Current Issue : October - December Volume : 2010 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 7 Articles
Hypersensitivity to Anisakis simplex is a worldwide medical problem. IgE sensitization to this parasite should be suspected in patients with acute allergic symptoms after ingestion of fish. The aim of this study was to detect the immunological response in experimental mice, through measurement of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in their lymphocytes by flow cytometry, following the ingestion of Anisakis simplex crude antigen. Sixty Swiss albino mice were divided into non infected control and infected experimental groups which were further subdivided into five subgroups. The percentage of IgE antibodies was measured in the lymphocytes of their splenic suspensions at zero, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th weeks post inoculation using Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) anti – mouse IgE, and were analyzed on a FACS Calibur flow cytometer Becton Dickinson equipped with an argon-ion laser apparatus operating at 488 nm the percentage of IgE antibodies was enhanced in lymphocytes of animals exposed to Anisakis antigen from the first week, peaking three weeks following initial exposure, starting a decline by week five and decreased more by the seventh week, as compared to the control group the results obtained from this study proved the efficacy of flow cytometry in detecting the sensitization against Anisakis simplex through the measurement of IgE antibodies....
Background: Metformin induced impaired vitamin B12 absorption leading to fall in serum cobalamin levels has been described in literature as early as 1971. Approximately 10% of patients and in some studies 30% of patients on metformin therapy developed metformin related cobalamin deficiency. The risk of cobalamin deficiency is comparatively more among patients with vegetarian diet than in non vegetarians. So, the objectives of the our project were to study the serum vitamin B12 levels in type 2 diabetic patients on long term metformin monotherapy and to study the relationship of serum B12 levles to dietary habits. Methods: A total of 45 patients were chosen by using available database of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on metformin monothearapy or insulin and metformin. These patients were asked to visit the hospital by contacting them through telephone. By using a pilot tested proforma, details were collected on demographic data, dietary habits. Duration of treatment with metformin and dose of metformin was also noted. After taking their informed consent, 5 ml of blood was collected and sent to the central laboratory for active vitamin B12 estimation. Thirty age sex matched non diabetic controls were also chosen, who also underwent serum B12 estimation. Results: Our results showed that mean B12 of patients in study group and control group was 50.62pml (picomoles)/dl and 40.66pml/dl respectively (p= 0.301). The sub group analysis showed that mean B12 levels was significantly lower among vegetarian cases (37.25pml/dl) and controls (18.08pml/dl) compared to non vegetarians. Conclusion: Our study shows that long term metformin monotherapy is not a risk factor for development of vitamin B12 deficiency. Vegetarians are at higher risk of B12 deficiency, irrespective of metformin use and non vegetarians are well protected....
Pharmacoepidemiology links exposure and outcome in terms of therapeutic gain, length and quality of life or adverse events for any appropriate subgroups in any selected drug. It can be useful in providing information about the beneficial and harmful effects of any drug and thus permits a better assessment of the risk/benefit balance for the use of any particular patient. Adverse effects of drug products are more commonly observed after marketing. Therefore drug surveillance programs are important ways for drug regulatory agencies to keep their fingers on the pulse of adverse drug experiences of countries. Pharmacoepidemiologic investigations involve evaluation of adverse and beneficial drug effects, medication utilization patterns, drug effects on quality of life and economic impacts of medication use. Pharmacoepidemiology provides the best available evidence supporting or refuting a hypothesis, otherwise lacking data so that health policy can be written. Unlike the West, where drug usage is strictly prescription based, “over the counter” drugs are freely available in India. This leads to misuse and its consequences. The discipline of Pharmacoepidemiology promises to maintain a close watch over the use of drugs and their effects on people....
