Search

Background: Central obesity a worldwide metabolic and cosmetic problem poses significant health risk. Ajwa date seed has antioxidant property and its high fiber content may prevent fat absorption and reduce fat deposition. Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ajwa date seed powder on visceral fat depots and inflammatory response in high fat fed Sprague Dawley female rats. Methodology: Thirty-six healthy rats of four weeks age were divided into three groups and followed for 12 weeks. Group A (normal control) received regular diet. Group B (HFD control) received high fat diet, while group C (HFD+Ajwa group) received high fat diet along with 2% Ajwa date seed powder. Body weight was measured weekly. Blood sample was drawn for the estimation of serum IL-6 and leptin levels by ELISA method at 12th week. After which rats were euthanized; perinephric fat was removed and weighed in grams. Results: HFD+Ajwa group gained less body weight as compared to HFD control group (p value = 0.012). There was a remarkable reduction in perinephric fat weight (p value ≤ 0.001) and level of IL-6 in HFD+Ajwa group (p value ≤ 0.001) as compared to HFD control. There was no significant difference in serum leptin level of the rats of all groups (p value = 0.567). Conclusion: Ajwa date seed can prevent visceral adiposity and gain in body weight. Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory effect; but no significant effect on satiety hormone. Key Words: Obesity, Visceral fat, P. dactylifera L (Ajwa date) seed, IL-6, Leptin.

Background: Pelvic pain around the time of mensturation without any identifiable pathologic lesion present from menarche is called primary dysmenorrhea. The pain is believed to be related to prostaglandin (PG). Women with dysmenorrhoea have a relatively high concentration of PGF 2 alpha in menstrual fluid and suppression of PG synthesis has become the main treatment. Aim: To compare mean reduction in pain in patients presenting with primary dysmenorrhea given vitamin E & Mefenamic acid versus Mefenamic acid alone. Results: It was a randomized controlled trial which was conducted in Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, THQ Raiwind Hospital, Lahore for 6 months duration w.e.f 01/02/2017 to 31/07/2017. In this study, 18(36%) in Vitamin-E group and 21(42%) in Mefenamic acid group were between 15-20 years while 32(64%) in Vitamin-E group and 29(58%) in Mefenamic acid group were between 21-25 years, mean±sd was calculated as 20.86±2.92 and 20.66±2.86 years respectively, mean dysmenorrheal pain at baseline was recorded as 50.06±10.27 in Vitamin-E group and 50.14±10.28 in Mefenamic acid group, p value < 0.754, showing that both groups are insignificant, mean dysmenorrheal pain after treatment was recorded as 20.50±10.04 in Vitamin-E group and 30.22±10.28 in Mefenamic acid group, p value was < 0.002 showing significant difference between the two group, comparison of mean reduction in dysmenorrheal pain after treatment was recorded as 20.56±0.91 in Vitamin-E group and 10.92±0.75 in Mefenamic acid group, p value was < 0.000, showing significant difference. Conclusion: We concluded that there is a significant mean reduction in dysmenorrhic pain in patients given Mefenamic Acid + Vitamen E as compared to patients given Mefenamic Acid alone. Keywords: Dysmenorrhic pain, Mefenamic Acid + Vitamen E, mean reduction in dysmenorrhic pain

Purpose: The aim of this study was to find out Bacterial etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacteria causing infective keratitis at a tertiary care hospital of LahoreStudy Design:Descriptive cross sectional studyStudy Place and Study Period: PGMI/AMC/LGH, Lahore, in 2015 - 2018. Sample Collection: Non-probability convenience samplingMaterial and Methods: The corneal scrapings taken by the ophthalmologist was immediately inoculated on Chocolate agar, Blood agar and MacConkay agar culture plates with the help of sterilized wire loop in the operation theater.These plates were taken to laboratory for incubation and further microbiological processing. After inoculating on the culture agar plates, the scrapings from cornea were smeared on glass slides with the help of sterilized wire loop. The smears were air-dried stained with Gram’s stain, Kinyoun stain and Giemsa stain. The culture and staining were further processed for microbiological analysis of bacterial etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility.Results:7 of each cases of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated accounting 28% of total bacteria. Gram negative bacteria are relatively sensitive to all groups of antibiotics as compared to Gram positive bacteria who were resistant of major groups of antibiotic like Fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Conclusion:We concluded that a cumulative antimicrobial data should be published from laboratory on antimicrobial susceptibiblity pattern of bacterial keratitis for its empirical treatment.

