Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of the flowers of Nelumbium speciosum

In present investigation aqueous and methanolic extracts of Nelumbium speciosum flowers were screened for phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity to ascertain their traditional use. Antimicrobial activity of both extracts was tested by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method against four Gram positive strains, viz. Staphylococcus aureus [ATCC25923], Streptococcus agalactiae [13813], Bacillus subtilis [ATCC 6633], Staphylococcus epidermidis [ATCC 12228] and four Gram negative bacterial strains Escherichia coli [ATCC 8739], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [ATCC 27853], Proteus mirabilis [12453] and Klebsiella pneumoniae [10031]. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannins, saponins and alkaloids in both extracts while flavonoids and steroids were present only in methanolic extract. Methanolic extract of Nelumbium speciosum flower showed concentration dependent antibacterial activity against all tested strains with maximum zone of inhibition [17.3 +/- 0.3mm] against P. aeruginosa. Aqueous extract showed concentration dependent activity against S. aureus, E. coli, B. subtilis and S. epidermidis with maximum antibacterial activity against E. coli [14.3 +/- 0.3mm]. MIC of methanolic and aqueous extracts was in the range of 0.015-0.251 and 0.0625-0.251 mg/mL, respectively. Results showed that methanolic extract of Nelumbium speciosum exhibits superior antibacterial activity than aqueous extract

Functional outcome in patients with Supra Tentorial Hypertensive Intracerebal Hemorrhage after surgical intervention

Objectives: To determine the functional outcome in patients with supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage after surgical intervention

Study Design: Retrospective descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the department of Neurosurgery, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi [CMH], from Jan 2015 to Dec 2015

Material and Methods: Retrospectively the records of eighty two patients with a diagnosis of supratentorial hypertensive intracerebral bleed on computed tomography scan [CT] brain, who were surgically managed in our department over one year period, were collected and evaluated. All the patients had undergone clinical examination, baseline investigations including complete blood counts, urea, creatinine, electrolytes, prothrombin time [PT], partial thromboplastin time [PTTK], electrocardiography [ECG] and chest x-ray. In case of deranged coagulation profile platelets or fresh frozen plasma were transfused preoperatively. Outcome of patients was assessed by Glasgow outcome scale [GOS] at 3 months after surgery. A GOS score of 4 and 5 was considered favorable outcome and score of 1, 2 and 3 was considered unfavorable outcome, and these were noted in proforma. Descriptive statistics for age, gender, hospital stay and clinical outcome were calculated by using SPSS version 20

Results: Eighty two patients of supra tenteorial bleed were operated over the study period. The mean age of patients was 44.82 +/- 9.25 years and the average hospital stay was 13.21 +/- 4.41 days. Fifty six patients [68.3 percent] were male while 26 [31.7 percent] were female. Favorable outcome at three months was observed only in 24 patients [29.26 percent] while unfavorable outcome in 58 [70.73 percent] cases

Conclusion: Unfavorable results at three months after surgery were observed in 70.73 percent of patients in our sample suggesting poor functional outcome in early evacuation of supratentorial bleed

Risk of Cardiovascular disease in patients of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) presenting in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan

Objective: To assess the cardio vascular disease [CVD] risk using framingham risk score and frequency of other co-morbidities associated with rheumatoid arthritis [RA]

Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: Rheumatology department of Fauji foundation hospital [FFH], Rawalpindi. The duration of the study was six months, from Nov 2017 to Apr 2018

Material and Methods: RA Patients between 40 to 80 years of age were selected from rheumatology outpatient department [OPD] at Fauji Foundation Hospital [FFH] Rawalpindi. After 12 hours of fasting, venous blood was taken for total serum cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], low density lipoproteins [LDL], high density lipoproteins [HDL] and ESR [mm/1st hour]. Framingham risk score was calculated using online calculator and it was multiplied by a factor 1.5 as per European League against Rheumatism [EULAR] recommendations to find the correct cardiovascular risk. This gave us 10 year cardiovascular risk in each RA patient

Results: The study included 205 RA patients with a mean age [in years] of 53.12 +/- 10.60. Mean duration of disease [years] was 9.71 +/- 7.1. The commonest comorbidity in RA patients was hypertension found in 82 [40 percent] patients. 100 [48.78 percent] patients were overweight with mean body mass index [BMI] of 25.35 +/- 4.96. Diabetes was found in 38 [18.5 percent] patients. 51 [24.87 percent] patients had high low density lipoprotein [LDL] with mean LDL of 116.75 +/- 29.50 [mg/dL] whereas 88 [42.92 percent] patients had either borderline high or high total cholesterol with mean of 194.64 +/- 30.62 [mg/dL]. 104 [50.73 percent] patients had borderline high triglyceride levels with a mean of 166.48 +/- 63.03 [mg/dL]. 25 [12.2 percent] patients were smokers. 24[11.7 percent] patients had dexa scan proven osteoporosis [ T score <-2.5]. Amongst all, 54 [26.3 percent] patients had low cardiovascular risk, 93 [45.4 percent] had moderate risk and 58 [28.3 percent] had high risk according to Framingham risk score

