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Background: Hemorrhagic stroke, involving bleeding within the brain or surrounding areas, presents a distinct profile of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Hemorrhagic strokes are more common in older adults. However, younger individuals with certain risk factors can also be affected. This study aimed to find out the socio-economic characteristics of hemorrhagic stroke patients. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in the Medicine In-patients Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from October 2009 to March 2010. A total of 60 cases of hemorrhagic stroke were enrolled using a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was performed using MS Office tools. Results: The mean age of participants was 50.33 ± 8.93 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. 13.3% were illiterate, 60% had a monthly family income of over 10,000 BDT. Family history of stroke was reported by 13.3%, 28.3% experienced symptoms during sleep, 20% during work, and 15% during excitement. 58.3% experienced a sudden onset of symptoms. Frequent comorbidities included hypertension (40.0%) and diabetes mellitus (30.0%). Headache was the most common symptom (66.7%). Neurological exams showed normal consciousness in 66.7%, with varying grades in the remainder. Normal speech was noted in 70.0%, normal muscle bulk in 91.7%, and hypertonic muscle tone in 80.0%. Among hemorrhagic stroke patients, 51.7% had right-sided intracerebral hemorrhage on CT. Conclusion: Older adults are particularly susceptible to hemorrhagic stroke. Most patients experience a sudden onset of symptoms, with headaches being the most common. Typically, patients retain normal consciousness, speech, muscle tone, and muscle bulk in the majority of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Bangladesh, each emergency physician faces amitriptyline overdose nearly a day. An acute cardiovascular complication, one of the worst complications is mainly responsible for the mortality in tricyclic overdose. Recently, we managed ventricular tachycardia in a young female presented with an impaired consciousness 10 h after intentionally ingesting 2500 mg amitriptyline. Here, we report it, discuss how the electrocardiography is vital to acknowledge and predict it and its' complications and also the recent update of the management of it. Case presentation: A young married Bangladeshi-Bengali girl, 25-year-old, having a history of disharmony with her husband, came with an impaired consciousness after intentionally ingesting 2500 mg amitriptyline about 10 h before arrival. There was blood pressure 140/80 mmHg, heart rate 140 beats-per-min, temperature 103 ±F, Glasgow coma scale 10/15, wide complex tachycardia with QRS duration of 178 ms in electrocardiography, blood pH 7.36. Initially, treated with 100 ml 8.4% sodium bicarbonate. After that, QRS duration came to 100 ms in electrocardiography within 10 min of infusion. To maintain the pH 7.50-7.55 over the next 24 h, the infusion of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate consisting of 125 ml dissolved in 375 ml normal saline was started and titrated according to the arterial blood gas analysis. Hence, a total dose of 600 mmol sodium bicarbonate was given over next 24 h. In addition to this, gave a 500 ml intravenous lipid emulsion over 2 h after 24 h of admission as she did not regain her consciousness completely. Afterward, she became conscious, though, in electrocardiography, ST/T wave abnormality persisted. So that, we tapered sodium bicarbonate infusion slowly and stopped it later. At the time of discharge, she was by heart rate 124/min, QRS duration 90 ms in electrocardiogram along with other normal vital signs. Conclusion: Diagnosis of amitriptyline-induced ventricular tachycardia is difficult when there is no history of an overdose obtained. Nevertheless, it should be performed in the clinical background and classic electrocardiographic changes and wise utilization of sodium bicarbonate, intravenous lipid emulsion, and anti-arrhythmic drugs may save a life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Mangiferin is a xanthonoid present in Mangifera indica. It has been reported for a variety of pharmacological activities, including hepatoprotection. However, the major disadvantage of mangiferin is its reduced biological activity due to poor absorption, low bioavailability and rapid elimination from the body after administration. The aim of this study was to prepare a phospholipid complex of mangiferin to overcome these limitations and to investigate the impact of the complex on hepatoprotective activity and bioavailability. RESULTS The results showed that the complex has an enhanced hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant activity as compared to pure mangiferin at the same dose level (30 and 60 mg kg−1). The complex restored the levels of serum hepatic marker enzymes and liver antioxidant enzymes with respect to carbon tetrachloride-treated animals. The complex also increased the bioavailability of mangiferin in rat serum by 9.75-fold compared to pure mangiferin at the same dose level and enhanced the elimination half-life ( t1/2 el) from 1.71 ± 0.12 h−1 to 3.52 ± 0.27 h−1. CONCLUSION The results suggested that the complexation of mangiferin with soya phospholipid enhanced the hepatoprotection and in vivo antioxidant activity, which may be due to the improved bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of mangiferin in rat serum. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunomodulatory activity of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome was evaluated for its standardized extract (NNRE) with respect to betulinic acid. Various key parameters including erythrocyte membrane stabilization, inhibition of histamine release, reduction in nitric oxide production and depletion of expression of costimulatory molecules of macrophages were estimated. The result displayed that NNRE stabilized erythrocyte membrane significantly at 10 (42.05%) and 100 μg/mL (44.31%). Although considering the protection of mast cells from degranulation, NNRE showed 38.66% (100 μg/mL) and 69.66% (10 μg/mL) degranulation against compound 48/80 (C 48/80). NNRE at 1 and 5 μg/mL inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of macrophages by decreasing the expression of costimulatory molecules. Expression of CD40, CD80, and CD86 by NNRE was seen significantly at 5 μg/mL compared to LPS-treated group. The extracts also inhibited the nitrite concentration at 1 and 5 μg/mL compared to LPS-treated group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]