Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Explore the Potential Mechanism of Nigella sativa for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a prevalent and potentially life-threatening disease that affects women worldwide. Natural products have gained attention as potential anticancer agents due to their fewer side effects, low toxicity, and cost effectiveness compared to traditional chemotherapy drugs. In the current study, the network pharmacology approach was used following a molecular docking study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of N. sativa-derived phytochemicals against breast cancer. Specifically, the study aimed to identify potential anticancer agents targeting key proteins implicated in breast cancer progression. Five proteins (i.e., EGFR, MAPK3, ESR1, MAPK1, and PTGS2) associated with breast cancer were selected as receptor proteins. Fourteen phytochemicals from N. sativa were prioritized based on drug-likeness (DL) and oral bioavailability (OB) parameters (with criteria set at DL > 0.18 and OB > 30%, respectively). Subsequent analysis of gene targets identified 283 overlapping genes primarily related to breast cancer pathogenesis. Ten hub genes were identified through topological analysis based on their significance in the KEGG pathway and GO annotations. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between folic acid, betulinic acid, stigmasterol, and selected receptor proteins. These phytochemicals also demonstrated druggability potential. In vitro experiments in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line revealed that betulinic acid and stigmasterol significantly reduced cell viability after 24 h of treatment, confirming their anticancer activity. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation using a DMBA-induced rat model showed that betulinic acid and stigmasterol contributed to the significant recovery of cancer markers. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying the anticancer potential of N. sativa phytochemicals against breast cancer, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic candidates for future drug development. Overall, these results highlight betulinic acid and stigmasterol as promising candidates to develop novel anticancer agents against breast cancer. The comprehensive approach of this study, which integrates network pharmacology and molecular docking study and its experimental validation, strengthens the evidence supporting the therapeutic benefits of N. sativa-derived phytochemicals in breast cancer treatment, making them promising candidates for the development of novel anticancer agents against breast cancer.

Biochemical properties and biological potential of Syzygium heyneanum with antiparkinson's activity in paraquat induced rodent model

Syzygium heyneanum is a valuable source of flavonoids and phenols, known for their antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. This research aimed to explore the potential of Syzygium heyneanum ethanol extract (SHE) in countering Parkinson's disease. The presence of phenols and flavonoids results in SHE displaying an IC50 value of 42.13 when assessed in the DPPH scavenging assay. Rats' vital organs (lungs, heart, spleen, liver, and kidney) histopathology reveals little or almost no harmful effect. The study hypothesized that SHE possesses antioxidants that could mitigate Parkinson's symptoms by influencing α-synuclein, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), TNF-α, and IL-1β. Both in silico and in vivo investigations were conducted. The Parkinson's rat model was established using paraquat (1 mg/kg, i.p.), with rats divided into control, disease control, standard, and SHE-treated groups (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg) for 21 days. According to the ELISA statistics, the SHE treated group had lowers levels of IL-6 and TNF-α than the disease control group, which is a sign of neuroprotection. Behavioral and biochemical assessments were performed, alongside mRNA expression analyses using RT-PCR to assess SHE's impact on α-synuclein, AChE, TNF-α, and interleukins in brain homogenates. Behavioral observations demonstrated dose-dependent improvements in rats treated with SHE (600 > 300 > 150 mg/kg). Antioxidant enzyme levels (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione) were significantly restored, particularly at a high dose, with notable reduction in malondialdehyde. The high dose of SHE notably lowered acetylcholinesterase levels. qRT-PCR results indicated reduced mRNA expression of IL-1β, α-synuclein, TNF-α, and AChE in SHE-treated groups compared to disease controls, suggesting neuroprotection. In conclusion, this study highlights Syzygium heyneanum potential to alleviate Parkinson's disease symptoms through its antioxidant and modulatory effects on relevant biomarkers.

In Silico identification of novel phytochemicals that target SFRP4: An early biomarker of diabesity

The simultaneous coexistence of complicated metabolic conditions like obesity and diabetes within an individual is known as diabesity. Obesity is the key factor for many chronic diseases, including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metabolic stress due to nutrient overload releases different inflammatory mediators. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) is also an inflammatory mediator that impairs insulin secretion. SFRP4 acts as an early biomarker for diabesity expressed with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in the adipose tissues that hinder the exocytosis of insulin-secreting granules from the pancreatic β-cells and is a potential target for preserving β-cell dysfunction and the diabesity treatment. The current study aimed to screen potential bioactive compounds targeting and inhibiting the diabesity-linked SFRP4 protein through an in silico approach. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of human SFRP4 was predicted through comparative modeling techniques and evaluated by various online bioinformatics tools. The molecular docking and MD simulation investigations were carried out against phytochemicals with anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties to shortlist the best SFRP4 inhibitor. Hesperetin, Curcumin, Isorhamnetin, Embelin, Epicatechin, and Methyl Eugenol interacted strongly with SFRP4 by displaying zero RMSD and binding affinities of -6.5, -6.4, -6.3, -5.3, -6.3 and -5.8 kcal/mol respectively. Additionally, the root mean square fluctuation and root mean square deviation graphs from the MD simulation results demonstrated that hesperetin has good variations throughout the simulation period as compared to others. This dynamic stability and control behavior of hesperetin, when it interacts with SFRP4, shows that it has the potential to modulate the function and activity of the protein. Therefore, hesperetin is identified as an effective and top drug candidate through this analysis for preserving beta-cell function and treating diabesity by targeting SFRP4. The findings of this study could be useful in the design and development of diabesity drugs.

