Mangala Gunatilake

Prolonged breastfeeding reduces risk of breast cancer in Sri Lankan women: a case-control study.

GOAL To assess the association between duration of breastfeeding and the risk of breast cancer in Sri Lankan women. METHODS We conducted a case-control study in women aged 30-64 years in selected health care facilities in the Western province. A total of 100 recent cases of breast cancer (histologically confirmed) and 203 controls (age and parity matched) were included. Detailed information regarding breastfeeding, menstruation, reproductive factors, passive smoking and other confounders was collected using a structured questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multiple logistic regressions. PRINCIPLE RESULTS Multivariate analysis found that those women who breastfed for > or =24 months during lifetime had significantly lower risk of breast cancer than those who breastfed for less than 24 months (OR=0.40; 95%CI=0.22, 0.73). Compared to 0-11 months of lifetime breastfeeding, there was a 66.3% reduction in breast cancer risk in women who breastfed for 12-23 months, 87.4% reduction in 24-35 months and 94% reduction in 36-47 months categories. The mean duration of breastfeeding per child for > or =12 months was also associated with reduced risk of breast cancer (OR=0.52; 95%CI=0.28, 0.94). The significant factors associated with increased risk of breast cancer were: post-menopausal women (OR=1.74; 95%CI=1.01, 3.01); having an abortion in the past (OR=3.42; 95%CI=1.75, 6.66) and exposure to passive smoking (OR=2.96, 95%CI=1.53, 5.75). MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Prolonged breastfeeding significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer and this protective effect was supported by a dose-response relationship. Risk due to passive smoking should be emphasized in anti-smoking programmes.

Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) on blood glucose and lipids in a diabetic and healthy rat model.

Objectives: To evaluate short- and long-term effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum on food consumption, body weight, glycemic control, and lipids in healthy and diabetes-induced rats. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in two phases (Phase I and Phase II), using Sprague-Dawley rats in four groups. Phase I evaluated acute effects on fasting blood glucose (FBG) (Groups 1 and 2) and on post-oral glucose (Groups 3 and 4) blood glucose. Groups 1 and 3 received distilled-water and Groups 2 and 4 received cinnamon-extracts. Phase II evaluated effects on food consumption, body weight, blood glucose, and lipids over 1 month. Group A (n = 8, distilled-water) and Group B (n = 8, cinnamon-extracts) were healthy rats, while Group C (n = 5, distilled-water) and Group D (n = 5, cinnamon-extracts) were diabetes-induced rats. Serum lipid profile and HbA1c were measured on D-0 and D-30. FBG, 2-h post-prandial blood glucose, body weight, and food consumption were measured on every fifth day. Results: Phase I: There was no significant difference in serial blood glucose values in cinnamon-treated group from time 0 (P > 0.05). Following oral glucose, the cinnamon group demonstrated a faster decline in blood glucose compared to controls (P < 0.05). Phase II: Between D0 and D30, the difference in food consumption was shown only in diabetes-induced rats (P < 0.001). Similarly, the significant difference following cinnamon-extracts in FBG and 2-h post-prandial blood glucose from D0 to D30 was shown only in diabetes-induced rats. In cinnamon-extracts administered groups, total and LDL cholesterol levels were lower on D30 in both healthy and diabetes-induced animals (P < 0.001). Conclusions: C. zeylanicum lowered blood glucose, reduced food intake, and improved lipid parameters in diabetes-induced rats.

