Awareness and Utilization of Unani Medicine among the Adult Population from East Delhi: A cross Sectional Survey.

Objectives: To assess the awareness, practice, and utilization pattern of Unani medicine among the general population of Trilokpuri, East Delhi. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, observational descriptive survey was conducted in New Delhi using pretested, predesigned, and structured questionnaire to assess the awareness and utilization pattern of Unani medicine on a sample size of 100 subjects. Result: Out of 100 subjects, 60% were males and 40% were females with mean age 38.96 ± 9.12 years, ranged between 18 and 65 years. The awareness about Unani medicine was found in 67% of adopted population, while 57% population among them preferred Unani system of medicine as a mode of treatment. Unani is preferred because of minimal side effects associated as reported by 47% users. On the other hand, among nonuser (n = 29), 48% population do not prefer Unani medicine because of its slow action. Very few (2.6%) users adopted Unani medicine exclusively, while most of them preferred Unani as an adjuvant with allopathic. Unani medicine is preferred mainly for the management of musculoskeletal disorders (35%), followed by GIT disorders (19%) and their related disorders. Conclusion: The awareness level regarding Unani medicine is good rather utilization of is relatively lower as compared to modern system of medicine. There is a need and scope for promotion of health education as well as improvement in the people's attitude towards Unani system of medicine.

Design and in vitro characterization of novel pulsatile delivery system of biguanide antidiabetic drug.

AIM: This work shows the development of pulsatile capsular pellets of metformin hydrochloride and its characterisation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The novel drug delivery system consisted of hydroxy propyl cellulose Type H. It has a lag time modifier and Eudragit L-100 and Eudragit S-100 in different concentrations as pH-dependent release modifier in the gastrointestinal tract. The pellets were subjected to in vitro release studies using USP dissolution apparatus type-II in distilled water, phosphate buffer of pH 6.8, and 0.1 N HCl and methanol. Ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and mass spectroscopy were performed for active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulations. RESULT: The study was characterized by the complete release of the drug in pulses after a well-defined lag time of 6 h (±0.20) (period of no drug release) for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: The stability studies on the selected formulation of Metformin were found to be stable, with shelf life of 1.94 years. Hence it may be concluded that the newly formulated pulsatile drug delivery systems of Metformin Hydrochloride, when ingested at the bed time in the night, produce effective control of the increased blood glucose level after intake of meals by allowing the drug to release after a lag time of 6 h (after meals).

Effect of vitamin E supplementation on carbogen-induced amelioration of noise induced hearing loss in man.

The study explores the effect of occupational noise on oxidative stress status and prophylactic effect of Vitamin E and carbogen (5% CO 2 +95%O 2 ) breathing in alleviating the oxidative damage and conserving the hearing in human volunteers exposed to intense occupational noise. Plasma total antioxidant status, blood glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzyme activities of GSH peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9, GPx), superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1; SOD) in erythrocytes, nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase in plasma were assessed before and after 6 days of administration of Vitamin E and Carbogen. Results of the study indicate that the exposure to noise for 6 days increased blood concentration of MDA, decreased concentrations of reduced GSH, antioxidant enzyme activity of SOD and plasma total antioxidant status in control (noise) group. Vitamin E- supplemented group showed decline in oxidative stress reflected by significant decrease in blood concentration of MDA and increase in antioxidant enzyme activity of erythrocyte SOD. Results of audiometric studies revealed that breathing of carbogen prevented the development of temporary threshold shift; thereby reducing the risk of noise induced hearing loss.

Acclimatization to high altitude in the Tien Shan: a comparative study of Indians and Kyrgyzis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in pulmonary function of human male volunteers from 2 different populations: Indians and Kyrgyzis before and after ascent to 3,200 m and during a 4-week stay at that altitude. METHODS: Ten healthy soldiers of the Indian army (22-25 years of age) and 10 Kyrgyzis recruits (19-20 years of age), height and weight matched, were volunteers in this study. Their pulmonary functions were evaluated at baseline (Bishkek, 760 m); on days 2, 13, and 25 at a mountain clinic at Tuya Ashuu pass (3,200 m) in the northern Tien Shan Range; and on return to Bishkek. A dry spirometer was used to measure lung function at each location. RESULTS: Results indicated that Kyrgyzis had significantly larger forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) than those of the Indians, but their peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), forced expiratory flow rate at 25% to 75% of FVC (FEF(25-75%)), and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) measures were comparable. At high altitude (HA), FVC showed significant reduction on day 2, with subsequent recovery in the Kyrgyzis; but in the Indians, FVC showed gradual reduction, and on day 25, it was significantly reduced compared with the baseline value. FEV(1) did not show any change with altitude in either group. Expiratory flow rates and MVV showed significantly higher values at HA in both groups. However, after air density correction for the 2 altitudes, PEF and MVV showed no changes from their baseline values, and the mid-expiratory flow rate (FEF(25-75%)) was actually reduced in both groups: on day 2 in the Kyrgyzis and on day 25 in the Indians. On day 2 of return from a 4-week stay at HA, all test measures were back to their baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: The major difference between the 2 populations was larger lung volumes in the Kyrgyzis compared with the Indians, with no differences seen in their flow rate measures. Also, there was a different time schedule of altitude-induced reductions in FVC and FEF(25-75%).

