Evaluation of the teratogenic potentials of neem seed oil in albino rat

The safe use of medicines, both modern as well as traditional, during gestation is becoming an increasingly contentious issue because many therapeutic agents have proved to be menace as they produce congenital malformations in offspring when used during pregnancy. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Neem Seed Oil administration during gestation on young ones of albino rat. 300 off springs of albino rat were used in this study. They were obtained from 60 pregnant rats at term or at 20[th] day of gestation. The pregnant rats were divided in four groups. Group A received freshly extracted Neem Seed Oil 0.5 ml orally from 6[th] to 12[th] days of gestation. Groups B and C received 1.0 and 2.0 ml of oil orally for same period. Group D behaved as control and received 0.5 ml of distilled water orally for same period. The pregnant rats were observed for duration of pregnancy, weight gain, abortions and number of pups given birth. The obtained pups were examined for any structural malformations. There was no incidence of abortion in treated animals like controls. There were no resorptions in control group. Treated group A, B and C had incidence of 2.3, 5.7 and 15.3% respectively. no gross structural malformation was found in control or any of the treated groups. Neem Seed Oil was not found to be embryo/feto toxic in terms of causing abortions, reduced number of litter, retarded growth of young ones, fetal death, fetal resorptions and gross structural malformations in all doses tested

Window procedure versus turco procedure for treatment of talipes equino varus

To compare the results of Window procedure and Turco procedure [extended postero-medical release] for the treatment of Congenital Tilopes Equino Varus [CTEV]. Comparative study conducted from 1st June to 30th May 2005. Orthodopaedic unit II, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital, Karachi. Sixty patients with mild to moderate CTEV according to the two groups i.e. W-Group [n=30] who underwent the Window procedure and T-Group [n=30] who were operated by the Turco technique. Amongst the 60 patients, 37 [61.75] were male and 23 [38,3%] female, with ages varying from 6-18 months. The average age was 9.5 months in W-Group and 9.6 months in the T-Group. The mean operating times was 12-16 minutes in the W-Group, while it was 40-45 minutes in the T-Group. Complications were seen in 13 cases in the T-Group and only two cases in the W-Group, while recurrence occurred in four cases in the Truco and only one case in the Window Group. Good results were seen in 905 of the W-Group and 60% of the t-Group. We conclude that the Window and Turco procedures are comparable operations for CTEV. However, Window procedure is better due to fewer complications, shorter operating time, lesser blood loss, decreased recurrence rate, less fibrosis and less stiffness of the ankle and knee joints

Correction of adult foot deformities by ilizarov ring fixator

To evaluate the efficacy of Ilizarov ring fixator in treating adult Foot Deformities. Descriptive Study from May 2003 to Dec. 2005. Orthopaedics Unit II at Civil Hospital, Karachi. Fourteen patients, three females and eleven males, were treated with the Ilizarov ring fixator. The ages of the patients ranged from 14 to 55 years [mean 19.4 years]. The deformities included were post-polio residual deformities, neglected and relapsed club feet, rocker bottom deformity, post-burn contractures, and neurotropic feet with myelomeningocele, post-traumatic and leg length discrepancy. The correction of the deformities was carried out with osteotomy in 13 feet and without osteotomy in one foot. The osteotomies used included triple arthrodesis in eight feet, U-Osteotomy in two feet, V-Osteotomy in two feet and supra-malleolar osteotomy in one patient. Tibial lengthening was done simultaneously in two patients. Ankle arthrodesis was done in one patient. Ilizarov ring fixator was applied for a total duration of 10 to 24 weeks [mean 16 weeks]. The mean post-operative follow-up was 18 months [range 12-26 months]. Plantigrade foot was achieved in all the cases at the time of Ilizarov ring fixator removal, and the gait improved. All the patients were satisfied with the outcome, except one in which the deformity recurred in a neurotropic foot. Pin tract injection was noticed in all the cases, from time to time. Ankle subluxation occured in one patient in which ankle arthrodesis was done. Incomplete osteotomy was noticed in one patient. Our study concludes that Ilizarov ring fixator allows simultaneous correction of severe deformities of the adult foot, with reduced risk of cutaneous and neuro vascular complications and avoiding the shortening of the foot

BNP in discrimination of cardiac [heart failure] and non-cardiac [pulmonary] dyspnea

To evaluate the utility of BNP [B-type natriuretic peptide] in discrimination of cardiac and non-cardiac [Pulmonary] dyspnea. Traditionally the diagnosis of heart failure has been made on the basis of presence of certain signs and symptoms .In case of chronic outpatients, where the physical signs are usually prominent, the diagnosis is easy, whereas in elderly who present to the emergency department with acute dyspnea it is sometimes challenging and often difficult particularly when associated chronic pulmonary diseases are also present. Elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide [BNP] has been demonstrated to be a powerful marker for diagnosis and discrimination of dyspnea in the setting of heart failure from a non-cardiac dyspnea. We studied 105 subjects [mean age 51.57 +/- 5.11 yr], 35 presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea due to HF [New York Heart Association [NYHA] class IIIJ, 35 presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea due to pulmonary causes and 35 normal controls, in Dr. HMI Institute of Pharmacology and Herbal Sciences in collaboration with Arif Medical complex Karachi From June 2004 to Dec 2004. Results: Baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. Their serum levels of BNP were estimated and compared. Levels of serum BNP in patients with HF were found to be significantly high as compared to the non-cardiac dyspneic patients and control subjects [680 +/- 45.20,375.2I +/- 25.63 and 78.45 +/- 16.44 respectively]. BNP level can be a useful tool in differentiation of a heart failure patient from a non-cardiac patient presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea

Effects of acute exetcise on serum vitamin E levels in physically trained and untrained healthy adults

This study was carried out to evaluate changes in serum vitamin E levels in physically trained and untrained adults after an acute bout of physical exercise. Results indicate a significant rise in 1-hour post exercise serum vitamin E levels in trained group in comparsion to their immediate post exercise levels. No such increase was found in untrained group individuals, whose 1-hour post exercise serum vitamin E levels remained almost same as immediate post exercise levels. It can be concluded therefore that exercise training results in increased mobilization of vitamin E from it depots after exercise

Effect of acute exercise on serum malondialdehyde levels in physically trained and untrained apparently healthy people

1. To study and compare the changes in serum malondialehyde levels after an acute about of exercise between physically trained and untrained healthy people. Department of Physiology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute [BMSI], Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center [LPMC], Karachi from June 1999 to May 2000. A total of 60 apparently healthy [30 males and 30 females] randomly selected subjects with a known history of regular physical exercise [i.e. trained control groups A and B respectively] and other total of 60 apparently healthy [30 males and 30 females] randomly selected subjects without history of any regular physical exercise [i.e. untrained Test groups C and D respectively] with age ranging between 18 to 40 years, underwent an acute bout of similar moderate intensity exercise of 30 minutes duration on a bicycle ergometer [after their age and body mass index matching]. Their pre and post exercise malondialdehyde levels were estimated and compared for statistical analysis. Serum malondialdehyde levels were significantly [P< 0.05] increased in both control and test subjects at the of an acute of physical exercise as compared to their basal levels. There was a significant [P< 0.05] decrease in 1-hour post exercise serum malondialdehyde levels in control group [A and B] subjects as compared to their immediate post exercise levels. However, no such decrease was found in test group [C and D] subjects whose 1-hour post exercise serum malondialdehyde levels remained almost the same as compared with their immediate pot exercise levels. Exercise-training results in decreased 1-hour post-exercise serum malondialdehyde levels as compared to their immediate post exercise levels in physically trained healthy people in comparison to untrained apparently healthy people