A bioequivalence study between Pregabalin SR 300mg tablet (Test, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd., India) and Pregabalin SR 300mg tablet (Reference, LYRICATM of Pfizer Gmbh, Germany) as reference was carried out in 24 healthy human volunteers under fed condition. The study design used was an open label, randomized, two period, two treatments, crossover, and bioavailability study. Blood samples were taken before, and up to 36 hrs after drug administration. Plasma samples were analyzed to quantify the concentration of pregabalin using a validated LC-MS/MS bioanalytical method. The pharmacokinetic parameters, Cmax and Tmax, were obtained directly from plasma concentration data, Kel was estimated by linear least-square regression analysis using the last three (or more) non-zero plasma concentrations, and the Area under Curve (AUC) was calculated by the linear trapezoidal rule. When Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf were analysed using analysis of variance, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two different Pregabalin SR 300mg tablet under fed conditions. The 90% confidence interval for pregabalin log transformed parameters (AUC0-t) and (AUC0-inf) were 97.87 to 104.00 and 96.54 to 101.79 respectively. All of these values were within the bioequivalence acceptance range of 80-125%. We found that both formulations were bioequivalent and therefore interchangeable in clinical practice....
In the present study, effect of doxorubicin alone and in combination with vitamin E was assessed on cardiac and liver biomarkers. Rats were divided into four groups of 8 male rats in each. Group 1 served as control, group 2 (doxorubicin toxic control) was given doxorubicin dissolved in sterile distilled water @ 2 mg/kg b.wt intraperitoneally on day 1, 7, 14, 21. Groups 3 and 4 were administered doxorubicin as in group 2 + vitamin E @ 150 and 500 mg/kg b.wt., respectively through oral route daily for 28 days. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls and troponins (serum salt soluble proteins), and the activity of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum aspartate transaminase (AST) were increased in group 2 as compared to control group. The concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH), and the activity of CYP450, Na+/K+ ATPase and Mg+2 ATPase were reduced in group 2 as compared to control group. The groups 3 and 4 revealed improvement in the parameters in study. In conclusion, the study revealed that doxorubicin induces cardiac and hepatic damage by inducing oxidative stress and supplementation of vitamin E is beneficial in countering the adverse effects....
Pharmacovigilance is 'the pharmacological science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problem according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is concerned with the post-marketing surveillance of medicines and the use of the information generated for education and effective drug regulation. Spontaneous (voluntary) ADR reporting contributes significantly to successful Pharmacovigilance. ADR- databases obtained from these reporting is enormously significant in ascertainment of the benefit-risk ratio of some drugs as well as in signal detection of unsuspected and unusual ADRs previously undetected in initial evaluation of a drug. This information may be useful in identifying and minimizing preventable ADRs while generally enhancing the knowledge of the prescribers to deal with ADRs more efficiently. At the same time proper ADR database contributes a lot in withdrawal of harmful drugs from the market. Under-reporting however remains a major draw-back of spontaneous reporting. Reasons for under-reporting include lack of knowledge, awareness, and training. Good ADR-database can be generated by encouraging the doctors for spontaneous reporting. Hence, every country needs an effectively functioning Pharmacovigilance programme and knowledge about the programme in health professional...
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by an infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a slow growing bacterium, evolved from soil bacterium more than 10,000 years ago and is a respiratory transmission infectious disease. It is a single largest infectious disease in the world and nearly 32% of the world�s population is infected with TB. Among the infected individuals approximately 8 million develop active TB, and almost 2 million of these die from this disease and 95 % of new TB cases occurs in developing countries every year.1-5. The bacteria, that cause the disease, are inhaled in the form of microscopic droplets that comes from a person with tuberculosis. After the tuberculosis bacteria have been inhaled, they reach the lungs and, within approximately six weeks, a small infection appears, that rarely gives any symptoms and is known as the primary infection. They then spread through the blood and may also remain dormant if the immune system of the person is good. They get reactivated if the immune system is weak and affect the lungs. It can be diagnosed by chest X-ray examination. Quicker methods using DNA techniques are under development, and a skin reaction Mantoux test is carried out....
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