Analyzing The Role Of Phytochemicals In Targeting Drug Transporter Protein Abcc6 Using Molecular Docking And Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype that lacks hormonal receptors. This reduces the therapeutic options for TNBC patients creating more focus on chemotherapy. Drug resistance has posed as a major hurdle in treating TNBC patients. Deregulation of drug transporter proteins is one of major factors that cause resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, ABCC6 a drug transporter protein that is found dysregulated in several resistant cancer cells has been docked with natural compounds or phytochemicals with known anti-cancer activities. Subtrifloralactone G, a withanolide extracted from Deprea subtriflora is found to show highest binding energy with ABCC6 protein. Molecular dynamics simulations further prove the stability of the ABCC6 protein- Subtrifloralactone G ligand complex. ADMET analysis shows that phytochemical Subtrifloralactone G can be used as an anti-cancer therapeutic drug in treating resistant cancer cells. The study mainly focuses on the role of phytochemicals in treating resistant TNBC cells.

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the tertiary care center, Dhiraj Hospital, Piparia, Gujarat

Background: Infections with pseudomonas have been an important cause of Morbidity and Mortality throughout the history, which makes the treatment challenging every year. The present study was intended to find out the drug resistance pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from various clinical specimens. Materials and methods: The study was conducted during April 2015 to September 2015. One hundred and one strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 as control strain. Results: One hundred and one Strains were isolated from 83 males and 28 females. Majority of the Pseudomonas strains were isolated from ICU (30.63%), followed by Orthopedics (14.41%) and Pediatrics wards (13.51%), Strains were mainly isolated from pus samples (48.65%) followed by urine (20.72%) and sputum sample (13.51%). Majority of the strains were resistant to Aztreonam (70.27%) followed by Ciprofloxacin (54.95%), Amikacin (53.15%), Piperacillin (51.35%), Cefoperazone-sulbactam (50.45%), Gentamycin (49.55%), Cefepime and ceftazidime at 45.95% Lakum S, Anita, Pandya H, Shah K, Lakhani SJ. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the tertiary care center, Dhiraj Hospital, Piparia, Gujarat. IAIM, 2016; 3(5): 133-137. Page 134 respectively. While with Piperacillin - Tazobactam we got sensitivity of 63.97% and with Imipenem and Imipenem –EDTA we got sensitivity of 78.38% and 81.08% respectively. Conclusion: We concluded that drug resistance of Pseudomonas was mainly isolated from pus samples of ICU patients, which is therefore an urgent call for the physicians to limit the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The encouraging finding was its sensitivity to Imipenem and PiperacilinTazobactum as an effective antibiotic for the treatment

A comparative study of peak expiratory flow rate among healthy working women and housewives of Ahmedabad

Background: The growth of population, industry, number of vehicles and improper implementation of stringent emission standard makes the problem of air pollution worse. Automobile exhaust consists of particulate matter and gases which cause injury to the terminal bronchioles and decrease in the pulmonary compliance and vital capacity and PEFR. Aim: The present study aimed at assessing the Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in healthy working women in the Ahmedabad compared to healthy housewives of same age to see the effect of short duration daily exposure of traffic air pollutants on PEFR. Materials and methods: An observational study was conducted in the community of Ahmedabad with 30 females between the ages of 30-40 years, divided into 2 groups. Group 1 comprised of 15 healthy housewives and Group 2 comprised of 15 healthy working women. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) using a Wrights peak flow meter was measured in liter per minute. Three such readings were taken in standing posture. The highest of the three values obtained was treated as the peak expiratory flow rate. Results: The mean PEFR of the housewives and working women was 304±60.80litres/min and 285.33±45.01 litres/min respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups of the study (p=0.208, z= -1.259). Conclusion: There is no difference between the Peak Expiratory Flow Rate between healthy housewives and working women in Ahmedabad.

