Ocimum sanctum leaves have been traditionally used in treatment of diabetes mellitus. Dietary supplementation of fresh tulsi leaves in a dose of 2 gm/kg BW for 30 days led to significant lowering of blood glucose levels in test group. Intake of Ocimum sanctum also led to significant increase in levels of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and total thiols, but marked reduction in peroxiodised lipid levels as compared to untreated control group. The leaves were found to possess both superoxide and hydroxyl free radical scavenging action. The present observations establish the efficacy of Ocimum sanctum leaves in lowering blood glucose levels and antioxidant property appears to be predominantly responsible for hypoglycemic effect. KEY WORDSOcimum sanctum, hypoglycemic effect, antioxidant, free radical scavenger.

Background:Undetected and untreated thyroid disorders are associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. There are limited data on the prevalence of newly diagnosed thyroid disease during pregnancy from India. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism during the first trimester of pregnancy.Materials and Methods:The present cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of endocrinology and antenatal clinic in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak over a period of 1-year. The total sample population comprised of 461 pregnant women with uncomplicated intrauterine singleton pregnancies in the first trimester of gestation without any history of thyroid disease or intake of any thyroid medication. Morning blood samples from the participants were analyzed for thyroid function tests, which included FT3, FT4, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO).Results:A total of 461 women were enrolled for this study. Mean maternal age was 23.79 ± 3.47 years. Median gestational age was 8 weeks 5 days. The median FT3, FT4 and TSH were 3.3 pg/mL, 1.25 ng/dL, and 1.40 mIU/L, respectively. Anti-TPO was elevated in 128 (27.8%) pregnant women. 99 (21.5%) women had sub-clinical hypothyroidism and 39 (39.4%) among them were positive for anti-TPO (P ≤ 0.001). 2 (0.4%) of women had overt hyperthyroidism, whereas 15 (3.3%) of the women had sub-clinical hyperthyroidism.Conclusion:Considering the immense impact that maternal thyroid dysfunction has on maternal and fetal outcomes, prompt identification of thyroid dysfunction and its timely treatment is essential. Thus, universal screening of pregnant women for thyroid dysfunction should be considered especially in a country like India due to the high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction.

Markers of bone formation in serum include total and bone specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and Type 1 collagen carboxy terminal extension peptide. Bone resorption can be assessed by measuring plasma tartarate resistant acid phosphtase and urinary excretion of collagen degradation products: hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine glycosides and more recently the pyridinium crosslinks and associated peptides. We compared the excretion of hydroxyproline in women of reproductive age group to those of menopausal age group and found a significant difference in the two age groups. Udnary hydroxyproline was found to be significantly raised in post menopausal women. Thus hydroxyproline maybe used as the earliest indicator in the prognostic assessment of postmenopausal women of their risk of developing osteoporosis and fracture.

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Objective:To study the prevalence of thyroid peroxidase autoantibody in euthyroid pregnant women and to evaluate the association between thyroid peroxidase autoantibody and pregnancy outcomes.Materials and Methods:One thousand thirty consecutive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic over a period of 1 year and were carrying a healthy singleton uncomplicated intrauterine pregnancy and consuming iodized salt were recruited for the study. Outcomes of the pregnancy was compared between TPO antibody positive euthyroid women (group 1) and TPO antibody negative euthyroid women (group 2).Results:Out of 1030 women, 164 (18.9%) were detected TPO antibody positive with euthyroid status. The mean FT4 and TSH level were significantly different in those who were TPO Ab positive as compared TPO Ab negative euthyroid pregnant women. No correlation was observed between the maternal age, gestational age and gravidity with anti TPO antibody levels. Eighteen (12%) women in Group 1and 5 (3.3%) women in Group 2 had miscarriages and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P value of 0.004). Twenty-one (14%) women in Group 1 and 5 (3.3%) women in Group 2 had preterm deliveries, which was also found to be statistically significantly (p value of 0.001). Other pregnancy related complications like Intrauterine death, IUGR, preeclampsia and PIH though are present in comparatively higher number in TPO Ab positive euthyroid pregnant women as compared to TPO Ab negative euthyroid pregnant women but this difference was not found to be statistically significant.Conclusions:To conclude with the present study shows that a good number of pregnant women with euthyroid status have TPO Ab positivity and this is associated with some adverse pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage and preterm birth of the baby.