Administration of Caesalpinia bonduc Seed Extracts Ameliorates Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in Male Wistar Rats.

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a major chronic disease affecting men, and the therapeutic agents currently used to manage it have significant side effects. As a result, an alternative medicine with improved therapeutic properties with no side effects is desperately needed. The current investigation aims to study whether the Caesalpinia bonduc seed extracts (ethanolic-A, hydroalcoholic-B, and aqueous-C) have inhibitory potential on testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH in Wistar rats. Methods: Wistar rats (male) were randomly allocated to one of five groups: control, BPH (TP-3 mg/kg, subcutaneously daily), low dose (TP + C. bonduc seed extracts - 200 mg/kg body weight), high dose (TP + C. bonduc seed extracts - 400 mg/kg body weight), and standard drug (TP + finasteride - 10 mg/kg body weight). At the end of drug treatment, the rats were sacrificed and their serum and prostates were taken for biochemical and histological studies. Results: C. bonduc seed extracts treatment significantly decreased prostate weight and prostatic index in rats with TP-induced BPH. The seed extracts exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in serum and prostate. In addition, the PSA level in the serum showed a noteworthy decrease in comparison with the BPH group. Histopathological examination also indicated that extracts improved the tissue morphology of the prostate significantly. Out of three extracts tested, ethanolic and hydroalcoholic extract recorded significant effect. Finally, liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/MS-QTOF) analysis showed that the major compounds present in the extracts were tocopherols, fucosterol, linoleic acid, ß-amyrin, ß-sitosterol, campesterol, cassane furanoditerpene, norcassane furanoditerpene and other diterpenes. Conclusion: Thus, C. bonduc seed extracts could be a potential source for the formulation of new drug for managing BPH. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scientific animal investigation into the use of C. bonduc seed extract for the management of BPH.

Changes in radiographic parameters following chiropractic treatment in 10 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A retrospective chart review.

This retrospective chart review was undertaken to investigate the role of chiropractic intervention for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Ten cases of patients with AIS, mean age 13.3 years, undergoing chiropractic adjustment were retrospectively evaluated. Chart review was performed to extract age, medical history and treatment intervention. The magnitude of scoliosis was quantified using the Cobb method on standing radiographs. A comparison of the measurements from pre- and post-treatment radiographs revealed that Cobb angle reduced from average 29.7° down to average 23.4° (average 21.2% correction). Improvements in spinal morphologies were observed in most curves (64%, n=9/14) and curve stabilization in the rest (36%, n=5/14). A better correction was obtained in cases of mild and moderate AIS. In terms of stabilizing progression (≤5o curve progression) or correcting curvatures (≥6° reduction), radiological changes were observed in all patients.

Plausible impact of forward head posture on upper cervical spine stability.

The cervical spine is responsible for allowing mobility and stability to the head and neck. Any deviation to the center of gravity of the head results in an increase in cantilever loads, which can be particularly damaging to the upper cervical joints. Excessive neck bending also exaggerates stretching through the cervical spine and all of the spinal structures below. It has been reported that forward head posture (FHP) can cause a multitude of disorders including cervical radiculopathy, cervicogenic headaches and cervicogenic dizziness. Most of these conditions manifest with clusters of painful symptoms and spine dysfunctions. The purpose of this case study is to describe the radiographic imaging considerations and to illustrate the potential impacts in symptomatic adults with FHP. We randomly selected radiographs of three individuals with FHP who had undergone cervical adjustment for cervical pain. The occipito-axial (C0-C2) and atlanto-axial (C1-C2) joints were assessed via the C0-2 distance from the C2 base to the McGregor line (Redlund-Johnell criterion) and the Ranawat C1-2 index, in addition to subjective radiographic parameters. By comparing the radiographs of before-and-after intervention of each patient, a regressive joint spacing was observed from both indices. Such a long-lasting stretching concordant with FHP was assumed to be hazardous to joint stability. A definite conclusion, however, cannot be drawn due to the small sample size and a lack of convincing measurements.

