Purpose: Microorganisms are responsible for a host of infectious disease diagnosed in human. Studies have shown that extracts of medicinal plants contain antimicrobial properties effective in the treatment of these infectious diseases. This study evaluated the antimicrobial potency of ficus vogelii Miq. extract fractions on selected microorganisms. Material and Method: The leave extract of the plant was prepared with n-hexane, crude, and methanol, serially diluted, and screened against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Candida albicans for zones of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration, resistance, and sensitivity test at a concentration of 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/ml. Result: Crude and n-Hexane extract fractions inhibited E.coli and S. typhimurium effectively at different concentrations. Methanol fraction less inhibited E. coli only while all the extract fractions did not show any antimicrobial potency against S. aureus and Candida abicans. Conclusion: This study concludes that crude and n-hexane extract of ficus vogelii is a potent antimicrobial agent against E. coli and S. typhimurium at a concentration of as low as 12.5 μg/ml.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Context: Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that uses semi-permeable membrane to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from drinking water. However, it is to be remembered that water contains range of minerals, necessary for the human body. Low mineral content has been observed to cause various health hazards such as dental caries, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Aims: The aim of this study is to perform the chemical analysis of drinking water processed by RO in terms of total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness and fluoride and to compare it with RO-unprocessed (non-RO) water and further to find the association with health hazards such as dental caries and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Materials and Methods: A community-based observational study was conducted on medical and para-medical staff families. For qualitative data, the Pearson's Chi-square test and for quantitative data, Student's t and ANOVA tests were applied. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to know the correlation between TDS and hardness of water and represented in a Scatter Diagram. Results: Out of 466 families, 231 were RO users and 235 were non-RO users. Even after practicing regular servicing of RO unit by the majority RO-users, mean values of TDS, hardness and fluoride were significantly less than RO unprocessed water and were also less than the desired minimum values. Positive family history of dental caries and CVD was significantly associated with the use of RO water. Conclusion: RO process diminishes the chemical quality of drinking water in terms of TDS, hardness, and fluoride and is associated with health hazards. Standardization of chemical quality of RO purifiers for domestic use is equally important as it is being carried out commercially.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: Quantification of urinary ortho-cresol (OC) by high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector. Materials and Methods: Includes acid hydrolysis of urine, liquid–liquid extraction, and chromatography quantification of extracted OC in urine. Results: Limit of detection, limit of quantification, and coefficient of linearity (R²) were 0.18 μg/ml, 0.62 μg/ml, and 0.9998, respectively. Recovery % of method ranged from 92%, 97%, and 100%. For intraday and interday precision coefficient of variation was 0.41%, 0.64%, and 0.89%, 0.86% for urine samples spiked with OC standards final concentration of 0.25 μg/ml and 0.7 μg/ml, respectively. Results (mean ± standard deviation) of exposed and unexposed real urine samples analyzed for OC with this method were 0.92 ± 0.76 and 0.40 ± 0.20 μg/ml, respectively. Statistical analysis of results showed significant (P ≤ 0.001) difference between urinary OC among exposed and unexposed subjects. Conclusion: The present work describes precise, easy, and less time consuming method for estimation of OC in urine of population exposed to toluene. It can be used as a promising tool for biomonitoring of population exposed to toluene.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Controversies regarding the safety of Tartrazine in food and medicines concern globally, as it remains without any ban or restriction to allergy sufferers. Studies applying double-blind controlled by placebo/randomized controlled trials are scarce. In general, the literature refutes its adverse reactions in allergic patients when their outcomes are compared to placebo groups. The aim of this study is to review outcomes after Tartrazine consumption showing its adverse reactions, also revising the Morais et al. raw data in a dose-time dependent approach. The search comprised articles published from 1970 to 2019, selected from Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, and Libraries. Cross-references of additional papers were also reviewed. Outcomes (bronchial asthma, rhinitis, urticaria and/or sensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) were scored accordingly using a zero-inflated statistical model. Peak expiratory flow changes were also considered. Meaningful outcomes from the articles reviewed were mostly irrelevant. Revising the raw data atopic patients, global results from placebo were 24.6% above the baseline whereas with Tartrazine groups were 47.4% over, somehow maximized by incrementing the number of volunteers. Cumulative responses were observed in patients under normal diet. Unequally, to most articles reviewed, the revised data showed statistical differences, diverging from the normal dose-response curve (S-shaped). In Tartrazine susceptible patients, conservatively representing 2.5% of the population, biological variations prevail. A hormetic U-shaped curve may suits as opposed to a sigmoid-shaped curve. It similarly occurred in mast cells where the release of 6-Hexosaminidase is inhibited by Tartrazine. Low-dose clinical trials should be performed in susceptible patients to ascertain these statements.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

The battle against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is on and each and every nation is trying out to minimize the impact of the disease in their settings. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, a total of 20 nations has reported cases, of which Iraq has reported 728 cases and 52 deaths. It is worth remembering that Iraq has been exposed to multiple challenges in the recent few years, including experiencing internal conflicts or massive displacement of the human population in the nation. All these factors together significantly enhance the probability of the emergence of a major outbreak in the nation, which might go beyond the capacity of the nation to contain, if we do not act now and that too fast. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand in most of the affected nations, and the same has been anticipated for Iraq as well in the coming weeks. Thus, the national leaders and supporting agencies have to prepare the health system of the nation for the upcoming battle and reduce the caseload and the probability of disease transmission.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]