Wound-healing and cytokine-modulating potential of medicinal oil formulation comprising leaf extract of Murraya koenigii and olive oil / Potencial de cicatrização de feridas e modulação de citocinas de formulação de óleo medicinal compreendendo extrato de folhas de Murraya koenigii e azeite de oliva

The study investigated the wound healing effect of medicinal oil (MO) formulation prepared from Murraya koenigii leaves extract (methanolic) incorporated in olive oil. The MO was visually transparent, homogenous, smooth in texture, the viscosity grade was observed as 140 cP and easily spreadable. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly reduced to 82.3 ± 3.5, 156 ± 6.2, 137.3. ± 5.5 pg/ml, respectively after treatment with MO when compared to disease control animals that showed IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels of 170 ± 6, 265 ± 7, and 288.6 ± 11, pg/ml respectively. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokine in povidone iodine solution (PIS) group was 95.3 ± 3, 162 ± 6, 177.6 ± 8.9 pg/ml of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α respectively. Interestingly, the wound-healing efficacy of MO was found better as compared to povidone iodine treated standard group and concluded that MO has excellent wound healing effect.

O estudo investigou o efeito cicatrizante da formulação de óleo medicinal (MO) preparado a partir do extrato de folhas de Murraya koenigii (metanol) incorporado ao azeite de oliva. O MO era visualmente transparente, homogêneo, de textura lisa, o grau de viscosidade observado foi de 140 cP e facilmente espalhável. As citocinas pró-inflamatórias IL-1ß, IL-6 e TNF-α foram significativamente reduzidas para 82,3 ± 3,5, 156 ± 6,2, 137,3. ± 5,5 pg/ml, respectivamente, após o tratamento com MO quando comparados aos animais controle da doença que apresentaram níveis de IL-1ß, IL-6 e TNF-α de 170 ± 6, 265 ± 7 e 288,6 ± 11, pg/ml, respectivamente . O nível de citocina pró-inflamatória no grupo solução de iodopovidona (PIS) foi de 95,3 ± 3, 162 ± 6, 177,6 ± 8,9 pg/ml de IL-1ß, IL-6 e TNF-α, respectivamente. Curiosamente, a eficácia de cicatrização de feridas de MO foi encontrada melhor em comparação com o grupo padrão tratado com iodopovidona e concluiu que a preparação de MO tem efeito de cicatrização de feridas.

Isolated Retrobulbar Orbital Hydatid Cyst: A Rare Case Report.

Isolated orbital hydatid cyst is a rare manifestation most commonly situated in superomedial and superolateral angles of orbit. We report a case of a 24 years old female with a large retrobulbar orbital hydatid cyst causing proptosis which was not associated with any cyst in other organs. USG and CT scan aids to diagnosis while surgical excision and histopathology confirms the diagnosis.

Homology modelling and docking studies of FGFR3 protein to search most effective drug against achondroplasia.

The present investigation was carried out with the aim of modeling the 3D structure of FGFR3 protein and predicting the most effective drug using SU5402 and its analogues. FGFR3 protein, responsible for long bone growth, causes Achondroplasia in H. sapiens when it becomes mutated. When mutated, the dimmer of FGFR3 stabilizes without interacting with its ligand results in constitutive activation of downstream pathway and inhibits the bone growth. No known structure of FGFR3 was available. The 3D modeling of FGFR3 was done using Robetta server and from the various model predicted, model 5 was selected as the best model after evaluating the models using PROCHECK. . The total number of residues in selected model was found as: 589 (86.5%) residues in most favored region, 84 (12.3%) in additional allowed region, 8 (1.2%) in generously allowed region and 0 (0.0%) in disallowed region of the Ramachandran plot. Three analogues were constructed by using the existing FGFR3 specific inhibitor SU5402. Receptor-analogue interaction study was performed in FlexX3 docking software. Ligand 3 (IUPAC Name: 3-{2-[Z)-(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3Hindol- 3-ylidene) methyl]-4-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-3-yl} propanoic acid) was showing the best binding energy (-10.458 KJ/Mol) that can be predicted the most effective inhibitor for FGFR3. It should be noted that these predicted data should be validated using suitable assays for further consideration.

Inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and carotid intima-media thickness in North-Indian type 2 diabetic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To study the interrelationship of the inflammation, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. METHODOLOGY: Eighty-one newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were compared with 81 healthy age, sex and BMI matched controls. Plasma glucose and insulin (fasting and after 2 hours of 75 gm of oral glucose), lipids and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha were measured. Carotid (Intima-Medial Thickness) IMT was measured using high "resolution B-Mode ultrasonography. Insulin resistance was calculated using HOMA-IR model. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and exercise ECG were recorded for the evidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). RESULTS: Carotid IMT was significantly thicker in diabetic patients than in control group across the whole age range (p < 0.01). In merged group of diabetes, composite IMT was significantly correlated with LDL-cholesterol, fasting insulin, serum cholesterol, BMI and HOMA-IR (p < 0.01). After controlling for age and sex, all glycaemic parameters were correlated with IMT in both diabetic and control group. HOMA-IR, waist hip ratio, serum triglycerides, serum cholesterol, fasting serum insulin and CRP were significant predictor of IMT. Concentrations of inflammatory markers were significantly higher in diabetic patients than in control group. Serum levels of CRP (p < 0.05) were found to be higher in diabetic patients with CHD than without CHD. CRP was significantly correlated with IMT (r = 0.603, p < 0.01) in diabetic subjects with and without CHD after controlling for age and sex. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory markers are associated with type 2 diabetes but only CRP is associated with development of accelerated atherosclerosis and subsequent CHD.

Caudal anesthesia in pediatric surgical practice.

Prospective study was carried out on 100 patients since May 2005 in my private practice and in the department of pediatric surgery of MMCH. Under caudal anesthesia along with or without ketaminie induction and gas inhalation all the patients underwent different surgical procedure namely anorectal surgery (eg. anoplasty, rectal polyp), urogenital surgery (Circumcision, hypospadias, meatotomy), groin surgery (hernia, hydrocele) and foot & leg surgery. Calculated dose schedule of drugs used in anesthesia and volume were maintained. Time of giving anesthesia and time of starting analgesia were recorded. Per-operative and postoperative analgesia were evaluated. Every parent was explained regarding the merit of caudal anesthesia calculated and compared with that of general anesthesia. Application of caudal anesthesia with or without ketamine & diazepam induction can be used safely and cost effectively and may be put into protocol in many of the pediatric surgical practice both in institute and also in private practice.

Treatment of non union of humerus using G. A. Ilizarov technique.

The management of the non union of humerus is one of the most challenging problems that the surgeon confronts in his practice. The procedures traditionally used are: I.M. Nailing, interlocking, plating, transplantation of allograft. In our series, 36 cases with non union has been treated by G.A. Ilizarov technique. The age range were: 21-62 years with an average of 32 years. The initial treatment were done by DCP, rush nails & plates with screw fixation. The duration of treatment ranged from 5-11 months (average 8 months). With the application of Ilizarov fixator a good range of elbow & shoulder motion were achieved. The average follow up period was 5 years with a range of 1-8 years. Union was achieved in all the 36 cases.

Predominance of the DEN-3 genotype during the recent dengue outbreak in Bangladesh.

A recent outbreak of dengue in Bangladesh was marked by many fatal complications. As clinical virulence varies among the genotypes of dengue virus, a study was conducted to investigate the molecular genotypes of dengue in Bangladesh. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine viral genotypes using oligonucleotide generic primers that produce a 511 bp product. The resulting product was typed by nested PCR with strain-specific primers, yielding 482 (DEN-1), 119 (DEN-2), 290 (DEN-3) and 392 (DEN-4), visualized on UV transilluminator after electrophoresis on 2% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide. Of 45 clinically diagnosed dengue patients (mean age 28 years; male/female 30/15), 19 (42.2%) had detectable viral RNA in their blood. However, during the first 5 days of fever in 30 patients, the frequency was 60% (18/30), implying that the sooner serum is drawn after the fever, the greater the chances of detecting viral RNA. DEN-3 was detected in all except 2 patients who were infected with DEN-2. DEN-2 (two cases) and DEN-4 (one case) were present as co-infections with DEN-3. All of the patients presented with fever, anorexia and vomiting; many had headache and general body ache; a few had a rash. About a quarter had suffered episodes of bleeding, while ascites, pleural effusion and CNS symptoms were found in a few patients Patients positive for viral RNA were also positive for anti-dengue IgM (p=0.007) in subsequent sampling. The study suggests the predominance of DEN-3 infection with occasional co-infection with other types, during the recent outbreak of dengue in Bangladesh.