Temporal spatial parameters of gait with barefoot, bathroom slippers and military boots.

Nine temporal spatial parameters of gait were evaluated on 8 normal healthy able-bodied soldiers while walking barefoot, with bathroom slippers and military boots on, respectively. Subjects used their regular bathroom slippers and military boots for the study. A 5 camera based Expert Vision 3-D motion analysis system (M/s Motion Analysis Corporation, USA) was used while the subjects walked 10 meters along a straight and level walkway at a comfortable speed. Cleveland Clinic retro reflective marker sets for lower body were used to record static as well as walk data of both legs. Static and walk data were collected at 60 Hz and 120 Hz respectively. A minimum of 10 walking trials for each subject for each condition were obtained and at least 3 good trials having complete trajectories of all the markers covering entire gait cycle for each condition were selected for analysis as per routine gait analysis procedure. A total of 83, 81 and 74 full strides for barefoot, bathroom slippers and military boot respectively were subjected to statistical analysis. Step length and stride length increased significantly from barefoot to military boot with a significant reduction in cadence. Swing phase and single support time increased significantly from barefoot to bathroom slippers and military boot. Total support time and initial double support time decreased significantly for the same conditions compared to barefoot. The observations in this study indicated that use of footwear (bathroom slippers, military boot) caused significant changes in the gait parameters.

Immunomodulatory effects of Premna tomentosa (L. Verbenaceae) extract in J 779 macrophage cell cultures under chromate (VI)-induced immunosuppression.

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the immunomodulatory effects of Premna tomentosa extract against chromate (VI)-induced toxicity was assessed in J 779 macrophage cell line. DESIGN: The cells were analyzed for cytotoxicity, phagocytosis, oxidant burst, antioxidant status, and cell proliferation. RESULT: Chromate treatment resulted in a significant increase in cytotoxicity and free radical production. Furthermore, there is a significant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx). There was an appreciable decrease in cell proliferation and phagocytosis by macrophages in the presence of chromate. However, pretreatment of the cells with P. tomentosa extract (500 microg concentration), 30 minutes prior to chromate (VI) treatment resulted in a significant inhibition of chromate-induced cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species production. The extract also restored the antioxidant status, cell proliferation, and phagocytosis similar to that of control cells. CONCLUSION: The results confirm the cytoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of the leaves of P. tomentosa and its possible usage in immunosuppressed conditions.

Hypoxic ventilatory response changes of men and women 6 to 7 days after climbing from 2100 m to 4350 m altitude and after descent.

To test the hypothesis that the changes in hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) of men and women mountaineers on induction to HA by trekking is not influenced by gender, isocapnic HVR as DeltaV(E)/DeltaSa(O2) was studied in eight men and eight women mountaineering trainees initially at 2100 m, then during 6 to 7 days of sojourn at 4350 m, and retested again on return to 2100 m. Results indicated that HVR at 2100 m increased significantly at 4350 m in both sexes, and the values reverted to baseline level within 4 to 5 days between leaving high altitude (4350 m) and restudy at 2100 m. No sex differences were observed at 2100- or at 4350-m altitude, indicating that men and women have a similar level of chemosensitive response as measured by HVR during induction to HA.

Variations in angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism in Indian populations of different ethnic origins.

The pattern of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the Indian population is poorly known. In order to determine the status of the polymorphism, young unrelated male army recruits were screened. The population had cultural and linguistic differences and lived in an environment that varied significantly from one region to another. Analysis of the genotype, showed higher frequency of the insertion allele in four of the five groups i.e. I allele frequency was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Dogras, Assamese and Kumaonese. The deletion allele frequency was comparatively higher in the fifth group that belonged to Punjab. A correlation was observed between the genotype and enzyme activity. Involvement of a single D allele in the genotype enhanced the activity up to 37.56 3.13%. The results suggested ethnic heterogeneity with a significant gene cline with higher insertion allele frequency. Such population-based data on various polymorphisms can ultimately be exploited in pharmacogenomics.