ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
The objective is to assess the awareness level and practice for the consumption of expired pharmaceuticals in general public of Karachi, Pakistan. In this regard, a cross-sectional study was conducted and completed from December 2013 to September 2014. Self-administered study instrument was used which consisted of total 11 variables regarding the assessment of participants’ perspective on product expiry and its usage was distributed to 120 participants. Data were analyzed in SPSS version16.0. Primarily descriptive nature was used while frequency percentages of respondents were computed for categorical variables. Mean ± SD were computed for assessment of knowledge scores. Overall response rate was 83.33% in which 74 male and 26 females filled the study instrument. Average scores of respondents’ awareness regarding expiry of pharmaceutical products was 4.62 ± 0.75. The qualification of respondents includes the graduates’ count (64.9% male and 65.4% females) while 16.2% male and 23.1% female were postgraduate. Response distribution of respondents showed that 93.2% male and 92.3% female were aware about the product expiry concept. Similarly, 87.8% male and 96.2% female were in favor for their non-utilization, as 89.2% male and 96.2% female reported its severe harmful effects. Overall, 87.8% male and 76.9% female were interested to discard such products. Interestingly, 82.4% male, 73.1% female were in full opinion to check the product expiry date before its purchase whereas, 78.4% male and 92.3% female have their opinion to purchase long expiry products. Box plot regarding products preference and total aggregated knowledge scores showed consistency. Results concluded that the knowledge, responses and practices of participants were in favor for the non-utilization of expired pharmaceuticals.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to compare the antibacterial activity of standard and different brands of Cefixime, against standard samples and clinical isolates of E. coli and S. aureus collected from different hospitals. Standard samples and isolates of E. coli and S. aureus were separately cultured in Mueller Hinton broth. After the bacterial incubation, 5 ml solution each of standard Cefixime and its different brands were added to the test tubes containing bacterial culture. Cefixime samples were added in the concentration of 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128μg/ml to separate test tubes. The cultures were again incubated and then the culture samples were analyzed by UV-spectrophotometer, and minimum inhibitory concentrations of all samples were determined. The analysis and interpretation of results were done by single factor ANOVA. An MIC of 0.75μg/ml and 8μg/ml of standard Cefixime was found for standard E. coli and S. aureous respectively. Standard Cefixime and its six selected brands exhibited a higher MIC range for clinical isolates of S. aureus than the clinical isolates of E. coli. Higher MIC values of standard Cefixime and its brands were observed for clinical isolates of E. coli and S. aureus. Higher MIC values for the clinical isolates of E. coli and S. aureus indicated that both the organisms have developed resistance to Cefixime in comparison to standard microorganisms acquired from ATCC.