Alternatives initiative in Sri Lanka: pre- and post-conference workshops at the Inaugural Scientific Conference of the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Altex 31, 2/14 224 Alternatives Initiative in Sri Lanka: Preand Post-Conference Workshops at the Inaugural Scientific Conference of the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science Mangala Gunatilake 1, Francois Busquet 2, and Mohammad A. Akbarsha 3 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT)-Europe, Konstanz, Germany; Mahatma Gandhi-Doerenkamp Center (MGDC) for Alternatives, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India

Aerva lanata (Polpala): Its effects on the structure and function of the urinary tract

Context: Aerva lanata is not prescribed for long-term use in Ayurveda as it is believed to produce structural changes in the urinary tract of the patients leading to renal failure. Aim: To investigate the toxic effects of Aerva lanata on the structure and function of urinary tract of a rat model (Sprague-Dawley rats). Settings and Design: An experimental study. Thirty male and thirty female healthy rats were randomly assigned to three groups (test groups 1, 2 and control) and administered dried infusion of A. lanata 25g/200ml (low dose), 100g/200ml (high dose) and distilled water respectively, for 30 days. Materials and Methods: Blood and urine were collected and creatinine was measured. Creatinine clearance (Ccr) and urine flow rate (UFR) of rats were determined to assess renal function. Kidneys, ureters, and bladders of rats were harvested for light microscopic (LM) studies. Electron microscopic (EM) studies were done on kidney tissues. Statistical Analysis Used: Difference in mean values of Ccr and UFR between test groups and the control group were compared statistically using independent T test. LM and EM findings of the two treated groups (T1 and T2) were statistically compared with the control group (C) using standard normal distribution. Results: Ccr and UFR of test groups were not significantly different from that of the control group. LM studies did not show any histological changes suggesting toxicity. EM, however showed significant ultra structural changes in proximal convoluted tubular epithelial cells of rats in the two test groups. Conclusion: Administration of dried Aerva lanata for a period of one month did not produce significant effects on renal function of rats. However administration for the same period caused significant ultra structural changes in the proximal convoluted tubular epithelial cells.

Determination of the sub-lethal nephrotoxic dose of Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) venom in Wistar rats

Wistar rats were administered increasing doses of Russells viper venom (RVV; 0.025-0.4 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to investigate acute kidney injury (AKI) by measuring creatinine (1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine above baseline) and examining kidney histology. Approximately 50% of rats receiving 0.25-0.4 mg/kg venom died within 72 h. An increase in serum creatinine only occurred at a venom dose of 0.4 mg/kg, except in two rats. Acute tubular necrosis, glomerular necrosis, cortical necrosis and interstitial inflammation were observed at venom doses of ≥0.25 mg/kg in 12/36 rats. However, of those 12 rats only four survived to 48 h compared to the 24 rats not developing nephrotoxicity, in which 18 were alive at 48 h. There was poor correlation between histological nephrotoxicity and AKI based on creatinine measurement. The early death in rats with AKI makes this a poor model for studying RVV-induced AKI.

Preliminary survey on animal research statistics in Sri Lanka from 2010 onwards

Animal research is conducted in many countries across the world. However, concepts of recording and reporting the numbers of animals used vary. In the context of animal studies, inadequate reporting raises both ethical and scientific concerns. Sri Lanka has yet to publish data on animal research statistics.

Report on first certificate course on applied physiology of pain, analgesia, anesthesia, and euthanasia for laboratory animals held in Sri Lanka

Similar to human beings, pain is an unpleasant sensation experienced by animals as well. There is no exception when the animals are subjected to experimental procedures. Our duty as researchers/scientists is to prevent or minimize the pain in animals so as to lessen their suffering and distress during experimental procedures. The basics of the physiology of pain and pain perception, analgesia, anesthesia, and euthanasia of laboratory animals were included to complete the program, before the practical part was attempted and before advanced topics, such as comparison of anesthetic combinations, were discussed. Therefore, this course was organized in Sri Lanka for the first time in collaboration with the Comparative Biology Centre of Newcastle University, UK. During this course, we were able to demonstrate how an anesthesia machine could be used in laboratory animal anesthesia for the first time in the country. None of the animal houses in the country were equipped with an anesthesia machine at the time of conducting the course.

Workshop report on “Linking Teaching and Learning Physiology” in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Nov. 7–8, 2012)

the international union of physiological sciences (IUPS) Teaching Workshop entitled “Linking Teaching and Learning Physiology” was organized on Nov. 7–8, 2012, as a satellite meeting of the 3rd Biennial Conference of South Asian Association of Physiologists held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, hosted