Antiulcerogenic activity of hydroalcoholic fruit extract of Pithecellobium dulce in different experimental ulcer models in rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The ethnopharmacological importance of Pithecellobium dulce is evidenced by its traditional use for gastric complications. The aim of the study is to evaluate the gastroprotective activity and the mechanism of action of hydroalcoholic fruit extract of P. dulce (HAEPD) in rats by using chemical and stress induced ulcer models.

Materials and methods

Gastric ulcer was induced by administering alcohol (or) acetylsalicylic acid (or) hypothermic restraint stress to rats pretreated with HAEPD (200 mg/kg b wt for 30 day). Volume of gastric fluid, pH, acidity, activities of pepsin, H⁺, K⁺-ATPase, myeloperoxidase, mucin content, nucleic acids, glycoproteins and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels were assessed in gastric tissues.

Results

Ulcer score was significantly minimized in HAEPD administered animals. pH and acidity of gastric fluid were significantly minimized and the mucin, PGE₂ levels were significantly maintained in drug pre administered animals. The activities of H⁺, K⁺- ATPase and myeloperoxidase were found to be significantly elevated in ulcer control animals and found to be decreased in drug pretreated animals. The cell proliferation was found to be enhanced in drug received animals. The total protein bound carbohydrate to total protein ratio was found to be significantly maintained by HAEPD. The effects were found to be comparable with that of standard drug omeprazole.

Conclusion

It is concluded that HAEPD possess a potent antiulcer activity probably by acting as cytoprotective and antiacid secretory agent.     

Progressive fetal atrioventricular block in heterotaxy syndrome

We report a fetus with left isomerism, in whom the atrioventricular block progressed from low grade second degree to complete block and fetal hydrops. While it is known that there is a high incidence of heart block in the fetus with left isomerism, as far as we are aware, ours is the first report of Wenckebach type block documented in the fetus by Doppler echocardiography, and demonstration of the progression of heart block during fetus life in the setting of left isomerism.     

Clear cell ductal adenocarcinoma of pancreas: a case report and review of the literature

We present a unique carcinoma of the pancreas with predominantly clear cell morphology (>95% clear cells). Mucicarmine stain revealed abundant intraluminal and intracytoplasmic mucin. Immunohistochemically, the cells were positive for the epithelial markers cytokeratin 7 and CAM 5.2, and were focally positive for cytokeratin 20. These cells also expressed monoclonal carcinoembryonic antigen. Stains for the neuroendocrine markers synaptophysin and chromogranin were negative, as were stains for vimentin, p53, HMB-45, and CD10. An additional outstanding feature was the presence of dense intraluminal and intracytoplasmic hyaline globules, which were immunohistochemically positive for alpha1-antitrypsin. Sequencing of the K-ras oncogene revealed a point mutation in codon 12, providing molecular evidence of ductal origin. In the proper morphologic context supported by immunohistochemistry, clear cell carcinoma can be regarded as a rare variant of ductal adenocarcinoma.     

Miliary tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients not on antiretroviral therapy: clinical profile and response to shortcourse chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: An increase in tuberculosis (TB) incidence has been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIMS: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of patients with HIV and miliary TB treated with short-course intermittent chemotherapy in the absence of access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective study of HIV infected adults referred to a TB clinic between July 1999 and July 2004. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On diagnosis of miliary TB, patients were treated with a standard regimen of two months of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide followed by four months of isoniazid and rifampicin (2EHRZ 3 /4RH 3 ) thrice weekly and followed up for 24 months. Patients were reviewed clinically every month and two sputa were collected. Chest radiographs and blood investigations were done at two months, end of treatment and every six months thereafter. RESULTS: Of 498 patients with HIV and tuberculosis, 31 (6%) were diagnosed as miliary tuberculosis. At diagnosis, sputum smear was positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in 14 patients (45%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in 21 (68%). The mean CD4 cell count was 129 +/- 125 cells/mm3 . Twenty-five patients were declared cured at the end of treatment (81%) while one (3%) died and five (16%) failed. The recurrence rate was 19.4/100 person-years and the median survival was 17 months (95% CI 14 to 20). None of the patients received antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Miliary TB tends to occur among HIV infected patients with severe immunosuppression. Though the initial response to short-course chemotherapy was encouraging, a high recurrence rate and mortality was observed indicating poor prognosis in HIV.     

PARK2 gene mutations in early onset Parkinson's disease patients of South India

With the etiology being unclear till date, a combination of age, genetic and environmental factors are known to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Mutations in PARK2 gene have been implicated to cause autosomal recessive early onset PD. We analyzed the 12 coding exons of PARK2 gene in 16 early onset PD patients of South Indian ethnicity. PARK2 mutations were present in 68% of the early onset cases. We report the presence of four PARK2 sequence variants c.1239G>C, c.171+25T>C, c.202A>G, c.601G>A, and a novel insertion mutation, c.798_799insA in the exon 7 of PARK2 gene. These results suggest that mutations in PARK2 gene may be a common cause of PD among South Indian early onset patients.     

Characterization of indoor bioaerosols from a hospital ward in a tropical setting

Objectives

Study was conducted to assess whether temporal variation exists in airborne microbial concentrations of a hospital ward (west-Chennai, India) using active and passive methods, and characterise the microorganisms.

Methods

Air samples (duplicates) were collected simultaneously using exposed-plate, impingement (BioSampler) and filtration (personal sampling filter cassette loaded with gelatin filter) methods over different periods of the year. Bacterial plates were incubated at 37°C and observed for growth after 48h; fungal plates were incubated at 25°C and 37°C and observed upto 7 days. Microorganisms were identified using standard microbiological procedures.

Results

Microbial loads were found to vary with the sampling method. Concentrations of bacteria were higher (exposed-plate: 45–150 CFU/plate; impingement: 1.12E+03–1.6856E+05 CFU/m³; filtration: 3.788E+03−1.91111E+05 CFU/m³) than fungi (exposed-plate: 0–13 CFU/plate; impingement: 0–3.547E+03 CFU/m³; filtration: 0–1.515E+04 CFU/ m³). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Micrococci were the predominant Gram-positive cocci in active and passive samples. Enterobacter and Pseudomonas were the predominant Gram-negative bacilli. Among fungi, Aspergillus niger was isolated throughout the year. There was no significant temporal variation in airborne microbial loads irrespective of methods.

Conclusions

Exposed-plate method was found to capture microorganisms efficiently with little variation in duplicate samples, suggesting its use in hospitals for preliminary assessment of indoor air quality and determine pathogenic microorganisms due to particle fall-out.     

Simultaneous separation by high-performance liquid chromatography of carbamoyl aspartate, carbamoyl phosphate and dihydroorotic acid.

Leflunomide is an immunomodulatory drug which acts by inhibiting dihydroorotic acid dehydrogenase, the fourth enzyme of pyrimidine biosynthesis. We modified our high-performance liquid chromatography method to demonstrate that the principal metabolite in mitogen-stimulated human T-lymphocytes incubated with leflunomide was not dihydroorotic acid, but carbamoyl aspartate. Identification involved preparation of [14C]carbamoyl aspartate from [14C]aspartic acid and mammalian aspartate transcarbamoylase. Accumulation of carbamoyl aspartate indicates that under these conditions the equilibrium constant for dihydroorotase favours the reverse reaction. This HPLC method, enabling simultaneous separation of the first four intermediates in the de novo pyrimidine pathway may be of use in a variety of experimental situations.