ABSTRACT
Aims: The study was conducted to compare the presence of different phytochemicals and biological activities like cytotoxicity, anthelmintic activity, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities between aqueous and ethanolic extract of Momordica charantia L. Fruits. Methodology: The cytotoxic assay was undertaken using brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT) while the anthelmintic activity was carried out with the determination of time of paralysis and death of earthworm (Pheritima posthuma) at five different concentrations. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities were measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and determining the total phenolic contents. Results: Study revealed that several phytochemicals were found common for both of the extracts, though proteins and amino acids were only found in ethanolic extract. Both the extracts showed mild cytotoxic activity where the ethanolic extract showed better potency (LC50=24.245 μg/ml) than aqueous extract (LC50=24.515 μg/ml). In case of anthelmintic activity, ethanolic extract was also found significantly potent than aqueous extract at five different concentrations. IC50 values for the total antioxidant activity were 304.41±0.903 μg/ml and 479.05±1.393 μg/ml for ethanolic and aqueous extract, respectively. Ethanolic extract contained a significantly higher concentration of total phenols (71.08 ± 0.380 mg of GAE/g of extract) in comparison to aqueous extract (57.33±0.520 mg of GAE/g of extract). Conclusion: Therefore, in all aspects of the study, ethanolic extract was found more potent than aqueous extract. It can be concluded that M. charantia fruits are abundant of various phytochemicals and possess versatile biological activities.
ABSTRACT
Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a common health problem in rural women and young children of Bangladesh. The university students usually take food from residential halls, and the food value of their diets is not always balanced. This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of irondeficiency anaemia among the university students of Noakhali region, Bangladesh. Haemoglobin level of 300 randomly-selected students was measured calorimetrically, using Sahli’s haemoglobinometer during October to December 2011. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS software for Windows (version 16) (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). In the study, 55.3% students were found anaemic, of whom 36.7% were male, and 63.3% were female. Students aged 20-22 years were more anaemic (43.4%) than other age-groups. Majority (51.3%) of male students showed their haemoglobin level in the range of 13-15 g/dL, followed by 26.0% and 21.3% with 10-12 g/dL and 16-18 g/dL respectively. Although 50.5% anaemic and 51.1% non-anaemic female students showed normal BMI—lower percentage than anaemic (60.7%) and nonanaemic (71.9%) male students, the underweight students were found more anaemic than the overweight and obese subjects. Regular breakfast-taking habit showed significant (p=0.035, 95% CI 0.5-1.0) influence on IDA compared to non-regular breakfast takers. Consumption of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or peanut butter regularly; junk food; multivitamins; and iron/iron-rich food showed insignificant (p=0.097, 95% CI 0.5-1.1; p=0.053, 95% CI 1.1-2.3; p=0.148, 95% CI 0.6-1.2; and p=0.487, 95% CI 0.7-1.4 respectively) role in provoking IDA. In the case of non-anaemic subjects, all of the above parameters were significant, except the junk food consumption (p=0.342, 95% CI 0.5-1.2). Our study revealed that majority of university students, especially female, were anaemic that might be aggravated by food habit and lack of awareness. The results suggest that anaemia can be prevented by providing proper knowledge on the healthful diet, improved lifestyle, and harmful effect of anaemia to the students.
ABSTRACT
Healthcare systems contribute a major role in maintaining good health. The study was conducted to analyze the prevalence, belief and awareness of preferring traditional healthcare systems in urban and rural people of Noakhali district of Bangladesh. Data were collected randomly from 400 respondents aging 20 to 60 years by personal inter-viewing with a well structured questionnaire during October 20, 2011 to December 20, 2011. Study stated that, overall 79% of the respondents were found to feel comfortable in using traditional healthcare system whereas only 21% prefer the modern system. Urban people showed their belief mostly in homeopathy (23%), ayurvedic/unani (18%) and herbal medicine (17%) of traditional healthcare system whereas Kaviraji (27%), herbal medicine (18%) and spiritual healing (11%) were the systems on which rural people showed their much faith and belief for the treatment of different ailments. Jaundice and sexual problems were the two dominant disease conditions for which traditional healthcare systems were most preferred by the respondents. Beside these 68% of urban and 88% of rural as well as 57.64% of educated and 97.82% of uneducated respondents were not aware about the appropriate healthcare system for different diseases. Belief in no side effect and safe remedy, mass population of the study area preferred different traditional healthcare systems but most of them were not aware about the exact therapy.
