The Pharmaceutical and Chemical Journal

8-15

Authors: Sheikh S. Ahmad, Saman Atiq, Saman Javed, Amna Butt, Summra Erum

About half of the world’s population is at risk from the vector borne diseases including dengue and malaria. World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked Dengue fever as the most important mosquito borne viral disease in the world. The main objective of this research work is to study the spatial distribution patterns of dengue disease in Rawalpindi using spatial clustering techniques to identify the hotspots and the possible risk factor for those hotspots. Dengue disease data was collected from District Health Office, Rawalpindi. The climate data including average temperature, rainfall and relative humidity was collected from Pakistan Meteorological Department, Islamabad. ArcGIS version 10.1 was used for spatial statistical analysis. The results of this study indicated that incidence level of dengue disease varies according to geographic location and climatic conditions, showing significant spatial autocorrelation. Hotspots were identified using Getis-OrdGi* statistic. Temporal variations of disease cases show significant positive association with the meteorological variables including rainfall, relative humidity and temperature. So, this study highlights the usefulness of GIS in the epidemiological studies.

27-35

Authors: Arifa Zereen, Zaheer U.D. Khan, Andleeb A. Sardar

Healing various ailments is probably the most outstanding quality of plants that mankind is dependent upon from ages. Plants are useful for treating a variety of diseases of man and also animals. The Chichawatni Plantation Forest located in Sahiwal District is designated as Reserve Land. This involves huge biological landscape, constituting numerous valuable medicinal plants. The aim of this specific study has been to document conventional knowledge of plant usage and its significance to the local people; identifying the flora; assess the abundance and measures necessary to be taken for protection of plant species. Ethno-medicinal questionnaire had been got filled by people residing in the periphery of Chichawatni Plantation Reserved Forest. This questionnaire provided information about many plants growing at study area. Some of the plants having medicinal value included Trianthema portulacastrum, Calotropis procera, Xanthium strumarium, Cordia myxa, Chenopodium album, Citrullus colocynthis, Cuscuta reflexa, Cyperus rotundus etc. Local people use them for treating anemia, paralysis, fever, jaundice, piles, diabetes, diarrhea, motion respectively. Some of the plants such as Capparis deciduas, Prosopis cineraria, Salvadora oleoides, Suaeda fruticosa and Malvastrum coromendelianum were present in less number perhaps because of overexploitation as having greater medicinal importance, indicating requirement of their preservation. There is need for sustainable use and conservation of useful medicinal plants in the area so that their constant availability is ensured.

40-44

Authors: Ahmed MN Darweesh, Nawzad KH Omar

Molecular mechanisms of inflammsome activation remains an interesting area of research. Recently, polymer oxides provided new insight into therapeutic approach. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the chemical preparation of novel nanomaterials in aqueous solution and their biological activities were studied in vitro. Polymer oxides nanocrystals (PONK) were prepared using sol gel method. Size and morphology of the crystals were examined using Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The spectroscopic results showed absorption in a blue region. based on the experimental results, polymer oxides show highly anti-inflammatory effects evidenced by specific inhibition of interleukin one beta production and release in vitro using Elisa, western blotting, and RT PCR.

54-63

Authors: SO Okeniyi, J Ogbodobri, AO Oyedeji, PE Omale, MM Adeyemi, S Garba, JA Lori

Aqueous and organic solvents extraction process using ethanol, methanol and chloroform were carried out with four different Nigerian plants namely: Pterocarpus osun (uhe), Lawsonia inermis (lalle), Bixa orellana (annatto) and Hibiscus sabderriffa (zobo) to extract dye reagents from the plants. The ability of the dye reagents to replace Coomassie Brilliant Blue in the Bradford assay method of protein quantification were determined and compared. The solvents extracts gave good colourful results in the extraction of the dye reagents while only aqueous extract of Hisbiscus sabderiffa (zobo) gave similar results to that of solvent extracts. The solvent extracts obtained from Pterocarpus osun (uhe), Lawsonia inermis (lalle) and Bixa Orellana (annatto) plants could not be used to estimate amino acids from protein samples. However, solvent extracts of Hibiscus sabderriffa (zobo) was able to estimate amino acids from protein samples. The change in maximum wavelength (λmax) and the increased absorption with zobo dye reagent; on addition of protein samples showed that solvent extract of Hibiscus sabderiffa (zobo) dye has the potential to quantify and estimate amino acids in protein samples as much as the Coomassie Blue utilised in the Bradford assay method. The coefficient of correlation (r) values obtained for the proteins are 0.81, 0.92, 0.80 and 0.81 respectively for BSA, haemoglobin, fibrinogen and gamma globulin)