Antiarthritic Activity of a Standardized,Multiherbal, Ayurvedic Formulation containing Boswellia serrata: In Vitro Studies on Knee Cartilage from Osteoarthritis Patients

A validated in vitro model of cartilage damage and published data were used showing that this model measures the chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of different antiarthritic drugs. In this report, this model was used to evaluate the effects of a new antiarthritic Ayurvedic formulation containing Zingiber officinale root, Tinospora cordifolia stem, Phyllanthus emblica fruit and oleoresin of Boswellia serrata. Glucosamine sulphate was used as a positive control in the study. Aqueous extracts of each drug were tested on explant cultures of knee cartilage obtained from osteoarthritis patients undergoing knee replacement surgery. The new formulation caused a sustained and statistically significant inhibition in the release of glycosaminoglycans and aggrecan by cartilage explants from these patients. This formulation also induced a transient antiinflammatory effect as measured by a reduction in the levels of nitric oxide released by explants. Furthermore, the data strongly suggest that oleoresin of B. serrata plays a crucial role in the chondroprotective and antiinflammatory activity of this formulation. In summary, this report provides the first, direct, in vitro biochemical evidence of anti‐arthritic activity a new Ayurvedic formulation. This formulation significantly reduced damage of articular knee cartilage from chronic osteoarthritis patients. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Melanoma knowledge, perception, and awareness in ethnic minorities in Chicago: recommendations regarding education

Objectives: To assess the level of melanoma awareness and risk perception among ethnic minorities and to identify ways to enhance the relevance of melanoma educational materials for ethnic minorities. Methods: Twelve focus groups composed of participants from a single ethnicity [African‐American (n=40), Hispanic (n=40), and Asian (n=40)], participated in a 2 h discussion on melanoma and skin cancer and commented on an educational brochure by the American Cancer Society and reacted to photographs of melanoma on ethnic skin. Participants also evaluated the ability to sunburn and tan and the skin cancer risk of images of celebrities before and after the discussion. Additionally, participants assessed the skin tone of celebrities as very fair, fair, olive, light brown, dark brown, and very dark. The audiotape recordings of the 12 focus groups were transcribed and analyzed with the Non‐numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching and Theorizing software for common themes. Results: The common themes were (1) lack of relevance of skin cancer to ethnic people, (2) understanding of skin cancer risk terminology is based on personal experience and what is acquired from the media, and (3) sources of health information for ethnic minorities are fragmented and physicians are not the primary source of information. Celebrity images representing the six skin tones were selected. Conclusions: Relevance of melanoma education to ethnic people may be improved by using ‘melanoma skin cancer’, photographs of early melanoma in people with dark skin, and providing guidance on how to inspect hands and feet for suspicious moles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A paradigm shift in EPH receptor interaction: biological relevance of EPHB6 interaction with EPHA2 and EPHB2 in breast carcinoma cell lines

EPH receptors are the largest known family of receptor tyrosine kinases characterized in humans. These proteins are involved in axon guidance, tissue organization, synaptic plasticity, vascular development and the progression of various diseases including cancer. The varied biological effects of EPH receptors are mediated in part by the expression of these proteins and their intracellular binding proteins. The ability of EPH molecules to form heterodimers within their own class has been suggested, although not exhaustively characterized. We have clarified this phenomenon by showing that EPHB6, a kinase-deficient receptor, can interact with EPHB2 in mammalian cells, and more significantly EPHB6 interacts with EPHA2. However, EPHB6 does not interact with another kinase-deficient receptor, EPHA10. The interaction between EPHB6 and EPHA2 is the first demonstration of an A-type receptor interacting with a B-type receptor. Furthermore, we correlated relative expression of EPHB6, EPHB2 and EPHA2 with non-invasive and invasive phenotypes of breast tumor cell lines. Our results indicate that tumor invasiveness-suppressing activity of EPHB6 is mediated by its ability to sequester other kinase-sufficient and oncogenic EPH receptors. These observations suggest that cellular phenotypes may, in part, be attributed to a combinatorial expression of EPH receptors and heteromeric interactions among the same class, as well as between two classes, of EPH receptors. Our results also suggest that EPHA10 may transduce signals by interacting with other kinase-sufficient receptors in a similar manner.     

