Evaluation of behavioural and antioxidant activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cytisus scoparius</Emphasis> Link in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress

Background  

Various human diseases have oxidative stress as one of their component. Many herbs have been reported to exhibit properties that combat oxidative stress through their active constituents such as flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds etc. Cytisus scoparius (CS) Link, (Family: Leguminosae), also called Sarothamnus scoparius, has been shown in invitro experiments to be endowed with anti-diabetic, hypnotic and sedative and antioxidant activity. Therefore this study was carried out to evaluate CS for its anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-oxidant activity in stressed rats.     

Perioperative maternal and neonatal acid-base status and glucose metabolism in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Maternal and neonatal acid-base status and glucose metabolism were studied in 20 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (group 1) undergoing elective cesarean section under lumbar epidural anesthesia. All patients were given glucose/insulin infusion before delivery. Fifteen healthy patients with iatrogenic hyperglycemia (group 2) and 15 healthy euglycemic patients (group 3) served as controls. Results were expressed as mean +/- 1 SE and were analyzed using analysis of variance and chi 2 analysis at P less than 0.05. No significant differences were seen at delivery either in maternal arterial and neonatal umbilical venous and arterial blood acid-base status or in neonatal Apgar scores among the three groups. Patients in groups 1 and 2 had larger blood glucose concentrations than those in group 3 (P = 0.01). Diabetic mothers and their neonates had a 25%-50% reduction in pyruvate concentration in maternal venous, and neonatal umbilical venous and arterial blood compared with that in the other two groups (P = 0.001). Postpartum neonatal hypoglycemia (less than 30 mg/dL) developed in seven of the group 1 neonates (P = 0.05). Thus, epidural anesthesia in diabetic women is associated with normal acid-base status in the mother and in the neonate. The data also show an increased incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia and altered maternal and neonatal glycolysis in patients with diabetes mellitus.     

Colposcopy in the diagnosis of cervical neoplasia

Two hundred and ninety one women were evaluated for cervical cancer by cytology and colposcopy. Of these, 152 patients underwent colposcopically directed biopsy for histological evaluation. Colposcopy and cytology were in agreement in 88 per cent of cases whereas colposcopy and histopathology were in agreement in 79 per cent of cases. Cytology underestimated the severity of the lesion in nine per cent while colposcopy underestimated the lesion in 7.2 per cent (False negative rate). In 13.8 per cent of cases colposcopy overestimated the lesion (False positive rate). The cone biopsy rate in this series was 30 per cent. We conclude that since colposcopy shows excellent correlation with histopathology, it will be a useful tool to reduce cone biopsy rates, particularly in younger women in the child-bearing age group.     

Obesity: A Venusian story of Paleolithic proportions

Art through the ages has been a marker of societal trends and fashion. Obesity is proscribed by physicians and almost reviled by today's society. While Venus (Aphrodite) continues to be the role model for those to aspire to free themselves from the clutches of obesity, Paleolithic humans had a different view of the perfect female form. Whether the Venus of Willendorf was a fashion symbol will be never answered, but the fact is that she remains testimony to the fact that obesity has been with us for several millennia.