Antimicrobial activities of the rhizome extract of Zingiber zerumbet Linn

Objective: To investigate antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L.) Smith and its chloroform and petroleum ether soluble fractions against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Methods: The fresh rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet were extracted in cold with ethanol (4.0 L) after concentration. The crude ethanol extract was fractionated by petroleum ether and chloroform to form a suspension of ethanol extract (15.0 g), petroleum ether fraction (6.6 g) and chloroform soluble fraction (5.0 g). The crude ethanol extract and its petroleum ether and chloroform fractions were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activity against thirteen pathogenic bacteria and three fungi by the disc diffusion method. Commercially available kanamycin (30 μg/disc) was used as standard disc and blank discs impregnated with the respective solvents were used as negative control. Results: At a concentration of 400 μg/disc, all the samples showed mild to moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity and produced the zone of inhibition ranging from 6 mm to 10 mm. Among the tested samples, the crude ethanol extract showed the highest activity against Vibrio parahemolyticus (V. parahemolyticus). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the crude ethanol extract and its fractions were within the value of 128-256 μg/mL against two Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria and all the samples showed the lowest MIC value against V. parahemolyticus (128 μg/mL). Conclusions: It can be concluded that, potent antibacterial and antifungal phytochemicals are present in ethanol extract of Z. zerumbet (L).

Surgical management of thyroid diseases--a study on 78 cases.

A total of 78 cases with thyroid diseases were treated surgically in the Department of ENTD, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital during the period from 2000-2001. The different types of surgery were done according to the diagnosis being presented here. Out of 78 cases, 60 (76.9%) were female and 18 (23.1%) were male having female to male ratio of 3.3:1. The highest number, 47 cases (60.3%) belongs to 21-40 year age group. The study revealed the incidence of thyroid diseases as follows: 53 (67.9%) Benign cold single nodular goitre. 17(21.8%) Benign cold multinodular goitre and 08 (10.3%) Papillary carcinoma of thyroid. Regarding surgical management 40 (51.3%) patients underwent hemithyroidectomy. Lobectomy were done for 13 (16.7%), subtotal thyroidectomy for 15 (19.2%), total thyroidectomy for 5 (6.4%) patients and total thyroidectomy with functional neck dissection were performed for 5 (6.4%) patients. The study showed that females were the mostly affected group having benign single cold nodular goitre who were treated surgically by hemithyroidectomy.

Falciparum malaria in children

Forty three cases of Falciparum Malaria in children are reported to draw attention to the second resurgence of malaria since the start of the malaria eradication [currently control] programme in Pakistan. The clinical features, laboratory findings and response to treatment are discussed. Clinical features are varied but fever with anaemia, splenomegaly, dark coloured urine and meningeal or intracranial irritation signs are highly suggestive of falciparum malaria in children. The study has shown clinical resistance of plasmodium falciparum to amodiaquine, chloroquine and Fansidar a combination of chloroquine and pyrimethamine