Separation and Identification of Phenolic Acid and Flavonoids from Nerium indicum Flowers

Four major compounds were separated and identified from the methanol extracts of Nerium indicum flowers (Arali) using HPLC and mass spectral data. Through mass data, the chemical structures were elucidated as: trans5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (1), quercetin-3-O- rutinoside (2), luteolin-5-O-rutinoside (3) and luteolin-7-O-rutinoside (4). In addition, the cis isomers of 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in Nerium indicum flowers were confirmed by Mass, HPLC and UV. The structures of these compounds confirmed with the help of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.     

Glutamine and Whey Protein Improve Intestinal Permeability and Morphology in Patients with Crohn’s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background  

Increased intestinal permeability (IP) has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis, disease activity and relapse of Crohn’s disease (CD). Glutamine, the major fuel for the enterocytes, may improve IP.     

Effects of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone on TNF-α mediated cellular damage in rat arthritic synovial fibroblasts

Sexual dimorphism is a well-established phenomenon in rheumatoid arthritis, with women exhibiting higher disease severity. Understanding the role of sex hormones using in vivo animal models is limited due to the systemic effects as well as the difficulty in exploring different dose combinations of the hormones simultaneously. However, cell culture systems pose ideal systems for exploring different combinations and concentrations of the hormones simultaneously. In this study, the procedure for isolation of arthritic fibroblasts was standardized using a combination of collagenase and trypsin based on maximal yield and viability after employing different enzymatic disaggregation procedures. The cultured synovial fibroblasts from arthritic rats did not differ significantly from normal rat fibroblasts in terms of proliferation or secretion of inflammatory mediators. Stimulation of fibroblasts with TNF-α was standardized and TNF-α stimulated rat arthritic synovial fibroblasts exhibited an ideal in vitro system for screening antiinflammatory molecules. The effects of physiological and pharmacological concentrations of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone were studied on TNF-α induced cellular damage in rat arthritic synovial fibroblasts. The results showed that estrogen and testosterone exerted antiinflammatory effects on rat arthritic synovial fibroblasts at physiological and pharmacological concentrations. However, there was no significant difference in the effects between physiological and pharmacological concentrations. Progesterone independently did not show any protective effects. In combination with physiological concentrations of estrogen, progesterone abrogated estrogen's protective effect but it exhibited protection in combination with pharmacological concentrations of estrogen.     

Anihypercholesterolemic effect of Semecarpus anacardium Linn nut milk extract in high-cholesterol-fed rats

The present study was carried to bring about the hypolipidemic effect of the drug Semecarpus anacardium Linn nut milk extract (SA) in hypercholesterolemia-induced rat model. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups which included control rats, hypercholesterolemia-induced rats (high-cholesterol diet (4 %) for 30 days), hypercholesterolemic rats treated with the drug SA (200 mg/kg/b. wt oil), and the control rats treated with the drug SA (200 mg/kg/b. wt). Increased level of ROS and lipid peroxides were observed in hypercholesterolemic rats, whereas the levels of activities of antioxidant enzymes were found to be decreased in animals fed with a high-fat diet. Simultaneous administration of SA to these rats reverted back the changes to near-normal levels. Similarly, an increase in the expression of iNOS and LOX-1 were observed in high-fat-fed rats when compared to normal rats. Upon treatment with the drug SA, their expressions were brought back to near-normal levels. No adverse effects were observed in SA-alone treated group of rats, indicating its protective nature. The present study suggests that SA could play a protective role against hypercholesterolemia, thereby preventing coronary heart disease.     

The effect of growth hormone deficiency on size-corrected bone mineral measures in pre-pubertal children

Summary

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children has been frequently perceived to be a cause of low bone mass accrual. The confounding effects of poor growth limit the interpretation of prior studies of bone health in GHD. We studied size-corrected bone mineral measures in 30 pre-pubertal GHD children and 75 healthy controls. Our study shows that size-corrected whole-body bone mineral content of GHD children were comparable with controls.

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of GHD on size-corrected bone measures at the lumbar spine (LS) and the whole body (WB).

Methods

LS bone area (BA), LS bone mineral content (BMC), WB BA, WB BMC, and lean body mass (LBM) were measured in 30 pre-pubertal GHD children and 75 controls by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Multiple linear regressions were used to calculate size-corrected (Sc) LS BA_Sc, LS BMC_Sc, WB BA_Sc, and WB BMC_Sc from control subjects using height and age as independent variables. Furthermore, the relationship between muscle and bone was studied by first assessing LBM for height (LBM_Ht) and then determining WB BMC for LBM (WB BMC_LBM). All values were converted to Z-scores and compared with the control.

Results

At diagnosis, WB BMC_Sc Z-score of GHD children was not significantly different from controls. However, mean Z-scores of LS BA_Sc (?0.89?±?0.84, p?Sc (?0.70?±?1.1, p?Sc (?0.65?±?1.0, p?Ht (?0.66?±?1.7, p?Lbm (0.78?±?1.5, p?Conclusion Size-corrected WB BMC of GHD children were comparable with controls, and bones were normally adapted for muscle mass. Determinants of bone strength which may primarily be affected by GHD are muscle mass, bone size, and geometry rather than bone mass.     

Neurogenic heterotopic ossification : a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in neurorehabilitation

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is an important cause of restriction in range of movements and secondary motor disability following neurotrauma, orthopaedic interventions and burns. It has not received focussed attention in non-traumatic neurological disorders. In a prospective study of 377 patients, on medical problems in neurological rehabilitation setting, 15 subjects (3.97%) had neurogenic heterotopic ossification. Their clinical diagnosis was: transverse myelitis (7), neurotuberculosis (4), traumatic myelopathy (2) and stroke (2). Hip (10), knee (4) and elbow joints (1) were involved. The risk factors included urinary tract infection (15), spasticity (6), pressure sores (13) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) (6). The initial diagnosis was often other than HO and included DVT (3), haematoma (2) and arthritis (2). ESR and serum alkaline phosphatase levels were elevated in all but one subject. The diagnosis of HO was established using X-rays, CT Scan and three-phase bone scan. Following treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the range of motion improved in only four patients. HO resulted in significant loss of therapy time during rehabilitation. High index of suspicion about this complication is necessary for early diagnosis and prompt intervention.     

Free radical scavenging activity from leaves of Acacia nilotica (L.) Wild. ex Delile,an Indian medicinal tree

The present study compares the two extraction methods and evaluates the free radical scavenging activity of Acacia nilotica. Results indicated that the sequential extraction method was effective in concentrating the active principles in the ethanol extract as compared to the maceration method in DPPH assay. Based on the results, free radical scavenging property of the extracts obtained from sequential extraction method was analyzed in different assays to find out the possible antioxidant mechanism. Our results indicate that ethanol extract rich in phenolic and flavonoid contents had potent antioxidant activity and were significant in comparison with all the positive controls used in this study. The possible antioxidant mechanism of the ethanol extract can be due to its hydrogen or electron donating and direct free radical scavenging properties. Hence, the ethanol extract represents a source of potential antioxidants that could be used in pharmaceutical and food preparations.