Placebo controlled study on the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis

Calcipotriol is a vitamin D analogue that has been used now a day as monotherapy in mild to moderate psoriasis. We have conducted a placebo-controlled clinical comparative study to assess the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol in the treatment of psoriasis. To assess the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol in comparison with placebo in patients with mild to moderate psoriasis. Experimental Study. This study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi from January 2008 to March 2008. Sixty patients with mild to moderate psoriasis were enrolled after obtaining their informed written consent and were divided into two groups, A and B. Group-A was administered calcipotriol and Group-B was considered as placebo group for three months. The study parameter [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, PASI] score was noted after every fifteen days [02 weeks] and were evaluated statistically at the end of the study period. The significant changes in mean +/- SEM values were noted for the efficacy of calcipotriol during the period from day 0 to day 90 in group-A [calcipotriol] v/s group-B [placebo]. According to the statistical evaluation, a reduction in the symptoms of the disease was found up to 67.8% in group A, and 0.5% in group-B. The difference between the results of both groups was noted to be highly significant [P<0.001]. Calcipotriol as monotherapy is observed to be significantly superior to placebo in terms of efficacy and safety in the treatment of psoriasis

comparative study to evaluate the role of alpha tocopherol in pregnancy induced hypertension

To assess the role of alpha tocopherol in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension [PIH] by comparing pregnancy induced hypertensive patients on routine anti-hypertensive measures with pregnancy induced hypertensive patients on alpha tocopherol plus routine antihypertensive measures. Retrospective Randomizing Study. This study was conducted at the Department of pharmacology and Therapeutics, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi from April 2004 to Sept. 2004. Two groups each comprising of 25 pregnancy induced hypertensive females, age ranging from 18-40 years were studied in this study. Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were assessed from 24-28 weeks of pregnancy and were followed at every 15 days till the time of delivery in Control Group-I [G-I] and Test Group-II [G-II]. On day-0 systolic blood pressure on average showed higher value in G-II compared to G-I. On day 30, 60 and day final, the mean systolic blood pressure showed lower values in G-II although the difference was found statistically insignificant. When diastolic blood pressure studied, it showed on the average same readings for G-I and G-II on day-0. On day 30, day 60 and day final, it also showed statistically insignificant difference between G-I and G-II with higher mean diastolic blood pressure in G-I. Alpha tocopherol exerted better effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in test group when compared with control group

Evaluation of combined effect of verapamil and ranitidine on the volume and acidity of carbachol induced gastric secretion

This study was conducted to observe the effect of H2-receptor antagonist Ranitidine and calcium channel blocker Verapamil on the volume, free and total acidity of carbachol induced gastric secretion. Twenty four albino rats of Sprangue Dawley strain weighing 150-200 grams were used. Animals were divided into Four groups. After fasting for 48 hours, pylorus of each animal was ligated, verapamil 10mg/Kg, ranitidine 0.5 mg/Kg and carbachol 600 micro g/Kg body weight were administered intraperitoneally. It was observed that ranitidine significantly reduced both the volume and acidity [p<0.001]. Similarly Verapamil also significantly reduced the volume, free and total acidity when compared to carbachol alone. When verapamil was used in combination with ranitidine 15 minutes before carbachol, there was further inhibition of volume and acidity as compared to ranitidine alone. This reduction was statistically highly significant [p<0.001]. Our study suggests that combined therapy of verapamil and ranitidine may have clinical usefulness in the management of severe peptic ulcer and Zollinger Ellison Syndrome

Evaluation of effects of extract from seeds of myristica fragrans on volume and acidity of stimulated gastric secretion. liver and kidney function

This study was conducted to observe the effects of extracts from the seeds of medicinal plant "Myristica fragrans" [which has documented calcium channel blocker] on volume and acidity of carbachol induced gastric secretion, liver and kidney function in fasting rabbits. Thirty rabbits of local breed were included in the study and they were divided into three equal groups. Group A was injected with Carbachol. Group B was injected with extract and carbachol and group C was injected only extract and liver and kidney function was determined. The drugs and extract were injected intraperitoneally. It was observed that the extract inhibited volume, free and total acidity of gastric secretion in group B. This inhibition was statistically highly significant for all the three parameters [P< 0.001]. It was also noticed that there were non significant changes in liver function and kidney function test before and after 45 days treatment with extract in group C. It is concluded that the extract is an excellent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion and can be safely used for peptic ulcer and other diseases which need calcium channel blockers for their treatment. This will also enable a lay man to use the crude drug obtained from easily available local plant

comparative study of red cell folate and serum folate levels in patients on regular Hemodialysis

Sixty subjects were selected and were divided into two groups. Group A included 30 patients of end stage renal disease on regular dialysis and group B included 30 normal healthy subjects as control. Absolute values and Hb were done by hematology auto analyzer and serum and red cell folate were done by commercially available kits. Results were analyzed by using Student`s `t` test and level of significance was done. A significant decreased in serum and red cell folate in end stage renal disease patients with regular dialysis as compared to control

Role of glycemic control and blood pressure in the development of microalbuminuria in NIDDM patients

To assess the relationship of elevated urinary albumin excretion to glycated hemoglobin and increased blood pressure in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Analysis of glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, serum and urinary creatinine, body mass index in groups I, II and III, i.e., 21-120, 1 21-170 and 171-200 micro g/min, respectively, based on rate of albumin excretion in 24 hours urine samples of patients with NIDDM. Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute and Diabetic Clinic of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. A total of one hundred patients having NIDDM diagnosed at least two years previously and 25 apparently healthy subjects as control with similar socioeconomic status were selected. Serum glycated hemoglobin, urinary albumin, albumin creatinine ratio and creatinine clearance were significantly increased in all groups when compared to controls, whereas systolic blood pressure of group-Ill was highly significant. The results of this study prove the effect of poor glycemic control and increased blood pressure on development of microalbuminuria in NIDDM patients