The prevalence of HIV in female sex workers in Manipur, India.

Data on STDs and sexual practices in commercial sex workers (CSWs) is in general limited in India. Manipur in north-east Indian has a high prevalence of HIV in injecting drug users but the rate in CSWs is not known. The site selected for the study was Moreh, on the Myanmar border of Manipur. One hundred blood samples were collected, 7 from migrants from Myanmar, the remainder from Manipuri women. The HIV seropositivity rate was 12% (95% CI = 5.6-18.4). The age of the women ranged from 15 to 42 (mean = 24.5 years, median 23.7 years). The proportion of HIV positives increased significantly with number of customers per day and number of years in the profession. The HIV prevalence among Injecting drug using CSWs was 9.4 times higher that among non-IDU CSWs. Vaginal discharge was strongly associated with HIV positivity. Effective intervention programmes among CSWs in Manipur to prevent further spread of HIV are strongly indicated by the results of this study.

2-(2,3-dimethylchromon-6-yl) propanoic acid (OVS-103): a potent anti-inflammatory agent.

The compound OVS-103 showed dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects in different acute and chronic test models in rats and mice. It produced inhibition of the exudate volume and the migration of leucocytes in the carrageenan induced pleurisy test in rats. OVS-103 showed poor inhibitory effect on granuloma formation induced by cotton pellet and had no anti-pyretic and analgesic property. ALD50 in both rats and mice was more than 2000 mg/kg, p.o. and 1500 mg/kg, i.p.

Anti-inflammatory properties of 3-methylpyrazolin-5-(4 H)-one-4-[3'-methoxy-4' (2'',3'',4'',6''-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-D-glycopyranosyl]benzylidene (compound IIIA).

Oral treatment of compound IIIA exhibited dose related inhibitory action in acute tests of carrageenan, histamine and dextran-induced oedema in rats. Marked inhibitory action of the compound was found when it was administered intraperitoneally in animals. It displayed prominent anti-arthritic activity in chronic tests of adjuvant and formaldehyde-induced arthritis in rats. It prevented the arthritis associated rise in total leucocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It also lowered the levels of exudate volume and migration of leucocytes in carrageenan induced pleurisy in rats. It did not exhibit any analgesic, antipyretic or ulcerogenic effect. No mortality was recorded up to 2 g/kg in mice on oral or intraperitoneal treatment over a period of 72 hr.

P-aminodiphenylamine induced biochemical changes in sex organs of male albino rats.

Intraperitoneal administration of p-aminodiphenylamine (p-ADPA), an aromatic amine of wide industrial applications, / 42.5 mg/kg body weight for 180 days significantly decreased the activities of testicular lactate dehydrogenase and hyaluronidase and lactic acid content indicating arrest of spermatogenesis. Patchy necrosis of the testis was confirmed histopathologically. No change in testicular cholesterol, fructose content of coagulating glands and dorso-lateral prostate and activities of alkaline phosphatase in seminal vesicle and acid phosphatase in ventral prostate support normal androgenic status.

Testicular toxicity of di-n-butyl phthalate in adult rats: effect on marker enzymes of spermatogenesis.

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) was administered to adult male rats by gavage at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 days. A significant decrease in epididymal spermatozoa counts was observed at 500 and 1000 mg/kg doses of DBP. The activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase was found to be significantly decreased while that of lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, beta-glucuronidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, significantly increased in the animals exposed to 500 and 1000 mg/kg of DBP. Decrease in the activity of acid phosphatase was also observed at all dose levels. Histopathological studies revealed marked degeneration of seminiferous tubules, further confirming testicular toxicity of DBP. The results suggest that testicular atrophy caused by DBP is associated with an alteration in the activities of enzymes related with specific events of spermatogenesis.

Studies on the uptake of benzanthrone by rat skin and its efflux through serum.

The uptake of benzanthrone by rat skin showed saturation kinetics and was dependent upon the weight of skin and time, temperature and pH of the incubation medium. Heating of segments above 50°C caused significant lowering of the uptake. The uptake was irreversibly inhibited by HgCl2 and not by sodium arsenate, KCN, NaF, p-chloromercuriben zoate, N-ethyl-maleimide, cycloheximide, iodoacetic acid and 2,4-dinitrophenol suggesting that the uptake was not energy-dependent. Lipid micelles of the skin accounted for a part of the binding. Most of the benzanthrone taken up by the skin was effluxed through serum proteins.