Contribution of Daud Antaki as Unani physician in the field of ilmul advia [Unani pharmacology]

Role of Unani Medicine as alternative to Modern Medicine has been duly recognized throughout the World. The fabulous services rendered by Unani Physicians are still subject of attraction for researchers. The story of description of medicinal properties starts from Ebers Papyrus in 1500 B.C. Aflatoon al-Tabib, a physician lived around 1460 B.C. has compiled some treatises on herbal drugs. Hippocrates [460 B.C.], Dioscorides [70 A.D.], Galen [130-201 A.D.], Rufas [130 A.D.], Oribasiyoos [525 A.D.], Yuhanna Ibn Masawiya [853 A.D.], Hunain bin Ishaq [873 A.D.], Rabban al-Tabri [886 A.D.], Abu Bakr Mohammad Bin Zakariya al-Razi [925 A.D.], Ibn Sina [1025 A.D.], Ibn Baitar [1248 A.D.] and Daud Antaki [1541 A.D.] have compiled several books with different titles on Medicinal properties of Herbal, Mineral and Animal drugs. Obviously this was a great job performed by these author physicians of Unani Medicine. Among them Tazkiratul ulil Albab compiled by Daud Antaki is an important compendium based on peculiar style and particular approach for the description of drugs. Importance of this book can be assessed by the fact that, this book was published seven times in Egypt. The book contains description of 1712 drugs. Besides fundamentals of pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy of diseases it provides valuable information on the subject

Paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in rats: light and electron microscopy and ultrahistochemical study

Twenty-four male albino rats were used to evaluate the toxic effect of both single acute dose of paracetamol [500 mg/Kg body weight] and chronic dose [50 mg/Kg body weight] once a day for 20 days. Paracetamol [Pa] was injected intraperitonially according to animal body weight. The ultra-structural changes of peroxisomes guided by two marker enzymes were studied. Light microscopy showed marked hepatotoxicity due to paracetamol depending on dose and time. Electron microscopy showed different changes in peroxisomal shape and enzyme contents. The changes were more pronounced following the chronic dose of [Pa]. The study identified the possible mechanism with which liver cells can modulate cellular sensitivity to toxic effect of Pa. Oxidative stress was hypothesized to contribute to the initiation or progression of Pa-induced hepatic injury and showed that peroxisomes were highly dynamic important organelles numerous in the liver cells and that one of its main function is detoxification

Accuracy of the fetal pelvic disproportion in term breech

In this study, the efficacy of the fetal pelvic index [FPI] was evaluated in 100 women in labor with breech presentation and was compared with that of two other means. Of the 32 women who needed cesarean sections, 29 had positive FPI values [sensitivity of 0.91]. Three women had false negative FPI and two of them had cesarean section for cord prolapse later in labor. Of the 68 patients who delivered vaginally, 65 had negative FPI values [specificity of 0.96]. Of the 32 women with positive FPI, 29 required cesarean section. In contrast, neither x-ray pelvimetry nor USEFW >/ 4000 gm provided an accurate identification of feto-pelvic disproportion

Intravaginal misoprostal alone for medical management of missed abortion

In this study, the efficacy of misoprostol alone for terminating early nonviable [missed] pregnancies was evaluated by giving three randomly allocated groups [n = 40 for each group] three different regimens [group I [200 mug/4 hours], group II [300 mug/4 hours] and group III [400 mug/4 hours]]. The success rate after three doses was significantly higher in groups II and III than group I. The mean induction abortion interval was significantly shorter in groups II and III than group I. The side effects were significantly commoner in group III with no significant difference in efficacy compared with group II

Intrathecal neostigmine diminishes, but does not abolish, hypotension from spinal bupivacaine in dogs

Hypotension is the most common side effect from spinal anesthesia, and studies in rats suggest that this side effect could be abolished by the coadministration of neostigmine with spinal local anesthetics. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to study the hemodynamic effects of spinal neostigmine and to test whether neostigmine would prevent spinal bupivacaine-induced hypotension in dogs. Fifteen dogs were included in this study. They were anesthetized with i.v. pentobarbital. Polyvinyl cannulas were inserted into a femoral artery and vein. The femoral artery cannula was connected to the Super Speed Kymograph via heparinized tubing for arterial blood pressure [BP] monitoring. ECG electrodes were connected to the dog via special needles for decubitus, a polyvinyl [epidural] catheter was inserted intrathecally [IT] via a Tuohy needle inserted in L 4-5 space. After a period of 30 mm, baseline values for HR and BP were recorded. The dogs were divided into three groups of five each. In the first group, 1 ml 0.5% bupivacaine in 8.33% dextrose was injected via the IT catheter. In the second group, 1mg [lml] neostigmine was injected via the IT catheter and followed by 1 ml 0.5% bupivacaine in 8.33% dextrose after 30 min. HR and BP were recorded at 10-min intervals. The third group was the control one in which l ml normal saline was injected via the IT catheter. Transverse sections were taken from the spinal cord at the lumbar region from neostigmine-treated dogs and from the control ones for histopathological examination by light and electron heart rate [HR] recording. In the lateral microscopes. Spinal neostigmine alone increased [non significantly] arterial BP by 5% with a latency of 15 min, but it had no effect on HR. Compared with spinal bupivacaine alone, pretreatment with neostigmine resulted in hypotension of slower onset [15 vs 5 min] shorter duration [60 vs 90 min] and smaller magnitude [-11% vs - 19%]. Light and electron microscope examination did not reveal any change between control and neostigmine treated dogs. In conclusion, spinal bupivacaine-induced hypotension was partially counteracted by spinal neostigmine in dogs

