Psychological impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and associated factors on college students.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the psychological impact of coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on college students, and to explore factors influencing their anxiety and depression levels. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2020 to January 2021 at the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, and comprised medical students of either gender in the first to third year of the academic programme. Data was collected using a pretested online structured questionnaire comprising demographic information, academic problems, daily life difficulties and the 25-item Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS22. RESULTS: Of the 397 students, 72(18.1%) were males and 325(81.9%) were females. The overall mean age of the sample was 19.9±1.2 years. Of the total, 221(55.7%) students were found to be anxious and depressed. Factors related to academic difficulties and daily life issues had significant correlation (p<0.05) with anxiety and depression. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the need for some form of mental health support was the most significant (p<0.001) predictor of anxiety and depression, followed by family issues (p<0.001) and social media (p<0.001). Anxiety and depression were also significantly associated with fear of family or friend getting coronavirus disease-2019 (p=0.003), lack of attentiveness to study (p=0.040) and felt anxiety when ordering food online (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: With better understanding, academic institutions and healthcare policymakers may take measures and mitigate students' distress during the pandemic.

In vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of Paeonia emodi (Wall.) rhizome methanol extract and its phenolic compounds rich fractions.

The present study aimed to quantify the total phenolic content in Paeonia emodi rhizome methanol extract and its fractions and then evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of fractions rich in phenolic compounds. Maximum quantity of total phenolic content was observed in butanol (112.08±5.5 mg GAE/g dw) and chloroform fraction (107.0±3.5 mg GAE/g dw) followed by methanol extract (94.2±4.4 mg GAE/g dw), aqueous fraction (92.9±2.5 mg GAE/g dw), ethyl acetate (62.3±8.3 mg GAE/g dw) and n-hexane fraction (51.6±7.2 mg GAE/g dw). The fractions rich in total phenolic content were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity based on 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay. The butanol and chloroform fraction showed significantly (P<0.05) higher radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 6.5 and 7.05±2.5 ppm respectively. Positive correlation (R square=0.95) was observed between total phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant activity. The fractions rich in phenolic compounds were also evaluated for their hepatoprotective activity in paracetamol intoxicated mice. Five days oral administration of these fractions at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight restored the serum ALT, AST and ALP levels of paracetamol intoxicated mice to normal level. From the results of the present research it was concluded that the butanol and chloroform fractions of P. emodi rhizome methanol extract are rich in phenolic compounds and strong antioxidant and effective in attenuation of hepatotoxicity.