HPLC-DAD analysis of Quercus leucotrichophora extract and appraisal of its antiasthmatic potential via modulation of aquaporins, inflammatory, and oxidative stress biomarkers in Albino mice

Herbal drugs offer an alternative approach for the treatment of diseases like asthma due to low cost and comparatively less adverse effects in contrast to synthetic drugs. Leaves of Quercus leucotrichophora are traditionally used for the treatment of asthma. The study was aimed to assess the anti-asthmatic activity of Quercus leucotrichophora (QL) methanolic (QLME) and aqueous extracts (QLAE) in ovalbumin-(OVA) induced asthma and chemical characterization of QL extract by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Animals were inoculated with OVA (i.p) on day 1 and 14 followed by intranasal challenge on 27th and 29th day. Both extracts of QL at 600, 300 and 150 mg/kg and dexamethasone (2 mg/kg) l were administered consecutively from days 15-26 via oral gavage. The QL extracts notably reduced (p < 0.0001-p < 0.05) total and differential leukocyte counts in blood and BALF and serum IgE levels in contrast to disease control. Both extracts and Dex substantially improved activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and GSH, while reduced malondialdehyde level in treated mice. Treatment with extracts and Dex caused significant (p < 0.0001-p < 0.05) downregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-4, - 5, - 13, - 6, - 1β, and NF-κB whereas, increased expression of Aquaporin (AQP) 1 and AQP5 in contrast to disease control. It was inferenced from findings that both extract of QL exhibited notable antiasthmatic potential might be due to presence of Daidzein-glucuronic acid, 3-Hydroxyphloretin 6'-hexoside, Catechin, Quercetin, and Kaemferol.

Identification of Ascorbic Acid and Gallic Acid as Novel Inhibitors of Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein for the Treatment of Obesity-Induced Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has been reported as major public health issue rising at an alarming rate worldwide, and obesity is the leading risk factor for the development of T2D. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) released with inflammatory mediators from adipose tissues constrains the exocytosis of insulin containing granules from the pancreatic islets that leads towards the development to T2D. The significant overexpression of SFRP4 in diabetic patients and its involvement in islet dysfunction suggest its critical role in the development of diabetes. Thus, this study was designed to explore the potential of ascorbic acid (AA) and gallic acid (GA) against SFRP4 for the treatment of diabetes. Molecular docking approach was used for the prediction of binding interactions of AA and GA at the active pocket of SFRP4. Docking analysis indicated strong binding interactions of AA and GA to the amino acid residues at the active site of SFRP4. A significant reduction in the level of SFRP4 was observed in transfected cells treated with AA and GA. For the evaluation of the cytotoxicity of AA and GA against HepG2 cells, MTT assay was performed. The results of MTT assay demonstrated that AA and GA are non-cytotoxic towards HepG2 cells at concentration of 15 μM. The oral administration of AA and GA to diet-induced obese mice caused significant reduction in body weight, blood glucose level, and SFRP4 expression. The results of this study suggest that AA and GA have potential for the treatment of obesity-induced T2D.

Compositional analysis and physicochemical evaluation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) mucilage for medicinal purposes

Objectives

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) mucilage obtained from its dried fruits was evaluated to check the proximate composition and physicochemical properties.

Methods

Commercially available date palm mucilage was precipitated using ethanol. Both (crude and purified) mucilage samples were subjected for proximate, physiochemical, biochemical and antioxidant activity using standard experimental protocols. Elemental analysis of crude date palm mucilage was also performed using LIBS.

Results

Ethanol was used to purify the mucilage (58.4% yield). Proximate analysis was carried out on crude and purified mucilages showing crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, total carbohydrates, nitrogen free extract and total energy in purified mucilage were more than the crude mucilage. Moisture and ash contents were found more in crude mucilage than the purified mucilage. Laser introduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) detected Zn, Mg, Mn, K, Na, Cu, Fe and Ca metals as components of mucilage. Biochemical profiling indicated that crude and purified mucilage have proteins, protease, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, amylase, ascorbate peroxidase, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total anthocyanin, free anthocyanin, total flavonoid contents and total phenolic contents.

Conclusion

The study shows that date palm mucilage could be potentially used as pharmaceutical and medicinal ingredient due to presence of bioactive compounds and its physicochemical properties.

Comparative genomic analysis of MYB transcription factors for cuticular wax biosynthesis and drought stress tolerance in Helianthus annuus L

Sunflower is an important oil-seed crop in Pakistan, it is mainly cultivated in the spring season. It is severely affected by drought stress resulting in lower yield. Cuticular wax acts as the first defense line to protect plants from drought stress condition. It seals the aerial parts of plants and reduce the water loss from leaf surfaces. Various myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factors (TFs) are involved in biosynthesis of epicuticular waxes under drought-stress. However, less information is available for MYB, TFs in drought stress and wax biosynthesis in sunflower. We used different computational tools to compare the Arabidopsis MYB, TFs involved in cuticular wax biosynthesis and drought stress tolerance with sunflower genome. We identified three putative MYB genes (MYB16, MYB94 and MYB96) in sunflower along with their seven homologs in Arabidopsis. Phylogenetic association of MYB TFs in Arabidopsis and sunflower indicated strong conservation of TFs in plant species. From gene structure analysis, it was observed that intron and exon organization was family-specific. MYB TFs were unevenly distributed on sunflower chromosomes. Evolutionary analysis indicated the segmental duplication of the MYB gene family in sunflower. Quantitative Real-Time PCR revealed the up-regulation of three MYB genes under drought stress. The gene expression of MYB16, MYB94 and MYB96 were found many folds higher in experimental plants than control. The present study provided the first insight into MYB TFs family's characterization in sunflower under drought stress conditions and wax biosynthesis TFs.

Phylogenetic analyses, protein modeling and active site prediction of two pathogenesis related (PR2 and PR3) genes from bread wheat

Wheat is a major staple food and has been extensively grown around the globe. Sessile nature of plants has exposed them to a lot of biotic and abiotic stresses including fungal pathogen attack. Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici causes stem rust in the wheat crop and leads to 70% decrease in its production. Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins provide plants with defense against different fungal pathogens as these proteins have antifungal activities. This study was designed to screen Pakistani wheat varieties for PR2 and PR3 proteins and their in silico characterization. PR2 and PR3 genes were screened and isolated by PCR amplification from wheat variety Chenab-70 and Frontana, respectively. The nucleotide sequences of PR2 and PR3 genes were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MT303867 and MZ766118, respectively. Physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structure predictions, and molecular docking of protein sequences of PR2 and PR3 were performed using different bioinformatics tools and software. PR2 and PR3 genes were identified to encode β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase proteins, respectively. Molecular docking of both PR2 and PR3 proteins with beta-glucan and chitin (i.e. their respective ligands) showed crucial amino acid residues involved in molecular interactions. Conclusively, molecular docking analysis of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase proteins revealed crucial amino acid residues which are involved in ligand binding and important interactions which might have important role in plant defense against fungal pathogens. Moreover, the active residues in the active sties of these proteins can be identified through mutational studies and resulting information might help understanding how these proteins are involved in plant defense mechanisms.

