Clostridium difficile infections in HIV-positive patients with diarrhoea.

Background. Patients with HIV/AIDS are at a high risk of being infected with toxin-producing strains of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) because of frequent hospitalization, exposure to antibiotics and antibiotic prophylaxis for opportunistic infections. There are little data from India on the prevalence of C. difficile infection in such patients. Methods. We assessed the occurrence of C. difficile infections in HIV-positive patients with diarrhoea by looking for the presence of its toxin as well as by culturing. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA, Premier toxins A and B; Meridian Diagnostic Inc.) was used to detect toxin from 237 fresh stool samples collected from HIV-positive patients with diarrhoea. Culture was done on cycloserine–cefoxitin–fructose agar and brain– heart infusion agar. Results. C. difficile was found in 12 of 237 (5.1%, 95% CI 2.64%–8.68%) HIV-positive patients with diarrhoea (9 patients were positive by EIA and 3 by culture). The presence of C. difficile in patients who had received antiretroviral therapy (7/66 [10.6%]) was significantly higher (p<0.016) compared with those who had not (5/171 [3%]). Of the 12 patients positive for C. difficile, 7 were on antiretroviral therapy for a mean (SD) of 34.4 months with mean CD4+ count of 186 (98.81) cells/cmm and 5 patients were anti-retroviral-naïve with mean CD4+ count of 181 (68.7) cells/cmm. All the 12 patients were on antibiotics for previous 2 months and 4 of 12 had been hospitalized in the previous 30 days. Conclusion. C. difficile infections occurred more frequently in patients who had received antiretroviral therapy. Our study population had a lower frequency of C. difficile infections compared to previous studies.

Kinetics and equilibrium study of chromium adsorption on zeoliteNaX

This study aims to report Batch adsorption study of hexavalent chromium, Cr [VI] on zeoliteNaX. Kinetics of Cr [VI] adsorption and adsorption isotherms were determined by varying operating parameters such as pH, initial concentration, temperature and contact time. ZeoliteNaX was found to remove Cr [VI] in acidic solutions down to ppm level at pH of about 4. Removal rate of Cr [VI] was found to decrease as pH rises above 4.0. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Redlich-Peterson models were applied to adsorption equilibrium data to find the best amongst these models. Langmuir model with R[2] = 0.9711 best fits the adsorption data. The kinetics of adsorption was found to follow the first order reversible reaction. The separation parameter, R[L] values of less than 1.0 i.e., 0.7369, 0.5834 and 0.4828 corresponding to initial concentrations of 10, 20 and 30 mg/L, respectively indicated that adsorption of Cr [VI] on zeoliteNaX is favoured. The estimated values of thermodynamic parameters such as heat of adsorption and standard gibbs free energy confirmed the exothermic nature of adsorption of Cr [VI] on zeoliteNaX

Achyranthes a potential medicinal plant drug

Achyranthes [Amaranthaceae] genus is an ethnobotanically known drug, used since ancient times in the Indian system of medicine [ISM] for the treatment of reproduction related disorders, dental problems, diarrhoea, bone fracture, cuts, boils, etc. Various phytoconstituents have been isolated from this genus viz. steroids, saponins, aliphatic compounds, amino acids, etc. This species has been investigated for various biological activities like antifertility, as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory etc. The present review summarizes the biological activity and phytoconstituents of this genus

Pharmacognostical study and preliminary phytochemical screening of the roots of Tagetes erecta Linn

Tagetes erecta Linn. [Compositae] was studied to fix the parameters for pharmacognostical standards. The present investigation deals with macro and microscopical characters of root along with studies of histochemical colour reaction, fluorescence nature of root powder and different solvent extractives of root under ultraviolet and visible radiations. Physical constants like ash values and extractive values were also studied in addition to the preliminary phytochemical screening of successive extracts of the roots of Tagetes erecta Linn

Pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies on chenopodium album linn., root

The Chenopodium album Linn. [N.O. family Chenopodiaceae known as Lamb's Quarters] roots were studied to determine the various parameters for pharmacognostical standards. The present investigation deals with the first report on macro- and microscopical characters of root along with studies of histochemical colour reactions and physical constants like extractive values and ash values. Preliminary phytochemical studies of ethanolic and aqueous extract of the roots were carried out. The shade dried powder and different types of extracts [viz petroleum ether, ethanolic and the aqueous extract] have been also analyzed for their fluorescence characters

Analgesic activity of root of abutilon indicum linn

Abutilon indicum Linn. [N.O. Family Malvaceae] is traditionally used for the treatment of gonorrhoea, haematuria, urethritis, chest infections, piles, ulcers and fever. Petroleum ether, ethanolic and water extracts of root were studied for analgesic activity on Swiss albino mice using Tail Immersion and Writhing Methods. Aspirin was used as reference standard. The present study indicates that all the extracts of root of Abutilon indicum Linn., possess significant analgesic activity