Utility of routine gall bladder histopathology after living donor hepatectomy in liver transplantation

Intraoperative cholangiogram with cholecystectomy is a routinely performed procedure in living donor liver transplantation [LDLT].The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of gall bladder pathology in healthy living donors and whether routine histopathology can be omitted. This was a retrospective review of 366 donors who underwent donor hepatectomy between 2012 and 2016. Primary outcome of interest was frequency of abnormal histopathology findings in removed gall bladder specimen; and if their distribution was different with respect to gender, age and BMI. Male to female ratio was 2.1:1. Median age was 26 [18-50] years. Median BMI was 23.9 [15.7-35] Kg/m2. The most common finding was chronic cholecystitis in 189 [51.6%]. Gall bladder pathology was more frequently seen in donors with BMI >25 Kg/m2

, i.e. 69.3 % versus 30.7% [p<0.001]. Due to high frequency of abnormal findings, gall bladder should be sent routinely for histopathology in healthy liver donors after cholecystectomy

Antioxidant, cytotoxicity, protein kinase inhibition and antibacterial activities of Fragaria × ananassa leaves

Fragaria × ananassa leaves extracts prepared in different solvents were subject for antioxidative, cytotoxicity, protein kinase inhibition and antibacterial activities. The extracts showed varying activities depending upon solvent used for extraction. Combined effect of methanol and ethyl acetate showed maximum antioxidant and reducing power potential [207.65+/-6 micro g AAE/mg and 88.58+/-20 micro g AAE/mg, respectively]. Maximum DPPH [2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl] free radical scavenging activity was calculated by when methanol: chloroform and acetate fractions were used [87.68% and 86.88% inhibition, respectively]. Total phenolics varied from 186 to 1.91 micro g AAE/mg while total flavonoids also significantly varied among the extracts. The extracts also showed significant activities against brine shrimp larvae and bacterial strains tested. The study concludes that Fragaria × ananassa leaves can be a good source for isolation of active phytochemicals to be used in different industries

Antioxidant, anticancer and antibacterial potential of zakhm-e-hayat rhizomes crude extract and fractions

Bergenia ciliata [locally known as Zakhm-e-hayat; wound healer] is commonly employed for wound healing, curing diarrhea and vomiting, fever, cough and pulmonary affections. Local community uses this plant as tea decoction with table salt. B. ciliata crude extract and its fractions were subjected to antibacterial, antioxidant effects as well as determination of total flavonoids and phenolics, DNA damage and anticancerous activities following standard protocols. Increased percentage inhibition of free radical in DPPH assay as well as elevated phenolic and flavonoid contents revealed antioxidant potential of this potent herb. Ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts showed IC50 of 0.7 and 0.3 mg/ml respectively, against H157 cell line. Antibacterial analysis showed MIC 0.4-10mg/ml for crude extract and fractions. The results obtained conclude that extracts of B. ciliata contain remedial latent and can be used as possible source for drug development by pharmaceutical industries

Evaluation of antioxidant potential and HPLC based identification of phenolics in Polygonum amplexicaule extract and its fractions

There is a growing interest for the plant-based medicines in pharmaceutical industry. Plant derived Antioxidants have gained huge importance regarding their medicinal value. The present study was designed to establish pharmaceutical value of Polygonum amplexicaule for their antioxidant activity using shoot, leaf and rhizome crude methanolic extract along with their n-butanolic, ethanolic, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions. DPPH assay was used to assess antioxidants, which shows the maximum activity by crude methanolic extract of leaves [CMEL] having IC[50] 1.03 [micro]g/mL where all other fractions showed IC[50] in a range of 1.03-58.2 [micro]g/mL. The DNA plasmid protection assay showed that 10 ppm and 100 ppm concentrations of crude methanolic extracts [rhizome and leaf], aqueous fractions [shoot and leaf extract], n-butanolic fractions [shoot and leaf extract] and ethanolic fraction [rhizome extract] have DNA protection properties. TLC and HPLC based Identification of different antioxidants present in shoot, leaf and rhizome crude extracts and their fractions showed the presence of gallic acid, quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid, rutin, myricetin and kaempferol. This study suggested that this plant have high content of antioxidants, which needs to be investigated further for their medicinal and/ cosmaceutical applications

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and phytochemical analysis of euphorbia wallichii root extract and its fractions

Euphorbia wallichii a perennial herb growing mainly in Himalayas has been widely used in folk medicines for its medicinal properties. In the present study, the crude methanolic root extract [CME] and its fractions; n-Hexane Fraction [NHF], n-Butanol Fraction [NBF], Chloroform Fraction [CHF], Ethyl acetate Fraction [EAF] and Aqueous Fraction [AQF] of this plant specie were investigated for antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and phytochemical analysis. Antioxidant activity was determined by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl free radical [DPPH] and DNA protection assay performed on pBR322 plasmid DNA. In both these assays, promising results were obtained for CME as well as other fractions. The IC[50] values for DPPH assay were in a range of 7.89 to 63.35 mocrog/ml in which EAF showed the best anti-oxidant potential and almost all the tested samples showed certain level of DNA protection. The cytotoxic activity was assessed by using Sulforhodamine B [SRB] assay on human cell lines; H157 [Lung Carcinoma] and HT144 [Malignant Melanoma]. The IC[50] values of the tested samples ranged from 0.18 to 1.4 mg/mL against H157 cell line whereas against HT144 cell line the IC[50] values ranged from 0.46 to 17.88 mg/mL with NBF fraction showing maximum potential for both. Furthermore, the phytochemical analysis of CME and its fractions showed the presences of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoides and cardiac glycosides with varying concentrations

Bacterial meningitis in children

To study the demographic features, yield of gram staining, cerebrospinal fluid culture and etiological pattern of bacterial meningitis in children of 2 months to 12 years. Material and A hospital based prospective and descriptive study was carried out at the Department of Pediatrics, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. All those children in the age group between 2 months to 12 years having clinical suspicion of meningitis and cerebrospinal findings suggestive of meningitis i.e. >10'106 WBC/L and/or CSF sugar <40mg% or [<50% of the circulating blood sugar] and/or CSF protein >80mg% were included in the study. Children having history of intake of antibiotic in the last 5 days which can cross the blood brain barrier and children with tuberculous meningitis were excluded. A total of 120 patients [1.7% of the total admissions] were included in the study. Male patients were 69 [57.5%] and female were 51 [42.5%]. Out of 120, 47[39.2%] were in the age group of 2 months- 1 year, 39 [32.5%] were in the age group of >1-5 years and 34 [26.3%] were in the age group of >5-12 years. Majority of our children were below 5years i.e. 71.7%. Gram staining was positive in 68[56.7%] cases and negative in 52[43.3%]. The CSF cultures were positive in 59[49.2%] cases and negative in 61[50.8%]. The three most common pathogens isolated were Streptococcus Pneumoniae 27[22.5%] cases, Neisseriae Meningitides 20[16.7%] cases and Hemophilus influenzae B 11[9.2%] cases. Bacterial meningitis is the major cause of morbidity in children below the age of 5 years. The yield of gram staining and culture though comparable with the national studies but lower than reported internationally. S Pneumoniae, N Meningitides and H Influenzae are the three most common causes of Bacterial Meningitis in our children as reported nationally and internationally