In Vitro and in Vivo Evaluation Of Pharmacological Activites of Pouzolzia Sanguinea

YesPouzolzia sanguinea grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Bangladesh, used for a variety of purposes including pain, rheumatoid kidney diseases in traditional medicine. The crude ethanolic leaf extract of P. sanguinea with its different fractions (ethanol, n-hexane, and chloroform) was investigated for phytochemical constituents, in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, in-vivo analgesic and antipyretic activities. Preliminary phytochemical constituents were identified by chemical group test. P. sanguinea fractionated extracts contain alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, gums, and amides. Antioxidant activity test was performed by both qualitative (TLC and Rf value) and quantitative tests (inhibition of DPPH free radical scavenging). Extracts exhibited significant (p <0.001, p <0.0001) inhibition of DPPH free radical scavenging activity as compared to the standard drug ascorbic acid at similar doses. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity was determined by protein denaturation of egg albumin method. The percent inhibition of protein denaturation in the experiment of ethanol extract was found significantly higher (p <0.0001) compared with chloroform and n-hexane extracts. In addition, in vivo analgesic and antipyretic effects were determined in mice by acetic acid-induced writhing and yeast-induced pyrexia methods. The ethanol extracts of P. sanguinea exhibited inhibition of writhing reflex on mice by 71.58% at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight which had greater analgesic activity than other n-hexane and chloroform extracts. In the anti-pyretic test, fractional extracts ethanol, chloroform, and n-hexane at a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight significantly (p <0.05) decreased pyrexia in mice up to 3 h as compared with the positive control paracetamol drug at a dose of 150 mg/kg body weight. In our in vitro and in vivo study models, it is evident that Pouzolzia sanguinea fractionated extracts showed significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities

Next steps in dermatology training: choosing to enter higher specialty training and the transition from trainee to consultant dermatologist

Background: Junior doctors are required to make career decisions at an early stage in their postgraduate training. Trainees also feel inadequately prepared for the transition to consultant roles. Aim: To explore the key factors influencing the choice of dermatology as a postgraduate medical career and to identify the training needs required for transition from trainee to consultant. Methods: An online questionnaire was designed to identify (i) why trainees chose a postgraduate medical career in dermatology, and (ii) the training required for transition from trainee to consultant. Results: In total, 46 responses were received from trainees in their first to final years (ST3–6), of whom 89% had undertaken an undergraduate dermatology placement, with a median duration of 2 weeks. Dermatology was considered as a career during medical school by 61% of trainees, and 41% confirmed their decision to pursue a career in dermatology during foundation training. The most influential factors involved in speciality selection were first, enjoyment of the work, second, postgraduate experience and equal third, the variety of the speciality and the regularity of working hours (P &lt; 0.05). Mentoring was pivotal to career decision-making. Significant numbers of trainees expressed a need for training in medical leadership, such as running an outpatient clinic and supervising clinical multidisciplinary teams. Although larger numbers of trainees had training in management of dermatology services, such as service improvement (52%) and local governance/National Health Service structures (43%), significant numbers of trainees had no training in writing job plans (89%) or business plans (85%). Training was significantly deficient for personal management and self-awareness. Conclusion: Our study highlights important considerations in career decision-making for trainees. Training in medical leadership, management and self-awareness could be enhanced to ensure that trainees feel adequately equipped for consultant roles.</p

The European baseline series in 10 European Countries, 2005/2006-Results of the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA)

Background Continual surveillance based on patch test results has proved useful for the identification of contact allergy. Objectives To provide a current view on the spectrum of contact allergy to important sensitizers across Europe. Patients/Methods Clinical and patch test data of 19 793 patients patch tested in 2005/2006 in the 31 participating departments from 10 European countries (the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies' (ESSCA) www.essca-dc.org) were descriptively analysed, aggregated to four European regions. Results Nickel sulfate remains the most common allergen with standardized prevalences ranging from 19.7% (central Europe) to 24.4% (southern Europe). While a number of allergens shows limited variation across the four regions, such as Myroxylon pereirae (5.3-6.8%), cobalt chloride (6.2-8.8%) or thiuram mix (1.7-2.4%), the differences observed with other allergens may hint on underlying differences in exposures, for example: dichromate 2.4% in the UK (west) versus 4.5-5.9% in the remaining EU regions, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone 4.1% in the South versus 2.1-2.7% in the remaining regions. Conclusions Notwithstanding residual methodological variation (affecting at least some 'difficult' allergens) tackled by ongoing efforts for standardization, a comparative analysis as presented provides (i) a broad overview on contact allergy frequencies and (ii) interesting starting points for further, in-depth investigation