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OBJECTIVE: Depression is a prevalent condition that is costly to individuals and society. In view of a role of tryptophan (TRP), selenium (Se), vitamin D (Vit D), magnesium (Mg) and serotonin in depression, the present study concerns to evaluate the circulating levels of TRP, Se, Vit D, Mg and serotonin in depression as well as the correlation between TRP and other serum analytes is also established.METHODS: Healthy (n=48) and depressed (n=48) subjects were recruited and their blood samples were obtained after an overnight fast of 12 h, serum was stored for the determination of levels of TRP, Se, Vit D, Mg, and serotonin.RESULTS: show that levels of TRP, Se, Vit D, Mg, and serotonin were decreased in the depressed patient when compared to normal subjects. There is a direct correlation between TRP and Vit D, and TRP and Se while the inverse correlation between TRP and Mg, and TRP and serotonin in depressed subjects. The association among TRP and other biomarkers is non-significant.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, depression is associated with deficiency of TRP, Se, Vit D, Mg, and serotonin displays the characteristics of biomarkers. The correlation between TRP and other biomarkers/trace elements is also important in depression.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biomarkers , Depression , Magnesium , Selenium , Serotonin , Trace Elements , Tryptophan , Vitamin DABSTRACT
Obesity is an important risk factor for sleep disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association of leptin, zinc and tryptophan [TRP] in obese subjects with sleep deficits [sleep apnea [SA], insomnia [IN]]. In this cross sectional case control, with the verbal and written consent 206, obese with sleep deficits and 30, non-obese/normal identified from various areas of Karachi, Pakistan. The socio-demographic data including; age, body mass index [BMI], education and residence, of participants was collected. After providing informed consent, fasting blood samples were taken and serum was collected. The serum concentration of leptin, zinc and TRP were analyzed by ELISA [Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay], FAAS [Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer] and HPLC [High performance liquid chromatography] respectively. A significant correlation was found between BMI [body mass index] and leptin, BMI and zinc, BMI and TRP. The correlation between leptin consecutively was significantly associated with zinc and TRP in obese patients. Sleep deficits elevated circulatory levels of leptin while lower zinc and TRP levels compared to levels seen in non-obese [Normal] subjects with no sleep deficits. Obese subjects exhibited significantly higher levels of leptin with sleep deficits compared with non-obese subjects with normal sleep pattern, while obese subjects with SA had significantly high levels of leptin than obese subjects with IN and IN+SA. Patients with sleep deficits had significantly lower levels of serum TRP and zinc than non-obese subjects with normal sleep pattern. Obese subjects with SA had significantly lower levels of zinc and elevated levels of TRP than obese subjects with IN. Obese patients with IN+SA had significantly lower levels of leptin and zinc than IN and SA , while TRP levels were significantly lower in subjects with IN than obese subjects with IN+SA and IN. These results suggest that elevated levels of leptin which are possibly by adiposity and lessened levels of zinc and TRP have a great impact on progression of obesity and their association can contribute to tempt sleep disorders
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Outcome of imipramine [IMI] treatment was scrutinized on progression of haloperidol instigated tardive dyskinesia [TD]. 0.2 mg/kg/rat dosage of haloperidol provided orally to rats for 2 weeks enhanced vacuous chewing movements that escalated when the process proceeded for 5 weeks. Following 2 weeks co-injection 5 mg/kg dosage of IMI was diminished haloperidol-instigated VCMs and fully averted following five weeks. The potency of 8-OH-DPATinstigated locomotor activity exhibited higher in saline+haloperidol treated rats while not observed in IMI+ haloperidol treated rats. 8-OH-DPAT-instigated low 5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT; serotonin] metabolism was higher in saline+ haloperidol treated rats when compare to IMI+ haloperidol treated rats in both regions of brain [striatum and midbrain]. It is recommended that IMI possibly competent in averting TD, in cases receiving treatment to antipsychotics
