Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

677-685

Authors: Kumar Gaurav Singhal, Ghanshyam Das Gupta

Objective To investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of methanolic flower extract of Nerium oleander against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Methods In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of flowers of Nerium oleander (MENO–F) was evaluated by various assays, including reducing power, lipid peroxidation, DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals and metal chelation. The hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant activity of MENO-F were evaluated against CCl4–induced hepatic damage in rats. The MENO-F at dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg were administered orally once daily for seven days. Serum enzymatic levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin were estimated along with estimation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in liver tissues. Further histopathological examination of the liver sections was carried out to support the induction of hepatotoxicity and hepatoprotective efficacy. Results The extract showed potent activities on reducing power, lipid peroxide, DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical and metal chelation. The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of AST, ALT, ALP and total bilirubin were found to be restored towards normalization significantly by the MENO-F in a dose dependent manner with maximum hepatoprotection at 400 mg/kg dose level. The histopathological observations supported the biochemical evidences of hepatoprotection. Elevated level of SOD and decreased level of MDA further strengthen the hepatoprotective observations. Conclusions The results of the present study strongly reveal that MENO-F has potent antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced hepatic damage in experimental animals.

692-697

Authors: Adedayo O Ademiluyi, Ganiyu Oboh

Objective To investigate the modulatory effect of fermented legume condiments diet on oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Methods Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups with six animals in each group. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (35 mg/kg b.w.). After being confirmed diabetic, the rats were fed with fermented Bambara groundnut, Locust bean and Soybean diets for 14 days. The plasma was obtained after 14-day treatment and analyzed for hepatic damage marker enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) and in vivo antioxidant indices. Results The diabetic untreated rats showed elevated (P<0.05) levels of AST, ALT, ALP and malondialdehyde with reduced activities of glutathione−S−transferase, catalase as well as plasma reduced glutathione, vitamin C and total protein content. However, treatment of diabetic rats with fermented legume condiments diets for 14 days significantly (P<0.05) reversed the above parameters towards normalcy, suggesting their modulation of oxidative stress, which may be due to their high phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Conclusions The attenuation of oxidative stress and protection of hepatic tissue damage by the legume condiment diets in STZ induced diabetic rats compare favourably with that of metformin, a well known oral hypoglycemic drug.

703-708

Authors: Nabil Ben Salem Abid, Rouis Zyed, Mahjoub Aouni

Objective To study the recombination events among enterovirus strains and the development of specific primers for the detection of enteroviruses in environmental samples. Methods Nucleotide sequence analysis of enteroviruses deposited in the international database GenBank (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Genbank) was conducted to develop specific primers for the detection of these viruses. The specificity and sensitivity of the method were tested using coxackievirus B3 strain Nancy, environmental isolate of human hepatitis A virus and human rotavirus strain WA. Seventy sewage samples were analyzed. Results Enterovirus genome was detected in all positive samples. The genome of enterovirus was not detected in negative samples. The level of detection of these viruses was 102 TCID50/mL. Conclusions The development of new primers is an important issue for the detection of enteroviruses in the environment and the assessment of risk factors to human health.

713-717

Authors: OPG Nmorsi, BP Isaac C Nkot, J Che

Objective To investigate the relationship between white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, and Interleukin(IL)-1 α, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 production in Cameroonians with Onchocerca volvulus (O. volvulus) infection. Methods A total of 357 individuals from five sites at Upper Sanga, Lekkie, Nyong, Kelle and Sanaga Maritime divisions and located along Sanaga valley of Sanaga River in South Cameroon were screened for the presence of O. volvulus using the skin snip. The levels of the interleukins (IL-) namely IL-1 α, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 were evaluated using enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay techniques. Haematological parameters were evaluated using standard laboratory automated analyser. Results O. volvulus microfilariae were found in skin tissues of 85 (23.81%) volunteers. The mean interleukin (IL-) levels in the O. volvulus control and infected individuals were IL-1 α in (1.65±0.79 and 2.31±0.5) pg/mL; IL-6 in (278.36±55.34 and 201.74±34.56) pg/mL; IL-10 in (436.03±208.64 and 418.49±147.88) pg/mL and IL-13 in (8.98±7.28 and 38.06±11.92) pg/mL. There was a negative correlation between monocyte counts and IL-10 concentration in positive individuals. A negative correlation of IL-6 with white blood cell and lymphocyte counts was observed (P<0.05). The level of IL-13 was positively associated with microfilarial load (P<0.05). Conclusions We observed depressed IL-6 and raised IL-13 concentrations in the sera of individuals with onchocerciasis which implicate these interleukins in the immunological responses of the disease. Therefore, these IL-6 and IL-13 are associated with O. volvulus infection among Cameroonians.