Mangifera indica Extracts as Novel PKM2 Inhibitors for Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Pyruvate kinase (PK), a key enzyme that determines glycolytic activity, has been known to support the metabolic phenotype of tumor cells, and specific pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) has been reported to fulfill divergent biosynthetic and energetic requirements of cancerous cells. PKM2 is overexpressed in several cancer types and is an emerging drug target for cancer during recent years. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify PKM2 inhibitors from natural products for cancer treatment. Based on the objectives of this study, firstly, plant extract library was established. In order to purify protein for the establishment of enzymatic assay system, pET-28a-HmPKM2 plasmid was transformed to E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells for protein expression and purification. After the validation of enzymatic assay system, plant extract library was screened for the identification of inhibitors of PKM2 protein. Out of 51 plant extracts screened, four extracts Mangifera indica (leaf, seed, and bark) and Bombex ceiba bark extracts were found to be inhibitors of PKM2. In the current study, M. indica (leaf, seed, and bark) extracts were further evaluated dose dependently against PKM2. These extracts showed different degrees of concentration-dependent inhibition against PKM2 at 90-360 μg/ml concentrations. We have also investigated the anticancer potential of these extracts against MDA-MB231 cells and generated dose-response curves for the evaluation of IC50 values. M. indica (bark and seed) extracts significantly halted the growth of MDA-MB231 cells with IC50 values of 108 μg/ml and 33 μg/ml, respectively. Literature-based phytochemical analysis of M. indica was carried out, and M. indica-derived 94 compounds were docked against three binding sites of PKM2 for the identification of PKM2 inhibitors. The results of in silico based screening have unveiled various PKM2 modulators; however, further studies are recommended to validate their PKM2 inhibitory potential via in vitro biochemical assay. The results of this study provide novel findings for possible mechanism of action of M. indica (bark and seed) extracts against TNBC via PKM2 inhibition suggesting that M. indica might be of therapeutic interest for the treatment of TNBC.

Investigation of Hypoglycemic Peptides Derived from Conserved Regions of adMc1 to Reveal Their Antidiabetic Activities

Diabetes mellitus is the most common chronic disorder and leading cause of renal, neurological, and gastrointestinal manifestations in developed and developing countries. Despite of many drugs and combinational therapies, the complications of diabetes are still listed due to severe consequences of those drugs. In past few years, plant-derived drugs draw special attention due to their higher efficacy and fewer side-effects. Momordica charantia also known as bitter melon is referred as an antidiabetic and hypoglycemic plant in native populations of Asia and East Africa. In current study, an in silico approach was used to evaluate the interactions and binding patterns of plant-derived peptides devised from a hypoglycemic protein adMc1 of M. charantia as potential inhibitor of DPP-IV, SGLT1, and GLUT2 receptor proteins. The study has described a novel approach to investigate hypoglycemic peptides to cure diabetes. A total of eighty tetra-, penta-, and hexapeptides were devised from conserved regions of adMc1 homologs. The molecular docking approach using MOE software was employed to reveal inhibiting potentials of devised peptides against three selected proteins. Out of 30 shortlisted ligands six peptides (i.e. SMCG, DECC, TTIT, RTTI, ARNL and TVEV) accomplished the criteria of being good drug candidates against selected receptor proteins following the drugability assessment test. The overall results are acceptable on the basis of ADMET profiling for being good drug candidates against selected proteins.

Potential role of probiotic species in ameliorating oxidative stress, effect on liver profile and hormones in male albino rat model

Probiotics are living micro-organism preparations which can vigorously inhibit the probable pathogens colonization in the gut microbial ecology. Current experiment was designed to investigate the efficacy of imported probiotic species compared with the indigenous probiotics species on the oxidative stress, enzymes, and hormones in animal model. Thirty Albino rats were equally divided into three groups with 10 rats ( n = 10) in each group as Control (C), supplemented with imported probiotic species (IP), and supplemented with indigenous probiotics species (InP) for 21 days under controlled environment. The evaluation of treatments was done by testing the serum oxidative stress markers, liver enzymes (Aspartate transaminase and Alanine aminotransferase), lipid profile, and hormonal dynamics including Lutinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), and growth hormone (GH) in albino male rats. Results revealed that use of indigenous probiotic species significantly ( p < 0.05) reduces the oxidative stress and improves the antioxidant capacity; liver enzymes, total cholesterol, and LDL-Cholesterol were also reduced significantly ( p < 0.05) in InP as compared to IP group. Moreover, results of hormones including LH, FSH, and GH explored that indigenous probiotics have significant ( p < 0.05) potential to improve these hormones as compared to imported probiotics. Although, it could be concluded that InP have beneficial role in preventing the body from oxidative stress as well as in improving the blood parameters but comprehensive studies are required to investigate the detail gut ecology of the indigenous species which will definitely a strong support in preparing a more suitable local probiotic supplement.