Justicia adhatoda is widely used in traditional medicine for treatment of menorrhagia, piles and bleeding disorders. Oral antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs are routinely prescribed to patients with cardiovascular diseases. These drugs have one major adverse effect that they can cause spontaneous haemorrhage, which can be fatal. Development of a haemostatic agent can help in effective management of drug-induced haemorrhages. This study was devised to observe the effect of leaf extract of Justicia adhatoda on coagulation profile in mice and to evaluate its effect on in-vitro platelet aggregation.The study was divided into two parts. First part was designed to evaluate the effect of J. adhatoda leaf extract on coagulation parameters. Three drugs were used to induce coagulopathy viz., warfarin, aspirin and dabigatran. Bleeding time, platelet count, PT and APTT were estimated. Second part of this study was devised to observe the effect of J. adhatoda leaf extract on in vitro platelet aggregation of human. Percent aggregation was recorded by light transmission aggregometer for three minutes.Leaf extract of Justicia adhatoda decreased bleeding time from 6.1±2.36 minutes in normal control to 1.9±1.03 minutes in extract treated mice. There was no effect on the coagulation parameters. Platelet count increased significantly only in the aspirin treated group that received the extract to 540±46.8x103 /μl from 436.9±37.9x103 /μl of aspirin treated group. Platelet aggregation in vitro increased in a dose dependent manner.Justicia adhatoda leaf extract is effective in controlling excessive bleeding in vivo, in mice with acquired platelet defect produced by aspirin. This haemostatic effect is probably due to increased platelet aggregation as indicated by the in vitro results.

Objectives: This study was done to observe the effect of Enterococcus faecium SF68 and Saccharomyces boulardii in acute severe diarrhea in infants. Methods: It was a single blind, randomized controlled clinical trial done in Children Hospital, Lahore. The infants were selected between 6 months to 12 months of age. All the infants were suffering from acute diarrhea with severe dehydration. Total 105 infants were selected and randomly divided into three groups having 35 infants in each group. Infants in group A received standard treatment of diarrhea. Infants in group B and C received Enterococcus faecium SF68 and Saccharomyces boulardii respectively twice daily for five days along with standard treatment of diarrhea. All the infants were monitored for five days. The treatment response was observed in terms of frequency of diarrhea, duration of diarrhea, stool consistency and length of hospital stay. Results: The frequency of diarrhea, duration of diarrhea and length of hospital stay were significantly reduced in both group B and C as compared to group A. Conclusion: Enterococcus faecium SF68 and Saccharomyces boulardii helped to reduce the stool frequency, duration of diarrhea, length of hospital stay and also improved the stool consistency in acute severe diarrhea in infants. Key Words: Probiotics, Enterococcus faecium SF68, Saccharomyces boulardii, Acute severe Diarrhoea How to Cite: Ahmad F.K, Zeeshan M.K, Mudabbir A.R, Irum Z, Perveen F, Chiragh S. Protective Effect of Enterococcus Faecium Sf68 and Saccharomyces Boulardii in Acute Severe Diarrhea in Infants: Randomized Controlled Trial. Esculapio.2020;16(04):59-65.

Introduction Depression is one of the most incapacitating psychiatric diseases that disturb life of millions of people round the globe. Its major causes include stressful life events, bereavement, social abuses or certain biological and genetic factors with complex causal mechanisms. Higher salivary cortisol levels for a long period lead to dyslipidemias which increase body mass index (BMI), elevate adiposity and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Such individuals with high quartiles of BMI have considerably higher risk of major depressive disorder. The aim of this study was to establish a correlation between major depression, BMI and salivary cortisol. Methods This cross-sectional analysis was accomplished in the Physiology Department, Sheikh Zayed Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore as well as in Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Lahore, Pakistan, over a period of six months. A total of 60 participants aged between 18 and 60 years were included in this study; they were divided equally into two groups as normal healthy individuals with no physical or mental illness and severely depressed groups. The patients were categorized as cases of severe depression on outdoor clinical assessment and further confirmed by ICD-10. Patient's BMI was estimated by measuring height in meters (m) and weight in kilograms (kg), and then dividing weight with square height. Early morning saliva samples were collected. Estimation of cortisol levels in saliva was done through ELISA. SPSS version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean BMI in normal healthy group was 22.02 ± 4.21, while the mean BMI in severely depressive group was 24.64 ± 3.58. The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.012). The mean salivary cortisol level was significantly raised in patients with major depression (2.23 ± 1.69 nmol/L) in contrast to healthy normal individuals (1.46 ± 0.91 nmol/L), with p-value = 0.031. Conclusion BMI and depression has a very noteworthy correlation and there is a remarkable link between raised salivary cortisol, greater BMI and development of major depression.

Hyperlipidemia is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. In addition to current therapeutic strategies, a lot of work is being done on nutraceutical management of this condition. This study was designed to assess the effect of date seed powder on lipid profile of diet induced hyperlipidemic rabbits.Thirty male rabbits were divided into five groups, having six animals in each. One group was given normal rabbit chow throughout the study period of eight weeks. The remaining four groups were fed high fat diet (4% coconut oil and 1% cholesterol powder) for first four weeks in order to induce hyperlipidemia. After first four weeks, 2% date seed powder of three Pakistani varieties namely Dhakki, Khudrawi and Desi was added to the diet of three experimental hyperlipidemic groups for the next four weeks. Body weight and blood samples were taken at zero, 4th and 8th week of study. Serum was analyzed for total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and serum triglycerides. LDL/HDL ratio and AIP were calculated.It was observed that date seed powder of the three varieties significantly decreased total cholesterol, serum triglycerides and AIP. There was no significant change in body weight, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL/HDL ratio. LDL cholesterol was decreased significantly only by Khudrawi date seed powder.It was concluded that date seed powder has marked antihyperlipidemic properties. However, the difference in appearance, taste and price of different dates does not affect their lipid lowering capacity.