Does the African garden egg offer protection against experimentally induced ulcers?

ObjectiveTo evaluate the possible antiulcer effect of the African garden egg, Solanum aethiopicum (S. aethiopicum) (a domestic vegetable) experimentally in rats.MethodsA methanol extract of the plant fruit was prepared by maceration. Twenty five overnight fasted rats for each model were divided randomly into five groups of five rats. Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 received normal saline, extract dose levels of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of ranitidine respectively. All administrations were given orally. For the indomethacin and aspirin models, ulcerogenic agents (indomethacin, 50 mg/kg and aspirin 200 mg/kg) were given thirty minutes after extract treatments and animals sacrificed 8 h later. The acidified ethanol model (ethanol 60% + 0.1 mol/L HCl) was given 1hr after extract treatment and animals sacrificed 1 h later. Ulcer index was checked and analysed with appropriate statistical tools.ResultsExtract of S. aethiopicum showed positive effect on all the models used. It produced higher ulcer inhibition than ranitidine in the indomethacin and acid-ethanol models. All the anti-ulcer effects of the extract at different doses were dose dependent but only in indomethacin model did it produce statistically significant (P<0.05) ulcer reduction in all doses compared to control.ConclusionsGarden egg, a readily cultivated crop vegetable possesses ulcer protective properties against ulcers induced experimentally making it a cheap source of natural anti-ulcer remedy.     

Low co-morbidity, low levels of malnutrition, and low risk of falls in a community-dwelling sample of 85-year-olds are associated with successful aging: the Octabaix study

The population is aging throughout the world. Preserving physical and cognitive functions is crucial to successful aging. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of 85-year-old community-dwelling subjects aging successfully, applying a quantitative approach, and assessing the association of successful aging with sociodemographic data, global geriatric assessment, and co-morbidity. This was a community-based survey of inhabitants aged 85 years, with 328 out of 487 subjects born in 1924 assigned to seven primary health-care teams, representing a participation rate of 67.5%. Sociodemographic variables, Barthel index (BI), the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MEC), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Charlson Index, Gait Rating Scale, social risk, quality of life (QoL), and prevalent chronic diseases were assessed. Subjects scoring higher than 90 on the BI and higher than 24 on the MEC were compared with the rest. Multiple regression analysis was performed. Using these criteria, successful aging status was defined in 162 (49.3%) subjects. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, successful agers had significantly lower co-morbidity scores (p??0.0001). Almost half of the individuals presented successful aging. Successful agers had less co-morbidity and a lower risk of falls or malnutrition, and they had higher scores on the QoL scale.     

Requirement of intact sympathetic transmission for the ocular hypotensive effects of melatonin and 5-MCA-NAT

Melatonin and its analogue, 5-methoxycarbonylamino-N-acetyltryptamine (5-MCA-NAT), potently reduce intraocular pressure, and may be good candidates for the treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. After chemical sympathectomy by reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine, the hypotensive effects of melatonin and 5-MCA-NAT are severely inhibited. This indicates that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the production and drainage of aqueous humour by the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork, and that it mediates the effects of melatonin and its analogue, 5-MCA-NAT.     

The blood picture and serum biochemistry profile of the African pied crow (Corvus albus)