Differential effects of doxorubicin on atrial natriuretic peptide expression in vivo and in vitro

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a potent anti-cancer agent with cardiotoxic side-effects but the mechanism of its cardiotoxicity and its effect on expression of the vasoactive atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), an important marker for cardiac hypertrophy, are little understood. The present study examined Dox-induced changes in vivo in hearts of 6 mongrel dogs and 5 Sprague-Dawley rats and in vitro in cardiac cultures of neonatal rats. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis using gamma 32-p labeled primers for beta-actin, phospholamban (PLB) and ANP showed a selective 5-fold increase of ANP mRNA in Dox-treated dog hearts in comparison to controls. Similarly, northern analysis of GAPD, beta-actin, cardiac alpha-actin and ANP gave a selective 4.5-fold increase in ANP transcripts in Dox-treated rat hearts. On the other hand, there was a selective decrease (approximately 39 percent) of ANP transcripts in Dox-treated cardiac cultures relative to controls. Immunohistochemistry localized the ANP changes both in tissue sections and in cultures to the cardiomyocytes. The data clearly showed that Dox selectively increases ANP expression in dog and rat hearts in absence of cardiocyte hypertrophy but selectively decreases it in cardiac cultures. This differential effect of Dox on cardiocytes in vivo and in vitro should be a useful parameter for studies of transcriptional control of ANP expression.

Ventricular myosin light chain-2 gene expression in developing heart of chicken embryos

Recent gene knock-out studies in mice have suggested that ventricular myosin light chain-2 (vMLC2) has a role in the regulation of cardiogenic development and that perturbation in expression of vMLC2 is linked to the onset of dilated cardiomyopathy. In an attempt to develop an avian model for such studies, we examined the expression pattern of vMLC2 in chicken embryos at various stages and analyzed the effect of antisense oligonucleotide-mediated interference of vMLC2 function in cultures of whole embryos. Our results showed vMLC2 to be a specific marker for ventricular chamber throughout chicken embryonic development and antisense vMLC2 treatment of primitive streak stage (stage 4) embryos to produce pronounced dilation of heart tube with severe deficiency in formation of striated myofibrils. Further studies with antisense mRNA techniques of whole embryo cultures should, therefore, be useful to evaluate the role of vMLC2 and other putative regulatory factors in cardiac myofibrillogenesis.

Prevalence of infectious diseases and drug abuse among Bangladeshi workers.

Individuals seeking jobs abroad need health fitness certificates before entering into those countries. Medical screening of 43,213 Bangladeshi job seekers (M/F: 42,290/923) was carried out in our reference center during the period August, 1994 to May, 1996. Albeit male predominance, they represented middle and lower middle socio-economic class of the population from all over the country. All were young adults (age: 27.05+/-3.56 years; mean+/-SD) applying for job visas to different Asian countries. Physical examination and laboratory investigations including markers for several infectious diseases and drugs of abuse were carried out as required by countries recruiting the workers. Serological tests revealed that 1,884 (4.4%) of individuals were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 737 (1.7%) for Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) and only 83 (0.2%) for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV). However, we could not confirm any case of infection with HIV. Chest X-ray suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 162 (0.4%) and on blood film, malarial parasites could be observed only in 4 cases. Their urine analysis revealed the presence of opiates or cannabinoids in 471 (1.1%) individuals. HBsAg-positive cases (p = 0.003) and abuse of opiates (p = 0.024) or cannabinoids (p = 0.002) were significantly higher among males. TPHA reactivity and chest X-ray suggestive of tuberculosis were found to be higher among opiates (p = 0.002 and 0.027) and cannabinoids (p = 0.000 for both) abused as well as with increasing age (p = 0.000). These results may represent a cross-sectional view of the prevalence of different infectious diseases and abuse of drugs among the young adult population of Bangladesh.

Role of dietary fibre on platelet adhesiveness.

Fifty five adult patients of diabetes mellitus and fourteen normal healthy subjects matched for age and sex were studied to see the effect of dietary fibre on platelet adhesiveness. In patients of diabetes mellitus the platelet adhesiveness 2 1/2 hrs. after a load of glucose was significantly higher (p = less than 0.001) as compared to normal individuals under the same conditions. After a glucose load with fibre the platelet adhesiveness in patients with diabetes mellitus fell significantly (p = less than 0.001). Although there was a fall in platelet adhesiveness in normal subjects also, it was statistically not significant. Supplements of fibre in the diet of diabetic patients may prevent or delay the vascular complications.