Atlantoaxial Rotatory Subluxation in a 10-Year-Old Boy.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation (AARS) is the loss of normal alignment and stability of the first (atlas) and second (axis) cervical vertebrae with respect to each other. We describe the clinical challenges of managing a 10-year-old boy who presented with repetitive episodes of torticollis. Open-mouth odontoid radiograph and computed tomographic (CT) scan gave a diagnosis in ARRS, based on its characteristic imaging findings. The child was admitted multiple times for continuous halter traction in the first 6 months after symptom onset. He also experienced a temporary complication from an overcorrection with correcting neck bracing. Seven months after symptom onset, this case was discussed by a multidisciplinary spine team and referred to chiropractic clinic. Despite persistent radiographic evidence of atlantoaxial instability, after 5 months of chiropractic treatment, the child was asymptomatic with nearly full range of neck movement. He also weaned off acetaminophen he had been taking over the past year. Incidentally, bilateral gynecomastia was discovered at the surveillance after treatment. The incidental finding of innocent gynecomastia, even if common in preteen boys, brings up the topic of acetaminophen's effects on the regulation of sex hormones that was previously overlooked.

Secondary atlantoaxial subluxation in isolated cervical dystonia-a case report.

Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions resulting in twisting, repetitive movements or painful postures. Cervical dystonia (CD), an isolated dystonia of the cervical musculature, can predispose the atlantoaxial joint to unstable changes. Symptomatic treatment of dystonia through local injections of botulinum toxin clearly reduces pain in most clinical settings. However, repeated chemodenervation of the involved muscles with neurotoxin is expensive and not available to the complicated cases of CD. In this report a 14-year-old girl with a 1-year history of CD complicated by atlantoaxial subluxation was treated using chiropractic intervention. As a result of this regimen, the girl reported a significant relief from the neck pain and torticollis after the first week. More gains of cervical range of motion were made over the course of 6 months of treatment. Chiropractic might have yielded some biomechanical responses linked to clinical effects. This case demonstrates an unexpected association between CD and atlantoaxial subluxation. In cases of CDs, atlantoaxial subluxation may be ignored but requires specialized treatment. An index of suspicion should be maintained for this rare but potentially debilitating complication.

Entropy generation in bioconvection nanofluid flow between two stretchable rotating disks.

Buongiorno's nanofluid model is followed to study the bioconvection in two stretchable rotating disks with entropy generation. Similarity transformations are used to handle the problem equations for non-dimensionality. For the simulation of the modeled equations, Homotopy Analysis Method is applied. The biothermal system is explored for all the embedded parameters whose effects are shown through different graphs. There exists interesting results due to the effects of different parameters on different profiles. Radial velocity decreases with increasing stretching and magnetic field parameters. Temperature increases with Brownian motion and thermophoresis parameters. Nanoparticles concentration decreases on increasing Lewis number and thermophoresis parameter while motile gyrotactic microorganisms profile increases with increasing Lewis and Peclet numbers. Convergence of the solution is found and good agreement is obtained when the results are compared with published work.

Cervicogenic dizziness.

Cervical muscles have numerous connections with vestibular, visual and higher centres, and their interactions can produce effective proprioceptive input. Dysfunction of the cervical proprioception because of various neck problems can alter orientation in space and cause a sensation of disequilibrium. Cervicogenic dizziness (CGD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the presence of dizziness and associated neck pain in patients with cervical pathology. Here, we report a 24-year-old female, who was diagnosed with CGD based on the correlating episodes of neck pain and dizziness. Both symptoms improved with targeted chiropractic adjustment and ultrasound therapy. CGD is a seemingly simple complaint for patients, but tends to be a controversial diagnosis because there are no specific tests to confirm its causality. For CGD to be considered, an appropriate management for the neck pain should not be denied any patient.

Remission of recalcitrant dermatomyositis following a chiropractic adjustment.

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterized by progressive muscle weakness and pathognomonic skin eruptions. Systemic corticosteroid with or without an immunosuppressive agent is the current treatment of choice in most cases. Cutaneous disease in DM is often refractory and can become the most challenging component to manage effectively. Here, we report a case of recalcitrant DM in a 66-year-old female who sought chiropractic attention for recent episodes of pain and paresthesia in the neck and exacerbation of joint pain. As expected, the musculoskeletal complaints including neck pain, peripheral arthralgia, and muscle weakness that resolved within 1 month after starting treatment. Unexpectedly, dramatic remission of the characteristic skin rashes occurred concurrently. The underlying therapeutic mechanisms of chiropractic remain elusive. This case highlights the importance of family physicians becoming familiar with diagnosing the condition and using a multidisciplinary team approach to treat recalcitrant DM.