African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ISSN 2198-4638 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Hormonal actions of vitamin D and its role beyond just being a vitamin: A review article

Khurshid Ahmad Khan^1,2*, Professor Javed Akram¹ and Marium Fazal¹

¹Allama Iqbal Medical College and Jinnah Hospital Lahore, University of Health Sciences Lahore, Pakistian.

²Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

Accepted 16 October, 2019

Abstract

Over the last decade there has been considerable evolution of our understanding of vitamin D metabolism and its biological activity. The discovery that most tissues and cells in the body have vitamin D receptors and that several possess the enzymatic machinery to convert the primary circulating form of vitamin D to its active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, has provided new insights into the function of this vitamin. Aside from calcium homeostasis vitamin D has been demonstrated to exert a wider range of biological activities including regulation of cellular differentiation and proliferation, immune functions, reproduction, and of special significance is to note its role in reducing the risk of many chronic illnesses, including common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular disease. Although it is fascinating that its in vitro biological activities were previously known in the past 2 decades, the physiological context of these is showing proof in many human studies now. Undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency is very common and 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the barometer for vitamin D status. Magnitude of this vitamin deficiency is so massive that unless some substantial measures are taken for its correction with supplementation, appropriate sun exposure and public education we may go back to where we were in 19th century, in terms of skeletal health and other newly discovered problems with vitamin D deficiency, when seeing patients with advanced rickets and osteomalacia was not an uncommon sight at all.

Key words: 25(OH) D, 25-hydroxy vitamin D; 1,25(OH)₂D, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D.

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ISSN 2198-4638 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research paper

Analgesic activity of bark of Murraya paniculata

Manas Kumar Podder, Biswa Nath Das, Achinto Saha and Muniruddin Ahmed*

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Accepted 18 November, 2019

Abstract

Murraya paniculata is a common plant widely available in Bangladesh. Different parts of the plant have been used extensively in various traditional formulations in South Asian countries. In order to rationalize the traditional use of the bark of M. paniculata, extract of equal proportions of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol was subject to mice, to evaluate its analgesic activities. The extract of the bark of M. paniculata obtained by cold extraction at an oral dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight significantly and dose dependently reduced the frequency of acetic acid induced writhing and prolonged the tail flicking latency in mice. At the given doses, the extract showed 37 (p<0.001) and 45% (p<0.001) inhibition of writhing respectively. In radiant heat tail-flicking method the crude extract produced 56 (p<0.001) and 73% (p<0.001) elongation of flicking time after 30 min and 30 (p<0.01) and 41% (p<0.001) elongation of flicking time 60 min after oral doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight respectively. On the other hand, the bark extract exhibited 19% (p<0.05) elongation of flicking time after 120 min.

Key words: Murraya paniculata, whole extract, acetic acid induced writhing, tail flicking test, analgesic activity.

Key words: NCCLS, Etest, candifast, antifungal drugs.

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ISSN 2198-4638 Vol. 7 (12), pp. 001-004, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of leucocyte and its subgroups in iron deficiency anemia

Ali Özcan¹, Muzaffer Çakmak², Ahmet Ruhi Toraman³, Aslıhan Çolak², Hamza Yazgan⁴, Mehmet Demirdöven⁴, Osman Yoku² and Ahmet Gürel⁵*

¹Biochemistry Laboratory of Private Central Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

²Outpatient Clinics of Internal Medicine of Private Sema Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

³Health Services of Private Sema Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

⁴Pediatric Clinics of Private Sema Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

⁵Biochemistry Laboratory of Private Sema Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Accepted 10 May, 2019

Abstract

In this study, leukocyte, granulocyte, lymphocyte and monocyte count was evaluated in patients with iron deficiency anaemia. Complete blood count data from 84 patients (with iron deficiency anaemia) admitted to our hospital’s paediatrics and general medicine outpatient clinics, and 109 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, were evaluated retrospectively. Complete blood count analyses were performed with Micros 60, and serum iron and ferritin levels analyses were performed by auto analyzers. Whilst granulocyte count was higher in the group with iron deficiency anaemia, lymphocyte count was lower. No difference in monocyte count was found between the groups. Although total leukocyte count was higher in the group with anaemia, the difference was statistically insignificant. In anaemia, iron deficiency increases granulocyte but reduces lymphocyte count. The molecular basis of this dual effect of iron on cellular defence system is still, to a great extent, unexplained.

