Ruptured Suprarenal Abdominal Aortic Pseudoaneurysm with Superior Mesenteric and Celiac Arteries Occlusion, Revealing Behçet’s Disease: A Case Report

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a multisystemic, chronic autoimmune inflammatory vasculitic disease with an unknown etiology. Although the literature reports that vascular involvement occurs in 7% to 38% of all BD cases, the arteries are rarely involved; however, arterial involvement is usually associated with significant mortality and morbidity. We report the case of a young female patient who presented to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain and a history of weight loss. The patient was evaluated using computed tomography angiography, which revealed a ruptured suprarenal aortic pseudoaneurysm with occlusion of both the superior mesenteric and celiac arteries. Urgent surgery was performed with aortic repair with an interposition graft and superior mesenteric artery embolectomy. The patient’s clinical history and radiological imaging findings were strongly suggestive of the diagnosis of BD with vascular involvement.

Epicardial Adipose Tissue (EAT) Thickness and Its Association with BMI and Waist Circumference in Healthy Adults and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Patients.

Introduction: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) risk factors clustering has increases the morbidity and mortality of CAD. These factors are responsible for insulin resistance; it leads to the development of Metabolic Syndrome (MS), which later leads to the development of CAD. Endothelial dysfunction leads to CAD. EAT is the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) around the heart. It plays a major role in the development of MS. The aim of this study was to measure the EAT thickness through echocardiography in healthy adults and coronary artery disease patients and to determine its association with Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference. Methodology: 156 diagnosed cases of CAD and age matched 157 asymptomatic individuals were recruited from Cardiology Department of Ziauddin Hospital for this case control study. Waist circumference and BMI were measured. Echocardiography was done for EAT thickness. Results: CAD group had significantly higher EAT thickness as compared to controls. There was no significant difference of EAT thickness with BMI. A weak positive association of EAT thickness with BMI was found. A significant difference of EAT thickness with waist circumference was found. There was weak association of EAT with waist circumference in CAD. Conclusion: The mean EAT thickness is significantly higher in CAD group of Karachi population. EAT thickness has weak positive association with BMI and waist circumference. Therefore, we can conclude that BMI and Waist Circumference are the indicators of generalized obesity while EAT thickness may be considered to be a true indicator of visceral obesity.

Epicardial adipose tissue and its emerging importance

It is an emerging concept now a day that epicardial adipose tissue [EAT] thickness has an essential character in the progression for cardiac risk profile. It is now consider as a new and consistent cardiovascular risk factor. EAT thickness is the indicator for cardiac adiposity. It modifies the cardiac morphology and function. It has close anatomical relation to myocardium. It causes local paracrine interactions between myocardial tissues. It causes enlargement of left ventricle with its diastolic dysfunction. Measurement and assessment of epicardial adipose tissue thickness is now done by new method echocardiography. It appraises visceral adiposity and inflammation. Association of EAT location and its physiological or pathological importance requires advance research. EAT in future may replace waist circumference, as a marker of abdominal obesity. This article briefly discussion the structure of epicardial adipose tissue and its function. It also describes the method for its assessment

Pharmacodynamic interaction of garlic with propranolol in ischemia-reperfusion induced myocardial damage

The present study was undertaken to explore the interaction of garlic homogenate [GH] with propranolol [PRO] on ischemia-reperfusion injury [IRI] in isolated rat heart preparation. Albino rats were treated with GH at three different doses of 125 mg/kg, [GH-125], 250 mg/kg [GH-250] and 500 mg/kg [GH-500] for 30 days orally. The hearts were excised and mounted on modified Langendorff setup and subjected to 15 min global no flow ischemia and reperfused for 15 min. Pretreatment of animals with PRO, GH-125 and GH-250 [either alone or in combination] provided significant protection to myocardium from IRI damage as indicated by significant decrease in LDH and CK-MB activities in perfuste and an increase in activities of these enzymes in heart tissue homogenate. Similarly, the recovery [%] in developed tension and heart rate were significantly more in treated groups during post-ischemia when compared to control. Moreover, GH-250 either alone or with PRO showed significant increase in activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase during IRI damage. However, GH-500 failed to show cardioprotective effect when given alone or along with PRO. These biochemical findings were supported by changes in histopathological studies

Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extract of morus alba linn. [Mulberry] leaves

The leaves of Morus alba Linn. [Family: Moraceae] commonly known as mulberry are mainly used as food for the silkworms and they are sometimes eaten as vegetable or used as cattle fodder in different parts of the world. The effect of Morus alba on the immune system was evaluated by using different experimental models such as carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia, neutrophil adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins, mice lethality test and indirect haemagglutination test. Methanolic extract of Morus alba was administered orally at low dose and high dose of 100 mg/kg and 1 g/kg respectively and Ocimum sanctum [100 mg/kg, po] was used as standard drug. Morus alba extract in both doses increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. It also increased the circulating antibody titre in indirect haemagglunation test. On the other hand, it showed significant increase in the phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay, a significant protection against cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and increased the adhesion of neutrophils in the neutrophil adhesion test. Hence, it was concluded that Morus alba increases both humoral immunity and cell mediated immunity

Antiulcer activity of allium sativum bulb juice in rats

The effect of raw Allium sativum Linn. bulb juice on gastric and duodenal ulcers was evaluated by using different gastric ulcer methods and cysteamine induced duodenal ulcer model in rats. Allium sativum Linn, bulb juice was administered orally at two different doses of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. Both the doses of garlic juice showed gastric ulcer healing effect in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcers, produced gastric antisecretory effect in pylorus-ligated rats and also showed gastric cytoprotective effect in ethanol-induced and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer. The juice also produced a significant reduction in stress induced gastric ulcers and cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcers. The low dose of the juice [250 mg/kg, p.o.] was more effective compared to the high dose [500 mg/kg, p.o.]. It was concluded that juice of Allium sativum Linn. bulb increases healing of gastric ulcers and prevents the development of experimentally induced gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats

Evaluation of tectona gransis leaves for wound healing activity

The frontal leaves of Tectona grandis [Verabinaceae] are widely used in the folklore for the treatment of various kinds of wounds, especially burn wound. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of hydrochloric extract of Tectona grandis on experimentally induced wounds in rats and compare the effects observed with a known wound healing agent, Aloe vera. The models selected were excision wound, incision wound, burn wound and dead space wound. A suitable gel formulation was selected for the application using cellophane membrane penetration. In the excision wound and burn wound models, animals treated with Tectona grandis leaf extract showed significant reduction in period of epithelisation and wound contraction 50%. In the incision wound model, a significant increase in the breaking strength was observed. Tectona grandis leaf extract treatment orally produced a significant increase in the breaking strength, dry weight and hydroxyproline content of the granulation tissue in dead space wound. It was concluded that Tectona grandis leaf extract applied topically [5% and 10% gel formulation] or administered orally [250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight] possesses wound healing activity

Effect of hexane extract of boswellia serrata oleo-gum resin on chemically induced liver damage

The hexane extract of oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia serrata [BSHE] was evaluated for its effect on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride, paracetamol or thioacetamide. The BSHE was given in two different doses [87.5 mg/kg p.o. and 175mg/kg p.o.]. Silymarin, a known hepatoprotective agent was used as standard. The lower dose of BSHE [87.5mg/kg p.o.] significantly reduced the elevated levels of serum marker enzymes and prevented the increase in liver weight in all three models of liver injury, while the higher dose showed mild hepatoprotective activity. The hepatoprotective effect of lower dose of BSHE was supported by changes in histopathology. It was concluded that hexane extract of oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia serrata plant in lower doses possess hepatoprotective activity