A Cross-sectional Study: Bone Markers in Different Body Mass Index Groups of Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Females in Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Pakistan is a big victim of breast cancer and vitamin D deficiency. Interestingly, bones are the common site of breast cancer metastasis and vitamin D deficiency makes this condition more worst. The present study designed to estimate bone markers and minerals in different BMI groups of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Materials & Methods: diagnosed breast cancer females were approached and their characteristics including age, marital status, menstrual & family history, receptor status, tumor grade & type and presence of metastasis were noted from their medical reports. Whereas bone markers and minerals viz., alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone specific ALP (BALP), vitamin D, carboxyl terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor (Her2) protein, albumin, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) were estimated plus body mass index (BMI) measured. Results: Most of the recruited females found aged less than 50 yrs, wedded, belonged to plump to obese BMI groups, had invasive ductal carcinoma, expressed triple positive receptor status and tumor grade II. Very few had metastasis and family history of breast cancer. Patients in all BMI groups showed insufficient level of vitamin D but normal levels of ALP, Ca, Mg, P, albumin, Her2 protein and CTX. Whereas Ca and BALP found slightly low in underfed BMI group patients. Conclusion: The results concluded and recommended that vitamin D levels must be monitored in breast cancer patients before and after treatment otherwise it will decrease more and may affect other bone markers.

Assessment of Haematological Markers in Relation with Blood Urea Nitrogen and Serum Creatinine in Pre-dialysis Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: To investigate the hematological and biochemical parameters in pre – dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and compared with the normal individuals.  Methods: The samples of CKD patients (n= 30) belong to both genders were collected from different tertiary care hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan and compared with normal individuals (n = 30) not suffering from any disease used as control. Results: 18 of CKD patients and 19 from normal groups were male and 12 from CKD and 11 from normal group were female. The average age (yr) was 38 ± 12.06 for normal group and 44 ± 09.10 for CKD. The mean height (cm) of normal subjects was 163 ± 6.87 and body weights (kg) were 71.04 ± 10.12. Mean height of CKD group was 165.3 ± 7.79 and weights were 64.35 ± 12.23. Higher magnitudes of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine were found as 85.63 ± 56.11 and 6.86 ± 3.42 mg/dL respectively in CKD group. Hemoglobin, red blood cells (RBCs), pack cell volume, lymphocytes and eosinophils were found significantly (p<0.01) very low while white blood cells, monocytes and neutrophils were found high (p<0.01) in CKD patients. Conclusions: Findings concluded that hematological parameters were severely affected in CKD patients as compared to normal controls. Kidney dysfunction in turn not only affects the erythropoietin synthesis that normally stimulates the bone marrow to produce RBC’s but also the synthesis of rennin and Vitamin D that normally regulates blood volume and blood pressures and involves in making bones respectively.

Methanolic Root Extract of Rauwolfia serpentina Lowers Atherogenic Dyslipidemia, Arteriosclerosis and Glycosylation Indices in Type 1 Diabetic Mice.

Globally recognized antihypertensive phytomedicine Rauwolfia serpentina Benth is also well-known for its diversified ethno-medicinal usefulness. The objective of present study is to evaluate the effect of methanolic root extract (MREt) of R. serpentina on atherogenic dyslipidemia, arteriosclerosis and glycosylation indices in alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic mice. After the single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg), forty two mice were allocated into diabetic control (1 ml distilled water), negative control (0.05% DMSO 1 ml/kg), positive control (5 mg/kg glibencalmide) and three test dose groups (MREt 10, 30 & 60 mg/kg). Normal control (1ml distilled water) was also used. After 14 days of respective treatments, fasting blood glucose, insulin, haemoglobin (Hb), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHOL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels were determined. Wet organ weight, relative weight, percent change in glycosylation and non-HDL-c level was also determined. MREt maintained the wet organ and relative weight, as did not produce any harmful changes in kidney, liver, spleen and heart. Significant reduction in percent glycosylation was observed from -37.35 to -48% in all test groups. Upto two fold significant (p< 0.0001) decrease in atherogenic (AI) and arteriosclerotic (ArtI) indices, while improvements in atherogenic dyslipidemia ratio (ADR) were also observed in all test groups. Significantly (p< 0.0001) lowered level of non-HDL-c and glucose to lipid profile ratios were estimated in all test groups. The obtained results indicated the therapeutic potential of MREt in lowering the risk of atherogenic dyslipidemia, arteriosclerosis and glycosylation in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.

