Evaluation of antidiabetic efficacy of Murraya koenigii on Streptozotocin induced diabetes in experimental rats

Background: The medicinal plant Murraya koenigii shown to have a wide variety of pharmacological activities (hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic). Objective of this study is the present study was designed to evaluate Antidiabetic and Hypolipidemic property of Murraya koenigii in experimentally induced diabetes in rats.Methods: Experimental diabetes was produced with single dose of Streptozotocin (STZ): 45 mg/kg IP. The rats were randomly allocated in various groups for 37 days. After the confirmation of diabetes on 7th day (>200 mg/dl), hydroalcoholic extract of Murraya koenigii (500 mg/kg) was administered orally to experimental rats from day 7th day and continued for 37 days thereafter. Various antidiabetic (Glucose, HbA1C), metabolic (Lipid profile), safety (pancreatic lipase, Creatinine, SGPT, Histopathology of Liver and Kidney) were evaluated in various group.Results: Efficacy of Murraya koenigii was observed on various parameter of diabetes. Administration of STZ resulted in a significant decrease in diabetic changes (increase in blood glucose, HbA1C), altered lipid profile (p<0.01) in the Control group rats as compared to sham group. Murraya koenigii treatment demonstrated significant antidiabetic indicated by restoration of blood glucose, HbA1C level (p<0.01) compared to Control group. In addition, Murraya koenigii also documented hypolipidemic property of test drug. As per biochemical assessment of Pancreatic lipase, Serum creatinine, SGPT and Histopathological report, the test drug reduce the pancreatic, liver and renal marker and also showed safe to pancreas, Liver and kidney. The histopathological assessment of the liver and kidney confirmed the biochemical findings.Conclusions: The study concluded that the Murraya koenigii possess antidiabetic efficacy.

DPP-4 inhibitory activity and myocardial salvaging effects of Commiphora mukul in experimental diabetes

Background: Commiphora mukul (Burseraceae) is commonly known as Guggul in Ayurveda. Several studies have reported antidiabetic activity of Commiphora mukul but there are no studies to explore the DPP-4 inhibitory activity and myocardial salvaging effects of Commiphora mukul in setting of diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective efficacy as well as safety of the medicinal plant Commiphora mukul (Guggul) in the experimental model of myocardial infarction co-existing with diabetes.Methods: Diabetes was induced with single dose of streptozotocin (STZ): 45mg/kg ip and myocardial infarction was produced by administering isoproterenol (ISP): (85mg/kg, sc) to rats 24 and 48 h prior to scarification (5th week). After the confirmation of diabetes on 7th day (glucose>200mg/dl), vildagliptin (10 mg/kg) and Commiphora mukul (200 mg/kg) were administered orally from 1st to 5th week (4 weeks). At the end of experimental period, normal control, diabetic-isoproterenol control, vildagliptin and Commiphora mukul group rats were sacrificed for further biochemical investigations as well as histopathological evaluation.Results: Commiphora mukul treatment demonstrated significant antidiabetic as well as myocardial salvaging effects as indicated by restoration of blood glucose, HbA1c and CPK-MB serum DPP-4, hs-CRP levels as compared to diabetic ISP control group. In addition, Commiphora mukul showed significant cardioprotection as indicated by positive correlation between cardiac marker CPK-MB and serum DPP-4. The histopathological assessment of heart, pancreas and biochemical indices of injury confirmed the cardioprotective effects of Commiphora mukul. In addition, Commiphora mukul was found to be safe to the liver and kidney.Conclusions: The natural DPP-4 inhibitor Commiphora mukul demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects in experimental model of myocardial infarction co-existing with diabetes.

Prescribing patterns of antimicrobial usage in ophthalmology out patients department at tertiary care teaching hospital.