Key words: Iron deficiency anaemia, leucocyte, granulocyte, lymphocyte, monocyte.

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ISSN 2198-4638 Vol. 7 (12), pp. 001-011, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Aquatic toxicity of various pharmaceuticals on some isolated plankton species

Randa A. El-Bassat^1,2*, Hussein E. Touliabah^3,4, Gamal I. Harisa⁵ and Fotoon A.Q. Sayegh⁶

¹Biology Department, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura, University, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia.

²National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), Hydrobiology Laboratory, Egypt.

³Botany Department, Faculty of Girls for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

⁴Biology Department, Faculty of Education, Al-Jouf         University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

⁵Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, El-Azhar University, Egypt.

⁶Faculty of Girls, King Abdel-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia.

Accepted 21 June, 2019

Abstract

Four drugs belonging to different therapeutic classes were chosen to examine their toxicity on some plankton organisms of different trophic levels. They include algae (Chlorella vulgaris and Ankestrodesmus falcatus), protozoa (Paramecium caudatum), rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus) and cladocerans (Daphnia longispina). The tested drugs are erythromycin (antibiotic), fluoxetine (antidepressant), naproxen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory) and gemfibrozil (lipid regulator). Algae were found to be more sensitive than other tested species to all tested drugs. The antibiotic erythromycin seriously affected the tested organisms even at low concentrations causing remarkable drop in their growth rates compared to the Control of each species. The acute exposure to fluoxetine during the present experiment exerted dramatic effect on both tested algae, with average LC₅₀ values of 36 and 40 µg l^-1for A. falcatus and C. vulgaris, respectively. On the contrary, fluoxetine enhanced the growth rates for both B. calyciflorus and D. longispina at low concentrations. P. caudatum was the most sensitive species to naproxen exposure, recording the lowest average LC₅₀ value of 36 mg l^-1 among the tested species after 24 h. Gemfibrozil had the least effect on the tested aquatic organisms with average LC₅₀ values ranging between a minimum value of 56 mg l^-1 recorded for A. falcatus and 78 mg l^-1 for B. calyciflorus. All the tested organisms suffered from oxidative stress in different degrees as a result of drug exposure. Our results showed reduction in the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and elevation in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) levels in all tested species after exposure when compared with their activities in the control group. The results presented in this study suggest that the drugs investigated have toxic effects on the aquatic organisms tested. We concluded that there is a potential risk for non-target organisms associated with low levels of pharmaceuticals in surface waters. Chronic responses of non-target biota are not fully expected. Therefore, safe ways of discarding drug residues should be developed in order to protect the aquatic fauna.

Key words:  Catalase, lipid peroxidation, algae, zooplankton, pharmaceuticals.

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ISSN 2198-4638 Vol. 7 (11), pp. 001-005, November, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Association of anti-MCV autoantibodies with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) overlapping with various syndromes

Nageen Hussain¹* and Ghazala Jaffery²

¹Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Quaid-e-Azam University of the Punjab, Lahore-Pakistan.

²Department of Pathology, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore-Pakistan.

Accepted 23 May, 2019

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) both are the systemic autoimmune diseases. Their etiology is still unknown but it is believed that genetic, immunological and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. A total of 61 SLE patients were included in the study. This study is purely related to SLE patients. Here, anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (MCV) (Orgentec, Mainz, Germany) is detected in SLE patients by an ELISA at a cut-off value 20 U/ml. Of these 61 SLE patients, 19 had SLE overlapping with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 had SLE with Budd-Chiari syndrome, 2 had SLE with scleroderma while 20 were the total cases of lupus nephritis. Lupus nephritis patients were further subdivided into two groups: one group included 14 SLE patients with lupus nephritis alone and the second group included 6 SLE patients overlapping with Lupus nephritis (LN) and Rheumatoid arthritis. Of the 19 SLE patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 6 were also suffering from lupus nephritis. These results suggest high specificity and sensitivity of anti-MCV for SLE patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis, Budd-Chiari syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, mutated citrullinated vimentin.