Pathogenic variants of AIPL1, MERTK, GUCY2D, and FOXE3 in Pakistani families with clinically heterogeneous eye diseases

Significant number out of 2.2 billion vision impairments in the world can be attributed to genetics. The current study is aimed to decipher the genetic basis of Leber congenital Amaurosis (LCA), Anterior Segment dysgenesis (ASD), and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), segregating in four large consanguineous Pakistani families. The exome sequencing followed by segregation analysis via Sanger sequencing revealed the LCA phenotypes segregating in families GCUF01 and GCUF04 can be attributed to c.465G>T (p.(Gln155His)) missense and novel c.139_140delinsA p.(Pro47Trhfster38) frameshift variant of AIPL1 and GUCY2D, respectively. The c.1843A>T (p.(Lys615*) truncating allele of MERTK is homozygous in all the affected individuals, presumably suffering with RP, of the GCUF02 family. Meanwhile, co-segregation of the ASD phenotype and the c.289A>G (p.(Ile97Val)) variant of FOXE3 was found in the GCUF06 family. All the identified variants were either absent or present in very low frequencies in the control databases. Our in-silico analyses and 3D molecular modeling support the deleterious impact of these variants on the encoded proteins. Variants identified in MERTK, GUCY2D, and FOXE3 were categorized as “pathogenic” or “likely pathogenic”, while the missense variant found in AIPL1 was deemed to have “uncertain significance” based upon the variant pathogenicity guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). This paper highlights the genetic diversity of vision disorders in the Pakistani population and reports the identification of four novel mutations in families who segregate clinically heterogeneous eye diseases. Our results give insight into the genotype-phenotype correlations of AIPL1, FOXE3, MERTK, and GUCY2D variants.

Genetic transformation of Sr22 gene in a high yielding susceptible cultivar of commercial wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

In this study, the Sr22 gene was isolated and prepared for transformation in disease-susceptible commercial high-yielding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Lasani-2008. The Sr22 fragment was initially inserted in plasmid pUC57 for sequence confirmation before performing further experiments. After confirmation, Sr22 was subcloned in pGreen0029 which helped in further cloning and ligation. pUC57-Sr22 was restricted with Nru1 and BamH1, while pGreen0029 was restricted with EcoRV and BamH1 and ligated. From pGreen0029, Sr22 was eluted and ligated in pJIT163 to insert the 2 × 35S promoter and CaMV terminator using Xho1 and BamH1 and Sal1. At this stage, the expression cassette was completed. The 2 × 35Sp-Sr22-CaMVt was then ligated in pGreen0029 and transferred to Agrobacterium along with pSOUP. pSOUP helped pGreen0029 to insert 2X35Sp-Sr22-CaMVt in the callus of Lasani-2008, along with kanamycin-resistant gene. Transgenic callus was used for regeneration of the whole plant by tissue culture. Transgenic plants were further tested by PCR, qPCR and SDS-PAGE. The transgenic Lasani-2008 showed substantial resistance against stem rust in both seedling and adult plant stages. The results also showed that transgenic Lasani-2008 has increased average yield of grains (i.e., 4893 ± 148 kg/ha) as compared to non-transgenic Lasani-2008 (i.e., with average yield of gains 4762 ± 103 kg/ha). Sr22 containing lines and the transgenic developed in this study can be used in breeding systems. Transgenic seeds developed will be shared with breeding institutes and breeders should use this information to develop new varieties.

Patient satisfaction with the implementation of electronic medical Records in the Western Region, Saudi Arabia, 2018

BACKGROUND

The implementation of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system initiated a significant transition in the healthcare system from traditional paper-based medical records to a digital version. Though EMR offers several benefits compared to Paper Medical Records (PMR), patient satisfaction with the EMR has been an area of concern. The objective of this study is to explore patient satisfaction with the EMR compared to the PMR of patients attending five Primary Healthcare Centers in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with patients who attended five Primary Health Care centers (PHCs) in the Western Region during 2018. A sample of 377 participants was invited to complete a self-developed structured questionnaire with multiple choice and Likert Scale questions. The questionnaire was distributed to participants in the PHC waiting areas.

RESULTS

The sample size realized as (n = 377) participants, the majority (65.0%) were female. The overall patient satisfaction was 3.708. Patient satisfaction with the EMR was statistically significant compared to the PMR (3.7241 vs. 3.6919, p < 0.001). Several factors provided evidence of the overall satisfaction with the implementation of the EMR, including an increase in physician attention during the clinical consultation (82.3%), increased explanation of tests and medication (85.8%), increased time spent with the patient during the consultation (80.4%) and increased active listening by the physician (77.3%). Besides, the patients felt confident to ask the physician question related to health during clinical consultation (84.0%).

CONCLUSION

Patient satisfaction during the clinical consultation and overall satisfaction with various PHC services improved with the implementation of EMR.

Characterization of antifungal metabolites produced by Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus coryniformis isolated from rice rinsed water

A recent spike in demand for chemical preservative free food has derived the scientific community to develop natural ways of food preservation. Therefore, bio-preservation could be considered as the great alternative over chemical ones owing to its potential to increase shelf-life and nutritional values of foodstuffs. In the present study, lactic acid producing bacterial species were isolated from rice rinsed water and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Lactobacillus plantarum BCH-1 (KX388380) and Lactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4 (KX388387). Antifungal metabolites from both Lactobacillus species were extracted by polarity-based solvents in which ethyl acetate showed remarkable antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus by disc diffusion assay. Different organic acids and fatty acids have been identified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, respectively. Lactic acid and citric acid were the major organic acids found in ethyl acetate fractions of L. plantarum and L. coryniformis, respectively. Similarly, 9,12-otadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-methyl ester and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester were the major fatty acids found in n-hexane fractions of L. plantarum and L. coryniformis respectively. Moreover, the isolation of novel antifungal metabolites from locally isolated Lactobacillus species was focused and it was revealed that organic acids are important contributors towards antifungal potential. A novel fatty acid (i.e. 12-hydroxydodecanoic acid) has also been explored and found as potential metabolite against filamentous fungi. Conclusively, various metabolites isolated from non-dairy source showed antifungal activity especially against Aspergillus species. Hence, these metabolites have been considered as a good choice for bio-preservation.

Exogenously Applied Ascorbic Acid-Mediated Changes in Osmoprotection and Oxidative Defense System Enhanced Water Stress Tolerance in Different Cultivars of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorious L.)