Conclusion: RA patients have high cardiovascular risk. Other co-morbidities like hypertension, high BMI, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking and osteoporosis add to the morbidity and mortality of these patients

In vitro antimutagenic, antioxidant activities and total phenolics of clove [Syzygium aromaticum L.] seed extracts

Methods for the synthesis of new heterocyclic systems of thieno [3,2-d]- [1,2,3]-triazine derivatives and N-[3- cyano-5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta [b] thiophene derivatives have been developed. The newly synthesized compounds were tested in vitro against human breast carcinoma cell line [MCF-7]. Compounds 7 and 9 have shown the highest activity among the two synthesized series. The results of this study have led to the identification of two lead compounds with good inhibitory activities that can confirm the design of the next generation inhibitors of tyrosine kinase with fewer side effects such as hepatotoxicity and resistanceThe present work explores antimutagenic and antioxidant potential as well as total phenolics of aqueous and acidified methanol extractable components from clove [Syzygium aromaticum L.] seed. The magnitude of antimutagenic activity of clove seed extracts [CSE] against two mutant bacterial strains: S. typhimurium TA98 and S. typhimurium TA100 [Ames bacterial test] ranged from 34.11-79.74%. Antioxidant activity in terms of measurement of DPPH radical scavenging capacity and inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation was noted to be 71.16-94.58% and 54.96-86.89%, respectively. CSE also exhibited an appreciable amount of total phenolics with contribution between 22.80 and 115.33 GAE mg/100g. A strong correlation between total phenolics and tested biological activities were recorded. The results of this study advocate that clove seed can be explored as a viable source of bioactives for the development of chemotherapeutic drugs against cancer in addition to acting as nutraceutical and functional food ingredient

Prevalence of geriatric diseases among parents of medical doctors in Lahore

The burden of geriatric diseases has a significant impact upon the socio-cultural, socioeconomic and administration of health services. The study was carried out to identify a burden of geriatric conditions, magnitude of disease problems and involvements of body systems in the parents of medical doctors from Lahore. After taking the consent, interview based active disease surveillance/information was collected from a total of 137 medical doctors and their parents. They were interviewed about the health status of their parents and recorded in a pre-tested questionnaire. The prevalence of each system involved in each of the category of parents was compared by ANOVA at a significant alpha level of 0.05. Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was the highest, [18.61%], followed by musculoskeletal [10.21%] and digestive system [9.12%]. The ranking of other systems in descending order was 4.74%, 3.64% and 1.82% for the respiratory system, urogenital system, and ENT respectively due to single system involvement. A cumulative prevalence due to all diseases in terms of disease load/burden of diseases in both mothers and fathers was 53.28% due to single system involvement and 67.51% because of multiple system involvement. Fifty three percent of the older population, who were above the age of 60, were sick due to the involvement of one body system and sixty eight percent had multiple body systems involvement.

effect of dexamethasone on neuropraxia following third molar surgery

In this double blind controlled study, the effects of intramuscular Dexamethasone on neuropraxia development of inferior alveolar nerve and lingual nerve following the surgical removal ofmandib ular third molars were studied after 24 hours. Patients who were contraindicated to the use of steroid i.e. hypertensive, GIT ulcer, diabetics, bacterial infections, history of thromboembolic events, psychosis, patients taking other medication chronically and pregnant were excluded from this study. Out of total 200 hundred impactions cases, 100 cases received 8mg intramuscular dexamethasone one hour prior to surgical extraction but it was not given to other 100 cases of control group. The overall rate of paresthesia of lingual nerve was 15% and of the inferior alveolar nerve 6.5%. On comparison no statistical difference in neuropraxia within the dexamethasone group and control group was noted. P value for lingual nerve was 1.000 and for inferior alveolar nerve 0.390 so both had no significance statistically [p>0.05]

Age, gender distribution and etiology of dentoalveolar fractures

This descriptive study was undertaken to determine age and gender distribution and causes of dentoalveolar fractures. One hundred patients with dentoalveolar fracture were examined at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar; Pakistan in six months. The age range in this study was 3-60 years with mean age 18.17 years; and Std Deviation13.08. The male to female ratio was 2.7: 1. Road traffic accident was the major cause of dentoalveolar fractures[39%] followed by fall[30%], sports accidents[15%], violence [5%], work accidents [4%], fire arm injuries[4%], and horse kick[2%]

Clinical presentation of liver abscess

Liver abscesses is a common problem in developing countries especially with poor hygiene and water supply. A retrospective study was conducted to review the records of cases of liver abscesses treated at Jinnah postgraduate medical centre Karachi from September 1996 to July 2001. The objective being to see the most common clinical presentation of liver abscess. A total of 158 cases 136 male and 22 female were admitted and treated. The most common clinical features were fever, pain right upper abdomen and hepatomagally. Ultrasound diagnosed 96.8% of cases. 56 patients were treated with antibiotics, 79 had aspiration and 17 had exploratory laparatomy. There was no mortality in our study