Emerging antimicrobial resistance pattern of Helicobacter pylori in central Gujarat.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem in H. pylori treatment. The study was intended to evaluate the prevalence of resistance amongst 80 H.pylori isolates cultured from biopsy taken during routine endoscopies in 2008-2011. Materials and Methods: 855 gastro duodenal biopsies were collected and cultured on H.pylori selective medium (containing Brucella agar and Columbia agar (Hi media), with Skirrow’s supplement (antibiotic supplement) and 7% human blood cells). H.pylori was isolated from 80 specimens. The antimicrobial susceptibility of H.pylori isolates was carried out by the Kirby Bauer technique against metronidazole (5 μg), clarithromycin (15 μg), ciprofloxacin (5 μg), amoxicillin (10 μg), tetracycline (30 μg), erythromycin (15 μg), levofloxacin (5 μg), and furazolidone (50 μg) (Sigma- Aldrich, MO). Results: 83.8% isolates were resistant to metronidazole, 58.8% were resistant to Clarithromycin 72.5% were resistant to Amoxicillin, 50% to Ciprofloxacin and 53.8% to tetracycline. furazolidone, erythromycin and Levofloxacin showed only 13.8% resistance to H.pylori. Multi drug resistance with metronidazole+ clarithromycin+ tetracycline was 85%. For all the drugs Antimicrobial resistance rate was found higher in males compare to females. Metronidazole and amoxicillin resistance was found noteworthy in patients with duodenal ulcer (p = 0.018), gastritis (P = 0.00), and in reflux esophagitis (P = 0.00). clarithromycin and tetracycline resistance was suggestively linked with duodenitis (P = 0.018), while furazolidone, erythromycin and levofloxacin showed excellent sensitivity in patients with duodenitis (P value- 0.018), gastritis (P= 0.00) and reflux esophagitis (P = 0.00). Resistance with metronidazole (P = 0.481), clarithromycin (P= 0.261), amoxicillin (P = 0.276), tetracycline (P = 0.356), ciprofloxacin (P = 0.164) was not correlated well with Age-group and Gender of the patients. Conclusion: A very high percentage of patients were infected with metronidazole and clarithromycin resistant strains. The use of antibiotics for other indications seems to be the major risk factor for the development of primary resistance. High incidence should alarm the gastroenterologist while prescribing the eradication regimen.

Profile of non communicable disease risk factors in an industrial setting.

AIM: The profile of non communicable diseases (NCD) risk factors was identified in an industry by pre tested WHO's STEPS questionnaire. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of all employment categories of an Industry (2000 employees) was done after randomly selecting subjects (220) from worker (52%) and non worker categories (47.4%), after informed consent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was collected on behavioural risk factors (STEP I), followed by anthropometric and blood pressure measurements by a trained investigator (STEP II). STEP III constituted biochemical assessment of "at risk" subjects (> 3 risk factors). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Percentage of subjects having NCD risk factors and the odds ratios were calculated. RESULTS: Overall risk factor profile of the study subjects revealed universal prevalence of 3 risk factors) with prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and diabetes of 40.5, 38.2 and 19.1% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of NCD risk factors in industrial setting was seen; therefore public health approaches are required at workplace settings to curtail the rising epidemic in the productive populations.

Diagnosis of leptospirosis and comparison of ELISA and MAT techniques.

Leptospirosis is perhaps the most common, most wide spread yet under diagnosed zoonosis in the world, Inada et al identified the causal agent in Japan in 1916. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) developed initially by Martin and Pettit (1918) is the reference method that was successively done after ELISA test to evaluate and compare and make a reliable diagnosis. Blood samples were collected from August 2004 to September 2004 from hospitalized patients of South Gujarat region who were clinically suspected cases of leptospirosis according to WHO case definition. In our setup we separated the sera and carried out ELISA for detection of IgM antibodies and rest of the sera were stored at -20 degrees C. As we do not have the facility for performing MAT test in our centre, we personally carried these sera to Chennai for performing the MAT and identified the serovars prevalent in South Gujarat region. Out of 30 samples tested 16 samples (53.3%) were positive by ELISA and 12 samples (40%) were negative by ELISA. By MAT, 17 samples (56.67%) were found positive and 13 samples (43.33%) were negative. 2 samples were borderline by ELISA and these turned out to be negative by MAT. Cosidering MATas the gold standard the sensitivity of IgM ELISA in this study was 88% and specificity 90.90%. We concluded that IgM ELISA is rapid test and its results are quite similar to MAT. The most common serovars isolated and identified are L. hebdomadis, L. pyrogenes, L. autumnalis and L. grippotyphosa in this part of the country.