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of exogenously applied ascorbic acid (AsA) on osmoprotectants and the oxidative defense system in four cultivars (16171, 16183, 16207 and 16246) of safflower under well-watered and water deficit conditions. Water stress (60% field capacity) significantly decreased the shoot and root fresh and dry weights, shoot and root lengths and chlorophyll contents in all four safflower cultivars, while it increased the leaf free proline, total phenolics, total soluble proteins, hydrogen peroxide content and activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzymes. Foliar-applied (100 mg L-1 and 150 mg L-1) ascorbic acid caused a marked improvement in shoot and root fresh and dry weights, plant height, chlorophyll and AsA contents as well as the activity of peroxidase (POD) enzyme particularly under water deficit conditions. It also increased the accumulation of leaf proline, total phenolics, total soluble proteins and glycine betaine (GB) content in all four cultivars. Exogenously applied AsA lowered the contents of MDA and H2O2, and the activities of CAT and SOD enzymes. Overall, exogenously applied AsA had a positive effect on the growth of safflower plants under water deficit conditions which could be related to AsA-induced enhanced osmoprotection and regulation of antioxidant defense system.

Zika Virus: A Critical Analysis and Pharmaceutical Perspectives

Zika virus belongs to family of viruses 'Flaviviridae' and spreads mostly by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes. The resulting infection is known as Zika fever. It is usually asymptomatic or often causes mild symptoms, which are very similar to dengue fever. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is also responsible for dengue and chikungunya viruses. Zika virus can spread by crossing the placental barrier from a pregnant mother to a fetus, which can result in microcephaly, severe brain malformations including Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and other birth defects. Until now, there is no specific treatment of Zika fever disease, and Zika virus illness cannot be prevented by medications or vaccines. According to WHO, no vaccine is likely to be available until 2020. The only way of preventing this disease is to prevent the mosquito bites. This article presents the history of Zika virus, its reported cases including microcephaly and GBS, and a comparison of its symptoms with those of dengue and chikungunya diseases, as well as preventive measures. With advances in research and technology, knowledge about the Zika virus has grown, yet some questions remain unanswered regarding Zika virus's genetic diversity, pathophysiology, transmission vectors and reservoirs, potential synergetic of coinfection with other related arboviruses, and treatment. These problems highlight the need for further research to achieve adequate the surveillance, infection management, optimized treatment, and public health mediations in Zika virus outbreaks. This article contributes to our understanding of the disease mechanism, genome structure, diagnosis, transmission, and preventive strategies to combat Zika virus infection.

Purification and modification of Cordia myxa gum to enhance its nutraceutical attribute as binding agent

The aim of the present study was to purify, hydrolyze and modify the Cordia myxa gum to document its binder potential in pharmaceutical tablets formulation. The hydrolysis and modification was carried out to remove impurities, roughness, increase thermal stability and to improve the functional properties of biopolymers. Physiochemical properties such as pH, solubility, viscosity, swelling index, bulk and tapped density was performed prior to investigate binder potential. The binder potential of Cordia myxa gum was studied in its different forms such as crude, purified, modified and hydrolyzed in paracetamol tablets and was compared with standard hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) being used as synthetic binder. Tablets were prepared by direct compression method and evaluated for weight uniformity, hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution analysis. Prepared tablets with selected gums exhibit faster and slower dissolution profile in the same dissolution system. The crude gum has high dissolution rate whereas the hydrolyzed and modified gums showed less dissolution rate. The hydrolyzed and modified gums having faster release rate and it could be helpful in conventional tablet formulations efficiently as compared to synthetic HPMC binder.

Enhancement of nutraceutical and antioxidant potential of sunflower hybrid seed varieties through chemical priming

Pathogenic agents cause an increased risk of various fatal diseases and there is a need to reduce this risk using medicinal plants and their seeds. The present research work was designed to study the efficacy of different sunflower seed hybrid varieties (i.e. FH622, FH620, FH615, FH613 and FH545) chemically primed with potassium nitrate as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. Antioxidant potential was determined using DPPH test, reducing power, TPC and TFC. Antibacterial activity was determined against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial species. After one week, the germination data including mean germination and percentage of final emergence was calculated. It was found that seed varieties FH620 and FH615 have higher values of mean germination as compared to FH545 while FH615 has higher percentage of final emergence as compared to FH620 and FH545. High phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed in FH620 and FH615 as compared to FH545 variety. It was also observed that seed variety FH615 when treated with KNO3 solution had significantly high germination as well as antioxidant parameters and antibacterial activity as compared to other varieties. Similarly FH615 showed high antibacterial activities against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria. This study showed that all selected sunflower hybrids have good antioxidant and antibacterial potentials that would further be used for different trials to cure different pathogen related diseases, and these are natural sources of antioxidants for commercial and therapeutic applications.

Magneto-Priming Improved Nutraceutical Potential and Antimicrobial Activity of Momordica charantia L. Without Affecting Nutritive Value

The need for some economic strategies for increased growth and nutraceuticals of medicinal plants is well acknowledged now. It was hypothesized that external magnetic field treatment (MFT) of seeds affecting internal magnet of cells may affect growth and metabolism. In this study, seeds were subjected to pre-sowing magnetic field (50 mT at 5 mm for 5 s). At vegetative stage, the leaf growth, chlorophyll content, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), amino acids, proteins, flavonoids, soluble sugars, total soluble phenolics, carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic profile (HPLC based), and antimicrobial activity of leaves (in terms of the minimum inhibitory concentration against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were studied. Yield was evaluated for nutritive components in fruit (peel+pulp) and peel. MFT improved germination percentage, growth, leaf chlorophyll, antimicrobial activity, peel amino acids, phenolics, and POD with negligible effect on fruit nutritive value. Moreover, photosynthetic pigments and cinnamic acid exhibited direct correlation with antimicrobial potential against both pathogens. However, sinapic acid showed positive correlation against Staphylococcus aureus only. Cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, syringic acid, and quercetin were in direct correlation against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; it was directly correlated with total flavonoids too. In conclusion, magnetic field can be used to manipulate plant cell metabolism promising improvement of growth, antimicrobial activity, and phenolics of interest.

