Pharmacognostical And Phytochemical Standardization Of Physalis Minima L. Leaf

Objective: To evaluate the pharmacognostical and phytochemical parameters of Physalis minima leaf. Methods: The leaf of Physalis minima was examined for macroscopical, microscopical, physicochemical parameters and fluorescence analysis. Extracts obtained from the leaf was analyzed for phytochemical screening and estimation of total tannin, phenolic and flavonoid content following the standard procedure available in the literature. Results: Morphologically, the leaf was found to be ovate in shape, 5 to 8 cm long and up to 3 cm width with dentate margin, asymmetrical base, hairy surface, reticulate veins on each side of midrib, green in colour, characteristic odour and slight bitter in taste. Microscopic study has shown the important diagnostic characters of Solanaceae family which is characterized by presence of dorsiventral leaf with anomocytic stomata, grandular or uniseriate trichomes and cluster crystal of calcium oxalate. Physicochemical parameters like foreign organic matter (0.78%), loss on drying (8.23%), total ash (11.4%), acid insoluble ash (2.2%), water-soluble ash (6.1%), sulphated ash (2.4%) alcohol soluble extractive (10.4%), water-soluble extractive (9.5%), ether soluble extractive (1.8%) foaming index (below 100), swelling index (1), volatile oil and heavy metal content were quantified. Phytochemical analysis of different extracts of Physalis minima leaf has shown the presence of phytoconstituents viz. alkaloids, steroids, tannin, flavonoids, protein. Quantification of phytoconstituents was also reported like phenols (10.59±0.65 mg/gm equivalent to tannic acid), tannin (8.24±0.27 mg/gm equivalent to tannic acid) and flavonoids (87.17±0.87 mg/gm equivalent to rutin) respectively. Conclusion: This present study was provided the qualitative and quantitative standard of Physalis minima will help to prevent the possible steps of adulteration with other species of the same genus.

Serum Ferritin in Preeclampsia and Eclampsia: A Case Control Study.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific, multi-system disorder of unknown etiology characterized by new onset of elevated blood pressure & proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. Globally preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. But the exact pathophysiology is yet to be explored. It was a case control study and was conducted during the period of January 2010 - December 2010 in the department of Obs & Gynae DMCH and dept. of Biochemistry of BSMMU. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the association of serum ferritin and iron in preeclampsia & eclampsia. A total 100 pregnant women were included in this study. Of them 50 preeclamptic or eclamptic, nonanaemic patients not in labour (26-40weeks) were taken as case and 50 normotensive pregnant women were taken as control. Mean Serum ferritin level in case and control group was 100.03 ± 123.52 μgm/L and 31.53 ± 20.86 μgm/L respectively which is highly significant (P< 0.001). Out of 50 cases ferritin level was raised in 10 cases (20%). In 80% cases ferritin level was below the cut-off value that is normal or below normal but in 100% of controls had ferritin level below the cut off value.

Caesarean Myomectomy is No Longer a Dreaded Job: a Case Control Study in Multiple Specialized Centre.

Removal of uterine myoma during caesarean section (CS) is not commonly done due to fear of severe haemorrhage which may lead to hysterectomy. Contradicting the previous belief many studies have been showing that myomectomy during caesarean section is a safe procedure without significant increase of risk. The objective of this study is to analyze the safety and clinical outcome of caesarean myomectomy. This is a prospective study carried out in different hospitals of Faridpur district, Bangladesh from 01.01.10 up to 31.12.12. Total 16 (study group) patients had undergone caesarean myomectomy. Operation time, peroperative blood loss, post operative complications and length of hospital staying was compared with that of 32 women (control group) with caesarean section alone. The result shows that peroperative blood loss was average 350±100 ml in study group which is 50 ml more than control group. Operation time was 20 minutes more and length of hospital staying was 1 day more than control group. There was no post partum haemorrhage, no hysterectomy was done at the time of CS and there was no maternal or perinatal mortality. So, caesarean myomectomy is safe and convenient to patient and cost effective without increasing any extra risk.

Relaparotomy in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Faridpur Medical College Hospital - Experience in One Year.

After abdominal surgery some patient's needs relaparotomy for complications developed postoperatively. Aim of this study was to determine the risk factors causing re-laparotomy, the indications, management and outcomes of relaparotomy admitting in Obstetrics and Gynaecology department in Faridpur Medical College Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital where all complicated patients are referred for management from surrounding districts hospital. It was a cross sectional study done during the period of January 2011 to December 2011, All the cases among which relaparotomy were done after primary surgery were recorded using a protocol prepared for the study. Data was analyzed. Total 6304 patients were admitted in emergency way in Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Faridpur Medical College Hospital. Among them 1864 patients undergone emergency operations, here 15 patients needed re-laparotomy. The incidence of re-laparotomy was 0.80%. Indications of relaparotomy included internal hemorrhage, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), retained foreign body, incorrect diagnosis at first laparotomy, intraabdominal collection of pus and urine, Rectus sheath haematoma and burst abdomen. Often more than one procedure was needed to manage the cases. Re-laparotomy causes much morbidity & mortality with increase in hospital stay and cost. Careful selection of cases for primary operation, expertise of the surgeon, good surgical technique and careful postoperative follow-up can reduce the need for re-laparotomy.