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Clinical and experimental studies revealed that alcohol drinking and life event stresses are predisposing factors to hypertension. Intra and extra cellular levels of electrolytes may play important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of hypertension. Dietary intake of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium is suggested to have a role in the regulation of blood pressure. The present study was designed to monitor the effects of acute exposure to 2h immobilization stress and ethanol administration at a dose of 2.5g/kg body weight [i.p.] and combined effect of acute administration of ethanol and immobilization stress on systolic blood pressure [SBP], intraerythrocyte, serum and tissue electrolytes in rats. Results showed that acute exposure to 2h immobilization increased SBP, intraerythrocyte sodium and decreased intraerythrocyte potassium in water as well as in ethanol injected rats. The concentration of Na[+] and Ca[2+] increased while that of K[+] and Mg[2+] decreased in the heart and kidney tissue. Ethanol administration also increased Na[+] and Ca[2+] levelsand decreased K+ and Mg[2+] levels in the heart and kidney tissue. Restraint stress decreased serum levels of Na[+], K[+], Ca[2+], P, and Cl- and increased serum Mg[2+], glucose and haematocrit. Ethanol administration also decreased serum levels of Na[+], K[2+], Ca[2+], P, and Cl- and increased serum Mg[2+], glucose and haematocrit. The effects of ethanol and stress on the changes of blood and tissues electrolytes were additive and may be involved in the greater occurrence of hypertension in alcoholics. Our results suggested an important role of intra and extra cellular electrolytes in both stress and ethanol-induced hypertension. The findings may help to develop strategies for the treatment of hypertension in alcoholics
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In this edge, medical tourism is not a new idea. Medical treatment is one of the essential demands of human beings and it requires high quality and intensive care. Beside western world, few developing countries are playing key roles as medical tourism destinations. India is one of the leading names among these countries. The purpose of the paper is to find the factors influencing the attractiveness of India as a health tourism destination. The study has found the major contributing factors and their relative importance in the attractiveness of the health tourism destination that is India from consumers' perspectives by conducting survey with an application of structural equation modelling approach. In Indian context, medical tourists consider service quality and cost mostly to select any medical destination. In addition they also give value to the destination competitiveness but tourist attitude is less important in comparison with other factors affecting their destination choice. Since the study has used structural equation modelling approach to test the hypothesis and figure out the relative importance of the factors, the fundamental indices such as Nottned Chi square [less than 3], RMSEA [less than 0.08] and CFI [more than 0.90] values show the overall model fit of the proposed model. In order to transform a country such as India as an attractive and competitive medical tourist destination in this time of globalization, a step should be taken to control cost ensuring the quality of services
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To study the effects of commonly used non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac sodium on the kidneys of young albino rats after therapeutic dose. Early clinical and pharmacological studied of oral and parental forms of diclofenac sodium began shortly after the drug was discovered. However there is scanty information about the toxicities of normal dose of diclofenac in young albino rats. The present study is therefore designed to observe the gross and microscopic changes in kidney following administration of this drug in young albino rats. For this experimental study 16 albino rats were used; they were divided into two groups, each comprising of 8 animals. Group-1 received normal saline 10ml/kg body weight while group-2 received diclofenac sodium 2mg/ kg body weight for two weeks. Micrometry was done on kidney tissue for proximal and distal tubular count, their diameter and the no of cells in these tubules. Highly significant changes were observed both in proximal and distal tubules of kidney. Even in therapeutic doses, Diclofenac Sodium causes damage to kidney tubules in young albino rats
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Kidney/drug effects , Rats , Drug EvaluationABSTRACT
To determine the serum and intraerythrocyte concentrations of vasoactive ions in patients of diabetes mellitus of either gender with hypertension. Cross-sectional study. The Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, from May-June 2002. Patients and The study was conducted on 48 volunteers. Out of 48, 24[12 men and 12 women] were hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. Remaining [12 men and 12 women] were normal healthy subjects. Biochemical estimations were done by flame photometry and spectrophotometry. Data were analyzed by Two-way ANOVA followed by Newman-Keuls test. A decrease in serum concentrations of sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chloride and intraerythrocyte potassium and an increase in the levels of glucose, haematocrit and intraerythrocyte sodium was observed in both male and female patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension. No significant changes were observed in serum potassium levels. The results suggest that dysregulations of electrolyte balance caused by hyperinsulinemia or altered glucose metabolism may lead to hypertension