High Dose Cytosine Arabinoside in the consolidation of adult acute myeloid leukemia.

This interventional study was done to evaluate the duration of remission with High Dose Cytosine Arabinoside (Ara-C) as post-remission chemotherapy in the consolidation of adult acute myeloid leukemia. A total of 32 patients were included in this study. Among them, 19 were male and 13 were female and the age of the patients ranges from 15-60 years. We use High Dose Cytosine Arabinoside 1.5-2.5 g/m2 i.v, 12 hourly, over 2-3 hours on day 1, 3 and 5 in a 28 days cycle. This study was done during the period of April 2007 to March 2009 in the department of hematology, Dhaka Medical College & Hospital. History, clinical features and laboratory investigations were included. Among 32 patients, 5 patients (15.6%) received one cycle, 20 patients (62.5%) received two cycles and 7 patients (21.9%) received three cycles. The mean ± SD duration of remission (disease free survival) was 5.20 ± 3.83 months who received one cycle, 9.55 ± 3.30 months and 10.71 ± 1.70 months who received two cycles and three cycles respectively. The adverse effects of the therapy were neutropenia and neutropenic fever, purpuric rash, gum bleeding, mucositis and peripheral neuropathy. The supportive materials needed were antibiotics (both prophylactic and treatment) 86.13%, blood and blood products 51.7% and G-CSF 14.9% patients of all cycles. High Dose Ara-C (HiDAC) is a safe and cost effective consolidation treatment for AML patients in complete remission. This therapy merits multi-center control study to define its efficacy and cost-effectiveness in contrast to our socio-economic condition.

Hypocholesterolemic effect of karaya saponin in Japanese laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

The effect of karaya saponin supplementation on the serum and egg yolk cholesterol and fatty acid composition in egg yolk were investigated in Japanese quails. A total of 80 Japanese quails aged 5 weeks were equally divided into four groups of 20. Four levels (0, 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg feed) of karaya saponin were included in the basal diet and experiment was lasted for 6 weeks. The cholesterol fractions in the egg yolk and serum were measured by enzymatic assay, and the fatty acid composition in egg yolk was determined by gas chromatography. The results revealed that the supplementation of 75 mg/kg karaya saponin significantly reduced (p < 0.05) cholesterol and triglycerides concentration in serum and egg yolk. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was increased, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and the atherogenic index were decreased (p < 0.05) by the dietary supplementations. Hepatic cholesterol was reduced (p < 0.05) by the 25 mg/kg karaya saponin. A higher degree of yolk colour was improved (p < 0.05) when 75 mg/kg saponin was supplemented in the diet. The concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in egg yolk was increased (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner in quails fed the supplemented diet than the control diet. The ratio of PUFA to saturated fatty acids in egg yolk was improved (p < 0.05) by 75 mg/kg feed karaya saponin-supplemented diet. Therefore, the dietary supplementation of 75 mg/kg karaya saponin may be a feasible means of producing quail eggs with lower cholesterol and higher PUFA content for health conscious consumers.

Effect of dietary karaya saponin on serum and egg yolk cholesterol in laying hens.

1. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary karaya saponin on cholesterol deposition in laying hens. 2. A total of 40 Boris Brown hens were randomly assigned at 20 weeks of age to 4 treatment groups and fed on diets supplemented with 0 (control), 25, 50 or 75 mg/kg karaya saponin for an 8-week experimental period. 3. After 8 weeks of dietary supplementation, karaya-saponin-treated groups had significantly lower serum cholesterol (23·0%) and triglycerides but increased high density lipoproteins cholesterol concentration than controls, irrespective of karaya saponin content in the diet. Egg yolk cholesterol and triglycerides were also significantly reduced by dietary karaya saponin. Hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced by karaya saponin but bile acids concentration in the faeces and liver were significantly increased by karaya saponin. The concentrations of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in the yolk were greater in hens receiving karaya saponin than in controls. Karaya saponin significantly increased egg production, feed efficiency and yolk colour compared with controls. Karaya saponin tended to increase egg weight, feed consumption, Haugh units, albumen weight and yolk index. 4. In conclusion, karaya saponin is a potential agent for reducing yolk cholesterol concentration together with an overall increase of production performance and improvement in egg quality.

Effects of karaya saponin and Rhodobacter capsulatus on yolk cholesterol in laying hens.

1. It has been reported that karaya saponin and Rhodobacter capsulatus individually have hypocholesterolaemic activity in laying hens. This study focuses on the effect of adding karaya saponin with R. capsulatus to hen's diet with regard to serum and egg yolk cholesterol and triglycerides. 2. A total of 56 Boris Brown laying hens were divided into 7 groups at 20 weeks of age. Combinations of 25, 50, 75 mg kg(-1) karaya saponin and R. capsulatus 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) were used as treatment groups. 3. After 8 weeks of supplementation, the effects of all the combinations of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus on serum and egg yolk cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol were greater than either karaya saponin or R. capsulatus alone. The combination of karaya saponin 50 mg kg(-1)+ R. capsulatus 400 mg kg(-1) exhibited the greatest reduction of serum (325%) and yolk (225%) cholesterol and the greatest increase of faecal, liver bile acids and yolk fatty acid (oleic, linoleic and linolenic) concentrations. In addition, egg production and yolk colour were significantly improved by the combined use of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus supplementation. 4. Therefore, the dietary supplementation of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus may lead to the production of a low-cholesterol egg, with production performance maintained at a standard level.