Phenolic acid profiling and antiglycation studies of leaf and fruit extracts of tyrosine primed Momordica charantia seeds for possible treatment of diabetes mellitus

The increasing risk of variety of fatal diseases including diabetes mellitus is imposing serious challenge to chemist, biologists and clinicians. Due to the side effects of the chemotherapy, worldwide it is thinking that phyto-medicine are more effective to cope continuously increasing risk of fatal diseases without any side effect. Seed priming is a strategic pre-sowing semi-bioengineering technique which has ability to improve the growth rate and biologically active compounds in short time. Among seed priming techniques, tyrosine seed priming most frequently used because amino acids provide best growth media for nutritional food crops. Seeds of Momordica charantia were subjected to the pre-sowing tyrosine solution. Different growth parameters including growth emergence rate, seedling vigor, growth and weight of root, shoot and leaf were studied. The results showed positive effect on Momordica charantia seed growth and phenolic acids production i.e. ferulic acid - 43.95 ppm and sinapic acid - 18.39 ppm. The antiglycation assay showed 23.45±1.23% antiglycation activity of primed-seed fruit extract as compare to control seed fruit extract (0.87±0.03%). On the basis of the results, it is concluded that tyrosine primed seed fruit extract could effectively be further tested for pre-clinical and clinical studies to manage diabetes mellitus disease.

Phylogeny and comparative modeling of phytochelatin synthase from Chlorella sp. as an efficient bioagent for detoxification of heavy metals

Phytochelatins (PCs) found extensively in algae and plants are important for detoxification of heavy metals from soil and wastewater, and their synthesis is mediated by an enzyme phytochelatin synthase (PCS). In this study, a phylogram was generated to study evolutionary relationships of PCS from various organisms. It was revealed that PCS from green algae and plants are orthologs as both have evolved from a common ancestor. PCS from cyanobacteria appeared in two different clades showing that they have followed different lineages during evolution. Structural modeling was also carried out by building a 3D model of PCS from Chlorella variabilis using software Modeller v9.16. The predicted structure will be helpful for protein engineering strategies and to understand its interactions with other proteins. The biological biosorption capacity of Chlorella vulgaris (a green alga) was determined to remove Cd, Cu and Pb from industrial effluents. The biosorption of three heavy metals from industrial waste water was investigated under various conditions like pH, biomass concentration, contact time and temperature. Bio-removal of heavy metals was carried out by exposing culture of C. vulgaris to water samples of different heavy metal concentrations. The decrease in Cd, Cu and Pb quantities after 1 to 7 days of incubation period were 83%, 84% and 82.5%, respectively. In view of this, Chlorella spp. could be used on a large scale to detoxify heavy metals and clean up contaminated environments.

Upstream signalling of mTORC1 and its hyperactivation in type 2 diabetes (T2D)

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays a major role in cell growth, proliferation, polarity, differentiation, development, and controls transitioning between anabolic and catabolic states of the cell. It collects almost all extracellular and intracellular signals from growth factors, nutrients, and maintains cellular homeostasis, and is involved in several pathological conditions including, neurodegeneration, Type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and cancer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of upstream signaling of mTORC1 to explain etiology of T2D and hypertriglyceridemia, in which state, the role of telomere attrition is explained. We discuss if chronic inhibition of mTORC1 can reverse adverse effects resulting from hyperactivation. In conclusion, we suggest the regulatory roles of telomerase (TERT) and hexokinase II (HKII) on mTORC1 as possible remedies to treat hyperactivation. The former inhibits mTORC1 under nutrient-rich while the latter under starved condition. We provide an idea of TOS (TOR signaling) motifs that can be used for regulation of mTORC1.

Shiitake Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Lentinus edodes (Agaricomycetes): A Species with Antioxidant, Immunomodulatory, and Hepatoprotective Activities in Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Lentinus edodes is a culinary-medicinal mushroom that has an established history of use in Asian therapies. The mushroom offers well-documented beneficial health effects such as antihypercholesterolemic, antitumor, and antibacterial activities. In this study, dried powder of L. edodes fruiting bodies was used to evaluate immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant effects in hypercholesterolemic rats. Albino rats (n = 24) were divided into 3 groups: the control (CON) group, the hypercholesterolemia-only group (HCG), and the L. edodes group (LEG). Hypercholesterolemia was induced in rats in the HCG and LEG by feeding cholesterol and cholic acid in a chow maintenance diet (CMD) for 24 days. The CON group was fed the CMD throughout the experiment. The HCG continued on the high-cholesterol diet without any L. edodes supplement. The LEG was fed the high-cholesterol diet supplemented with L. edodes for an additional 42 days. Various biological health biomarkers, such as total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, arylesterase, paraoxonase activity, and liver enzymes in serum were studied to evaluate antioxidant and hepatoprotective responses. Cell-mediated immunity was evaluated in each group through a delayed type of hypersensitivity reaction. The total oxidant status decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) after administration of L. edodes in the diet. The cell-mediated immune response significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) in the LEG. The significant decrease in liver enzymes supports the hepatoprotective effect of L. edodes. In conclusion, the results show the immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities of L. edodes supplementation in hypercholesterolemic rats.

Post interferon therapy decreases male fertility through gonadotoxic effect

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been seen in more than 15% of Pakistani population. For the treatment of this infection, only two medicines, interferon, and ribavirin were approved in 1998. The concerned physicians evaluate side effects of these two antiviral drugs only during the treatment period. The long-term extra hepatic side effects are being neglected. This retrospective study was conducted with reference to induced infertility in HCV treated 40 male patients from the period 2008-2015. Possible effects of interferon therapy on fertility hormones and seminal parameters were assessed. Level of fertility hormones like serum Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and testosterone was measured. For seminal parameters, guidelines from World Health Organization (WHO) were followed. Among forty cases of HCV patients who received interferon, only 14 (35%) have children and 26 (65%) could not conceive (p = 0.0372). After HCV treatment, HCV positive patients showed a significant change in the level of FSH, LH (p<0.05). Especially, it decreased testosterone level (p=0.0096). Similarly, HCV treatment significantly decreased sperm count (p=0.001) and motility (p=0.0005).

