Oral Clonidine Premedication and its effect on Subarachoid block: A Randomised Study

Oral clonidine has been reported to prolong the sub arachnoid block and postoperative analgesia. The study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of oral clonidine as premedication on subarachnoid block. Methods: 100 patients of aged 20-60 years (ASA-1 and ASA-2 ) undergoing infraumbilical surgeries were included in this prospective, double blind randomized study. Patients divided in to two ( n = 50 ) groups. Group Ι patients receiving oral clonidine 150 μg one hour before surgery and Group ΙΙ patients receiving oral placebo. Post-op motor block and pain was assessed by using Bromage Scale and Visual Analogue Scale respectively. Statestical analysis used: Both groups were compared by using paired t test. Results: the onset of sensory block in group II 4.40±0.11 min. Vs 3.58±0.10 min. in group I (p < 0.001) , the onset of motor block 5.47±0.12 min. in group II Vs 5.37±0.15 min. in group I (p < 0.001). the duration of sensory block in group II 154.8±13.01 min VS 211.1±10.37min. of group I duration of motor block 138.9±12.5 min. in group II VS 184.2±11.31 min. of group I. (p< 0.001). Total duration of Analgesia for group I 399.46 ± 6.12 vs 149.92 ± 4.14 for group I (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Clonidine as oral premedication hastens the onset of sensory block, motor block and increases duration of sensory and motor block as well as total duration of analgesia.

A study of factors leading to osteo-penia in the community: BMD camp based approach.

Background: Osteoporosis is an important public health problem in times of increasing life expectancy. A large number of cases are undiagnosed resulting in bone fragility & fractures. Bone mineral density reduces physiological in both sexes, but it is more rampant in women in hypoandrogenic states, i.e. post menopause. Methods: A community based bone mineral density estimation camp was organized in a private health facility catering to the urban community in Jabalpur district of M.P during February 2015. In the camp bone mass density of attendees was assessed using DEXA technique & WHO criteria based on T score were used in the study to assess the bone mineral density. Information about social-demographic condition along with brief medical & surgical history was elicited. The results were presented in terms of percentage & proportions. The tests of significance were used for establishing associations between variables. Results: In total 298 persons attended the camp. There is a statistically significant association between prevalence of decreased BMD with age (p<0.001). In total, 55.74 % female attendees had T-score < -1.0. Hysterectomiesed women had statistically significant lower mineral densities. There is a significant association between regular alcohol intake & decreased BMD as all the Osteoporotic men in the study had BMD < -2.5. Conclusion: A camp based approach helps in identifying subclinical cases of Osteopenia in the community.

Protective effect of alcoholic extract of stem of Entada pursaetha in dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

Oxidative stress has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Entada pursaetha has been demonstrated to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of stem of alcoholic extract of E. pursaetha (PSE) in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The protective effect of PSE was determined at three different doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage for 7 days. Morphological (colon length and colon weight/length ratio), clinical (disease activity index) and macroscopic (damage score) features were determined using standard criteria. Lipid peroxides (determined as malonaldehyde; MDA), enzymatic (superoxide dismutase; SOD and catalase; CAT) and non- enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione; GSH), nitrate and nitrite (NOx) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in colon tissues were determined. The DSS damaged the colonic tissue, increased MPO activity, lipid peroxidation and NOx levels, reduced the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione and lowered the body weight. PSE significantly reduced the inflammation of colon and reversed the increase in MPO activity induced by DSS. It also significantly increased the SOD and catalase activities and did not elicit any effect on depleted levels of GSH in the colonic tissue. In addition, PSE also significantly decreased colonic NOx and MDA levels compared to DSS-treated mice; reduced both infiltration of inflammatory cells and the mucosal damage in colon on histopathological examination. The results suggested the protective potential of PSE in DSS-induced colitis and this might be attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

Homology Modeling and Docking Studies of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Proteins Like Envelope Protein and NS1 Protein.

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a vector- borne, viral zoonosis that may affect humans. The disease periodically becomes endemic in areas such as northern India, parts of central and southern India. Japanese Encephalitis virus belongs to the mostly vector-borne flaviviriade, which are single stranded RNA viruses. The envelope glycoprotein of JE Viruses contain specific as well as cross relative, neutralizing epitopes. The objective of this research to find out the best ligand molecule each for the two drug targeting protein present in the JEV. This will be done by studying the complete structure of JEV drug targeting proteins and their interaction with their respective ligand. The envelope protein and NS1 protein have been studied. The minimum energies were recorded after the docking studies for all the inhibitors docked with the protein. After comparison of the minimum energies recorded, the ligand with the least minimum docking energy has been considered as the best ligand. The entire study indicates that the inhibitor Mycophenolate with minimum energy -5.00605kj/mol is the most effective against Envelope protein. However in case of NS1 protein, the inhibitor Deoxynojirimycin with the minimum energy of - 6.75932kj/mol is found to be the most effective.

Protective effect of alcoholic extract of Entada pursaetha DC. against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

The alcoholic extract of stem of E. pursaetha (PSE, 30, 100, 300 mg/kg body weight, po for 7 days) showed hepatoprotective activity against CCl4 (2 mL/kg body weight, ip)-induced hepatotoxicity. The extract exhibited a significant dose-dependent hepatoprotective effect comparable to standard drug silymarin, by preventing increase in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, and total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase; by lowering hepatic levels of malonaldehyde, nitrate-nitrite, myeloperoxidase activity; enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase and increasing reduced glutathione levels in liver, which suggests the antioxidant property of PSE. Histopathological studies also supported the above biochemical parameters. The results suggested that alcoholic extract of E. pursaetha possesses significant hepatoprotective activity in CCl4-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats and this is likely to be mediated through its antioxidant activities.