Evaluation and toxicological quantification of undeclared allopathics and adulterated synthetic steroids in herbal antihypertensive preparations

Purpose: To evaluate raw and finished dosage form of herbal antihypertensives for quantification of undeclared allopathic contents and synthetic steroids adulteration in each unit and in total daily dose.Methods: Analysis of herbal products for allopathic drugs adulteration was carried out using HPLC techniques. The methods were reproduced with optimized extraction and chromatographic conditions. Calibration curves were reconstructed for validation purposes.Results: The herbal products were adulterated with various synthetic drugs. The concentrations (mean ± SD) were: atenolol (50.06 ± 1.20 mg/unit dose),  propranolol (20.30 ± 0.44 mg/unit dose, 28.26 ± 0.06 mg/unit dose, 15.40 ± 1.58 mg/unit dose), ACE inhibitors i.e. captopril (52.99 ± 0.49 mg/unit dose) and frusemide (42.02 ± 0.88 mg/unit dose). For the synthetic steroids, the levels (mean ± SD) were prednisolone (13.67 ± 0.50 mg/unit dose), methyl prednisolone (4.18 ± 0.02 mg/unit dose), betamethasone (0.56 ± 0.06 mg/unit dose) and dexamethasone (1.75 ± 0.11 mg/unit dose).Conclusion: Administration of adulterated remedies can cause severe toxicity and is a serious safety concerns for public health. Therefore, to maximize consumer safety, appropriate rules and regulations should be developed for registration of herbal remedies.Keywords: Herbal medicines, Adulterants, Allopathic drugs, Synthetic steroid

Epidemiological Analysis of Symmetry in Transmission of the Ebola Virus with Power Law Kernel

This study presents a mathematical model of non-integer order through the fractal fractional Caputo operator to determine the development of Ebola virus infections. To construct the model and conduct analysis, all Ebola virus cases are taken as incidence data. A symmetric approach is utilized for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fractional order model. Additionally, stability is evaluated, along with the local and global effects of the virus that causes Ebola. Using the fractional order model of Ebola virus infections, the existence and uniqueness of solutions, as well the posedness and biological viability and disease free equilibrium points are confirmed. Many applications of fractional operators in modern mathematics exist, including the intricate and important study of symmetrical systems. Symmetry analysis is a powerful tool that enables the creation of numerical solutions for a given fractional differential equation very methodically. For this, we compare the results with the Caputo derivative operator to understand the dynamic behavior of the disease. The simulation demonstrates how all classes have convergent characteristics and maintain their places over time, reflecting the true behavior of Ebola virus infection. Power law kernel with the two step polynomial Newton method were used. This model seems to be quite strong and capable of reproducing the issue’s anticipated theoretical conditions.Basque Government:Grant IT1555-22 Basque Government: Grant KK-2022/00090 MCIN/AEI 269.10.13039/501100011033/FEDER,UE: Grant PID2021-1235430B-C21 MCIN/AEI 269.10.13039/501100011033/FEDER,UE: Grant PID2021-1235430B-C22

Regular post dinner walk; can be a useful lifestyle modification for gastroesophageal reflux

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms with routine post dinner physical activity and time interval before going to bed, in multiethnic South Asian population. METHODS: Prospective, cross sectional analytical, multicenter study was conducted from February 2009 to March 2010. Patient\u27s relative sitting in outpatient clinics with no comorbids, nonsmoker and non alcoholic were included. They were asked to fill a validated GERD questionnaire and were also inquired about routine post dinner physical activity (lying, sitting, walking) and dinner-bed time interval. Odds Ratios (OR) and their 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were estimated using Logistic Regression, with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms as an outcome. RESULTS: Subjects analyzed were 1875. Mean age was 35.37 +/- 12.69 years of which 689 (36.74%) had GERD symptoms. GERD symptoms were 42.08% in routine post dinner recumbency position. While 35.17% and 30.52% had the symptoms in post dinner sitting and walking before going to bed [OR for walking 0.66 (95% CI 0.5-0.88) when compared with lying posture]. GERD symptoms were 45.86% among those with dinner-bed time of one hour, progressively decreasing to 41.68%, 31.45% and 29.88% in the second, third and forth hour respectively. Odds ratio was significant only at 3rd [0.55 (0.41-0.74)] and \u3e or = 4th hr [0.51 (0.37-0.71)] when compared with first hour. CONCLUSION: Regular post dinner walk and \u3e 3 hour dinner-bed time interval were less associated with GERD symptoms

