Smita Shenoy

Antiovulatory and abortifacient effects of Areca catechu (betel nut) in female rats.

Objectives: To study the antiovulatory and abortifacient effects of ethanolic extract of Areca catechu in female rats. Materials and Methods: For antiovulatory effect, ethanolic extract of A. catechu at 100 and 300 mg/kg doses was administered orally for 15 days. Vaginal smears were examined daily microscopically for estrus cycle. Rats were sacrificed on 16th day. Ovarian weight, cholesterol estimation, and histopathological studies were done. Abortifacient activity was studied in rats at 100 and 300 mg/kg doses administered orally from 6th to 15th day of pregnancy. Rats were laparotomised on 19th day. The number of implantation sites and live fetuses were observed in both horns of the uterus. Results: The extract of A. catechu showed a significant decrease in the duration of estrus at 100 mg/kg (P = 0.015) and 300 mg/kg doses (P = 0.002) as compared with control. Metestrus phase was also significantly reduced at 100 mg/kg (P = 0.024) and 300 mg/kg doses (P = 0.002). There was a significant increase in proestrus (P < 0.001) phase. However, diestrus phase was unchanged. Histopathological study of the ovaries showed mainly primordial, primary, and secondary follicles in the test groups as compared to control. There was also a significant (P = 0.002) decrease in ovarian weight and a significant (P = 0.021) increase in ovarian cholesterol level at 100 mg/kg dose. In the study to evaluate abortifacient effect, the mean percentage of abortion with 100 and 300 mg/kg doses were 75.5% and 72.22%, respectively, which was significantly (P = 0.008 and P = 0.006, respectively) increased when compared with control. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of A. catechu at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg has antiovulatory and abortifacient effects.

Evaluation of antiinflammatory activity of Tephrosia purpurea in rats

Objective: To evaluate the antiinflammatory activity of orally administered ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea in acute and subacute inflammation in rats. Methods: An ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea was prepared. Carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma were the models for acute and subacute inflammation respectively. Four groups of rats in each model were treated orally with 2% gum acacia, 100 mg /kg of aspirin, 500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea respectively. In carrageenan induced paw edema model, subplantar injection of 1% carrageenan was made into the hind paw of the rats sixty minutes after the administration of the respective drugs. The paw volume was measured immediately after injection of carrageenan, at 3 hours and at 6 hours. Then percentage inhibition of edema was calculated. In the cotton pellet granuloma model,animals were administered drugs for six days after placing cotton pellets in the axilla on each side. On the 7th day, dry weight of granuloma was calculated. Results: The rats treated with Tephrosia purpurea did not exhibit any significant decrease in paw volume and serum ceruloplasmin levels as compared to the control and aspirin treated groups in the acute inflammation model; while, there was a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the weight of granuloma in Tephrosia purpurea and aspirin treated groups as compared to control in subacute inflammation. Conclusions: The ethanolic extract of orally administered Tephrosia purpurea shows significant antiinflammatory effect in subacute inflammation but not in acute inflammation in rats.

Effect of Phyllanthus niruri. Linn on burn wound in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri. Linn (Euphorbiaceae) on experimentally induced burn wound model in rats and to evaluate whether it reverses the wound healing in steroid suppressed rats. Methods: Two models including burn wound model and dexamethasone suppressed burn wound model were used in the study. The formulations of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri were prepared in gum acacia at 8% and in ointment base at 10% and were administered orally (400 mg/kg) and externally respectively. The parameters studied were the wound contraction and the period of epithelialisation. Results: In burn wound model, oral and topical administration of Phyllanthus niruri did not show any significant effects in wound contraction and period of epithelialisation when compared to control. In dexamethasone suppressed hum wound model, wound contraction rate was increased significantly by topical (P＜0.001) and oral (P＜0.001) administrations of Phyllanthus niruri by about 47.57% and 26.16% respectively. Topical administration has shown significant (P＜0.05) enhancement of wound contraction than oral dosage form. Dexamethasone depressed epithelialisation period was reversed significantly by topical (P＜0.0001) and oral (P＜0.001) administrations of Phyllanthus niruri by about 32.5% and 21.3% respectively. Conclusions: Both topical and oral administrations of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri are found to reverse dexamethasone suppressed burn wound healing.