Structural and functional annotation of citrate synthase from Aspergillus niger ANJ-120

Citrate synthase (CS) is involved in citric acid biosynthesis which is a well-established metabolic pathway. The condensation of acetyl-CoA with oxaloacetate is catalyzed by CS. Citric acid (CA) has a number of applications in pharmaceutical industry. CA in combination with bicarbonates is used as an effervescent in the preparations of tablets and powders. It has also been used as an anticoagulant and acidulant to form mild astringent. In current study, detailed structural and functional analyses of CS protein were carried out using various bioinformatics tools. Structural modeling was also done by building 3D model of CS from Aspergillus niger ANJ-120 using Modeller 9.16 software. The 3D Model was then evaluated using different online approaches. Furthermore, superimposition of query and template structures, Root Mean Squared Deviation and visualization of generated model were done through UCSF Chimera 1.5.3. Even though various roles of CS protein were already known and verified experimentally, here we presented a structural analysis of CS protein. The structural investigation of CS protein will be helpful for protein engineering strategies and understanding the interactions among proteins. Due to large number of applications, the production of citric acid by A. niger and its bioinformatics studies will offer substantial improvement in commercial scale intensification of this useful product.

Erratum to: Upstream signalling of mTORC1 and its hyperactivation in type 2 diabetes (T2D)

The original version of this article unfortunately contained typographical errors in the text and figures. This article has been updated to correct these errors as red highlighting in this pages.

Designing and molecular docking of cyclic peptides against HCV NS3 protease

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide serious health issue which contributes towards most of the hepatic morbidities. So far no prophylaxis is available to prevent this virus; therefore, development of antiviral compounds to fight HCV infection is the need of time. Chemically synthesized peptides that are potent immunogenic antigens are being pursued as candidate vaccines against HCV. The present study was planned to identify peptide inhibitors having potential to block the activity of NS3 protein of HCV that will ultimately arrest HCV multiplication. Docking of NS3 with peptides revealed that the majority of the peptides have strong binding affinity for active sites of NS3. Peptide 1, 2, 3 and 6 were found interactive with NS3 active residues while the active sites of NS3 had hydrophobic contact with the rest of peptides. Thus, these peptides bear therapeutic potential of a candidate drug for the prevention of HCV replication. Post docking analysis revealed important binding abilities of peptides with the active sites of NS3 protein, showing the efficiency of peptides as potential peptide inhibitors against HCV. The study revealed that HCV replication can be inhibited by these peptides. HCV replication inhibition potential of these peptides can contribute in reducing the burden of HCV infection and its associated complications worldwide.

Relationship of oxidative stress with elevated level of DNA damage and homocysteine in cardiovascular disease patients

Amounts of DNA damage and homocysteine (Hcy) in heart patients blood may have strong function in the causation of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The main objective of this work was to know experimentally the role of total oxidants (produced by Reactive Oxygen species (ROS), clinical biochemical indices, their oxidized products and total antioxidant status (TAS) among such patients to find the association of homocysteine, total oxidation status (TOS) and oxidative DNA damage with other clinical parameters in sixty positive CVD patients compared with those of 60 normal subjects. As compared to healthy individuals, CVD patients had significantly higher concentrations of homocysteine (p<0.0001), total oxidants stress (TOS) (p<0.0001), serum total lipids (p<0.04), malondialdehyde (MDA) (p<0.001), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (p<0.0001), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p<0.01), than those of healthy individuals. Plasma Hcy content, TOS and amount of DNA were positively and significantly associated with cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, urea, and albumin (p values<0.01). TOS, Hcy and oxidative DNA damage were negatively correlated with HDL-c, TAS and proteins. It is suggested that these parameters have pivotal role in diagnostic process of determining severity in CAD patients. Oxidized products of macromolecules in blood of CVD patients impart major functions in causing CVD disease.

Self-perception of quality of life in patients treated with antipsychotics

BACKGROUND/AIM

Despite extensive research, normal functionality remains problematic in patients with schizophrenia. Issues such as quality of life, subjective well-being, or psychosocial performance are currently objectives of interest. There are limited data collected prospectively on patients' perception of quality of life as compared between treatment groups, especially in developing countries. The aim of the present study was to analyze the evolution of patients' reported quality of life in patients with schizophrenia or related disorders treated with antipsychotics, in naturalistic settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was designed as a 12-month prospective observational study of 131 subjects with schizophrenia or related disorders treated with haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, or aripiprazole, recruited from consecutive hospitalized patients in a psychiatry department.

RESULTS

The mean scores for patients' reported quality of life and its components and for satisfaction with treatment had a favorable evolution, but increases were of reduced magnitude. The differences among treatment groups were not statistically significant, with few exceptions. A great variability of data was found.

CONCLUSION

Studies with a stratified analysis by factors influencing quality of life perceptions in this category of patients might allow the identification of differences, if any, between antipsychotics in this domain.

Serum haematological and biochemical indices of oxidative stress and their relationship with DNA damage and homocysteine in Pakistani type II diabetic patients

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia, higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) as well as protein. Oxidative stress can cause damage to leukocytic DNA and enhancement of homocysteine (Hcy) level in sera of type 2 diabetic patients. Haematological and biochemical parameters are severely affected by oxidative stress, which results in damages to DNA and Hcy in these patients. Eighty DM patients and 80 normal subjects, after having their consent, were selected for the present study. Leukocytes were characterized for DNA damage by comet assay kit while, blood plasma was taken into account for biochemical indices using commercial test kits. Results indicated that DNA damage was strongly linked with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P<0.01), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) (P<0.0001), glycated serum protein (P<0.005), cholesterol (P<0.011), triglycerides (P<0.001), albumin (P<0.001), creatinine (P<0.006), urea (P<0.007) and ALT (P<0.02), and negatively associated with packed cell volume (PCV) (P<0.002) and hemoglobin (P<0.001). Homocysteine was strongly linked with ESR, HbA1C, glycated protein (P<0.002), cholesterol (P<0.016), triglycerides (P<0.0001), albumin, creatinine, urea, ALT and AST in diabetic patients. Hyc and DNA damages both were negatively linked with total hemoglobin and PCV. Both of these even in their normal range may have a role in the endothelium damage. Nutritional intervention to lower down Hyc and DNA damages in the Pakistani population may mitigate their effect and guarantee in maintenance of a healthy nation.

