Objective: Plants play valuable role in the new drug discovery and significantly used to treat different diseases. Nowadays scientists are investigating the therapeutically active phytochemical constituents that are safe and producing lesser side effect in comparative to other standard drugs.Methods: The plant Holoptelea integrifolia is medicinally important and this study was carried out to evaluate the anti inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of the leaves of Holoptelea integrifolia in male albino rats wistar stain treated with acetic acid to induced paw edema.Results: Result indicated the significant anti-inflammatory activity while compared with standard drug (diclofenac sodium).Brine shrimp bioassay (cytotoxicity), phytotoxicity, insecticidal and enzyme inhibition activity was performed in different extracts of the leaves of H. integrifolia. Results of brime shrimp bioassay indicating positive lethality at high dose in BuOH and H2O only. While the results of phytotoxicity in all crude extracts displayed mild phytotoxicity(46.3 µg/ml) in high concentrations (1000 µg/ml) except H2O extract showed no phytotoxicity. Result of insecticidal activity revealed that BuOH extract were found more effective against Rhyzoperthadominica, the EtOH extract expressed major while EtOAC extract showed mild activity against Callosobruchusanalis. Aqueous extract possessed no insecticidal activity.Conclusion: Results of Urease inhibition activity suggested that EtOAC and BuOH extracts of this plant expressed no activity while EtOH and H2O possessed mild inhibiting activity.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.17(2) 2018 p.212-217

Objective: To appraise the use of various fast foods in different age groups among males and females and study its drift in Pakistani population. Method: The study was conducted from February to June 2013 in Karachi, Pakistan on a structured questionnaire. A total of n=489 individuals participated in this study among which n= 222 were males and n= 267 were females whose ages were grouped as <18 years, 18-40 years and >40 years. Fast food was categorized as fries, burgers, rolls, chicken broast and pizza whereas fibrous and vegetable diet included all vegetables in this study. Different types of diseases i.e. diabetes, asthma, hypertension, allergy, GI disorders and skin infections were also enquired about from the respondents consuming fast food. Result: The diet comprising fast food is high in energy and energy density. Fast food consumption has been reported to go along with large amounts of soft drinks which not only augments the weight of the individuals but also put them at danger to different kinds of ailments. In our study, both the genders were reported to take fast food on weekly basis, highest consumed in the age group of 18-40 years. Most popular fast food consumed among the females (n=63) was fries + burger and that in males (n=69) was more than one type of fast food. The consumption of cold drinks with fast food was seen more in males (n=105) than in females (n=90) and mostly in the age group of 18-40 years (males n=72 and females n=45). The consumption of fast food more than one time was observed more in the males. Both the genders belonged to age group of 18-40 years who exercised regularly. The frequency of use of fibrous/vegetable diet was higher in females (n=90) as compared to the male gender (n=117) in the age group of 18-40 years (p=0.033, χ 2 = 8.706). It was observed that the increase in weight was more in females under 18 years of age and more in males of age 18-40 years. It was also found that overall (n=72) males and (n=81) females were suffering from various diseases and yet were consuming fast food. Conclusion: Frequent fast food consumption may contribute to weight gain and with a sedentary life style can put the individuals at stake of different kinds of diseases and high health burden. Knowledge regarding healthy diet and healthy life style can contribute towards a society of people with better productivity and economy.

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Background: Cleome brachycarpa, magical species full of phytochemicals, has magical medicinal properties and should be evaluated extensively. Objectives: We evaluated the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Cleome brachycarpa and the effect of its extract on various hematological parameters, cholesterol levels, and liver enzymes to ensure the safe use of this natural product. Methods: Cleome brachycarpa was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects at 200 mg/kg compared to diclofenic sodium and morphine, respectively. For anti-inflammatory activity, Wistar strain albino rats were pooled and divided into four groups: Negative control (normal saline), positive control (2% acetic acid), standard (Diclofenic sodium 10 mg/kg), and test (Cleome brachycarpa extract orally) groups for 10 days. For analgesic evaluation, mice were divided into control (normal saline), standard (morphine 10 mg/kg), and test (Cleome brachycarpa extract 200 mg/kg) groups and analyzed by the tail-flick method from zero to six hours. An assortment of blood parameters was evaluated, including white cells, red cells, hemoglobin level, hematocrit value, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Besides, we computed the number of platelets, cholesterol, and enzyme (liver) level to ensure the safe use of this natural product. For this purpose, 60 rabbits were collected and divided into groups: Group A (control group) of 30 rabbits pooled without any treatment and Group B (treated group) of 30 rabbits receiving 200 mg/kg of Cleome brachycarpa. After 30 days, 4 mL blood sample was obtained by cardiac puncture. Results: Plethysmometer evaluation of anti-inflammatory effects showed maximum inflammatory inhibition of 29.42% at the sixth hour. Moreover, tail flick analysis showed maximum pain inhibition of 55.10% at the sixth hour, comparable to the standard drug. Furthermore, hematological data were analyzed statistically and showed insignificant results (P ≥ 0.05), indicating no prominent changes in hematological parameters, except for SGPT, a liver enzyme that increased after 30 days of treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Elevated levels of SGPT are usually reported with several drug administrations like NSAIDs and anti-TB drugs, but still, it should be further investigated. Conclusions: Cleome brachycarpa showed promising anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects without producing any potent change in enzymes except SGPT, which would be evaluated further.