A radiolucent lesion crossing the midline in maxilla: a rare presentation of odontogenic keratocyst in young patient

Odontogenic Keratocyst (OKC) is a developmental non-inflammatory odontogenic cyst which is proposed to be arising from cell rests of dental lamina. Among the jaw cysts OKCs account for third most common following radicular and dentigerous cyst. Most of the studies have stated that posterior part of the mandible is the most common site, but there are inconsistencies regarding the prominent location of OKCs in the maxilla. Very few studies and cases are reported with OKCs crossing maxillary midline. If do occur they are in older individuals. According to WHO reclassification, this cyst is considered as Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumour (KCOT) because of its neoplastic nature. This article describes a rare site of occurrence of this lesion especially in young patient.     

Multi‐Component Synthesis of Dihydropyrimidines by Iodine Catalyst at Ambient Temperature and in‐vitro Antimycobacterial Activity

An efficient and simple three‐component domino synthesis of some new dihydropyrimidines (DHPMs) from aromatic aldehydes, 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds and N‐(3‐chloro‐4‐fluorophenyl)urea using molecular iodine as catalyst is described. The 1‐substituted dihydropyrimidines were isolated in good to excellent yields (78‐90%) within a short reaction time (4‐6 h) at ambient temperature. The biological evaluation revealed that the newly synthesized compounds ( 4a ‐ i and 5a ‐ i ) exhibited moderate antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇ RV.     

钛网加带股方肌蒂骨柱移植术治疗股骨头坏死20例

目的:观察钛网加带股方肌蒂骨柱移植术治疗股骨头坏死的临床疗效.方法:应用钛网加带股方肌蒂骨柱移植术治疗骰骨头坏死20例22髋,男18例,女2例,平均年龄21.0～45.0(28.5±5.1)岁.按病因分类:激素性4例4髋,乙醇性14例14髋,激素+乙醇性2例4髋.国际骨循环研究学会(ARCO)分期Ⅱ-A、Ⅱ-B、Ⅱ-C、Ⅲ-A期分别为7、8、5、2髋.左侧6髋,右侧16髋.结果:术后髋关节疼痛明显缓解或消失,关节活动度改善.Ⅲ-A期患者的股骨头高度增加.所有患者获得随访3～16个月.结果显示,Ⅱ-A、Ⅱ-B期均优,Ⅱ-C期优4髋、良1髋,Ⅲ-A期优1髋、良1髋.Ⅱ-A、Ⅱ-B、Ⅱ-C期效果较好,Ⅲ-A期次之(P<0.05).术后股骨头内植骨愈合时间需要3～4个月.结论:钛网加带股方肌蒂骨柱移植术治疗Ⅱ期股骨头坏死的疗效良好,远期效果有待进一步观察.     

Synthesis of alpha-amyrin derivatives and their in vivo antihyperglycemic activity

Ficus racemosa belongs to the family of Moraceae and is commonly known as 'Gular' in north India. Bio-activity guided isolation work on the fruits of F. racemosa resulted in the identification of antidiabetic active principle, alpha-amyrin acetate 7. Compound 7 lowered the blood glucose levels by 18.4 and 17.0% at 5 and 24 h, respectively, in sucrose challenged streptozotocin induced diabetic rat (STZ-S) model at the dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. Fifteen novel derivatives viz, 9-21, 24, 25 of alpha-amyrin 8 were prepared and their antihyperglycemic activity profile was assessed. The p-chlorobenzoic acid derivative 9 and nicotinic acid derivative 14 showed potent antihyperglycemic activity at 100 mg/kg body weight.