The crow is commonly regarded as an indicator species for the surveillance of important diseases such as West Nile fever and avian influenza, as these diseases had been associated with significant pathology in crows and death of crows in most cases. This study evaluated the blood picture (haematology) and serum biochemistry profile of apparently healthy African pied crows trapped in Nsukka, Eastern Nigeria. A total of 25 crows were used for the study, and the evaluation of the blood picture and serum biochemistry profile followed standard procedures. Results obtained for the parameters assessed are summarised as follows (mean ± standard error): packed cell volume (%)—42.85 ± 0.90, haemoglobin concentration (g/dl)—14.09 ± 0.36, red blood cell count (10⁶/ul)—3.15 ± 0.09, mean corpuscular volume (fl)—137.53 ± 4.00, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (pg)—45.36 ± 1.68, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (g/dl)—33.01 ± 0.82, total white blood cell count (10³/ul)—26.04 ± 1.35, heterophil counts (%)—67.99 ± 1.85, lymphocyte counts (%)—28.52 ± 1.85, monocyte counts (%)—1.28 ± 0.21, eosinophil counts (%)—1.59 ± 0.21, basophil counts (%)—0.36 ± 0.11, alanine amino transaminase (IU/l)—51.16 ± 5.00, aspartate amino transaminase (IU/l)—101.42 ± 3.63, serum alkaline phosphatase (IU/l)—31.34 ± 3.35, total protein (g/dl)—3.13 ± 0.13, albumin (g/dl)—1.32 ± 0.08, globulin (g/dl)—1.81 ± 0.14, cholesterol (mg/dl)—165.95 ± 6.63, blood glucose (mg/dl)—295.22 ± 11.20, urea nitrogen (mg/dl)—6.71 ± 0.63, uric acid (mg/dl)—21.44 ± 3.51 and body weight (g)—453.41 ± 9.30. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the sexes in all the haematological and serum biochemistry parameters assessed, but the mean body weight of the males was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than that of the females. Data generated from this study was considered important as deviations in the normal/reference blood picture/haematology and serum biochemistry profile have a predictive value for general pathological changes in the body and in some cases specific organ damage.     

A lesser postprandial suppression of plasma ghrelin in Prader-Willi syndrome is associated with low fasting and a blunted postprandial PYY response

OBJECTIVE: Ghrelin and polipeptide YY (PYY) are involved in the regulation of food intake. We evaluated these two peptides and their possible relationship in adult patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). PATIENTS: Seven patients with PWS, 16 age-sex-BMI matched obese and 42 age-sex matched lean subjects. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: Fasting plasma PYY and ghrelin levels were measured in all subjects and, postprandially until 6 h, in seven matched subjects of each group. RESULTS: Fasting ghrelin levels were higher in PWS than in the other two groups. Fasting PYY levels were lower in patients with PWS than in lean subjects but similar to those in obese subjects. The postprandial decrease in ghrelin concentrations was lower in PWS as compared to the other two groups and therefore the 6-h-postprandial area under the curve (AUC) for ghrelin was higher in PWS than in obese subjects. PYY response after the meal was blunted in patients with PWS, but not in the other two groups that showed a peak at 60 min The AUC for PYY was lower in PWS as compared to the other two groups. Fasting PYY levels correlated negatively with fasting ghrelin levels and with ghrelin AUC and they were the only predictor for ghrelin AUC (beta = -0.464, P = 0.034). The increase in PYY correlated negatively with the decrease in ghrelin at times 60 min and 120 min in PWS. CONCLUSIONS: In PWS, the low decrease in postprandial ghrelin levels could be related to the low fasting PYY concentrations and their blunted postprandial response.     

Hypotensive effect of profilin on rabbit intraocular pressure

Ocular hypertension is a negative process that occurs within the eye and is the main risk factor to develop glaucoma, a progressive loss of vision due to degeneration of retinal ganglion cells. The protein transduction technique allows a cargo to cross biological membranes. Using this technique we have previously shown that a membrane permeable version of profilin I (PTD4-profilin) increased aqueous humour outflow facility. Here we have investigated if a topical application of PTD4-profilin was able to modify intraocular pressure in rabbits. 10 microM PTD4-profilin (10 microL), reduced intraocular pressure by 20% compared to the control vehicle, this value being in the range of other commercial drugs, which produced intraocular pressure reductions between 18 and 35%. The mean-time effect for PTD4-profilin was 6.8 h and was also in the same range as commercial products that provided values between 4.3 and 5.5 h. According to the results presented here we propose PTD4-profilin as a new approach for the treatment of ocular hypertension and PTD4 as a new strategy to facilitate the penetration of molecules into the eye.