Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant potential of methanolic extracts of the Ferns, actiniopteris radiata (SW) link. and equisetum ramosissimum desf.

Present study reports the antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of Actiniopteris radiata and Equisetum ramosissimum. The analyses carried out were DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS·+, reducing power, and ferrous ion chelating tests. From the analyses, Actiniopteris radiata and Equisetum ramosissimum, were found to have potent antioxidant activity against DPPH with the IC50 value of 93.48 and 78.58 respectively. Actiniopteris radiata had the highest values for ABTS·+ radical scavenging activity (2523.11μ TE/g) and reducing power assay (0.853 absorbance at 700μg/ml). However, the fern, Equisetum ramosissimum exhibited higher ferrous iron chelating activity (41.18% at 5000μg/ml) than Actiniopteris radiata. Thus the results obtained in the present study indicate that these plants have the potential as natural source of antioxidants, capable of protecting against free radical mediated damage and may have applications in preventing and curing various diseases.

Tracking progress towards sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders in Orissa.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of iodine deficiency in the population of Orissa and track progress of the elimination efforts. METHODS: A community based field survey was conducted. Data was collected using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Standard internationally recommended protocol and methodology was followed. Thirty clusters were selected using population proportionate to size sampling technique. School children aged 6 to 12 years were selected as target group. Goiter prevalence, urinary iodine excretion in the target group and iodine content of the salt at household were used as outcome variables. RESULTS: A total of 1200 children were studied. The total goiter rate was found to be 8.0%, of which 7.6% were grade I and 0.4% was grade-II goiter. The median urinary iodine excretion was found to be 85.4 microg/L and 32.2% of the subjects had urinary iodine levels less than 50 microg/L. Estimation of iodine content by titration method revealed that in only 45% of households salt was found to be adequately iodised. (Salt with iodine level 15 ppm). CONCLUSION: Iodine deficiency continues to be a public health problem in Orissa and the need to accelerate efforts to iodine sufficiency cannot be overemphasized.

Tracking progress towards sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders in Bihar.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the status of the iodine deficiency in the population of Bihar and track progress of the elimination efforts. METHODS: A community based field survey was conducted. Using quantitative and qualitative research methods, data was collected by following internationally recommended protocol and methodology. Thirty clusters were selected using population proportionate to size technique. School age children (6 to 12 years) were the target group studied. Urinary iodine in target children and iodine content of salt at households were the indicators used. RESULTS: Total of 1169 children were studied. The median urinary iodine concentration was found to be 85.6 microg/L. Urinary iodine concentration was less than 50 microg/L in 31.5% of the subjects. Only 40.1% of the household salt samples were found to be adequately iodised as determined by titration method (> or =15 ppm iodine). CONCLUSIONS: Study results show existence of iodine deficiency in the state. There is need to accelerate our efforts to achieve iodine sufficiency and this should be done on a war-footing.

Ethical issues in public health policy.

Ethics in public health policy is given the least importance and rarely discussed. Resolving ethical issues in public health is often an arduous task as these are complicated and require careful handling. Using four case studies, we discuss issues pertaining to pertussis and brain damage, water fluoridation and dental caries, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and the right to marriage, and the debate surrounding universal salt iodization. The core issue in all these examples pertains to the relevance of ethics in public health policy.

Radioiodine kinetics and thyroid function following the universal salt iodization policy.

BACKGROUND: Universal salt iodization was introduced in Delhi in 1989. The present study quantifies the change in iodine kinetics as a result of this. The previous values were reported 10-30 years earlier, when Delhi was iodine deficient. METHODS: Thirty subjects (18 men and 12 women, 17-48 years of age) who were residents of Delhi and had no thyroid disorder, were recruited from our outpatient clinic in 1999. The 24-hour urinary excretion of iodine and the iodine content of salt consumed at home by these subjects were estimated. Kinetic studies of iodine using radiotracer 131I were done to determine thyroid iodine clearance, renal iodine clearance, percentage uptake and absolute iodine uptake by the thyroid gland, and plasma inorganic iodine. RESULTS: The median 24-hour urinary iodine excretion was 341.3 micrograms. The mean (SD) thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine was 4.9 (2.3)% at 2 hours and 19.1 (8.0)% at 24 hours. The median calculated plasma inorganic iodine was 1.36 micrograms/dl, absolute iodine intake 6.5 micrograms/hour and thyroid iodine clearance was 4.8 ml/minute (geometric means 1.68 micrograms/dl, 8.5 micrograms/hour and 8.1 ml/minute, respectively). The serum thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Compared to the values reported 10-30 years ago when the population was iodine deficient, the present urinary iodine excretion, plasma inorganic iodine and absolute iodine intake have increased, while the percentage thyroid uptake of iodine ingested and thyroid clearance have decreased. The lack of change in the serum thyroid hormone levels after 10 years of universal salt iodization indicates that iodine consumption has had no adverse effect on thyroid function in these normal individuals. These changes are consistent with the increase in iodine consumption. Since the iodine ingestion in a community may change with time, assessment of iodine kinetics should be done periodically in different regions of the country.