ABSTRACT
Paracetamol is a widely used non-prescription analgesic and antipyretic medicine. The study was conducted to assess the comparative in-vitro quality control parameters through the evaluation of weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution profile between the commercially available tablet brands of paraceta-mol and paracetamol/caffeine combination in Bangladesh. Tablets of five top level manufacturers those have both of the formulations were evaluated in two groups. Both similarities and dissimilarities were found between the groups. All tablets either paracetamol (1.07 to 2.14%) or paracetamol/caffeine (0.98 to 2.09%) showed acceptable weight variation and friability (below 1%). Formulations were somewhat different in their hardness, disintegration time and dissolution profile. All tablets of paracetamol/caffeine were found harder than paracetamol tablets of the same manufacturer. 1 out of 5 for paracetamol and 3 out of 5 for paracetamol/caffeine tablets exceeded the limit of tablet hardness or crushing strength. The disintegration time in 0.1N HCl of paracetamol tablet brands (24 seconds to 4 minutes 52 seconds) were less than the paracetamol/caffeine (6 minutes 33 seconds to 17 minutes 43 seconds) brands. On the other hand in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, paracetamol/caffeine tablets dissolved quickly and showed better release profile than tablets containing only paracetamol. It can be concluded that standard quality control parameters always should be maintained not only for paracetamol or its combination but also for all kinds of medicine for getting better drug products.
ABSTRACT
Healthcare systems contribute a major role in maintaining good health. The study was conducted to analyze the prevalence, belief and awareness of preferring traditional healthcare systems in urban and rural people of Noakhali district of Bangladesh. Data were collected randomly from 400 respondents aging 20 to 60 years by personal inter-viewing with a well structured questionnaire during October 20, 2011 to December 20, 2011. Study stated that, overall 79% of the respondents were found to feel comfortable in using traditional healthcare system whereas only 21% prefer the modern system. Urban people showed their belief mostly in homeopathy (23%), ayurvedic/unani (18%) and herbal medicine (17%) of traditional healthcare system whereas Kaviraji (27%), herbal medicine (18%) and spiritual healing (11%) were the systems on which rural people showed their much faith and belief for the treatment of different ailments. Jaundice and sexual problems were the two dominant disease conditions for which traditional healthcare systems were most preferred by the respondents. Beside these 68% of urban and 88% of rural as well as 57.64% of educated and 97.82% of uneducated respondents were not aware about the appropriate healthcare system for different diseases. Belief in no side effect and safe remedy, mass population of the study area preferred different traditional healthcare systems but most of them were not aware about the exact therapy.
ABSTRACT
Paracetamol is a widely used non-prescription analgesic and antipyretic medicine. The study was conducted to assess the comparative in-vitro quality control parameters through the evaluation of weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution profile between the commercially available tablet brands of paraceta-mol and paracetamol/caffeine combination in Bangladesh. Tablets of five top level manufacturers those have both of the formulations were evaluated in two groups. Both similarities and dissimilarities were found between the groups. All tablets either paracetamol (1.07 to 2.14%) or paracetamol/caffeine (0.98 to 2.09%) showed acceptable weight variation and friability (below 1%). Formulations were somewhat different in their hardness, disintegration time and dissolution profile. All tablets of paracetamol/caffeine were found harder than paracetamol tablets of the same manufacturer. 1 out of 5 for paracetamol and 3 out of 5 for paracetamol/caffeine tablets exceeded the limit of tablet hardness or crushing strength. The disintegration time in 0.1N HCl of paracetamol tablet brands (24 seconds to 4 minutes 52 seconds) were less than the paracetamol/caffeine (6 minutes 33 seconds to 17 minutes 43 seconds) brands. On the other hand in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, paracetamol/caffeine tablets dissolved quickly and showed better release profile than tablets containing only paracetamol. It can be concluded that standard quality control parameters always should be maintained not only for paracetamol or its combination but also for all kinds of medicine for getting better drug products.