Alloxan diabetes in Swiss mice: activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and succinic dehydrogenase.

The activities of two enzymes viz: Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in brain and liver of alloxan diabetic Swiss albino mice are reported. Alloxan diabetes caused significant decrease in the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase reflecting reduced glucose transport across the cell membrane. On the contrary, the observed enhanced activity of the enzyme SDH is attributed to increased supply of TCA cycle substrates from accelerated oxidation of fatty acids.

Isoenzyme pattern of clones of Entamoeba histolytica.

The isoenzyme pattern of clones of E. histolytica isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients of amoebiasis were determined by starch gel electrophoresis. Ten parent cultures (uncloned), 5 from symptomatic and 5 from asymptomatic patients were isolated and established in Robinsons medium as xenic cultures. A total of 100 clones were isolated from parent cultures but only 65 could be established. Starch gel electrophoresis was carried out on the uncloned and cloned cultures. The analysis showed that the 5 uncloned culture from symptomatic patients had 4 isolates with pathogenic zymodeme and 1 isolate with non-pathogenic zymodeme pattern. The presence of beta band and absence of alpha band for phosphoglucomutase (PGM) and a fast moving Hexokinase (HK) band were taken as markers of pathogenicity. The 5 cloned cultures from asymptomatic patients had three isolates with pathogenic and 2 with non-pathogenic pattern. The cloned isolates from symptomatic patients (35) had 20 pathogenic zymodemes and asymptomatic patients (30) had 15 pathogenic zymodemes. Non-pathogenic zymodeme obtained in the present study were I, IV, V, X and XIII and the pathogenic zymodemes obtained were II and XIV. The data of the study indicated that (i) asymptomatic patients also harbour pathogenic zymodemes; and (ii) zymodeme II also coexsist with zymodeme XIV in the Indian population.

In vitro effect of alloxan on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and succinate dehydrogenase activities in brain and liver of mice.

The present study reports in vitro inhibition of the activities of enzymes Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and succinate dehydrogenase by alloxan in brain and liver homogenates of Swiss mice. The Vmax of both the enzymes was reduced in presence of alloxan without any substantial alteration in Km for substrate. Lineweaver Burk's plots showed higher 1/Vmax for alloxan treated samples and convergence of both slopes to intercept-1/Km. The observations pointed to non-competitive type inhibition of the enzymes by alloxan. This may be due to the modification of essential--SH groups present within/adjacent to substrate binding sites by alloxan.

Characterization of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in sewage samples of Calcutta, India

1. It is widely accepted that foul or polluted environments are the principal sources of potentially pathogenic species of free-living amoebae. The present paper is the first report of occurrence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in sewage sample of Calcutta, India. 2. We describe the occurrence, isolation, specific identification and comaprative mouse pathogenicity test of two pathogenic amoebae, viz., Naegleria fowleri (N. aerobia) carter, 1970, causing human meningoencephalitis and Acanthamoeba castellanii Douglas, 1930, causing granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and one non-pathogenic amoeba, viz., A astronyxis Ray and Hayes, 1959, in sewage samples of Calcuta, India. 3. The existence of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic amoebae living side by side is of considerable epidemiological relevance

Virulence of Giardia lamblia: an in vitro study on host-parasite interaction.

Trophozoites of G. lamblia, a human parasite, were lysed by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) of healthy individuals during in vitro interaction. However, the parasite damaged PMNL of giardiasis patients. A prior treatment of giardia trophozoites with anti-giardia serum, caused agglutination of pathogen and, thereby, the cytotoxic capacity of the parasite was reduced. Interaction of giardia-trophozoites with peritoneal macrophage, derived from infected mouse, reduced the phagocytic activity of the latter to 43% (against 100% in control). Macrophage activity was, however, stimulated to 131% when the mice were immunized with giardia antigen prior to experimental infection. Giardia extract proved cytotoxic at a dose of 0.7 mg, to HeLa cells in tissue culture. These in vitro studies offer experimental evidence of the cytotoxic and immuno-toxic behaviour of G. lamblia towards the host cells.

Atypical lymphoid hyperplasia (lymphoid tumour of indeterminate nature) of orbit--a case report.

Atypical lymphoid hyperplasia, a rare variety of orbital tumour occurring in a 60 year old male patient is presented with review of literature with special relation to its diagnostic and prognostic difficulties.