Role of magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer management.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast is primarily used as a supplemental tool to breast screening with mammography or ultrasound. A breast MRI is mainly used for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, to help measure the size of the cancer, look for other tumors in the breast, and to check for tumors in the opposite breast. For certain women at high risk for breast cancer, a screening MRI is recommended along with a yearly mammogram. MRI is known to give some false positive results which mean more test and/or biopsies for the patient. Thus, although breast MRI is useful for women at high risk, it is rarely recommended as a screening test for women at average risk of breast cancer. Also, breast MRI does not show calcium deposits, known as micro-calcifications which can be a sign of breast cancer.

Statin intolerance: now a solved problem.

Statins are the most effective and widely used drugs for treating dyslipidemia, a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. These are one of the safest hypolipidemic drugs but many patients are bound to discontinue statins due to their side effects. Hepatotoxicity, myotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy are important out of them. Discontinuation of statins leads to dylipidemia and its grave consequences. Hence, there should be enough strategies for statin intolerant patients, so that they can be saved from these consequences. These side effects can be avoided by the awareness of certain factors viz. potential drug interactions and dose adjustment according to patho-physiology of the patient. Baseline investigations for liver function and muscle toxicity should be done before initiating statin therapy. Here, we are discussing various options for statin intolerant hyperlipidemic patients such as lower and intermittent dosing of statins, alternate hypolipidemic drugs, red yeast rice, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 and vitamin D. A number of hypolipidemic drugs are in trial phases and hold promise for statin intolerant patients.

Synthesis of substituted acridinyl pyrazoline derivatives and their evaluation for anti-inflammatory activity.

A rapid preparation of compounds (1-24), with the objective of discovering novel and potent anti-inflammatory agent. All the compounds exhibited anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities at the dose 50 mg/kg p.o. The compound 1-(2',4'-Chloroacridine-9'-yl)-3-(5'-pyridine-4-yl)-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl-thiomethyl)-pyrazole-5-one 24 showed better anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities at the three graded dose of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg p.o.

Synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of some potential thiazolidinonyl 2-oxo/thiobarbituric acids.

A series of 5-[(N-substituted benzylidenylimino)amino]-2-oxo/thiobarbituric acids (3a-3h) have been synthesized by the condensation of 5-hydrazino-2-oxo/thiobarbituric acids (2a-2b) with various aromatic aldehydes. Cycloaddition of thioglycolic acid to 3a-3h, yielded 5-[(2'-substituted phenyl-4'-oxothiazolidin-3'-yl)amino]-2-oxo/thiobarbituric acids (4a-4h). All these compounds were screened, in vivo, for their anticonvulsant activity and acute toxicity studies. Compounds 4f and 4g were found to be most potent compounds of this series and were compared with the reference drugs, phenytoin sodium, lamotrigine and sodium valproate. The structures of these compounds have been established by IR, 1H NMR and mass spectroscopic data.

Hepatoprotective activity of Beta vulgaris against CCl4-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Ethanolic extract of Beta vulgaris roots given orally at doses of 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg exhibited significant dose-dependent hepatoprotective activity against carbontetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Hepatotoxicity and its prevention were assessed by serum markers viz. cholesterol, triglyceride, alanine amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase.

Beneficial effects of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and Commiphora mukul on experimental hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis--a comparative evaluation.

Oral administration of petroleum ether extract of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and ethylacetate extract of Commiphora mukul in albino rats significantly prevented rise in serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride level, caused by atherogenic diet. All the three agents were also found to confer significant protection against atherogenic diet induced atherosclerosis.

Analgesic, antipyretic and ulcerogenic activity of Nyctanthes arbor tristis leaf extract.

The leaves of Nyctanthes arbor tristis, besides being used in the treatment of sciatica and arthritis, are advocated for various kinds of fevers and painful conditions by the Ayurvedic physicians. In the present study, the water-soluble portion of an ethanol extract of the leaves was screened for analgesic, antipyretic and ulcerogenic activities. The extract exhibited significant aspirin-like antinociceptive activity but failed to produce morphine-like analgesia. It was also found to possess antipyretic activity against brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. The extract also produced gastric ulcers following oral administration for six consecutive days in rats. Results of the present study tend to substantiate the use of this plant in fevers and painful conditions by Ayurvedic physicians.

Study of anti-inflammatory activity in the leaves of Nyctanthes arbor tristis Linn.--an Indian medicinal plant.

Nyctanthes arbor tristis Linn. (Harsingar) is widely used as a decoction in the Ayurvedic system of medicine for treatment of sciatica and arthritis, but it has not yet been screened scientifically. In the present study, the water soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of the leaves of Nyctanthes arbor tristis (NAT) was screened for the presence of anti-inflammatory activity. NAT inhibited the acute inflammatory oedema produced by different phlogistic agents, viz. carrageenin, formalin, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and hyaluronidase in the hindpaw of rats. The acute inflammatory swelling in the knee joint of rats induced by turpentine oil was also significantly reduced. In subacute models, NAT was found to check granulation tissue formation significantly in the granuloma pouch and cotton pellet test. Acute and chronic phases of formaldehyde induced arthritis were significantly inhibited. NAT was also found to inhibit the inflammation produced by immunological methods, viz. Freund's adjuvant arthritis and PPD induced tuberculin reaction. Thus anti-inflammatory activity in leaves of Harsingar supports its use in various inflammatory conditions by the followers of the Ayurvedic system of medicine.

Effect of garlic pretreatment on isoprenaline-induced myocardial necrosis in albino rats.

Albino rats were pretreated orally for seven days with different doses of the essential oil and juice of garlic. These animals were challenged with isoprenaline (85 mg/kg, s.c.) on day six and seven to induce myocardial necrosis. The same rats were also subjected to swimming test before and after forty eight hr of first injection of isoprenaline. Pretreatment with essential oil (2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg) and juice (2.0 and 4.0 ml/kg) significantly protected the myocardium from isoprenaline-induced necrosis. These animals also exhibited better swimming performance. In separate group of animals, pretreatment with garlic juice (4.0 ml/kg) or essential oil (4.0 mg/kg) improved the chances of survival in isoprenaline-challenged animals.