Role of ultrasound and doppler flow study in management of malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Forty four patients with malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasia [GTN] were enrolled in the study. They were followed up by serum B-HCG and abdomino-pelvic ultrasound during chemotherapy. In addition, the last 6 patients recruited in the study were assessed by doppler flow study. The cure rate was 100% for patients with non metastatic GTN [n = 27] and low risk metastatic GTN [n = 12]. For patients with high risk metastatic GTN [n = 5], the cure rate was only 40%. Ultrasound failed to localize uterine lesions in 4 out of 44 patients [9%] one of them had brain metastatases. Positive findings were found in the other 40 Cases [90%] [e.g. enlarged uterus, focal uterine lesion, ovarian thecalutein cysts liver metastases]. There was also regression of the detected lesions with normalization of B-HCG titre in responding patients [33/38] patients while the lesions persisted in patients with resistance to chemotherapy [5 patients]. Doppler flow study diagnosed 6 out of 6 cases of malignant GTN [100%] and the uterine vasculature decreased in 5 cases who responded to chemotherapy and remained high [Low resistance index and high peak systolic velocity] in one case who was not responding to chemotherapy as indicated by persistently high B-HCG. In conclusion, utrasonography and pulsed doppler flow study of the uterus are complementary tools to serum B-HCG in diagnosis and follow up of malignant GTN during chemotherapy. They can help in selection of patients for more aggressive chemotherapy to minimize relapse rate and hence increase cure rate

paracervical block for evacuation of retained products of conception effective?

Complications from general anaesthesia are now the leading cause of death from first trimester abortions. Although paracervical block has been instituted as an alternative for general anaesthesia for ERPC [evacuation of retained products of conception]. Almost all cases in Egypt are still currently done under general anaesthesia. The objective of this study was to quantitate pain relief associated with paracervical local anaesthesia during ERPC. Among 48 patients who underwent the procedure under paracervical block, 11 patients [22.9%] reported grade 1 pain [minimal discomfort], 23 patients [47.9%] grade 2 pain [mild pain but not uncomfortable] and 9 patients [18.7%] needed extradoses of intravenous sedation [diazepam/pethidine]. Only 5 patients [10.4%] could not cope with the pain and needed general anesthesia to complete the procedure. 81% of the patients were generally satisfied with the procedure. Pain score tended to decrease with lower body weight and higher parity, older age and shorter duration of the procedure. In conclusion, local paracervical block is a simple safe and effective option for ERPC operation and should replace general anaesthesia in all but few cases

effects of bromocriptine eye drops on the intraoccular pressure of patients with open angle glaucoma

The effects of three concentrations of bromocriptine eye drops on the intraocular pressure [10P] of patients with open - angle glaucoma [DAG] were investigated in a double blind, crossover and randomized study. Twenty-four patients were randomly divided into 3 groups; each of 8 patients and were given bromocriptine and placebo eye drops in a crossover design. Results showed that bromocriptine eye drops at low concentration [0.01%] significantly reduced the 10p in comparison with placebo produced no significant changes in the 10p of patients with DAG in comparison with placebo

On the relationship between caries incidence and retention on fluorine in tooth hard tissues during pregnancy and lactation [experimental investigation]

The effect of ingested fluoridated drinking water during the pregnancy arid lactation periods of the caries activity of the teeth of the offsprings and itsretention in the bones and the tooth hard substances is studied. The results indicated that the administration of 50 ppm fluorine in the drinking water during the pregnancy or during both pregnancy and lactation periods have no appreciable effeot in reducing the caries incidence and fluorine retention in the tooth hard substances. These results threw light on the effect of fluoridated drinking water on the caries experience of the deciduous teeth of human being. A great deal of attention has been focused on the possible cariostatic efficacy of prenatal administration of fluorine, sirce part of the enamel of deciduous teeth calcifies prenatally. Katz and Stocky 1 have found that less than 1 M of the fluorine that was administered to the pregnant rats in drinking water, containing 25 ppm F during gestation was transferred to the progeny. Lehman and Mahier 2 reported that placental fluorine transfer in the rats takes place only at high fluorine level, the findings of Maplesden et al,3 have thrown light on the possible difference in ion transference between different types of placental tissues. Gedalia et at 4, 5, have recorded steady increase of fluorine uptake in the developing fetus teeth with advancing age from areas with high fluorine concentration ;0.5-1.0 ppm F] as compared with those from lowered concentrations [0.1 ppm F] in the drinkin-water. As regard to the mammary gland transfer, Buttner and Muhier 6 have observed a mammary gland transfer of fluorine especially after a high fluorine conasumption. Simpson and Tuba 7, have concluded from their study that there is some type of physiological control mechanism that opeiates during lactation and adjust the fluorine concentration in the milk to a nearly optimum leval for infant. The aim of the present investigation is to study experimentally on rats, the effects of ingested fluoridated drinking water during the geststion period and during both gestation and lactation periods on the caries activity of the rat's offsprings, and whether there is a correlation between the fluorine content of the teeth of the mentioned rats and their caries experience