Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

427-433

Authors: Oluwatosin Adaramoye, Massoud Amanlou, Mehran Habibi-Rezaei, Parvin Pasalar, Moosavi-Movahedi Ali

To justify the use of African mistletoe (AM) Viscum album (V. album) in folkoric medicine to treat diabetes. Methods: In one experiment, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels of diabetic rats were monitored for 4 h. Diabetic rats were treated with AM at doses of 50 mg/kg (AM1) and 100 mg/kg (AM2), glibenclamide (GB) (positive control) and saline solution (SS). In another experiment, diabetic rats were treated with AM2, GB and SS daily for 3 weeks. Results: AM1 and AM2 elicited significant (P<0.05) hypoglycaemic effects within 4 h of extract administration. AM1 and AM2 decreased the FBG by 41% and 49%, respectively, at 2 h. AM2 was found to lower FBG by 51%, relative to baseline, which was comparable to GB at 3 h. In the second experiment, AM2 and GB significantly (P<0.05) decreased the FBG by 34% and 51%, respectively. This was followed by marked decrease in levels of HbA1C in AM2- and GB- treated diabetic rats. AM2 significantly (P<0.05) decreased the STZ-induced increase in levels of serum triglyceride, urea, lactate dehydrogenase, 毩-amylase and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Furthermore, diabetic rats treated with AM2 had significantly (P<0.05) elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In contrast, STZ administration produced insignificant (P<0.05) effect on the levels of serum creatinine and total bilirubin. Conclusions: Extract of African mistletoe has anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in STZ-diabetic rats. AM may find clinical application in the amelioration of diabetes-induced lipid disorders.

440-447

Authors: Fawzi Mahomoodally, Ahmed Mesaik, M Iqbal Choudhary, Anwar H Subratty, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

To evaluate in vitro immunomodulating properties and potential cytotoxicity of six tropical medicinal herbs and food plants namely Antidesma madagascariense (Euphorbiaceae) (AM), Erythroxylum macrocarpum (Erythroxylaceae) (EM), Faujasiopsis flexuosa (Asteraceae) (FF), Pittosporum senacia (Pittosporaceae) (PS), Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) (MC) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) (OT). Methods: Initially, the crude water and methanol extracts were probed for their capacity to trigger immune cells’ NADPH oxidase and MPO-dependent activities as measured by lucigenin- and luminol-amplified chemiluminescence, respectively; as compared to receptor-dependent (serum opsonised zymosan- OPZ) or receptor-independent phorbol myristerate acetate (PMA). Results: Preliminary screening on whole human blood oxidative burst activity showed significant and concentration-dependent immunomodulating properties of three plants AM, FF and OT. Further investigations of the fractions on isolated human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and mice monocytes using two different pathways for activation of phagocytic oxidative burst showed that ethyl acetate fraction was the most potent extract. None of the active samples had cell-death effects on human PMNs, under the assay conditions as determined by the trypan-blue exclusion assay. Since PMA and OPZ NADPH oxidase complex is activated via different transduction pathways, these results suggest that AM, FF and OT does not affect a specific transductional pathway, but rather directly inhibit a final common biochemical target such as the NADPH oxidase enzyme and/or scavenges ROS. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that some of these plants extracts/fractions were able to modulate significantly immune response of phagocytes and monocytes at different steps, emphasizing their potential as a source of new natural alternative immunomodulatory agents.

455-458

Authors: Rao B Ganga, Kiran P Madhu, Raju AD Vijaya

To investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of orally administered methanolic leaf extract of Dalbergia paniculata (D. paniculata) in Carrageenan induced inflammation in rats. Methods: In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated for superoxide radical, Hydroxyl radical and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Three doses 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg of D. paniculata were tested for anti-inflammatory activity in Carrageenan induced rat paw edema model and paw thickness was measured every one hour up to 6 h. Results: The methanolic leaf extract of D. paniculata produced dose dependent inhibition of Superoxide radical, Hydroxyl radical and DPPH radicals. In Carrageenan induced inflammation model, all three doses produced significant percentage inhibition of rat paw edema and 800 mg/kg dose produced maximum percent inhibition of rat paw edema (47.83%) at 3h compared to control group. Conclusions: In the present study we found that methanolic leaf extract of D. paniculata showed good in vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity in rats.

