Prospective bacterial quorum sensing inhibitors from Indian medicinal plant extracts.

As virulence of many pathogenic bacteria is regulated by the phenomenon of quorum sensing (QS), the present study aimed to find the QS-inhibiting (QS-I) property (if any) in 61 Indian medicinal plants. The presence of QS-I compound in the leaf extract was evaluated by its ability to inhibit production of pigment in Chromobacterium violaceum MTCC 2656 (violacein) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 2297 (pyocyanin) or swarming of P. aeruginosa MTCC 2297. Extracts of three plants, Astilbe rivularis, Fragaria nubicola and Osbeckia nepalensis, have shown a dose-dependent inhibition of violacein production with no negative effect on bacterial growth. Inhibition of pyocyanin pigment production and swarming motility in P. aeruginosa MTCC 2297 was also shown. Based on the results obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and thin-layer chromatography-direct bioautography (TLC-DB), it was concluded that triterpenes and flavonoid compounds found in the three plant extracts could have QS-I activity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: A novel alternative prospect to prevent bacterial infections without inhibiting the growth is to apply chemicals that inhibit quorum sensing mechanism of the pathogens. Antiquorum property of 61 medicinal plants was evaluated by the ability of their leaf extract(s) to inhibit production of pigment (violacein in Chromobacterium violaceum MTCC 2656, pyocyanin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 2297) or swarming in P. aeruginosa MTCC 2297. The most prospective plants (for the development of quorum sensing inhibitor), showing inhibition of violacein production without affecting bacterial growth, were Astilbe rivularis, Fragaria nubicola and Osbeckia nepalensis.

Exploring knowledge and healthseeking behaviour related to sexually transmitted infections among the tribal population of Madhya Pradesh, central India.

This community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the tribal population of randomly selected villages of Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh, central India. A total of 200 married men and women aged 15­49 years were interviewed to explore their knowledge, experience and health-seeking behaviour related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Though 91% of respondents were aware of STIs, the sexual route was mentioned by only 19%as the route of transmission. Around 18% reported a need for social isolation from persons with STIs. Though 88% of the respondents felt modern medicine was the best remedy for STIs, only a few of them used medical treatment while suffering from an STI. Twenty-seven per cent of respondents resorted to traditional healers, and 30% utilized home remedies for STI treatment. The study highlights a need for generating STI awareness amongst the tribal population of the region through a needs-based behaviour change communication (BCC)strategy.

Primary orbital rhabdomyosarcoma with skeletal muscle metastasis.

We report a case of embryonal orbital rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in a five year old boy. Immuno-histochemistry of incisional specimen confirmed diagnosis. Eight cycles of chemotherapy along with radiotherapy resulted in over 50% reduction in size of the mass. However, increase in size was noted subsequent to completion of therapy and exenteration was deemed prudent. Margins of the excised specimen were free from tumor cells, but after five months, the patient developed multiple metastases, including skeletal muscle involvement, and died nine months after exenteration, despite repeat chemotherapy along with radiotherapy. Orbital RMS with metastasis to skeletal muscle is a rare entity.

Phospholipid and protein contents of lens proteolipids in human senile cataract.

PURPOSE: This experimental study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the quantitative change, if any, in the phospholipids and protein contents of lens proteolipids during cataract formation, and to establish whether the phospholipid/protein content of the blood is related to cataractogenesis. METHODS: A total of 120 human lenses were collected. Phospholipids and protein content in proteolipids of these lenses were estimated biochemically. Blood was examined from total 60 persons. Data obtained were analyzed with the help of the ANOVA program of SPSS software (version 7.5). RESULTS: A significant (P<0.01) reduction of proteolipid-bound phospholipids was observed in cataracts as compared with the control lenses. An alteration was also noticed in the protein content of proteolipids in the cataractous lenses. Changes were also observed in serum total phospholipids (P<0.01) and total protein (P<0.01) in cataractous patients. CONCLUSIONS: As proteolipids are the main constituents of the membranes of lens fibres, the alterations in its phospholipid and protein moieties may be suggestive of the disintegration of lens membranes, which ultimately leads to cataract formation. Gradual and constant variation in serum parameters may be one of the predisposing factors in cataractogenesis.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted disease syndromes in tribal population of central India.