722-726

Authors: Hassan Vatandoost, Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd

Objective To investiagte insecticide resistance in target species for better insecticide resistance managemnet in malaria control programs. Methods The status of insecticide resistance to different imagicides in Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi) including DDT 4%, lambdacyhalothrin 0.50%, deltamethrin 0.05%, permethrin 0.75%, cyfluthrin 0.15% and etofenprox 0.50% was performed according to WHO standard method. Results The mortality rate to lambdacyhalothrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, etofenprox and DDT was (88.0±3.2), (92.0±2.7), (52.0±5.0), (96.0±2.2), (90.0±3.0) and (41.0±5.7) percent, respectively at diagnostic dose for one hour exposure time followed by 24 h recovery period. Conclusions These results showed first indication of pyrethroid resistance in An. stephensi in a malarious area, from southern Iran. There is widespread, multiple resistances in the country in An. stephensi to organochlorine and some report of tolerance to organophosphate insecticides and recently to pyrethroids. However, results of this paper will provide a clue for monitoring and mapping of insecticide resistance in the main malaria vector for implementation of any vector control.

735-737

Authors: Mohammad Mirzaei, Majid Fooladi

Objective To survey the prevalence of canine gastrointestinal helminthes in dogs presented to the Veterinary faculty of the University of Kerman between May and November 2011. Methods A total of 70 fecal samples were evaluated by the fecal sedimentation method. Results The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was 7.14%. The parasites most frequently detected were Toxocara canis (T. canis) (4.3%); Toxascaris leonina (T. leonina) (1.4%) and Teania spp. (1.4%). The age distribution of intestinal parasites in dogs showed that the dog less than 1 year old had a higher overall prevalence than those dogs over 12 months of age but there was not significant (P>0.05). Also there was no significant difference in the prevalence between male (7.7%) and female (6.5%) dogs (P>0.05). Conclusions It is thought that the reduction in the frequency of the dogs with those helminthes may be mainly a result of the improvement in breeding environment and the routine use of antihelmintics. The significance of zoonotic diseases caused by intestinal helminthes makes it necessary for us to know the infection status of domestic dogs and to take measures for further control. It is concluded that veterinarians have an important role in educating dog owners of these potential risks and means for preventing or minimizing zoonotic transmission.

743-748

Authors: Jun Zhang, Ran Wang, Yi-Lei Zhao, Xiao-Hui Sun, Hong-Xing Zhao, Lu Tan, De-Cai Chen, Xu Hai-Bin

Objective To compare the effect of zoledronic acid in treatment and prevention of osteoporosis with placebo. Methods Random control trials regarding zoledronic acid in treatment of osteoporosis were retrieved by selecting Medline, EMbase and Pubmed databases till April 2012. The RevMan software was used for all of the statistical analysis. Results A total of 9 trials were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled effect showed that zoledronic acid could increase the bone mineral density by 2.98 times compared with placebo, and reduce the rate of fracture in patients by 32%. The results should the zoledronic acid intervention had significantly less serious adverse events than controls, and the odds ratio was 0.81 (0.76–0.87). The longer term intervention, more than 12 months intervention, could gain a better prevention effect for osteoporosis (OR, 95% CI for BMD was 3.35, 2.77–3.92; for fracture was 0.67, 0.54–0.82). Conclusions This present study shows that zoledronic acid could be effective approach in the prevention of osteoporosis, and could increase the bone mineral density and reduce the risk of facture.

755-756

Authors: Kushal Naha, Suman Karanth, Sowjanya Dasari, Mukhyaprana Prabhu

Diffuse myositis with progression to rhabdomyolysis has been reported in association with wide range of viral infections. We report a case of polymyositis-like syndrome complicated by rhabdomyolysis secondary to brucellosis. This case report thus contributes yet another atypical presentation to a disease already infamous for its protean manifestations.