Development of thrombocytosis in HIV+ drug users: impact of antiretroviral therapy

With the exception of hemolytic anemia, the potential hematological toxicity of antiretrovirals (ARV) and combination treatments in HIV treated individuals has not been well established. We report, for the first time, hematological toxicity defined as thrombocytosis in 9% of the HIV+ patients receiving highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) being followed in a nutritional clinical trial. Participants were evaluated every 6 months during a 2-year period (1998-2000) and blood drawn for biochemical, hematological and immunological parameters. NK cells were negatively correlated with platelet counts in the total cohort ( P = 0.018) and persistently elevated with ARVT. Chronic thrombocytosis was associated with significantly lower NK percentages ( P = 0.005). Twenty-five percent of the patients with thrombocytosis developed a cardiovascular disease. Together, these results support the proposal that HAART may increase the risk of hematological dysfunction and impact the risk of cardiovascular disease.     

药用植物诃子ISSR-PCR反应体系的建立与优化

目的 建立和优化药用植物诃子的ISSR-PCR反应体系.方法 以诃子叶片为实验材料,采用CTAB法提取诃子DNA为模板,通过单因素和双因素实验,研究诃子ISSR-PCR反应体系中DNA模板、Taq DNA聚合酶、Mg2+、引物、dNTPs等的用量,以及退火温度对扩增结果的影响.结果 建立了适合诃子ISSR分析的反应体系...     

A case of acute myocardial infarction caused by left main trunk disease with dilated cardiomyopathy

The bark powder of Terminalia arjuna, an indigenous plant has been found to have antianginal, decongestive and hypolipidemic effect. We planned a study to evaluate the role of T. arjuna in ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 40 patients with fresh AMI showing IMR were randomly divided into 2 groups of 20 each. They were given placebo or 500 mg of T. arjuna in addition to anti-ischemic treatment. After 1 and 3 months of follow up, patients receiving adjuvant T. arjuna showed significant decrease in IMR, improvement in E/A ratio and considerable reduction in anginal frequency.     

毛叶疏花蔷薇果提取物急性经口毒性和遗传毒性

目的 研究毛叶疏花蔷薇果提取物的急性经口毒性和遗传毒性.方法 急性经口毒性采用最大耐受量法;遗传毒性采用鼠伤寒沙门菌回复突变实验、小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核实验、小鼠精子畸形实验和单细胞凝胶电泳实验等4项致突变生物学实验进行筛选评价.结果 大鼠急性经口毒性＞ 15.0 g/kg,小鼠急性经口毒性＞20.0 g/kg;在受试剂量水平下,4项遗传毒性实验结果均为阴性.结论 在本实验室中采用SPF级动物,遵照国际公认动物伦理和技术规范进行实验,毛叶疏花蔷薇果提取物为无毒物,且未见明显遗传毒性.     

基于数据挖掘技术的含诃子藏药组方规律分析

该研究基于中医传承辅助平台(TCMISS),分析《中国医学百科全书——藏医学》、《藏医成方制剂现代研究与临床应用》、《常用藏成药诠释》等中含诃子藏药组方规律。应用该平台V2.5软件,将含诃子的方剂构建数据库,利用软件关联规则apriori算法、改进的互信息法等数据挖掘方法,分析含诃子藏药中的常用药物、药物组合频次、关联规则与核心药物组合等。对502首含诃子藏药分析后,总结出诃子常用药物组合14个,其所用药物多具有清热解毒、活血止痛、温中理气之功;主治疾病640种,其中使用频率较高(频率≥12)的有22种疾病。选择高频疾病"赤巴病"、"陈旧热症"、"食物中毒"对比分析得出诃子治疗不同疾病的核心药物组合。通过TCMISS对含诃子藏药进行统计分析,总结了诃子的临床组方规律和常用药物组合特点,为其临床应用和新药研发提供参考与新思路。     

Antibacterial effects of 18 medicinal plants used by the Khyang tribe in Bangladesh

Context: The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is raising serious concern globally. Asian medicinal plants could improve the current treatment strategies for bacterial infections. The antibacterial properties of medicinal plants used by the Khyang tribe in Bangladesh have not been investigated.

Objective: The present study examines the antibacterial properties of 18 medicinal plants used by the Khyang tribe in day-to-day practice against human pathogenic bacteria.

Materials and methods: Leaves, bark, fruits, seeds, roots and rhizomes from collected plants were successively extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. The corresponding 54 extracts were tested against six human pathogenic bacteria by broth microdilution assay. The antibacterial mode of actions of phytoconstituents and their synergistic effect with vancomycin and cefotaxime towards MRSA was determined by time-killing assay and synergistic interaction assay, respectively.

