Comparative role of pregabalin and carbamazepine regarding efficacy in painful diabetic neuropathy.

Neuropathic pain is the most severe and resistant type of pain which has impact on quality of life and behaviour; it most commonly occurs at night causing disturbed sleep. Diabetes mellitus is a common cause of painful neuropathy. In this study, we are comparing the effectiveness of old treatment Carbamazepine with Pregabalin in painful diabetic neuropathy. The study was an open-label trial conducted in Diabetic Clinic of Medical Unit-III, Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Center, Karachi. The duration of the study was 90 days, from December 2010 to March 2011. The study has been approved from ethical committee of JPMC, Karachi with the reference NO.F.2-81/2010-GENL/195/JPMC. 60 established patients of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy from Diabetic Clinic of Medical Unit-III OPD were included in the 90-day study, irrespective of gender, with duration of diabetes more than 10 years. All subjects are placed into two groups. In group A, comprising of 30 patients (n=30), Pregabalin was administered and in group B, also comprising of 30 patients (n=30), Carbamazepine. The intensity of pain was compared on visual analog scale of McGill pain questionnaire. In group A (Pregabalin), the mean pain score fell from 6.17±0.14 to 3.50±0.15 from day 0 to day 90 (p-value=0.001) and the percentage of change also in visual analog scale of McGill pain questionnaire was -43.31%. In group B (Carbamazepine), the changes in pain score from initially 6.07±0.14 falling to 4.23±0.13 from day 0 to day 90 (p-value=0.001) and the percentage of change was -30.31%. Pregabalin was observed to be more potent. Both drugs were well tolerated by all participants that also completed the entire duration of the trial.

Report: complexation of ß-sitosterol with tris (dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium and its anti-microbial activity.

ß-sitosterol is a naturally occurring plant sterol (phytosterol) present in many fruits and vegetables. Scientific research has proven that ß-sitosterol is helpful in maintaining the proper functioning of our body. Previously we described the complexation of ß-sitosterol with trace metals (Mahmood et al., 2013). Trace metals after the formation of complex unable to absorb in the body and hence eliminated out from the body thus reducing metal toxicity (Marsha, 1996). The present article describes the complexation of µ-sitosterol with Palladium (Pd) metal. Palladium is a toxic metal and due to polluted and hazardous environment traces of this metal can be transferred into the body, which is harmful for human health. Our aim is to make Pd-sterol complex so that this toxic metal (Pd) does not absorb in the body and hence excreted out from the body in the complex form. In order to form this complex µ-sitosterol (Ib) is reacted with Tris (dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium or [Pd(2) (DBA)(3)] (Ia) in 2:1 ratio in an inert atmosphere and dimethylformamid (DMF) added as a solvent. The resulting complex [Pd(2) (DBA)(3).(ß-sitosterol) (Ic) was identified by various spectroscopic techniques such as IR, Mass and (1)H-NMR. This new organo metallic complex (Ic) also showed significant antibacterial and antifungal activity. The present work revealed that Pd-sterol complex does not only reduce metal toxicity but also helpful in minimizing bacterial and fungal infections present in the body. Our research also concluded that we must take plenty of fruits and vegetables in our diet so that natural plant sterol such as ß-sitosterol can enhance our defense mechanism and maintain other functions of our body.