Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) extract effects on levels of inflammatory markers and chondrocyte count in gout arthritis Wistar rat model.

BACKGROUND: Recently, herbal medicine has become alternative in management of gout. Our aim is to assess effectiveness of purple sweet potato extract in gout. METHOD: In vivo study with randomized posttest only control group design. Purple sweet potato extract administered to 16 Wistar rats with MSU-induced gout. Independent t-test for analyzing interleukin-1 ß (IL-1ß), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), malondialdehyde (MDA), and number of chondrocytes results. RESULTS: Decreased level of IL-1ß (3.81 ± 1.54 ng/mL vs. 2.55 ± 0.59 ng/mL, p = 0.04), MDA (5.04 ± 1.02 ng/mL vs. 2.27 ± 0.57 ng/mL, p = 0.04), MMP-3 (5.66 ± 1.02 ng/mL vs. 3.84 ± 1.37 ng/mL, p = 0.01) COMP (21.01 ± 3.57 ng/mL vs. 17.27 ± 2.60 ng/mL, p = 0.03), and increasing chondrocytes (35.17 ± 12.35 lp vs. 48.56 ± 7.17 lp, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Purple sweet potato extract with anthocyanin inhibits inflammation and cartilage degeneration in gout. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1.

Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women in Bali, Indonesia: a profile of risk factors and epidemiology.

Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women is a serious public health problem especially in tropical countries. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women in Bali and determine the risk factors for anemia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,684 pregnant women in 42 villages in Bali that were selected by probabilistic/proportional-to-size sampling technique. Two ml of venous blood were collected for hemoglobin estimation using an automatic hematology analyzer (Technician H-I), and serum ferritin examination using immunolescent technique. The WHO criterion for anemia in pregnancy was applied and serum ferritin < 20 microg/l as cut-off point for iron deficiency. Data regarding risk factors were gathered using pre-designed questionnaires. The prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women was 46.2%; most of the cases of anemia were mild. The risk factors for anemia identified in this study were: length of gestation; level of education; antenatal intake of iron pills. Given the high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in pregnant women in Bali, preventive measures, eg iron supplementation, the iron fortification of food, and health education, should be encouraged.