465-468

Authors: Jing Zhang, Zhi-Qiang Xue, Xiang-Yang Chu, Yun-Xi Wang, Jia-Hua Zhao, Chi Xu, Li-Guo Yin

To explore the clinical characteristics, surgical treatment and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among elderly patients over 80 years. Methods: The clinical data, surgical methods, perioperative management, postoperative complications and prognosis of 52 NSCLC patients aged over 80 years were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Out of 52 cases, 27 had a long-term smoking history (51.9%) and 44 were with other diseases (84.6%). Lobectomy was done in 32 cases (65.4%), sub-lobectomy in 20 cases (38.5%), including pulmonary wedge resection in 16 cases (30.8%) and lung segment resection in 4 cases (7.7%). The postoperative complication rate was 44.2% (23/52); the complication rate after lobectomy was 62.5% (20/32) and that after sub-lobectomy was 25% (5/20), with significant difference between lobectomy and sub-lobectomy (P<0.05). Postoperative mortality was 3.8% (2/52). Pathological TNM staging: 栺a 27 cases (51.9%), 栺b 12 cases (23.1%), 栻a 8 cases (15.4%), 栻b 3 cases (5.8%) and 栿a 2 cases (3.8%). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate after operation was 87.1%, 59.8%, 19.1%. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate was 86.0%, 61.8%, 21.5% in the patients after lobectomy; that was 89.0%, 58.3%, 18.7% in the patients after sub-lobectomy, with no significant difference between two surgical methods (P>0.05). Conclusions: Octogenarians with NSCLC are often afflicted with comorbidity, so perioperative management is more complex. Strictly adhering to indications, surgery is still an important treatment of NSCLC patients over 80.

472-475

Authors: Li-Juan Li, Jing-Xia Zhou, Hong-Tao Chen, Yan-Ling Song, Yao-Ming Xue

Objective To appraise the effectiveness of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) on screening diabetes in health check-up. Methods A total of 1 337 individuals (male 850, female 487), aged 27 to 91 years with HbA1c test were included. Participates with HbA1c ⩾6.0% or FPG⩾6.1 mmol/L underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to the criteria of WHO in 1999, FPG⩾7.0 mmol/L and/or OGTT 2 h-postload plasm glucose (2 h-PG)⩾11.1 mmol/L. The sensitivity and specificity of HbA1c thresholds and FPG or combination test on screening of diabetes were analyzed. Results A total of 842 subjects had HbA1c <6.0%, in which 32 had isolated FPG⩾6.1 mmol/L, of 495 had HbA1c⩾6.0%. Subjects with HbA1c⩾6.0% had significant increased disorder indexes than those with HbA1c<6.0%. 527 subjects who had HbA1c⩾6.0% or FPG⩾6.1 mmol/L underwent OGTT. A total of 234 subjects were newly diagnosed diabetes, including 123 (123/234, 52.56%) with FPG⩾7.0 mmol/L, and 111 subjects (111/234, 47.43%) with isolated 2 h-PG⩾11.1 mmol/L. Among 234 new diabetes, 91.88% (215 subjects) had HbA1c⩾6.3%, and 77.40% (181 subjects) had HbA1c⩾6.5%. HbA1c⩾6.3% combined FPG ⩾7.0 mmol/L increased the positive rate of newly diagnosed diabetes from 91.88% to 96.58%. Conclusions HbA1c is a practical and convenient tool for screening undiagnosed diabetes in routine health check-up of a large population. Combined use of HbA1c⩾6.3% and/or FPG⩾7.0 mmol/L is efficient for early detection of diabetes.

480-484

Authors: Ying Liu, Liang-Zhi Xu

Objective To investigate association between glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and cervical cancer. Methods Published literature from PubMed, EMBASE, and other databases were retrieved. All studies evaluating the association between GSTM1/GSTT1 polymorphisms and cervical were included. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects model. Results A total of 15 case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis of GSTM1 genotypes (1 825 cases and 2 104 controls). The overall result showed that the association between GSTM1 null genotype and risk for cervical cancer was statistically significant (OR=1.53, 95%CI=1.18–2.00). Great heterogeneity was found between studies. Subgroup analysises were performed based on smoking and ethnicity. Our results showed that smokers with null GSTM1 genotype had higher risk of cervical cancer (OR=1.56, 95%CI=1.01–2.41). For the ethnicity stratification, significant increased risk of null GSTM1 genotype was found in Chinese and Indian population, but no increased risk in other population. Conclusions This meta-analysis provides strong evidence that the GSTM1 null genotype is associated with the development of cervical cancer, and especially in Chinese and Indian population, and smoking shows a modification on the association between GSTM1 null genotype and cervical cancer.

498-499

Authors: Sneh Singh, Promil Jain, Garima Aggarwal, Pratibha Dhiman, Sunita Singh, Rajeev Sen

Hepatic tuberculosis particularly in the absence of military tuberculosis is rare. It can occur as a primary case or due to reactivation of an old tubercular focus. We report case of a 24 year old married female who died of primary hepatic tuberculosis. She had no evidence of tuberculosis elsewhere. Appropriate treatment initiated early can result in marked recovery whereas failure to recognize this entity can prove to be fatal.

503-504

Authors: Qing-Yu Chen, Yan Chen, Liang, Jing Wang, Qin Du, Jian-Ting Cai, Jia-Min Chen

Double pylorus is one of the rare anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract, it can be congenital or acquired. In this case we report a case of double pylorus because of chronic peptic ulcer. Upper GI endoscopy revealed gastroduodenal fistula located on the lesser curve of the antrum, the patient's symptoms were improved rapidly by intensive antiulcer treatment.