Effects on blood glucose, glutathione and lipid profile by murraya koeniigi in experimental animals [rabbits]

Background: Obesity is responsible for beta dysfunction and insulin resistance. This is main cause of type 2 diabetes and excess in glycosylated hemoglobin. The concentration of glycosylation is directly proportional to the amount of blood glucose. It is investigated that oxidative stress can play a major role in the destruction of tissue that directly link with diabetic complication. This condition also associated with elevated level of lipid peroxidation. Murraya leaves may cause hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects and thus reduce lipid peroxidation in experimental animals

Methodology: The animals [rabbits] were randomly divided into three groups of equal size; a control group that did not receive any sort of modification in diet throughout the study while the group 2 and 3 were orally administered 10gm of fructose and 6gm of butter in addition to normal animal chow. While a dietary modification by addition curry leaves, was made in group 3 and it received 10g curry leaves per day for the next 45 days. The blood levels of glucose, glutathione and lipid profile were measured

Results: After consumption of Murraya leaves concentration of blood glucose and LDL-C, TC, TG was significantly decreased and increased HDL-C. Glutathione evaluation was used as a parameter for the oxidative stress showed a mark decline

Conclusion: Murraya leaves acted as anti-diabetic because it is also responsible to decrease the absorption of the glucose from gastrointestinal tract and anti-hyperlipidemic effects

Single step PCR for the identification of low density lipoprotein receptor [LDL-R] gene mutations

This study was conducted to determine the common mutation of low density lipoprotein receptor in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia [FH] in our population and identify the different point mutation in the LDL-receptor gene. The main aim of this study was to reduce the cost of PCR without extracting DNA and do the diagnosis at single step. This study was carried out in the period of one year, from 2009- 2011. All the patients selected for this study were from Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, and Dr. Rubina Ghani's Pathological and Molecular Laboratories. While collecting the blood sample, the patients were in overnight fasting condition. The clinical and biochemical analysis was performed on hyperlipidemic patients [n=120] to determine the frequency of familial hypercholesterolemia in our population. After lipid profile the patients were selected and direct multiplex PCR [Polymerase chain reaction] was performed from whole blood collected in a single tube using forward and reverse primers of exons 3, 4, 9 and 14 of without extracting DNA. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples as well as direct whole ETDA blood of healthy control group and hypercholesterolemia patients to detect mutations in exons 3, 4, 9, and 14 of the LDLR gene, with modification in the technique by using type-specific primers. These results for exon 4 mutation were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Screening method based on PCR by using Kappa direct PCR could be a faster and cheaper method with least contamination for screening a large number of FH patients for mutation of LDLR gene

Curriculum-based prescription writing among undergraduate medical and dental students

Background: Prescription writing is highly intricate. It is a reflection of the prescriber's knowledge of clinical pharmacology and well-defined judgment. Weak prescribing skills are mostly exhibited by junior doctors. Contributory factors include improper training, integrated system, and weak skills of the prescriber. Research provides substantial evidence that these flaws can be minimized through structured educational interventions

Objective: To evaluate medical and dental students on rational prescription writing, identification of elements and abbreviations of a prescription

Methods: A cross sectional study was performed on second year medical and dental students of Ziauddin University. In three 3 sessions, the students were taught rationale prescription writing, abbreviations, and elements used in prescription writing consecutively. The elements were based on doctor's and patient's information, followed by the drug component written explicitly. Each session was followed by exercises on case scenarios, to assess their comprehension of the topic. The p value < 0.05 was considered significant

Results: In the study 83% of the students completed components of rational prescription writing for a given case scenario, with 75% and 77% students identifying abbreviations and various elements in five tailor-made prescriptions respectively

Conclusion: Rational prescription writing is a curriculum-based inherent skill acquired by medical and dental students during their training. When rational prescription writing is taught together with elements of a prescription and abbreviations, it equips students with sound knowledge of clinical pharmacology and refines their judgment in formulating prescriptions

Carotid intima-media thickness correlation with lipid profile in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia versus controls

To determine the variations in carotid intima-media thickness [CIMT] in familial hypercholesterolemia [FH] patients and its use as predictive marker for premature cardiovascular diseases. National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi, from June 2008 to October 2009. Familial hypercholesterolemia was clinically diagnosed by premature coronary diseases, xanthomas, arcus cornealis and family history of premature coronary heart diseases. Controls were age matched normal individuals without hypercholesterolemia. Their lipid profile was tested after overnight fasting. CIMT was measured in mm using B-mode ultrasonography using linear probe. Student t-test was applied to compare mean CIMT of cases and the control. The mean CIMT values of the FH cases were correlated with LDL using Pearson's correlation test. Forty cases with hypercholesterolemia gave consent to participate in the study. These patients had total cholesterol >200 mg/dL and LDL >/= 160 mg/dL as compared to twenty controls of similar age with total cholesterol

Two novel mutations in exon 3 and 4 of low density lipoprotein [LDL] receptor gene in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

To determine the common mutation of low density lipoprotein receptor in hypercholesterolemja patients requiring screening for heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia [HeFH] in Karachi. Case-series. Dr. Ziauddin Hospital Laboratory and Dr. Rubina Ghani's Pathological and Molecular Laboratories, Karachi, for the PCR bench work from June 2008 to October 2009. All the patients selected for this study were from Dr. Ziauddin Hospital and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. All the patients having high total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were included in this study with premature coronary artery diseases or a family history of hypercholesterolemia. Exclusion criteria included Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, renal disease, hypothyroidism and steroid therapy. After lipid profile with overnight fasting, DMA was extracted from whole blood collected in EDTA [ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid] tube and multiplex PCR [polymerase chain reaction] using forward and reverse primers of exons 3, 4, 9 and 14 of base pairs 162, 431, 550 and 496 respectively. Out of total of 120 hypercholesterolemia cases, 42 patients were classical cases of HeFH [heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia] with xanthomas, xanthelasmas and LDL-C > 160 mg/dl. The total cholesterol [260 +/- 57 mg/dL] and LDL-C [192 +/- 39 mg/dL] of cases was significantly high as compared to, controls having total cholesterol [184 +/- 27 mg/dL] and LDL-C [105 +/- 22 mg/dL], p > 0.001. Two novel point mutations were noted in exon 3 and exon 4. The other 78 cases were probable with raised LDL-C [low density lipoprotein cholesterol] and family history of premature coronary heart diseases. The frequency of HeFH was 35% classical and 65% probable cases out of total 120 hypercholesterolemia patients from two tertiary care hospitals in Karachi. The point mutation on exon 3 and exon 4 of LDLR gene was the most common. PCR is useful for the detection of large re-arrangements in the LDL-receptor gene and is a rapid and reliable method for diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia