Irrational Use of Quinolones in Tertiary Care Hospital Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: The antimicrobial drugs especially Quinolones are the top most therapeutics class of drug prescribed in some country like Pakistan in primary and tertiary care hospitals and clinics. The objective of the study was to assess the irrational prescribing practice of quinolones in tertiary care setups of Karachi. Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted for the period of 04 months from November 2019-February 2020, in Public and Private Sector Tertiary Care setups of Karachi. Data was collected from surgical, medical and emergency wards on the basis of World Health Organization prescribing pattern, to evaluate the prescriptions based on Culture sensitivity tests (CST), empirical, targeted, and/or prophylactic therapies. Results: Out of total 1000 patients 41.6% patients were from Public and 58.4% were from Private Sector Tertiary Care Hospital. 13.7% of the patients from Public and 24.8% from Private Sector Tertiary Hospitals were prescribed Quinolones after performing their Culture Sensitivity Test. However, 79.8% of the patients were prescribed Quinolones without Culture Sensitivity Test. 36.4% patients were prescribed with empirical therapy, 20.2% with De-Escalation therapy, while 43.4% were prescribed with prophylactic therapy of quinolones. Conclusion: Study concluded that some serious efforts are required to avoid the irrational prescribing practice and promote the rational prescribing practice of antibiotics particularly for Quinolones.

In-Vivo Study on Anxiolytic Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Agaricus blazei Murill

Background: Anxiety involved panic attacks either having or not having social fear, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder as well as separation anxiety disorder is known to be marked mental diseases. It is related to high medical cost and a significant load of disease. Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM) is a mushroom and possesses immunemodulating and antimicrobial effects both in-vivo and in-vitro and as well as it has been used to treat cancer, hepatitis, dermatitis, and hyperlipidemia traditionally. Method: In this experiment evaluation of anxiolytic effect of AbM on mice has been done by using Elevated Plus Maze test, open field test and motor co-ordination test by rotarod. Mice (Mus musculus) weighing 22-25 grams, were divided into 4 groups (n=6). Oral administration of hydro-alcoholic extract of AbM was utilized in 2 doses i.e. 136.5 mg/kg and 273 mg/kg. Group, I received vehicle (distilled water 10 ml/kg), p.o. Group II received standard (diazepam 1 mg/kg), i.p. Group III and IV orally received hydro-alcoholic extract of AbM (136.5 mg/kg and 273 mg/kg, respectively). Result: In Elevated Plus Maze test, oral administration of hydro-alcoholic extract of AbM (136.5 mg/kg and 273 mg/kg, respectively) exhibited significant (p<0.01) elevation in the percentage of number of open arm entries (48.0 ± 1.1% and 48.93 ± 2.1% respectively) and time spent in open arm (14.92 ± 1.9% and 84.17 ± 2.4%). Conclusion: Hence it is concluded that hydro-alcoholic extract of AbM can be a new therapeutic agent to treat anxiety.

In Vivo Study on Laxative Effect of Prunus amygdalus Oil

Objective: In this study, we assessed the laxative effects of Prunus amygdalus oil (PAO) in constipation model of mice. Method: The animals were divided into 6 groups and Prunus amygdalus oil was orally administered in two dose-strengths (3.0 ml/kg/day and 6.0 ml/kg/day) in mice. Group one was administered with Lactulose (30 ml/kg/day) as standard. Understandings of the possible mechanism of laxative action 2 groups of animals were pretreated with atropine (10 ml/kg/day) that moderately inhibit the laxative activity of Prunus amygdalus oil. Results: Results of our study revealed that treatment of PAO was effective in increasing the fecal number and fecal weight and this increase was very close to standard drug Lactulose, which indicate the laxative activity of oil. Those groups of animals which were previously administered with atropine partially inhibit the laxative activity of Prunus amygdalus oil, specifying that laxative action is mainly facilitated through muscarinic receptors activation and indicated the occurrence of Acetylcholine like component. Conclusion: Our study results revealed the laxative activity of PAO mediated mainly with the cholinergic pathway. This study provides a basis for beneficial use of Prunus amygdalus oil in constipation.

Patterns of sudanophilic lesions at ostia of descending thoracic and abdominal aorta in cholesterol-fed adult rabbits / Patrones de lesiones sudanofílicas en el ostio de las partes torácica y abdominal de la aorta en conejos adultos alimentados con colesterol

Sudan-positive atherosclerotic lesions preferentially occur at downstream and lateral margins of arterial branch ostia in human neonates and weanling rabbits but tend to develop at lateral and upstream margins in old subjects. We investigated (i) the pattern of sudanophilic lesions at aortic ostia of cholesterol-fed adult rabbits and (ii) determined any differences in lesion distribution between descending thoracic and abdominal aorta. Ten adult males, New Zealand white rabbits were fed 2 percent high cholesterol diet. After six weeks, aortas were excised, opened longitudinally and stained with Sudan-IV for gross examination of atherosclerotic lesions. A total of 156 descending thoracic and 90 abdominal ostia were examined. Mean lesion frequencies upstream, downstream and at lateral margins of the affected ostia were calculated and compared. Sudanophilic lesions were detected around 32 percent ostia of descending thoracic aorta and 25 percent those of abdominal aorta. At ostia of descending thoracic aorta, lesion frequencies were significantly higher (P<0.001) downstream (95 percent) and at lateral margins (92 percent) than upstream (2 percent). In abdominal aorta, lateral (100 percent) and upstream (43 percent) margins were significantly (P<0.05) more affected while minimal lesion frequencies were seen at downstream branch points (9 percent). Comparison between descending thoracic and abdominal aorta showed an insignificant difference of lesion frequencies at lateral margins (P>0.05) but a highly significant difference at upstream versus downstream of ostia (P<0.001). We concluded that in cholesterol-fed adult rabbits, juvenile pattern of downstream lipid deposition persists at ostia of descending thoracic aorta while a switch towards the upstream pattern of old subjects occurs at ostia of abdominal aorta.

Las lesiones ateroscleróticas Sudán-positivas se producen preferentemente en los márgenes posteriores y laterales del ostio de las ramas arteriales en neonatos humanos y en conejos destetados, pero tienden a desarrollarse en los márgenes laterales y superiores en sujetos de edad avanzada. Investigamos el patrón de lesiones sudanofílicas en el ostio aórtico de conejos adultos alimentados con colesterol y determinamos las diferencias en la distribución de lesiones entre la aorta torácica descendente y abdominal. Diez conejos machos blancos adultos New Zealand fueron alimentados con una dieta alta en colesterol al 2 por ciento. Después de seis semanas, fueron extraídas las aortas, se disecaron longitudinalmente y se tiñeron con Sudan-IV para el examen macroscópico y se observaron las lesiones ateroscleróticas. Fueron examinados 156 ostios de aortas torácicas descendentes y 90 de aortas abdominales. Fueron calculadas y comparadas las frecuencias medias de lesiones superiores, inferiores y de los márgenes laterales de los ostios afectados. Las lesiones sudanofílicas se detectaron en alrededor del 32 por ciento de ostios de la aorta torácica descendente y en el 25 por ciento de las aortas abdominales. En el ostio de la aorta torácica descendente, las frecuencias de lesiones fueron significativamente mayores (p <0,001) por superior (95 por ciento) y en los márgenes laterales (92 por ciento) que por inferior (2 por ciento). En la aorta abdominal, los márgenes laterales (100 por ciento) y superiores (43 por ciento) fueron significativamente más afectados (p <0,05), mientras que las frecuencias mínimas de lesiones se observaron en los puntos de la rama descendente (9 por ciento). La comparación entre la aorta torácica descendente y abdominal mostró una diferencia no significativa de las frecuencias de lesiones en los márgenes laterales (p> 0,05), pero muy significativa al comparar el margen superior con el inferior (p <0,001). Llegamos a la conclusión que en los conej...