Posted by admin on Jan 1, 2012 in |
Background: Beside the fact of poor adherence to antiretroviral drugs in resource limited country, serious adverse effects of the drugs and treatment failure complicate the whole management of antiretroviral therapy. Consequently, treatment modification and discontinuation of therapy has become a common phenomenon and hence limitation of treatment option has turn out the major concern of the future HAART. The aim of the study was to assess the factors responsible for modification of ARV regimen in patients taking ARV drugs. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted between January 2007 and December 2007 in Dessie regional referral hospital Result: One hundred twenty two patients switch their first regimen in Dessie regional referral hospital within the study period. The most frequent prescribed first regimens before switch were AZT/3TC/EFV (36%), AZT/3TC/NVP (27%), D4T/3TC/EFV (19%) and D4T/3TC/NVP (18%). Toxicity (66%) followed by co-morbidity (14%) and planning pregnancy (11%) were the most common reasons for modification of antiretroviral therapy .The main toxicity was anemia (64 patients)and peripheral neuropathy (11 patients). Conclusion : The...
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Posted by admin on Jan 1, 2012 in |
This work was conducted at a Libreville herbal market located in Peyrie in order to inventory plants used by people for the management of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and to evaluate their pharmacological effects. The method of preparation and modes of administration were also recorded. Twenty nine herbalists were interviewed using questionnaires. Twenty two plant species belonging to sixteen families and seventeen recipes were identified. The commonly used plants were Guibourtia tessmannii, Musanga ceropioiodes, Senecio gabonensis. Among them, G. tessmannii appeared to be the most used plant species. Phytochemical studies on extracts of G. tessmannii revealed the presence of alkaloids, sugars, polyphenols, sterols, tannins and saponosids. Pharmacological studies performed in the isolated aorta of rats showed a vasorelaxant effect on adrenalin- or KCl- induced contraction. G Tessmannii-induced vasorelaxation was significantly but not totally reduced by endothelium removal or by a pretreatment with L-NAME, suggesting the involvement of endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Medicinal plants and G. tessmannii in particular may represent a sourceofefficientantihypertensive...
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Posted by admin on Jan 1, 2012 in |
Nephropathy is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes. Hydrogen sulfide(H2S)has been implicated in controlling the renal glomerular (vascular) and tubular functions. This study investigates the metabolism of H2S and its effect on the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes was induced in WKY rats by streptozotocin in two groups. One diabetic group received NaHS, a H2S donor. While a vehicle treated group served as a control. Blood pressure was measured in conscious rats and at the end of the treatment period in anesthetized rats. In addition, pulse wave velocity (PWV) was also observed. Plasma and urine H2S levels and creatinine concentration and electrolytes were measured weekly throughout the 34-day period. Diabetic rats had lower (p<0.05) plasma and urine levels of H2S and lower urinary sodium to potassium ratio. Moreover, diabetic group had higher plasma sodium, higher absolute urinary sodium excretion, higher plasma creatinine and higher PWV (all p<0.05) but with similar mean arterial pressure compared to control (p>0.05). Treatment with the H2S donor restored H2S, plasma creatinine,...
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Posted by admin on Jan 1, 2012 in |
The present study was designed to investigate the antidiarrhoeal potential of 80% ethanol extract of aerial parts of Derris trrifoliata (DT) on castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice. Phytochemical screening of the plant extracts for their active constituents was also carried out using standard procedures. Oral administration of ethanol extract of DT (500 and 1000 mg/kg) significantly, and dose-dependently delayed the onset of diarrhoea induced by castor oil and also significantly reduced the number of diarrhoeal episodes and the number of animals exhibiting diarrhoea. The results were comparable to those of standard antimotility drug, hyoscine butylbromide (50 mg/kg). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of steroid, flavonoid, reducing sugar, tannin, gum and saponin as major constituents. The results point out the presence of some active principles in DT extract possessing anti-diarrhoeal effect and substantiate the use of this herbal remedy as a non-specific treatment for diarrhoea in folk...
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Posted by admin on Jan 1, 2012 in |
Oral controlled drug delivery systems represent the most popular form of sustained drug delivery systems for the obvious advantages of oral route of drug administration. Such systems release the drug with constant or variable release rates. The oral controlled release systems shows a typical pattern of drug release in which the drug concentration is maintained in the therapeutic window for a prolonged period of time (sustained release), thereby ensuring sustained therapeutic action. They are used as single dosage form. Present work involves preparation and evaluation of sustained release of microspheres of Norfloxacin employing sodium alginate as natural polymer. The technique employed for microencapsulation of the drug is ionotropic...
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