Evaluation of the chemical composition of essential oil of Thuja occidentalis leaves grown in Peshawar, Pakistan by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Essential oil extracted from the fresh leaves of Thuja occidentalis were evaluated for its chemical composition employing GC-MS. Total of twenty nine components were identified and determined quantitatively using the area normalization procedure. Alpha-pinene and [+]-4-carene were found in high amount with a percentage concentration of 54.78 and 11.28 respectively. Other compounds which yielded appreciable amounts are: alpha-cedrol [6.87%], terpinolene [5.88%], p-menth-1-en-8-ol acetate [5.21%], beta-myrcene [4.04%], beta-pinene [2.26%], germacrene D [1.72%], sabinene [1.65%] and D-Limonene [1.62%]

Comparative study of olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% and emedastine difumarate 0.05% comparing their clinical efficacy and adverse effects in allergic conjunctivitis

To assess the efficacy and adverse effects of 0.1% Olopatadine hydrochloride [OHC] and compare them to 0.05% Emedastine difumarate [ED] in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. Prospective and comparative study. The study was conducted at Islam Teaching Hospital, Islam Medical College, Sialkot from February 2013 to June 2014. 74 adult patients including 35 male patients aged 21- 47 years [Average 32.39] and 39 females aged 20 - 42 years [Average 31.8] some with a history of systemic allergic manifestation [e.g. asthma,dermatitis, or bronchitis] along with sign and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis were enrolled in the study. At the time of induction, manifestations of allergic conjunctivitis [mucous discharge, itching, conjunctival congestion,chemosis, and watering] were present. Patients were allocate at random to either of the 2 groups, A and B. The patients in the Group A, [n = 36] received OHC and those in the Group B [n = 38] were treated with ED. The dose in Group A was one drop in both the eyes 12 hourly. Group B received one drop in both the eyes 6 hourly. The study was started on the first patient visit, when after the diagnosis; the drug was administered. Patients from both the groups were re-evaluated half an hour, forty eight hours, seven and fourteen days later. Efficacy and side effects in both the groups were assessed. The severity of signs and symptoms were assigned a score from 0 - 3. The results were analysed using independent sample T test. At the start of the study, cumulative score of the patient's sign and symptoms was calculated, with a mean value of 7.31 for group A and 7.38 for group B. There was no significant statistical disparity between the groups [p= 0.88]. The cumulative scores at the end of study on day fourteen were 0.72 for group A and 1.0 for group B. This was also statistically not significant [p = 0.15] but Olopatadine was noted to be more effective. The side effects of both the medicines were similarly assessed with cumulative scores calculated at each follow up. In group A, there were minimal side effects with mean cumulative score on the final visit was 0.25 in group A and0.54 in Group B, with statistically significant [p = 0.015] difference. Olopatadine was discovered to have better efficacy [not statistically significant] and less adverse effects [statistically significant] than Emedastine

Cellular and genomic toxicity produced by UV light in Chinese hamster ovary cells

UVB and UVC toxicity was detected in Chinese Hamster Ovary [CHO] cell lines AA8, UV5 and XEM2 [a V79-derived cell line expressing rat P 450 1A1]. Unlike FICZ-HPLC assay that showed induction of CYP1A1 enzyme activity after 20 minutes and 2 hour UVC exposure, the EROD assay showed no difference in cytochrome P450 1A1 [CYP1A1] activity after exposure to different doses of UVB and UVC light. Different cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of photo lesions induced by UVC and UVB light was investigated with the DRAG and HPRT assays, comparing the wild type cell line AA8 and the Nucleotide Excision Repair [NER] deficient cell line UV5. DRAG assay showed a significant difference in UV induced cytotoxicity between UVC and UVB reflecting the larger energy and toxic effect of UVC along with significant difference in UV induced toxicity between AA8 and UV5 cell lines. This was further validated through the HPRT assay, which also showed a significant difference in UVC [5 J/m[2]] induced mutagenic effect between these cell lines. In addition, HPRT assay showed the mutagenic effect of photosensitizer, acetophenone. These results show that UVB and UVC generate serious damage through photo products on DNA, and might induce the metabolic activity of CYP1A1

Genetic analysis of four selected exons of brca1 gene in different ethnic groups in Pakistan

Objective: To analyze the BRCA1 gene for mutations in patients with breast and ovarian cancer belonging to different ethnic groups of the Pakistan with the aim to spot out recurrent founder mutations