Assessing of oxidative stress related parameters in diabetes mellitus type 2: cause excessive damaging to DNA and enhanced homocysteine in diabetic patients

Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been documented subsist to the pathogenesis of many diseases including diabetes mellitus. The strength of both parameters could be estimated by measuring oxidative stress marker thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), its related parameters and the antioxidants glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in plasma of DM patients. Lipid peroxidation was measured as TBARS and presented as malondialdehyde, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (Tg), the antioxidants (vitamin A (β-carotene), vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase) levels. The results showed that these parameters, commonly, were declined appreciably in diabetic individuals as compared to the healthy individuals. In most cases, age and gender were appeared to involve in having greater values of diabetes marker. Further, increased level of lipid peroxidation and random behaviour of antioxidant potential also associated with Diabetes. For that reason these biomarkers might be of great important to diagnosis DNA damages of diabetic patients.

Compositional studies and biological activities of some mash bean (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) cultivars commonly consumed in Pakistan

Background

In recent years, the desire to adopt a healthy diet has drawn attention to legume seeds and food products derived from them. Mash bean is an important legume crop used in Pakistan however a systematic mapping of the chemical composition of mash bean seeds is lacking. Therefore seeds of four mash bean (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper, family Leguminoseae) cultivars (NARC-Mash-1, NARC-Mash-2, NARC-Mash-3, NARC-Mash-97) commonly consumed in Pakistan have been analyzed for their chemical composition, antioxidant potential and biological activities like inhibition of formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE) activity and tyrosinase inhibition activity.

Results

The investigated cultivars varied in terms of biochemical composition to various extents. Mineral composition indicated potassium and zinc in highest and lowest amounts respectively, in all cultivars. The amino acid profile in protein of these cultivars suggested cysteine is present in lowest quantity in all cultivars while fatty acid distribution pattern indicated unsaturated fatty acids as major fatty acids in all cultivars. All cultivars were found to be rich source of tocopherols and sterols. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) fingerprints of seed flour and extracts indicated major functional groups such as polysaccharides, lipids, amides, amines and amino acids. Results indicated that all investigated cultivars possessed appreciable antioxidant potential.

Conclusions

All cultivars are rich source of protein and possess sufficient content of dietary fiber, a balanced amino acid profile, low saturated fatty acids and antioxidant capacity that rationalizes many traditional uses of seeds of this crop besides its nutritional importance. The collected data will be useful for academic and corporate researchers, nutritionists and clinical dieticians as well as consumers. If proper attention is paid, it may become an important export commodity and may fetch considerable foreign exchange for Pakistan.

Exploration of nutraceutical potential of herbal oil formulated from parasitic plant

BACKGROUND

Cuscuta reflexa (C. reflexa) is a parasitic climber of medicinal importance. The present study was aimed to evaluate the nutraceutical potential of C. reflexa stems collected from different hosts and to evaluate the role of the herbal formulation in dandruff, hair fall control as well as hair growth promoter.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hair formulations of C. reflexa collected from different host plants were prepared in the form of herbal oils (10% w/v). C. reflexa stems were extracted using mustard oil as base oil by using direct boiling technique. Prepared oil was studied as hair tonic. The experimental protocols used were anti-dandruff hair growth activity, as well as hair fall reduction. Herbal hair oils versus mustard oil were evaluated by applying oils on human volunteers with hair fall and dandruff problem whereas promotion of hair growth activity was conducted on rats. The formulated oils were also characterised for proximate analysis, physiochemical composition, as well as antimicrobial activity.

RESULT

The test oils of C. reflexa collected from Azadiracta indica and Zizyphus jujuba were effective in the promotion of hair growth, dandruff control, as well as reduction in hair fall activity.

CONCLUSION

All the formulated oils showed potent antimicrobial activity against all selected strains of bacteria and fungi.

Serum hormonal, electrolytes and trace element profiles in the rutting and non-rutting one-humped male camel (Camelus dromedarius)

The camel is known to be a seasonal breeder and, in the male camel, the breeding activity maximizes during the rutting period (winter and spring seasons). During the non-rutting period (summer and autumn), however, the breeding activity almost ceases completely. Serum steroid hormonal, electrolytes and trace element profiles were studied in 16 adult male camels aged 5-9 years, slaughtered during the rutting (n=8) and non-rutting periods (n=8). Moreover, testicular and epididymal tissue contents of electrolytes and trace elements were also studied during these two periods. Serum levels of testosterone, progesterone and T(4):T(3) ratio were higher in the rutting animals when compared to the non-rutting ones, while the reverse was true for serum T(3), T(4) and corticosterone levels (p<0.01). Among minerals, serum levels of sodium, calcium, copper and zinc were higher, while those of potassium were lower, in the rutting than non-rutting camels. In the testicular tissue, the levels of sodium, calcium, copper and iron were higher in the rutting group, while magnesium was higher in non-rutting one. In the epididymis, the tissue levels of chloride, iron and zinc were higher in the rutting than non-rutting period. These results demonstrate a clear evidence of the distribution of steroid hormones, electrolytes and trace elements forming and maintaining a certain level at two different physiological states in camels.

Intraocular pressure changes after Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy

BACKGROUND

28-43% of the patients develop posterior capsular thickening after extra capsular cataract surgery. Nd-YAG laser capsulatomy is a method of choice to treat this complication.

METHOD

We conducted a prospective clinical, randomized comparative study to evaluate the post YAG laser IOP rise in 54 patients at Ayub Teaching Hospital Complex.

RESULT

There were 43% male and 57% female patients with a mean age of 63.6 years. The mean time for capsular opacification was 14.6 months. Postoperative visual improvement was 6/24 to 6/6. All patients showed post laser IOP rise that was controlled by Topical Beta-blockers and steroids effectively.