Ameliorating effect of Malva Neglecta on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats

The plant, Malva neglecta wallr., is widely consumed for medicinal and nutritional purposes. The current study was carried out to assess the hypoglycemic and antihyperlipidemic potential of aqueous methanolic extract of M. neglecta. Chemical evaluation of the extract was performed by high pressure liquid chromatography. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was done in diabetic rats pre-exposed to 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg plant extract via the oral route. For hypoglycemic and biochemical study, the same therapy was administered to alloxan induced diabetic rats for 14 days. The standard control group received Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg). Ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and other phenolic acids were detected and estimated in the extract. Administration of the plant extract significantly reduced blood glucose level in diabetic rats subjected to OGTT. The plant extract lowered the fasting blood glucose and alpha amylase, and prevented the damage to pancreas. It also corrected dyslipidemia in diabetic animals following 14 days therapy. Hence, this experimental study establishes the fact that M. neglecta exhibited significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

Association of hypertension and dyslipidaemia with increasing obesity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The study was performed to estimate the association of hypertension and dyslipidaemia with increasing body weight and obesity in Type II diabetics of Lahore, Pakistan. An observational study was conducted by enrolling 2708 obese diabetics from four diabetes care centres of Lahore, Pakistan. Data was collected for a period of 7 months. Associations were estimated using chi-square, binary and multinomial logistic regression. Data suggested that blood pressure, systolic and diastolic, exhibited continual increase with increasing body weight and obesity class in diabetes patients with 41.8% increase in the prevalence of hypertension in obesity class III subjects (OR; 1.91, p=0.02). Likewise, triglycerides and total cholesterol exhibited continual increase in their mean values with increasing obesity, i-e., an overall increase in the prevalence of dyslipidaemia of 27.2% in obesity class 3 subjects (OR; 1.94, p=0.29). Taken together, this data suggested that hypertension is potentially associated with increasing obesity in diabetics, while dyslipidaemia demonstrated plausible association only with obesity class 3.

Comparing KAP regarding Halal pharmaceuticals among general practitioners and hospital doctors.

There is an increasing awareness amongst Muslim consumers to avoid all items containing non-Halal ingredients including medications. General practitioners and hospital doctors, in their practice encounter with the patients of different severity of illness, and accordingly their exposure to different categories of medicines will also be different. It therefore, needed for a study to compare knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) of general practitioners and hospital doctors regarding Halal pharmaceuticals. This was a cross-sectional study using a structured, self-administered questionnaire to compare the knowledge, attitude and perception regarding Halal pharmaceuticals, among general practitioners and doctors working in various government hospitals in Malaysia. Results revealed that significant difference in the perception of general practitioners and hospital doctors was found. Significant difference was also found in some of statements of knowledge and attitude. This is concluded that general practitioners and hospital doctors differ in knowledge, attitude and perception regarding Halal pharmaceuticals. P≥ 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude & perception among hospital pharmacists regarding Halal pharmaceuticals.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) relating to Halal pharmaceuticals among pharmacists working in various hospitals of Malaysia. This was a cross-sectional study, carried out in the period of January 2013 to March 2013, using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires through respective chief pharmacists in various government hospitals in Malaysia. Study was conducted on a total of 135 pharmacists. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage, median, inter quartile range) was applied to summarize the data. Chi-square Test and Fisher’s Exact Test was applied to assess the association between demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude and perception scores. Results revealed that the hospital pharmacist had a good knowledge and positive attitude and perception about Halal pharmaceuticals. Mean knowledge, attitude and perception score was 8.01 ±1.48, 33.21± 5.66 and 51.19 ±6.49 out of maximum possible 9, 45 and 60 respectively. Mean overall KAP score out of maximum possible 114 was 92.40 ± 11.20. There was a significant, positive, and weak correlation (0.1-0.3) between knowledge and perception (r=.271, p=.001), knowledge and attitude (r=.252, p=.003) & moderate correlation (0.3-0.7) between attitude and perception (r=.542, p<.001). P value of 0.05 or less was taken as statistically significant. It is concluded from the results that better knowledge the respondents have on Halal pharmaceuticals, better their perception and attitude is towards Halal pharmaceuticals.