Objectives: To study the impact of anti-inflammatory agent like Bryophyllum pinnatum aqueous extract and diclofenac on blood pressure and creatinine clearance. Study Design: Experimental study. Setting: Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha, Department of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha. Period: 1st January 2019 to 30th June 2019. Material & Methods: 24 Sprague Dawley rats were obtained and were then divided into four groups. Negative control group (A) contained animals received normal diet while Group B, C and D received diet containing sucrose (20% w/w) to induce hypertension. After that group B (positive control group) received distilled water 0.5 ml was by oral route, group C (Bryophyllum pinnatum group) received Bryophyllum pinnatum aqueous extract 300 mg/ml intraperitoneally and group D received diclofenac 12 mg/kg intraperitoneally as a single morning dose for two weeks. Blood pressure of animals was recorded at baseline and then weekly throughout the study using tail cuff using non-invasive blood pressure controller (ML125R). Animals were anesthetised with chloroform and two ml blood was drawn through cardiac puncture at 0, 4and 6 weeks. Blood was tested for haematocrit. Serum sodium and potassium levels were estimated by flame photometer. Urinary creatinine levels were estimated by kinetic Jaffé method. The data collected was processed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20). Results: Mean and standard deviation of systolic blood pressure (BP) of group A rats did not change with time, while that of group B, C and D increased till 4th week. Creatinine clearance of group A, B and C did not change much with time but that of group D decreased towards end of study period. Conclusion: Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf aqueous extract is an effective anti-hypertensive agent with minimal renal effects.

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of Ajwa date seed and fruit on renal histological changes in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Methods: This was an experimental study and was conducted in Post Graduate Medical Institute. The duration of study was 6 weeks. In this study random allotment of 32 rats was done in four groups. Group 1 was treated as control. Diabetes was induced in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th group by alloxan injection intra peritoneally. Group 2 was diabetic non treated while group 3 and 4 were treated with Ajwa seed and flesh respectively. After six weeks, animals were anaesthetized and kidneys were then removed without delay and weighed. Kidney paraffin sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin& eosin (H&E) and with Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) technique. Glomerular diameters were estimated. Glomerular volume determined by stage micrometer. Vascular, tubular injury and glomerular sclerosis were studied semi quantitatively. Results: The data showed that Ajwa date seed significantly reduced hyperglycemia but did not normalize the fasting blood glucose. We found exceedingly significant improvement in kidney weight, glomerular diameter, tubular and vascular injury with Ajwa date seed suggesting reduction in diabetic nephropathy. Ajwa seed diet found more effective in reducing nephropathy than Ajwa fruit diet. Current study displayed that the seed of Ajwa showed significant improvement in renal histological characteristics in diabetic rats. Conclusion: The findings showed that Ajwa date seed and flesh reduce loss of tubular and vascular damage in alloxan induced diabetes. Key Words: Oxidative stress, Kidney, Diabetes, Ajwa, Antioxidant, histopathology How to cite: Imran I., Mansoor M., Naqvi F., Akhtar M., Arshad W., Khan F. Evaluation of protective effect of Ajwa seed and fruit on renal histopathological changes in diabetic nephropathic rats. Esculapio 2021;17(01):104-109

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of Aloe vera and undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% for Melasma treatment. Study Design: Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: OPD Dermatology Department of DHQ Teaching Hospital, Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha. Period: October 2018 to March 2019. Material & Method: There were total 120 patients (both male and female) having 60 patients in each group. Patients with melasma were at random allocated either Aloe vera leaf gel and undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% at night for 12 weeks. Aloe vera leaf gel and undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% were packed in indistinguishable similar tubes numbered 1 and 2 respectively. Neither the investigators who calculated MASI score nor the patients was aware which tube carry Aloe vera leaf gel or undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2%. The patients were advised to revisit after every 4 weeks for follow-up for three months. Results: On comparison, the mean of Modified MASI score with treatment with Aloe vera leaf gel was reduced from 17.81 to 17.36. One way ANOVA was applied to compare improvement of modified MASI score at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks by applying Aloe vera leaf gel which was insignificant with p-value of 0.535. Mean of Modified MASI score with treatment with undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% was reduced from 18.13 to 4.95. One way ANOVA was quite significant with undecylenoyl phenylalanine 2% with p-value of ˂ 0.001. Conclusion: Undecylenoyl phenylalanine may represent an efficious and beneficial therapy of melasma. Herbal agents which contain Aloe vera and falsely claim that they are effective should be discouraged to treat melasma.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. According to WHO there is a steady increase in the number of diabetic patients annually. Maintenance of good glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients typically becomes progressively more difficult as the duration of disease lengthens due to decline in the capacity of the pancreatic beta cells for glucose stimulated insulin release, in the presence of insulin resistance. This study is conducted to observe the effect of metformin and bromocriptine individually and sub-therapeutic doses of these drugs when used as a combination therapy. Objective: The objective of this study is to primarily investigate and then compare the antihyperglycemic effects of bromocriptine with metformin, also to see the combined effect of sub therapeutic doses of both these drugs. Methodology: Random allotment of 24 albino male rats was done in four groups. Group 1 was kept as control. Alloxan monohydrate was given to group 2, 3 and 4 and diabetes was induced. Group 2 and 3 were treated with metformin (1.5mg/kg body weight) and bromocriptine (3 mg/kg body weight) respectively while group 4 was treated with sub therapeutic doses of metformin (1 mg/kg body weight) and bromocriptine (1.5 mg/kg body weight)both. Serum glucose levels were estimated at 1, 10, 20 and 30 days. Results: Results showed that metformin reduces blood glucose level significantly where as bromocriptine also showed reduction of blood glucose level but not as significantly as metformin. However, the combination of metformin and bromocriptine showed much reduction in blood glucose level than metformin and bromocriptine used alone. Conclusion: Bromocriptine and metformin when combined ameliorated blood guclose efficiently than given alone Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, bromocriptine, metformin