vitro evaluation of mutagenicity of metformin and aspartame alone and in combination

To assess the Mutagenicity of Metformin and Aspartame in vitro. Observational/Analytical study This study was carried out at Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore from 1[st] Jan 2011 to Dec 2011. Ames Salmonella/ Microsome Mutagenicity Assay was used to check the mutagenic potential of test chemicals and control. The data was analyzed by using Statistical Package of Social Sciences. Metformin was found to be highly mutagenic against TA 100 and TA98 both in the presence and absence of metabolic activation system. The results were significant because there was 2 fold rise in number of revertants as compared to the negative control. Overall metformin exhibited more mutagenicity against TA 100 as compared to TA 98 strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. Aspartame showed significant rise in mutagenicity at l00microg/plate and 250microg/plate in dose dependant manner against TA 100 in presence of metabolic activation system. When combination doses of aspartame and metformin were studied, even those doses became mutagenic which were not mutagenic alone. The data advocates that combination doses showed significant additive effect [p < 0.05] in the intensity of mutagenic index as compared to the mutagenic index of metformin and aspartame alone. Both of these products alone and together may cause significant damage to the cells of body as well. Combination therapy of these products should be monitored closely

To assess the in vitro genotoxicity of metformin and aspartame alone and in combination

Metformin is a known oral antidiabetic agent belonging to the class of biguanides, widely prescribed for the treatment of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus [DM]. In this study the genotoxic potential of metformin was studied alone and in combination with an artificial sweetener aspartame as most of the diabetic patients utilized this low calorie sweetener to reduce their sugar consumption per day. Many complaints regarding its potential to cause DNA damage have been submitted to PDA. Experimental study. This study was carried out at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore from 1[st] Jan 2011 to Dec 2011. Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes were exposed to various concentrations of metformin, aspartame and their combination. DNA damage was checked by comet assay. The data was analyzed by using Analysis of Variance [ANOVA] by Statistical Package of Social Sciences SPSS Exhibited dose dependant rise in comet tail lengths. Moreover the data advocates that tail lengths of lymphocytes after exposure to aspartame were high as compared to metformin. When lymphocytes were exposed to combination of aspartame and metformin and DNA damage was checked by comet assay, the results were significantly different [p<0.05] as compared to metformin and aspartame alone. It can be concluded from the present study that aspartame is posing great genotoxic threat to the cells as compared to metformin and the combination is even more toxic to DNA, so the drug regime of diabetic patient must be closely monitored. There is further need of more studies in this regard

Correlation of advanced glycation end products [AGEs] with the level of alanine amino transferase [ALT] and aspartate amino transferase [AST] enzymes in chronic diabetic patients

Objective of this study is to find Correlation of Advanced Glycation End products [AGEs] with the level of Alanine amino transferase [ALT] and Aspartate amino transferase [AST] enzymes in chronic diabetic patients. Case Control Study. This study was conducted at the laboratory of Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad from December 2009 to May 2010. For this study blood samples were collected from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. In the present study, the level of protein glycation in human serum samples of healthy older and young control subjects [n = 20], and diabetic patients [n=45], were investigated. The patients were selected on clinical grounds from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Serum AGEs were found to be significantly [P<0.001] increased in diabetic patients as compared to healthy older subjects and control subjects. However, no significant difference was found in the level of AST and ALT in diabetic patients and control group. The AGEs distribution in these groups reveals the hypothesis that the advanced glycation process might play a role in the development of liver diseases, but in this study no correlation has been found in level of glycation and such liver damage which could result in decreased or increased formation of AST and ALT. no study have been found regarding level of glycation and level of AST and ALT in diabetic patients. From this study we conclude that no correlation is present in level of glycation and level of AST and ALT in blood in diabetes. Since, there is no effect of AGE formation on production of ALT and AST in liver

Relationship between religious orientation and depression

The present study is aimed at exploring relationship between religious orientation and depression. Cross-sectional study. This study was conduted out at Clinical Psychology, FG Post Graduate College Wah cantt from March 2011 to May 2011. The study included samples of 100 individuals from normal population of Wah Cantt. The educational level of participants ranged from intermediate level to post graduate. Religious orientation scale and Zung self rating scale of depression were used to measure the relationship between religious orientation and depression. The present research project was designed to explore relationship between Religious Orientation and Depression. For this first of all Alpha reliability of religious orientation and depression scales were computed. Descriptive Statistics were measured for both scales. Our finding suggests that religious orientation is negatively correlated with depression

Usefulness of needle biopsy in the diagnosis of paediatric liver disorders

To see the usefulness of liver biopsy in the diagnosis and to document the spectrum of paediatric liver diseases. A retrospective, cross sectional survey at Histopathology department of Army Medical College Rawalpindi from January 2000 to December 2003. The liver biopsies were taken with Menghini needle. The fixed tissues were processed under standard conditions. During four years period, a total of 100 cases with age range of 1.5 months to 16 years were studied. The most common histological findings in order of frequency were secondary haemochromatosis [30%], biliary atresia [20%], storage disorders [16%], cirrhosis of liver [10%] and neonatal hepatitis [10%]. The less common entities were chronic hepatitis [6%], nonspecific reactive hepatitis [3%] and granulomatous hepatitis [1%]. One case each of hepatoblastoma, haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and congenital fibrosis was also noted. These findings have been compared with local and international histological studies. Liver biopsy is a useful diagnostic technique in the diagnosis of paediatric liver diseases. Biliary atresia, strorage disorders and neonatal hepatitis are the most common entities in our set up