg/ml]. Thus, besides this cytotoxic effect it's traditional claim for therapeutic use can never be overlooked.

In vitro α-amylase inhibitory activity and in vivo hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr. fruit

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr. fruit in α-amylase inhibitory activity (in vitro) and hypoglycemic activity in normal and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats (in vivo). Methods: Fruits of Citrus macroptera without rind was extracted with pure methanol following cold extraction and tested for presence of phytochemical constituents, α-amylase inhibitory activity, and hypoglycemic effect in normal rats and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats. Results: Presence of saponin, steroid and terpenoid were identified in the extract. The results showed that fruit extract had moderate α-amylase inhibitory activity [IC

Preliminary phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Euphorbia milli

Euphorbia milii is a Pakistani herb used for various infectious diseases. In this study we have carried out phytochemical, antibacterial and antioxidant investigation of different extracts/fractions. Phytochemical studies showed the presence of cardiac glycosides, steroids/phytosterols, anthocyanin, proteins, terpenoids, flavonoids and tannins. Susceptibility testing by well diffusion assay of its chloroform and methanol fractions revealed good antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia and Staph epidermis. Ethyl acetate fraction of roots also exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity against most of tested pathogens. Various fractions [Hexane, chloroform, methanol and water] of E. milii were screen for their antioxidant potential using DPPH radical scavenging assay at different concentrations among these, chloroform fraction exhibited good scavenging activity. The IR spectroscopy of the various extracts/fractions indicated the presence of OH, saturated CH stretching, C=C, C=O, NO[2], C-N, Ar-O, C-O- and R-O-Stretching respectively. The findings provide helpful evidence for the use of E. milii in traditional medicines

In vitro α-amylase inhibitory activity and in vivo hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr. fruit

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the therapeutic effects of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr.fruit in α-amylase inhibitory activity (in vitro) and hypoglycemic activity in normal and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats (in vivo).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fruits of Citrus macroptera without rind was extracted with pure methanol following cold extraction and tested for presence of phytochemical constituents, α-amylase inhibitory activity, and hypoglycemic effect in normal rats and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Presence of saponin, steroid and terpenoid were identified in the extract. The results showed that fruit extract had moderate α-amylase inhibitory activity [IC50 value=(3.638±0.190) mg/mL] as compared to acarbose. Moreover at 500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg doses fruit extract significantly (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively) reduced fasting blood glucose level in normal rats as compared to glibenclamide (5 mg/kg). In oral glucose tolerance test, 500 mg/kg dose significantly reduced blood glucose level (P<0.05) at 2 h but 1 000 mg/kg dose significantly reduced blood glucose level at 2 h and 3 h (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively) whereas glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced glucose level at every hour after administration. Overall time effect is also considered extremely significant with F value=23.83 and P value=0.0001 in oral glucose tolerance test.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These findings suggest that the plant may be a potential source for the development of new oral hypoglycemic agent.</p>