DNA Methylation and Chromatin Remodeling: The Blueprint of Cancer Epigenetics

Epigenetics deals with the interactions between genes and the immediate cellular environment. These interactions go a long way in shaping up each and every persons individuality. Further, reversibility of epigenetic interactions may offer a dynamic control over the expression of various critical genes. Thus, tweaking the epigenetic machinery may help cause or cure diseases, especially cancer. Therefore, cancer epigenetics, especially at a molecular level, needs to be scrutinised closely, as it could potentially serve as the future pharmaceutical goldmine against neoplastic diseases. However, in view of its rapidly enlarging scope of application, it has become difficult to keep abreast of scientific information coming out of various epigenetic studies directed against cancer. Using this review, we have attempted to shed light on two of the most important mechanisms implicated in cancer, that is, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) methylation and histone modifications, and their place in cancer pathogenesis. Further, we have attempted to take stock of the new epigenetic drugs that have emerged onto the market as well as those in the pipeline that offer hope in mankinds fight against cancer.

Adverse Reactions of Ferric Carboxymaltose

The author reports a 55-year-old female diagnosed of chronic kidney disease grade-5 with associated co-morbidities like type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy and hypothyroidism was admitted for arteriovenous fistula construction. She was started on ferric carboxymaltose for the treatment of anaemia. She was given a test dose before administering the drug intravenously and she did not develop any reaction. The drug ferric carboxymaltose was then administered over a period of one hour. About half an hour after drug administration, the patient developed breathlessness and myalgia. After half hour of the above episode of breathlessness and myalgia she also developed vomiting (one episode). Patient was managed with oxygen therapy, IV fluids and other drugs like corticosteroids, phenaramine maleate and nalbuphine which controlled the above symptoms.

Modification of First-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Treatment-naive, HIV Positive Patients

Introduction: Modification of initial Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) program is an important issue in HIV infected patients as the number of ART regimens available is limited. Hence, there is a need to understand the factors that affect modification and therefore, the durability of the initial antiretroviral regimen. Aim: To study the type of modification of first line ART in treatment-naive HIV positive patients and factors influencing it. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out in the HIV clinic of a tertiary care hospital, using data obtained from the case records of the subjects who were initiated on ART between January 2012 to December 2014. Data on patient baseline characteristics, proportion of patients who required modification, type and time of modification was collected. The determinants of time to modification were analysed using Chi-square test. Binomial logistic regression was utilized to assess independent risk factors for change in regimen. Results: Out of 200 case records analysed, 54 patients had to undergo a modification in their initial regimen. The mean age of patients was 44.68 ± 11.31 years. Majority of the patients were males. The most common reason for modification was Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) (79.63%) followed by treatment failure (9.25%). In 85.18% cases, modification involved substitution. Occurrence of ADRs and non-tenofovir based first-line regimens were associated with higher likelihood of substitution in regimen (p<0.05). The median time (IQR) to modification was 173 (152.25, 293.50) days. Conclusion: ADRs and the use of non-tenofovir based regimens resulted in significantly higher rates of modification of antiretroviral therapy. There should be monitoring of patients on ART to detect ADRs at the earliest and to obtain increased use of single tablet containing tenofovir based regimen to improve durability of first line regimens.

Comparison of Two Therapeutic Regimes, Lenalidomide with Dexamethasone and Thalidomide with Dexamethasone, in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India

BACKGROUND Multiple myeloma accounts for 1% of all neoplastic disorders and 10% of all haematological malignancies. Drugs like thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib have emerged as active drugs in the treatment of multiple myeloma.There are few studies which have compared thalidomide-dexamethasone (thal/dex) and lenalidomide-dexamethasone (len/dex) in the treatment of multiple myeloma in Indian scenario. AIM To compare the efficacy and the adverse events observed with thalidomide-dexamethasone and lenalidomide-dexamethasone in the treatment of newly diagnosed cases of multiple myeloma. SETTINGS AND DESIGN Observational Study conducted in tertiary care centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS The case record files of patients from the year January 2006 to July 2011 with diagnosis of multiple myeloma were studied. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Primarily Descriptive. RESULTS There was no significant difference between thal/dex and len/dex treatment groups with respect to efficacy and safety in our study. CONCLUSION Studies with larger sample size and a longer follow up to compare efficacy and safety of thal/dex and len/dex in treatment of multiple myeloma are required to be carried out to provide significant results.