Results and discussion: Hexane extract of bark of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl. (Lauraceae) inhibited the growth of MRSA, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii with MIC values below 100 µg/mL. From this plant, cinnamaldehyde evoked at 4?×?MIC in 1?h an irreversible decrease of MRSA count Log10 (CFU/mL) from 6 to 0, and was synergistic with vancomycin for MRSA with fractional inhibitory concentration index of 0.3.

Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that the medicinal plants in Bangladesh have high potential to improve the current treatment strategies for bacterial infection.     

Bioactivity guided fractionation of methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna for its CYP3A and CYP2D inhibition in rat liver microsomes

Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) is an Indian medicinal plant belonging to the family Combretaceae and possesses numerous therapeutic activities including its immense cardioprotective activity. In the present work, a methanolic bark extract of T. arjuna was evaluated for CYP3A and CYP2D inhibition potential in rat liver microsomes (RLM). Further, the methanolic bark extract was fractionated successively using increasing polarity solvents starting with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n‐butanol. The fractions so obtained were also evaluated for their CYP3A and CYP2D inhibition potential. Probe substrates testosterone and dextromethorphan were used for CYP3A and CYP2D respectively. The IC₅₀ values for the methanolic extract and the fractions were found to be less than 50 μg/ml in RLM for both CYP3A and CYP2D isoenzymes. The most potent n‐butanol fraction was further fractionated with column chromatography to isolate the highest active constituent responsible for the activity. Fraction 4 of the n‐butanol extract was the most potent fraction with IC₅₀ values of 5.64 ± 0.735 μg/ml and 16.63 ± 0.879 μg/ml for CYP3A and CYP2D in RLM, respectively. Therefore, in vitro data indicated that the Terminalia arjuna extract contains constituents that can potentially inhibit the CYP3A and CYP2D isoenzymes which may in turn lead to pharmacokinetic drug–herb interaction.     

Kinetics of Autoxidation of an Oil Extract from Terminalia catappa

Soxhlet extractor was used in the extraction of oil from milled seeds of Terminalia catappa using petroleum ether (40-60°). The optimal oil yield was 56.71±1.66% with a viscosity of 40.79±1.05 centipoises. Other parameters of the oil were found as follows; specific gravity-0.9248, refractive index-1.4646, acid value-3.35, peroxide value-8.6, saponification value-166.2, and unsaponifiable matter-1.46. The crude oil extract was water-degummed, bleached and deodorized to generate what we called refined oil. Autoxidation of the crude and refined T. catappa oil extract was done at five different temperatures of 0±0.1°, 20±0.1°, 40±0.1°, 60±0.1° and 80±0.1° and also in the presence of pure α-tocopherol at a concentration of 1.0% (w/v) by measuring peroxide value variations over 96 h. In all evaluations, the refined oil exhibited lower tendency towards autoxidation but not at temperatures above 60±0.1°. The use of Arrhenius equation revealed generally very low activation energies of 0.0261 cal/deg×mol and 0.0122cal/deg×mol for crude oil and antioxidant-treated crude oil, respectively and 0.0690 cal/deg×mol and 0.0177 cal/deg×mol for the refined oil. This study indicates T. catappa seed oil to be potential pharmaceutical oil with excellent characteristics.     

Analysis of phytochemical profile of Terminalia arjuna bark extract with antioxidative and antimicrobial properties

Objective

To investigate phytochemical screening, antimicrobial activity and qualitative thin layer chromatographic separation of flavonoid components, antioxidant activity and total flavonoid compound of Terminalia arjuna.

Methods

For phytochemical screening, some common and available standard tests were done. Antimicrobial bioassay was done through agar well diffusion method. Detection of antioxidant activity and flavonoid compounds were done through thin layer chromatography. Total antioxidant activity was measured by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in colorimetric method. Aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used for total flavonoid determination.

Results

Phytochemical screening showed the active compounds presence in high concentration, such as phytosterol, lactones, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and tannins and glycosides. The antimicrobial activity of extract showed that greater inhibition zone against Gram negative bacteria than Gram positive bacteria. This methanolic extract showed a promising antioxidant activity, as absorption of DPPH redicles decreased in DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Flavonoids components having antioxidant property present in the methanol extract at a level of 199.00 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried methanol extract in colorimetric method.

Conclusions

The Terminalia arjuna bark extract revealed the presence of bio-active constituents which are known to exhibit medicinal as well as physiological activities.