Effects of different acetylsalicylic acid doses on body organs, histopathology, and serum biochemical parameters in broiler birds

A indústria avícola é afetada por diversas doenças ou estresses. Particularmente devido às aves serem antipiréticas. O ácido acetilsalicílico (AAS) é largamente utilizado com diferentes objetivos que incluem o controle do estresse calórico, bem como a atividade respiratória e digestiva. O propósito deste estudo foi a avaliação dos efeitos benéficos e tóxicos do emprego de diferentes dosagens do AAS em frangos de corte. As variáveis analisadas foram: exame físico, parâmetros bioquímicos, bem como as alterações histopatológicas em seções de tecidos colhidas das aves em um ensaio experimental. O estudo foi conduzido em 60 frangos de corte com um dia de idade adquiridos em um mercado local de Faisalabad que foram recriados nos primeiros 14 dias em idênticas condições. Então no 15º dia as aves foram distribuídas randomicamente em quatro grupos identificados pelos números 1 a 4, com 15 aves em cada grupo. O grupo 4 foi mantido como grupo controle e os grupos 1, 2 e 3 foram tratados com AAS, respectivamente, nas doses de 300, 600 e 1200 mg/L de água de bebida, durante 21 dias. Foram realizadas três amostragens nos dias 21, 28 e 35 pós-tratamento. O peso vivo corpóreo e da carcaça foi registrado em cada amostragem. Em todos os órgãos viscerais foi analisada a presença de alterações patológicas. As amostras de soro sanguíneo foram colhidas para a avaliação bioquímica. O exame histopatológico de todos os órgãos viscerais foi realizado para a observação de alterações microscópicas. A partir da segunda amostragem foi observado um aumento significante (p<0,05) no peso corpóreo na dosagem de 300mg/L. Um significante aumento no peso relativo dos órgãos foi registrado na dosagem de 1200 mg/L. Os grupos tratados com dosagens de 600 e 1200 mg/L de AAS, apresentaram aumento significante dos níveis de AST, ALT e de creatinina quando comparados ao grupo controle. O grupo tratado com 1200 mg/L de AAS apresentou um aumento significante (P,0,05) de uréia, proteína sérica total e de albumina em todas as amostragens. No grupo de alta dosagem foram observados alterações histopatológicas constituídas por aumento dos hepatócitos, aumento dos espaços sinusoidais no fígado, congestão e anormalidades nos espaços glomerulares nos rins, congestão e ruptura alveolar nos pulmões, degeneração das vilosidades e celular nos intestinos A conclusão obtida foi que em frangos de corte uma baixa dosagem do AAS pode ser utilizada por um período de longa duração, apresentando um efeito promotor do crescimento, contudo as doses elevadas determinam toxicidade hepática e renal.The poultry industry suffers from various diseases or stresses. In poultry, apart from being antipyretic, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used to cope with different issues including heat stress, and respiratory and digestive orders. This study evaluated the beneficial and toxic effects of ASA at different dose levels in broiler birds. To evaluate these toxic and beneficial effects it is necessary to examine the physical and serum biochemical parameters as well as the histopathological changes with tissue sections taken from broiler birds under experimental trial. This study was conducted on 60 one-day-old broiler chicks purchased from a local market in Faisalabad. Chicks were reared for the first 14 days under similar conditions. On the 15th day, birds were randomly divided into 4 groups (1-4) with 15 birds in each group. Group 4 was kept as control, while groups 1, 2, and 3 were treated with ASA at the dose of 300, 600, and 1200 mg/L of drinking water for 21 days. There were 3 samplings performed at 21, 28, and 35 days post-treatment. The live body weight and carcass weight were noted on each sampling. All the visceral organs were recorded for gross pathological changes. The serum samples were collected for biochemical evaluation. Histopathology of all the visceral organs was performed to observe the microscopic changes. A significant (P<0.05) increase in live body weight at a 300mg/L dose was noted after the first 2 samplings. A significant (P<0.05) increase in the relative organ weight was recorded at 1200 mg/L. The groups treated with ASA 600 and 1200 mg/L showed increased (P<0.05) AST, ALT, and creatinine levels from that of the control group. The group treated with 1200 mg/L of ASA showed increased (P<0.05) urea, serum total protein, and albumin level in all the samplings. Histopathological changes revealed swollen hepatocytes, increased sinusoidal spaces in the liver, congestion and abnormal glomerular spaces in the kidney, congestion and alveolar disruption in the lungs, and generation of villi and cellular degeneration in the intestine in a high-dose group. The study concluded that ASA at a low dose can be used for a long time in broilers and has a growth promontory role, while high-level doses cause hepatorenal toxicity

COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SERIOUS THREAT FOR PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH GLOBALLY

Deep emotion traumas in societies around the globe are overcome by extreme human catastrophes such as natural disasters, social crises, war conflicts and infectious virus induced pandemic diseases, etc., can lead to enormous stress-related disorders. The current ongoing pandemic known as COVID-19 caused by novel Corona virus first appeared in Wuhan, city of China and then rapidly spread in the whole world. It has affected various frontiers of lives and caused numerous psychiatric problems like nervousness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear and uncertainty, panic attacks, depression, obsessive compulsory disorder, xenophobia and racism, etc. Globally COVID-19 has persuaded public mental health crisis. Furthermore, inadequate resources of public mental health services in several countries are discussed in this review, which will be further straighten by the upcoming increase in demand for mental health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All mental health sciences including Psychiatry can play a very important role in the comfort of COVID-19 infected individuals and their relatives, healthcare providers and society. We need to learn more about psychological and psychiatric features of COVID-19 from the perceptions of public and global mental health in order to cope up the present deteriorating situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Frequency of Congenital Anomalies in Newborns and Its Relation to Maternal Health in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan

Background: Congenital anomalies are a major cause of perinatal and neonatal deaths, both in low- and high-income countries. They are relatively common worldwide, affecting 3% to 5% of live births. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2014 to June 2014 at the Khyber teaching hospital in Peshawar. Specific patient information was obtained from patient records at the beginning of the study. Those individuals found to have at least one birth defect were approached and their attendants (mothers) were interviewed. Information regarding various risk factors was collected. Descriptive analyses were carried out. Results: Out of 1062 deliveries, 2.9% (31) of newborns had various congenital anomalies.b Hydrocephalus (22.6%), anencephaly (12.9%), and spina bifida (9.7%) were major anomalies. The maternal age ranged from 18 years to 46 years (mean: 30 ± 8). Most of the anomalies (35.5%) were present in the 26-30 years age group. Out of 31 babies, 6.4% had multiple anomalies. The preponderance of various congenital anomalies was seen in parity 1 (35.4%); parities 2 to 4 had lower incidences (35.4%). The consanguinity rate was 67.7%; only 32.3% of patients were using folic acid. History of passive smoking was positive in 16.1% of cases. Conclusion: Anencephaly and hydrocephalus were the most prominent anomaly detected; early prenatal diagnosis may be helpful in decreasing mortality by offering early termination. Low intake of folic acid and a high consanguinity rate were the most common associated risk factors for congenital anomalies. These risk factors may be reduced by creating awareness regarding the avoidance...