Morphological variations of nutrient foramina in lower limb long bones.

Background: The major blood supply to long bone is from the nutrient arteries, which enter through nutrient foramina. Nutrient foramen is an opening into the bone shaft which give passage to the blood vessels of the medullary cavity of a bone The direction of the nutrient foramen of all bones is away from growing end and has a particular position for each bone. Objective: The aim of the present study was to study the topographic anatomy and morphology of the nutrient foramina in human adult lower limb long bones. Material and Method: The study was performed on 150 lower limb long bones which included 50 femora, 50 tibiae and 50 fibulae. The bones were obtained from department of anatomy, Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar. Results: The variations were found in number and location of nutrient foramen in different lower limb long bones. In femur double and triple foramina were observed. Absence of nutrient foramen was observed in femur and fibula. Conclusion: The topographical knowledge of these foramina is useful in certain operative procedures, in orthopedics as well as in plastic and reconstructive surgery, to avoid damage to the nutrient vessels.

Variations of pronator teres muscle. A morphological study.

The muscles of shoulder girdle and elbow act together to position the hand accurately for manipulative functions. The superior extremity of man has undergone various modifications during evolution one of which is the lateral rotation of forelimbs at joints with pectoral girdle. The aim of the present study was to study the variations of pronator teres muscle. The present study was done on 60 upper limbs (56 Males and 4 Females) of embalmed adult human cadavers obtained from Deptt of Anatomy, Govt. Medical College Patiala. The humeral head of PT was found in all the cases, while Ulnar head was present in 52(86.7%) cases. The Humeral head was muscular in all the cases. The Ulnar origin was muscular in 15 cases (28.84%), tendinous in 7 cases (13.46%) & mixed in 30 cases (57.7%). In 2 (3%) cases there was double humeral head and the median nerve was passing between them. In 3cases (5%) there was high origin of humeral head of Pronator teres from medial intermuscular septum. Anatomy instructors and health professionals should be aware of the common variations in muscles and tendons of the forearm, not only for their academic interest but also for their clinical and functional implications.

Morphological Variations of Nutrient Foramina in upper limb long bones.

The nutrient artery is the principal source of blood supply to a long bone and is particularly important during its active growth period in the embryo and foetus as well as during the early phase of ossification. The aim of the present study was to study the topographic anatomy and morphology of the nutrient foramina in human adult upper limb long bones. The study was performed on 40 upper limb long bones which include 40 humerii, 40 radii, 40 ulnae. The bones were obtained from department of anatomy Punjab institute of medical sciences, Jalandhar. The variations were found in number and location of nutrient foramen in different upper limb bones. In humerus double and triple foramina were found. In radius and ulna double foramina were observed at the maximum. Absence of nutrient foramen was observed in radius. The knowledge about these foramina is useful in surgical procedures.

Modulatory influence of Brassica compestris Linn var sarson on phase-II carcinogen metabolizing enzymes and glutathione levels in mice.

The present study reports the modulatory influence of 95% ethanolic extract from the seeds of B. compestris on the activity of phase-II enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST), DT-diaphorase (DTD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) level in the skin, lung, kidney and forestomach of the mouse. Oral treatment with the seed extract at 800 mg/kg body wt. for 15 days significantly elevated GST in lung and forestomach and DT-diaphorase in forestomach and skin and GSH level in lung, kidney forestomach and skin. The lower dose 400 mg/kg body wt was effective only in inducing GST and DT-diaphorase activity in forestomach and reduced glutathione level in lung. The findings suggest that B. compestris seed extract may block or suppress the events associated with chemical carcinogenesis at least in part, by inducing metabolic detoxification of the carcinogen.

Chemopreventive action of Liv. 52 on DMBA-induced papillomagenesis in skin of mice.

DMBA (195 nmol/50 microliters of acetone/animal) was applied topically over the dorsal skin of the mice and tumors were promoted by repeated applications of croton oil (1% in acetone, three times per week) after two weeks of DMBA application. Skin papillomas appeared in 100% animals in control as well as in groups treated orally with Liv. 52 at post-initiational stages and continuously at peri-initiational and post-initiational stages of papillomagenesis. When Liv. 52 was given orally at the peri-initiational stage of papillomagenesis, the percentage of mice bearing tumors was 75% and the tumor mean per mouse was reduced to 4.0 +/- 1.63 as compared to 7.5 +/- 3.54 in the control group after 15 weeks of observation. The tumor mean per mouse was observed to be 4.75 +/- 0.55 and 2.5 +/- 0.57 in the groups treated orally with Liv. 52 at the post-initiational stages and continuously at peri-initiational and post-initiational stages of papillomagenesis respectively. Similarly, the cumulative number of papillomas after 15 weeks was 30 in the control group, which was reduced to 10 in the animals treated with Liv. 52 continuously at peri-initiational and post-initiational stages. The cumulative number of papillomas was also reduced to 16 and 19 in animals treated with Liv. 52 at peri-initiational and post-initiational stages, respectively.