Study Design: Descriptive study

Place And Duration: This study was conducted over a period of two years at the Centre for Research in Applied and Experimental Medicine, National University of Science and Technology [MUST], Rawalpindi

Methodology: In this study mutational analysis of 4 major exons of BRCA1 gene was performed in 40 diagnosed cases of female breast and ovarian cancer belonging to various ethnic backgrounds. The genomic DMA was isolated from the blood samples. Primers of BRCA1 gene were designed and used for amplification of the region of interest. Results were recorded on BIORAD Gel Documentation System. Sequencing of the gene for variants was done using Automated DMA Sequencer. Interpretation of chromatograms was done using Bioinformatics software

Results: The study group comprised of familial cases of breast and ovarian cancer with diverse ethnic composition that included Punjabis n=40 [40%], Kashmiris n=20 [20%] and Pathans n=20 [20%], Balouchis n=10 [10%] and Muhajirs n=10 [10%]. PCR amplified DMA from the samples revealed bands having both high quality and quantity of DMA. After extensively embarking on all four exons no functional sequence variant was detected in these chosen exons

Conclusion: Our results suggest the involvement of other coding sequences of this gene apart from those assessed in our study group. This emphasizes the need for assessing the complete BRCA1 gene in all ethnic groups located in Pakistani territory

histopathological pattern of ovarian teratomas at a tertiary care centre

To determine the frequency and types of various ovarian teratomas amongst various age groups, and 2] To compare the results with other workers. Study Design: Retrospective study. The study was conducted at the Department of Pathology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute[BMSI], Jinnah Post graduate medical centre [JPMC], Karachi from 1[st] January 2001 to 31[st] December 2005. 1128 cases of ovarian biopsies were received for histopathological examination at the Department of Pathology, Basic Medical Science Institute, JPMC,Karachi.Out of 365 cases of ovarian neoplasms teratomas were separated, analyzed and classified according to the WHO classification system 1994 and their relative frequencies were recorded. Teratomas account for 14.52% [53/365] of all ovarian neoplasms. Mature cystic teratomas were the most common i.e 86.80% [46/53].Immature teratomas were 9.43% [05/53] followed by special subtypes 3.77% [02/53]. Mature cystic teratomas are the most common germ cell neoplasms of ovary. Immature teratomas are rare above 30 years of age

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and ESBLdetection from the bacteria in haemodialysis patients

To find out the antimicrobial sensitivity and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing organisms among clinical isolates recovered from patients on haemodialysis. Extended spectrum beta-lactamase are enzymes produced from some strains of gram negative bacilli that mediate resistance to extended spectrum cephalosporin and aztreonam. They are most common in E.coli and Klebsiella species but are present in variety of enterobacteriacea. Experimental and observational study. This study was carried out in Microbiology Department of BMSI, JPMC, Karachi. This study was carried out from June 2005 to June 2006. A total of 250 cases irrespective of age and gender were included in this study. A total of 15 gram positive cocci [7.5%] and 175 [87.5%] gram negative organisms were recovered. In this study 66.66% E.coli and 33.33% Klebsiella species were ESBL producing. Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern in this study show that most of the organisms were sensitive to 2[nd] and 3[rd] generation cephalosporins and fluroquinolones i.e. ciprofloxacin. Table 1 shows isolation of ESBL producing organisms from 200 positive cases. Out of these 175 cases were from Enterobacteriaceae, among these 06 [3.42%] cases have been found to be ESBL producing organisms. The results of this study support the use of initial antimicrobial therapy to reduce the spread of infection and other complications. Currently ciprofloxacin is regarded as the drug of choice for the treatment of infection caused by both gram negative and gram positive bacteria in patients on hemodialysis

Relation of serum sialic acid with serum lipids in cardiac patients

Elevated serum sialic acid concentration is a risk factor for coronary heart disease in general population along with dyslipidemia. Sialic acid and lipid profile was determined in healthy subjects [Group A1 and A2] and sixty cardiac patients, divided into two groups, group B comprising of thirty male patients and group C comprising of thirty female patients. A highly significant increase was observed in the level of sialic acid and different variables of lipid profile except HDL-C in all patients. HDL-C showed a significant decrease in patients. An increase in the level of sialic acid in cardiac patients showing the implications of raised level of sialic acid in the development of cardiovascular complications