BACKGROUND: A syndromic approach has been advocated for identification and management of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in countries where diagnostic laboratory tests are not consistently available. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to discover the prevalence of STD syndromes in tribal population of central India. METHODS: All married men and women in the age group of 15-49 years from selected villages were enumerated by house-to-house visit. Individuals were interviewed using pre-coded, pre-tested questionnaires about STD syndromes of urethral discharge, vaginal discharge, dysurea, genital ulcer, inguinal swelling, scrotal swelling and lower abdominal pain. RESULTS: Of the 2568 individuals interviewed, 326 (12.7%) had at least one STD syndrome. The prevalence was almost double in women (17.6%) than in men (8.4%). The highest prevalence (16.2%) was observed in the age group 30-34 years followed by 35-39 years (14.7%). The commonest syndrome in women was vaginal discharge (16.0%) while in men the commonest syndrome was dysurea (1.8%). CONCLUSION: The low level of STD syndromes among tribal populations offers an opportunity to prevent a potential epidemic in this disadvantaged community. As no baseline data are available, the findings form the basis for future work in this area.

Orbital manifestations of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A report of three cases.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a spectrum of disorders characterized by accumulation of histiocytes in various tissues. It is rarely encountered in ophthalmic practice and has an affinity for the orbit. We report three patients with LCH involving the lateral orbital wall, each with a different form of the condition.

In vivo immunosuppression by synthetic pyrethroid (cypermethrin) pesticide in mice and goats.

Cypermethrin toxicity was produced in mice by intra-peritoneal injection of the pesticide at 50 mg/kg body weight per day for 26 days, and in goats by drenching with cypermethrin at 41.6 mg/kg body weight per day for 30 days. The status of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was assessed by the 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) skin sensitivity test. The results indicated significant depression of CMI in the cypermethrin-treated mice and goats. In addition, the humoral immune reaction of the goats intoxicated with cypermethrin was estimated by enumeration of the plaque-forming B-lymphocytes. The rate of plaque formation in the lymphocyte suspension of cypermethrin-treated goats was significantly reduced and the diameter of the plaques was also significantly lower than in that of control animals. The results indicated that cypermethrin suppressed both CMI and the antibody-forming ability of lymphocytes. This immunosuppressive action of cypermethrin is being reported for the first time.

Contact sensitivity to DNCB in normal and cell-mediated-immunity deficient chickens: in vivo detection and correlation with lymphocyte transformation and graft-versus-host reaction.

Optimum conditions for the contact sensitivity (CS) test using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) were sensitization with 0.25 ml of a DNCB solution (10 mg/ml) and challenge with one-tenth of this dose two weeks later. This produced reaction in terms of skin thickness which could be easily observed and measured. The cutaneous hypersensitivity developed slowly, reaching its maximum manifestation after 24 h of challenge and gradually declining thereafter. The development of a skin reaction was typical of delayed type hypersensitivity and was characterized histopathologically by congestion, oedema, mononuclear and heterophilic cell infiltration in the dermal layer and lymphocytic perivascular cuffing. The efficiency of the CS test was compared with that of the lymphocyte transformation (LT) test and graft-versus-host (GvH) reaction for monitoring cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in normal and CMI deficient chickens. CMI deficient chickens were prepared by neonatal thymectomy and inoculation of antithymocyte serum. The CMI response of deficient chickens was significantly less (p less than 0.01) as determined by all three tests. The percentage decrease in response to mount GvH, CS and LT was 88.9, 58.3 and 74.6, respectively. All the tests were found to be equally effective in assessing CMI response in chickens as determined by comparing the means of their performances.

Suppression of IgA synthesis in chickens.

Four different protocols were tested for the induction of IgA deficiency in chickens: (I) inoculation of anti-alpha intra-peritoneally (i.p.) on alternate days after hatching up to a period of three weeks; (II) bursectomy within 6 h and at 24 h after hatching; (III) in-ovo injection of anti-alpha on the 17th day of embryonation followed by bursectomy at 24 h of hatch and a single injection of anti-alpha i.p. on the day of hatching; (IV) as in III above but bursectomy within 6 h of hatch, followed by three further injections of anti-alpha on days 3, 10 and 34 after hatching. Treatment (I) produced temporary dysgammaglobulinemia during the period of treatment. Bursectomy at 24 h of hatch rendered 75% of the chicks IgA deficient up to four weeks of age. Early bursectomy within 6 h of hatch resulted in substantial improvement of IgA suppression. Such chicks, when tested at 4, 6 and 10 weeks of age, were found to be 81, 72 and 58.3% IgA deficient, respectively. With treatment (III) all the treated birds were IgA deficient at four weeks of age. However, as the birds grew older, IgA appeared in the serum so that at the age of 12 weeks only 27.3% were deficient. Treatment (IV) completely suppressed the IgA system of 13 out of 14 chickens. These chickens lacked both serum and secretory IgA as well as IgA-containing cells in their intestinal mucosa. Both IgG and IgM continued to be produced.