Coronary artery disease; frequency of risk factors among healthy male paramedical staff

To determine the frequency of risk factors of coronary artery disease [CAD] in healthy male paramedical staff of our hospital. Descriptive study. Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi, from January 2009 to June 2009. Three Sixty Three [363] healthy male paramedical staff members were studied. Patients with heart disease, chronic liver and kidney diseases were excluded. Presence of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia, physical activity, a family history of [CAD] and medication was documented. Fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, uric acid levels were done. Body mass index and waist circumference were measured and Waist to Hip ratio calculated. Data was analysed using SPSS-20. Ten year risk was calculated using Heart Score software. Mean age of subjects was 31.85 +/- 8.10 years. Maximum number of patients [152, 41.9%] aged between 31 to 40 years. Smoking was documented in 76 [20.9%], hypertension in 26 [7.2%], diabetes in 27 [7.4%] and a family history of premature CAD was recorded in 26 [7.2%] persons. Eighty [22.01%] patients were overweight [BMI = 25-29.9] while 26 [7.2%] were obese [BMI >30]. Waist circumference > 94 cm was found in 79 [21.8%]. High cholesterol [>200 mg/dl] was documented in 33 [9.1%], high LDL[>100 mg/dl] in 68 [18.7%], low HDL in 92 [25.4%] and high triglycerides [>150 mg /dl] in 116[32%] persons. Dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking, hypertension and diabetes were most frequent risk factors. Public awareness to control risk factors can reduce the prevalence of CAD

Bioavailability enhancement studies of amoxicillin with Nigella.

Background & objectives: Nigella sativa Linn. is extensively used in the Indian diasporas as spice, which may interact with co-administered drugs and affect their intestinal availability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Nigella on bioavailability of amoxicillin in animal model. Methods: Everted rat intestinal sacs were used for in vitro experiment to study the transfer of amoxicillin across the gut. Amoxicillin (6 mg/ml) was co-infused with 3 and 6 mg of methanol and hexane extract of Nigella seeds separately. The amount of amoxicillin that traversed the gut was followed spectrophotometrically at 273 nm. For in vivo studies Wistar albino rats were used. Amoxicillin (25 mg/kg, po) was co-administered with hexane extract of Nigella seeds (25 mg/kg, po). The amount of amoxicillin in rat plasma was determined by UPLC-MS/MS method. Results: The in vitro studies both with methanol and hexane extracts of Nigella increased the permeation of amoxicillin significantly (P<0.001) as compared to control. Permeation was also found to be significantly higher for the hexane extract (P<0.001) in comparison to methanol extract at the same dose levels. In vivo experiments revealed that Cmax of amoxicillin in rat plasma when administered orally alone and in combination with hexane extract increased correspondingly from 4138.251 ± 156.93 to 5995.045 ± 196.28 ng/ml while as AUC0→t increased from 8890.40 ± 143.33 to 13483.46 ± 152.45 ng/ml.h. Interpretation & conclusions: Nigella enhanced amoxicillin availability in both in vivo and in vitro studies. As the increase in bioavailability is attributed, in part, to enhanced diffusivity across intestine, our study indicated that Nigella increased intestinal absorption of amoxicillin.