Evaluation of Caesalpinia bonducella flower extract for anti-inflammatory action in rats and its high performance thin layer chromatography chemical fingerprinting

Objective:

The study is aimed to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of Caesalpinia bonducella Fleming (Caesalpiniaceae) flower extract (CBFE) and to study its effect on radiographic outcome in adjuvant induced arthritis and authentication by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) chemical fingerprinting.

Materials and Methods:

CBFE was administered orally (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg b.wt.) and tested for its anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced inflammation, cotton pellet induced chronic granulomatous inflammation and autacoids-induced inflammation. Effect on radiographic outcome was tested in adjuvant-induced arthritis. CBFE was HPTLC fingerprinted in suitable solvent system.

Result:

In carrageenan-induced inflammation, CBFE produced significant inhibition in edema volume at all the doses (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg b.wt.) and percentage of inhibition was 28.68, 31.00, and 22.48, respectively as compared to control at 5 h of its administration. In cotton pellet granuloma assay, CBFE significantly decreased the granuloma weight at 300 mg/kg dose level by 22.53%. CBFE (300 mg/kg) caused significant inhibition by 37.5, 44.44, and 35.29% edema volume, at ½, 1 and 3 h after 5-hydroxytryptamine injection, respectively. Radiographic score of animals treated with 300 mg/kg CBFE was significantly decreased when compared to arthritic control animals.

Conclusion:

The extract was found to possess significant anti-inflammatory activity. CBFE treatment improved the bony architecture in adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. The developed HPTLC fingerprint would be helpful in the authentication of C. bonducella flower extract.KEY WORDS: 5-hydroxy tryptamine, Caesalpinia bonducella, carrageenan-induced inflammation, cotton pellet granuloma, high performance thin layer chromatography, radiography     

An elaborative NMR based plasma metabolomics study revealed metabolic derangements in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a study on north Indian population

Metabolic Brain Disease - Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is transition phase between cognitive decline and dementia. The current study aims to investigate altered metabolic pattern in plasma of...     

Does hand involvement in systemic sclerosis limit completion of patient-reported outcome measures?

Clinical Rheumatology - The objective of this analysis is to examine whether the severity of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-hand involvement influences patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) completion...     

Who to screen and how to screen for celiac disease

Celiac disease (CeD) is a chronic gluten-induced enteropathy with plethoric manifestations. The typical manifestations of CeD such as chronic diarrhea and malabsorption are widely recognized, however, many patients have atypical manifestations like iron deficiency anemia, idiopathic short stature, hypertransaminesemia or infertility, etc. These patients often present to the primary care physicians and/or non-gastrointestinal specialties. However, due to a lack of awareness among the healthcare professionals about the various atypical manifestations, many patients are not screened for CeD. In this review, we have summarized the available literature about the prevalence of CeD in various gastrointestinal (chronic diarrhea) and non-gastrointestinal conditions (iron deficiency anemia, short stature, cryptogenic hypertransaminesemia, cryptogenic cirrhosis or idiopathic ataxia etc.) where the diagnosis of CeD should be con-sidered. In addition, we also discuss special scenarios where screening for CeD should be considered even in absence of symptoms such as patients with type 1 diabetes, Down’s syndrome, and first-degree relatives of patients with CeD. Further, we discuss the diagnostic performance and limitations of various screening tests for CeD such as IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, anti-endomysial antibodies and anti-deamidated gliadin antibodies. Based on the current recommendations, we propose a diagnostic algorithm for patients with suspected CeD.     

Imaging of dental infections

Emergency Radiology - Dental infections are a common presentation in the emergency department (ED). To help guide clinical management for these infections, the radiologist must be familiar with the...     

The Assessment of a Rapid Noninvasive Immunochromatographic Assay Test for Fecal Lactoferrin in Patients with Suspected Inflammation of the Ileal Pouch

Purpose

Pouchitis is a common complication after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Diagnosis is based on the Pouch Disease Activity Index, which comprises clinical symptoms, endoscopic appearance, and histologic confirmation. A Pouch Disease Activity Index ≥ 7 confirms pouchitis. Fecal lactoferrin is a marker of intestinal inflammation, which can aid in the diagnosis of pouchitis. The IBD EZ VUE? test is a simple, rapid, noninvasive test for fecal lactoferrin. Our goal was to study the sensitivity and specificity of this test in the diagnosis of pouchitis.

Methods

Consecutive patients with pouch dysfunction were recruited from October 2005 to July 2006. A fecal sample was collected before calculation of the Pouch Disease Activity Index. An IBD EZ VUE? test was performed on each fecal sample and the results correlated with the diagnosis of pouchitis to calculate sensitivity and specificity of the IBD EZ VUE? test.

Results

There were 32 patients (21 healthy and 11 inflammed pouches). The IBD EZ VUE? test was positive in 14 patients. It had a sensitivity of 100 percent and a specificity of 86 percent in diagnosing pouchitis. The positive predictive value was 76 percent. There were three false-positive results.

Conclusions

The IBD EZ VUE? test is a sensitive method that may remove the need for invasive pouch investigations and lead to greater confidence when antibiotic therapy is commenced. Further investigations may be reserved for those patients who have a positive lactoferrin test and fail to respond to antibiotic treatment.     

Hepatic steatosis and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obesity associated hepatic steatosis has been suggested to have a premalignant potential. We determined whether hepatic steatosis predisposes to liver cancer in persons with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: We compared the histological severity of steatosis in the index liver biopsies of 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C who subsequently developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with matched controls who did not. Cases were aged (mean) 54.7 years, 84% males, 76% genotype 1, and 64% fibrosis stage 4; and controls were matched for these characteristics. Those with a sustained virologic response to antiviral therapy were excluded. RESULTS: Duration of HCV infection, concomitant alcohol intake, body mass index and indices of past hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were comparable between the groups. Controls were followed for a longer period after the index liver biopsy than were cases (113 months vs 55 months, P < 0.001). As determined by percentage area of biopsy core occupied by steatosis on computer assisted morphometric evaluation, and graded by semiquantitative histological assessment, steatosis was comparable among cases and controls. The odds of developing HCC among those with steatosis grades 1 and 2 did not differ significantly from those without steatosis. There was no association between increasing morphometric percentage area occupied by steatosis and the subsequent development of HCC. Neither steatosis grade or percent area of steatosis on biopsy were selected in multivariate regression analysis as independent predictors for the development of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic steatosis does not augment the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis in patients with chronic HCV infection.     

Intravascular haemolysis in a patient on ceftriaxone with demonstration of anticeftriaxone antibodies

Drug-induced haemolytic anaemia can be life threatening. We report a case of ceftriaxone-induced severe haemolytic anaemia in a previously healthy 68-year-old woman. The patient had a positive direct antiglobulin test (anti-C3d positive, anti-immunoglobulin G negative). Serological tests showed ceftriaxone-specific antibodies. The patient recovered after cessation of the drug. This complication may cause milder anaemia and thus be poorly recognized.