RESUMO
CONTEXT: Falls are a major public health problem in the elderly population. Fear of falling (FOF) among elderly persons can compromise quality of life by limiting mobility, diminished sense of well-being and reduced social interactions. India is undergoing a demographic transitional phase with urban elderly population of 6.72% in 2001. The major challenge would be on the prevention of falls among them. Hence there is a need to highlight the problems related to fall faced by the elderly in India. OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of FOF and its correlates among the elderly population in urban area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 250 elderly subjects above 60 years were randomly selected from urban area and interviewed for FOF using Short Fall Efficacy Scale-I (FES-I), history of falls and risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of FOF among the elderly was 33.2%. The significant correlates of FOF were educational status, family type, associated health problems, history of fall in past 6 months, worried of fall again among fallers, fearfulness of fall again among fallers, restriction of daily activities and depression among them. The insignificant correlates were gender and socio-economic status. CONCLUSION: FOF is a health problem among the elderly living in urban India needs urgent attention. It represents a significant threat to socialization, independence and morbidity or mortality. Knowledge of correlates of FOF may be useful in developing multidimensional strategies to reduce it among elderly.
RESUMO
Oleanolic acid is a molecule of current therapeutic interest. In the present study, oleanolic acid isolated from the cuticular epithelium of Viscum articulatum Burm. f. (Viscaceae) was investigated for its protective effects on gentamicin-induced renal damage in rats. Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 8 days. The effect of Oleanolic acid administered orally at doses 40, 60 and 80 mg/kg/day was assessed biochemically by determination of albumin, urea and creatinine in serum and urine samples and also through histopathological examination of the kidneys. Oleanolic acid protected the rat kidneys from gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity as evident from a decrease in the serum and urine levels of creatinine, albumin and urea. Oleanolic acid also protected the rat kidneys from histological alterations induced by gentamicin and also improved the glomerular filtration rate. Compared with an earlier report on intraperitoneal administration of oleanolic acid in paracetamol-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, the data show that orally administered oleanolic acid also exerted a nephroprotective effect even in the case of a nephrotoxicant such as gentamicin, which directly deteriorates the kidney function without prior metabolism.
