Human lacrimal gland regeneration: perspectives and review of literature

The human lacrimal gland is an essential component of the lacrimal functional unit [LFU]. Any perturbation of this unit can lead to the debilitating morbid condition called the dry eye syndrome [DES]. The current line of therapy available for dry eye remains supportive and palliative with the patient being dependent on life long and frequent administration of lubricating eye drops. Even advanced therapies like punctual plugs, cyclosporine B administration, and salivary gland auto-transplantation have led to a limited success. Under these scenarios, the option of cell based therapy needs to be explored to provide better and long term relief to these patients. This review gives an overview of the efforts in lacrimal gland regeneration and examines the past and ongoing research in cell based therapies in animals as well as human lacrimal gland cultures. The authors discuss their first of its kind functionally viable human lacrimal gland in vitro culture system from fresh exenteration specimens. A brief overview of research in near future and the potential implications of lacrimal gland regenerative therapies have been discussed

Comparative study of garlic species [A Ilium sativum and A Ilium porrum] on glucose uptake in diabetic rats

Herbal medicines are recommended for management of diabetes in many parts of the world. Garlic is one such herb extensively used for antidiabetic activity, antimicrobial, antiarthritic, hypoglycaemic etc. Safety and efficacy of the herbal drugs used in the treatment of diabetes need to be evaluated. Rat everted intestinal sac model was used to study garlic species Allium sativum and AIlium porrum for their role in glucose transport. In this study test substances A. sativum and A. porrum at 2.5 and 5.0 mg/ml and standard [insulin, 40 micro M/ml] were added to mucosal solution. Glucose concentrations were determined before and after a period of incubation. The preliminary phytochemical investigations were performed. Rat everted intestinal sac experiment is mainly used to indicate glucose uptake. The mucosal disappearance, serosal appearance and gut wall content of A. porrum at a dose of 2.5 mg/ml [65.12%, 40.81%, 22.34%], dose of 5.0 mg/ml [64.56%, 43.56%, 21.0%]. Similarly A. sativum at a dose of 2.5 mg/ml [67.74%, 42.05%, 25.68%], dose of 5.0 mg/ml [65.97%, 43.11%, 22.86%], Insulin at a dose of 40 |nm/ml [60.36%, 37.84%, 22.52%] respectively. Thus A. sativum and A. porrum showed significant reduction in all the 3 parameters observed. Further A. porrum showed more potent action

efficacy of artemether/lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in children in an area of high transmission in southern Sudan

Sudanese health authority adopted a new antimalarial drug policy in response to the reported high level of chloroquine resistance. "Artesunate+ sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine" [ASP] and "artemether/lumefantrine" [A/L] are recommended as first and second lines for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria respectively. This study aims to evaluate the clinical andparasitological response to A/L and to report any side effects related to the drug in children living in high transmission areas. This evaluation of the clinical and parasitological response to directly observed treatment with 6 doses A/L following WHO protocol for monitoring antimalarial drugs efficacy. Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears were examined microscopically on days 0, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28, or at other times if a patient felt unwell The primary end point was the 28-day cure rate and the secondary end points were time to parasite clearance. A total of 75 [40.8%] patients met the inclusion criteria, of them 70 [97.2%] patients showed adequate clinical and parasitological response [radical cure], 2 [2.8%] patients were classified as early treatment failure and 3 [4%] patients were lost to be followed-up by day 3. No progression to severe illness or danger signs occurred for any patient during the study. The main outcome of study was that A/L was found to be highly effective against Plasmodium falciparum uncomplicated malaria, well tolerated by children with no reported serious side effects. Dramatic decrease in parasites density and fever were observed in most of the cases by day 3 of treatment