Centratherum anthelminticum minimizes the risk of insulin resistance in fructose-induced type 2 diabetes.

The study was focused on investigating the effect of Centratherum anthelminticum ethanolic seed extract in fructose-induced type 2 insulin resistance diabetic rabbits after determining its qualitative analysis, acute toxicity, and effect on glucose tolerance. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tanins, gallotannins, phlabotanins, phenols resins, saponins, and steroids. The same extract was found completely harmless up to 3000 mg/kg by showing no sign of acute toxicity in experimental rabbits. In oral glucose tolerance test, all doses (200-600mg/kg) of seed extract effectively produced percent reduction in blood glucose levels at 60 and 120 min. However, its high doses (400 and 600mg/kg) efficiently induced percent reduction (-10 to - 11.9%) in post-prandial blood glucose level after 30 min as compared to diabetic control group. Similarly, the oral administration of same three doses (200-600 mg/kg) of extract for 14 days consecutively were found effective in decreasing blood glucose and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low- & very low-density lipoproteins while increasing high-density lipoprotein in fructose-induced type 2 diabetic test rabbits. In addition, fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI) was also decreased by normalizing insulin levels in these test groups as compared to fructose-induced type 2 diabetic control group (P<0.05). Therefore it is concluded that ESEt of C. anthelminticum would be effective in improving hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperinsulinemia in fructose-induced type 2 diabetic rabbits by either decreasing insulin resistance or inhibiting fructose absorption in intestine.

Rauwolfia Serpentina Ameliorates Hyperglycemic, Haematinic and Antioxidant Status in Alloxan- Induced Diabetic Mice.

To investigate the effect of methanolic root extract (MREt) of Rauwolfia serpentina on hyperglycemic, haematinic and antioxidative dysfunction associated with alloxan-induced diabetes. Mice were divided into normal and alloxan-induced diabetic groups, the second group was sub-divided into three MREt (10, 30 & 60mg/kg) treated test groups and three diabetic (distilled water 1ml/kg), negative (0.05% dimethyl sulphoxide 1ml/kg) and positive (glibenclamide 5mg/kg) control groups. Each treatment was done orally for 14 days. The MREt significantly reduced blood glucose level by improving the body weights, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) to total hemoglobin (Hb) ratio, red blood cell (RBC) & white blood cell (WBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in test groups. Beside this, extract decreases the percent inhibition of catalase (CAT) & superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes and restores the liver function by recovering the total protein concentration and normalizing the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) & alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in test mice. Therefore, MREt ameliorates hyperglycemic, haematinic and antioxidant status in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Further work is still required to find out the active principle in same extract involved in antidiabetic activity.

Comparative effect of Trichoderma hamatum and host-specific Rhizobium species on growth of Vigna mungo.

The present study was designed to investigate the combine effect of Trichoderma hamatum and host-specific Rhizobium sp. of Vigna mungo on growth and biochemical parameters of same legume. The results proved that T.hamatum and host-specific Rhizobium sp are compatible with each other and their combine use was found effective not only in improving the growth parameters including lengths of roots & shoots and fresh biomass of experimental crop but also increasing the total chlorophyll, carbohydrate and crude protein contents as compared to control plants (p<0.05). Similarly, the amount of both nitrogen and phosphorus was significantly increased in leaves of the same legume (p<0.05). Therefore, T.hamatum could be a good alternate of chemical fertilizer and fungicide for improving the growth and productivity of V.mungo.