Background: Drug utilization provides prescribing behaviors of prescriber. Rational prescribing of antimicrobial drugs plays a crucial role in reducing the antibiotic resistance. The study aim was to analyze the patterns of antimicrobial prescribed ophthalmology outpatient department (OPD) patients. Methods: The study was an observational study completed over a period of 6 months, from July 2014 to December 2014. The study was conducted in Department of Ophthalmology, MGM Medical College, and Hospital Navi Mumbai. A questionnaire was specifi cally designed factoring patients’ demographical profi le, diagnosis of disease, drug regimen. Results: A total 125 prescriptions of patients were analyzed who visited ophthalmology OPD department. Maximum patients belonged to the age group of 41-50 years (27.2%), followed by age group of 31-40 years (25.6%). The proportion of male (59%) patients was more as compared to female patients (41%). Total drug prescribed was 296. Average drug per prescription was 2.36. Among 296 drugs, 144 were antibiotic prescribed. Average antibiotic per prescription was 1.15. Most commonly antibiotic prescribed was moxifloxacin. Most common fixed dose combination (FDC) of antibiotic prescribed was tobramycin plus loteprednol. Among total 125 patients, maximum patients were diagnosed with cataract (25%), followed by meibomitis (12%), conjunctivitis (24%), blephritis (9%), foreign body in eye (12%), psedophakia (10%) and other disease (8%). 96% of antimicrobial were prescribed from essential drug list. The FDC of antimicrobial (40%), fl uroquinolone (19%), aminoglycoside (13%), broad spectrum (12%), macrolide (9%), anti-viral (7%) was prescribed. Maximum number of drugs was found in the form eye drops (72%). Conclusion: The present study found that FDC of antibiotic was prescribed maximum. Most common dosage form of prescribed drug was eye drop. Prescription of drugs by brand name was a matter of concern

Assessment of Impact of Environmental Causative Factors on Severity of Asthma in Children.

Objective: The present study evaluated the association between environmental factors and severity of asthma in children. Materials and methods: Questionnaires were specifically designed factoring patients’ demographical profile, socioeconomic status, causative environmental factors and severity of asthma. Results: A total of 100 patients were interviewed who visited our pediatric department complaining of asthma symptoms. Maximum children were of the age group between 6 and 10 years (29%). The ratio of male (64%) was more than female (36%). Maximum patients belong to middle class family (33%) and lower middle class (29%). Among children cold/respiratory illness (87%) followed by exercise and sports (70%) was the most common environmental trigger for asthma. Asthma symptoms worsened during day time and winter season in this group. Conclusion: A significant positive association between environmental asthma triggers: smoke (p = 0.035), strong smell (p = 0.008), cold/respiratory illness (p = 0.035), hot/cold air (p = 0.03) and severity of asthma in children was observed. Winter season worsened the asthma symptoms (p = 0.047) in children.

Perception and attitudes of medical students toward communication, chronic disease and death.

Background: Medical students of today’s world found difficulty in communication when they faced with dying patients, how they would feel, what are their perception about caring of patients with chronic disease. These are often unspoken and neglected issues. Methods: It was a cross-sectional comparative questionnaire based survey of the 2nd year medical students and interns. Students were evaluated using a questionnaire consisting of 15 Likert type statements. Results: Completed questionnaire received from 89 out of 100 students. All students strongly agreed upon the commutation with patients. Interns (37.03%) were strongly disagreed (p=0.001) on not curing the patient is a failure of doctors. Interns (32.58%) were significantly more likely to be less worried (p<0.01) about death of the patient and to indicate cancer is a non-curable disease (p<0.001) when compared to 2nd MBBS. Students from both the groups distressed, while communicating with dying patients and relatives of dying patients. Conclusion: Perception of students regarding caring of chronically ill-patients and death related issues needs improvement. We believe that integrating different teaching strategies and training programs regarding this issue should begin at early stages of undergraduate medical curriculum.

Cardioprotective Efficacy of Bacopa monniera in Experimental Diabetes Mellitus: Biochemical and Histopathological Assessment.

Introduction: herbs have been used as medicines since ancient times and it has been observed that human body is well suited to herbal remedies. In the present study, the myocardial salvaging effects of Bacopa monnieri (L) Pennell (Scrophulariaceae) (Bm), a medicinal herb was evaluated in diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods: Type II diabetes mellitus was induced chemically in rats using streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg). Wistar rats were randomly allocated to sham, STZ control and Bm treated groups. Lyophilized hydro-alcoholic extract of Bm (75 mg/kg) was administered once a day orally to the rats for 21 days. On the 22nd day, biochemical parameters (fasting blood sugar and creatinine phosphokinase [(CPK), CPK-MB] and histopathological assessment of myocardium was undertaken to evaluate the cardioprotective efficacy of Bm. Results: Pretreatment of Bm to experimental rats restored the raised fasting blood sugar levels, CPK, CPK-MB activity and preserved the histopathological architecture of pancreas, heart, liver and kidney as compared to the STZ control group. Bm demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects in the experimental model of diabetic mellitus. Conclusion: Bm demonstrated significant myocardial salvaging effects in the presence of diabetes mellitus. Histopathological assessment of myocardium shows the cardioprotective effects of Bm in the STZ model of diabetes mellitus.