Antimicrobial activity of erythromycin and clarithromycin against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, klebsiella and proteus by disc diffusion method

Fifty clinical isolates comprising of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella and Proteus were collected from different local pathological laboratories and their resistant pattern against two well known macrolides; erythromycin and clarithromycin were studied using disc diffusion method. Klebsiella [41.67% against erythromycin and 58.34% against clarithromycin] and Proteus [66.67% against erythromycin and clarithromycin] species were found to be more resistant against the studied macrolides as compared to the rest of organisms. In case of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia.coli, resistant found were 27.78% and 23.54% against erythromycin and 22.23% and 35.30% against clarithromycin respectively. It is concluded from these figures that microbial resistance against these macrolides are increasing in our population which is alarming and therefore it is recommended to physicians to prescribe these antibiotics unless no other substitute is available in clinical practices

Studies of food drug interactions

Medicines can treat and alleviate many diseases provided that they must be taken properly to ensure that they are safe and useful. One issue related with the medicines is that whether to take on empty stomach or with food. The present work gives information regarding food-drug interactions that were studied by collecting seventy five prescriptions from various hospitals. In most of the collected prescriptions, food-drug interactions were detected using the literature available. It was also found that only few studies have been carried out so far on the effect of food on drug disposition in the Asian population. Thus more studies on food-drug interactions particularly in the local population is recommended in order to determine the effect of food and food components on drug disposition and to the kinetics of the drugs which has not yet well highlighted in this part of the world

Effect of nystatin, gentian violet and garlic extract on candidiasis patients undergoing radiation therapy in head and neck region

To evaluate the in-vivo anticandidal activity of Nystatin, Gentian Violet and Garlic extract on candidiasis patient receiving radiation therapy in Head and Neck region. The in-vivo antifungal activity of Nystatin, Gentian Violet and Garlic Extract were carried out on 60 patients. These patients were divided into 3 groups [Group I = Nystatin, Group 2= Gentian violet, Group 3= Garlic extract]. Each group consisted of 20 patients. The clinical lesion were recorded and graded during the treatment according to the Lindquist/Hickey scale on 0th 7th and 15th day and the anticandidal effect of these drugs were evaluated by oral lesion index evolution through simple mean. Result showed that Nystatin, Gentian violet and Garlic Extract were found to be very effective. It can be concluded from the study that all the drugs were effective against Candida albicans and secondly the organism has not developed any resistance to these drugs

Screening of antibacterial activity of different brands of co-trimoxazole paediatric suspension available in the local market

Sulfonamides are the drug of choice for number of infections like pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, nocardiosis, urinary tract infections. Sulfonamides are most commonly used in combinations such as [Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole] [TMP+SMZ] or co-trimoxazole. Sixty five isolates belonging to five different species, E. coli [22], S. aureus [18], Klebsiella [05], Pseudomonas [16] and Proteus [04] were used for screening antibacterial activity against different brands [A-G] of Co-trimoxazole by disc diffusion method. Brand G exhibited highest activity against E. coli with mean zone of inhibition 41mm +/-2.3 standard deviation. The antibacterial activity against other species S. aureus, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas were found as: [mean +/- standard deviation] observed as 39.73 mm +/- 10.59 mm +/- 38 mm +/- 2 and 24.93 mm +/- 5.32. However all isolates of Proteus were found resistant against different brands of co-trimoxazole

In vitro effect of nystatin, gentian violet and garlic extract on candida albicans isolates from oral cavity

To evaluate in-vitro anticandidal activity of Nystatin. Gentian Violet and Garlic extract on Candida albicans isolates from oral cavity. For screening of antifungal activity of Nystatin. Gentian Violet and Garlic Extract, 100 clinical isolates were collected from the department of Radiotherapy. Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and Fatima Jinnah Dental College and Hospital, Karachi. The samples were collected from the oral cavity and the sample site was buccal mucosa, tongue and hard palate. These isolates were finally identified on the basis of morphology and cultural characteristics and confirmed using germ tube method. The antifungal activity of Nystatin, Gentian Violet and Garlic Extract were carried out by disc diffusion method. Result showed that the mean zone of inhibition of Nystatin was 17.9mm, Gentian violet was 16.6mm and Garlic Extract was 16.6mm and all the drugs used were found to be very effective. It can be concluded from the study that all the drugs are very effective against clinical isolates of Candida albicans and secondly the organism had not developed any resistance to these drugs

Comparison of vector competence for West Nile virus of colonized populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus from southern Asia and the Far East.

Seven colonized stocks of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from different geographic areas of Southern Asia and the Far East were assayed for susceptibility to WN virus infection by membrane feeding and by intrathoracic inoculation. Infected females also were tested for their ability to transmit virus to baby mice. No geographic pattern of differential susceptibility to WN virus infection was apparent from the experiments; however, the per os ID50 of one strain from Khulna, Bangladesh was over 10-fold greater than the ID50's of stocks from Karachi, Pakistan and Sendai, Japan. No difference in susceptibility was found by parenteral inoculation of virus. Likewise, greater than or equal to 90% of infected females from all the colonies were able to transmit virus.