Effect of a polyherbal formulation on L-thyroxine induced hyperthyroidism in a rat model: In vitro and in vivo analysis and identification of bioactive phytochemicals.

An excess of thyroid hormones in the blood characterizes hyperthyroidism. Long-term use of prescription medications to treat hyperthyroidism has substantial adverse effects and when discontinued, the symptoms frequently recur. Several plant species have been utilized to cure hyperthyroidism. In the present work, we investigated the impact of polyherbal extract (POH) of four medicinal plants to treat hyperthyroidism. Biochemical analysis revealed the presence of a high concentration of phytochemicals in the POHs. The in vitro antioxidant study revealed their antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacity. The gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry analysis of the POHs showed the presence of 13 bioactive phytochemical compounds. The effect of various concentrations of POHs on L-thyroxine-induced hyperthyroidism in Wistar albino rats was evaluated for 18 days. The TSH, T3 and T4 levels increased significantly and reduced the increase of liver enzymes caused by hyperthyroidism in POH-treated rats. The data showed that POH therapy could restore thyroid function to normal. The injection of POH increased the size comprising vacuolated cells, columnar follicular cells and highly coloured nuclei with increasing POH content and the number of normal thyroid follicles rose. The findings indicate that polyherbal formulations of these medicinal plants include credible antithyroid compounds that may offer a protective and an effective alternative treatment to synthetic thyroid medications.

Morbidity profile of patients attended Siddha Regional Research Institute, Puducherry in 2017-A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In India, understanding the patterns of utilization of AYUSH care has been considered vital for increased focus on its mainstreaming and integration with prevailing biomedical systems. This paper aims to evaluate the morbidity profiling of the patients attended Siddha Regional Research Institute (SRRI), Puducherry in 2017. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in the patients conducted from January to December 2017. Data was collected for variables including age, gender, and clinical diagnosis from the records maintained in the unit. The data are presented as frequencies and proportions. RESULTS: We have collected 48,204 patients' data from the out-patient facility of SRRI from January to December 2017. The important patient were women (51.3%), 13 - 59 years of age (adults 75.5 %), and re-visitation cases (83.5 %). Osteoarthritis (15 %), sinusitis (6 %), respiratory illness (6 %), psoriasis (5 %), and diabetes (5 %) were the top reported diseases. According to the Siddha, Vatha diseases are reported higher than Pitha and Kabha diseases. CONCLUSION: Overall, in the year 2017 the SRRI OPD has more revisited cases than new ones, and women were slightly higher in proportion compared to males. The most frequently treated disease in both adults and the geriatric population was the musculoskeletal diseases, precisely osteoarthritis. More respiratory diseases were treated in children. These data could be used to analyze the people's perspective in the effective management of certain diseases through Siddha. The establishment of an integrative health facility with a cross-referral system would fetch more credulous among the public.

Can Backward Walking Speed Reserve Discriminate Older Adults at High Fall Risk?

Purpose: The authors examine whether community-dwelling older adults at high fall risk have lower backward walking speed reserve (WSR) than their healthy counterparts. Method: Twenty-one healthy older adults and 20 older adults at high fall risk performed five trials of forward walking at a self-selected and maximal pace. In addition, all participants walked backward at a self-selected pace, and 15 participants from each group walked backward at a maximal pace. WSR was calculated as the difference between maximal and self-selected walking speed. Comparisons between groups were made using a one-tailed independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test with an α value of 0.025. Results: Older adults at high fall risk were significantly slower during self-selected forward walking (11.7%; p = 0.006), maximal forward walking (15.5%; p = 0.001), self-selected backward walking (25.3%; p = 0.002), and maximal backward walking (23.8%; p = 0.006). Older adults at high fall risk showed a lesser forward WSR (25.4%; p = 0.03) and backward WSR (23.7%; p = 0.03). Conclusions: Backward WSR is not useful for discriminating between healthy older adults and older adults at high fall risk. The results imply that forward or backward walking speed rather than WSR might be a useful measure.

Objectif : examiner si les adultes âgés qui vivent en communauté et qui sont très vulnérables aux chutes ont une moins bonne réserve de vitesse de marche (RVM) à reculons que leurs homologues en bonne santé. Méthodologie : au total, 21 adultes âgés en bonne santé et 20 adultes âgés très vulnérables aux chutes ont effectué cinq essais de marche vers l'avant à leur vitesse maximale. Tous les participants ont également marché à reculons à la vitesse qu'ils ont choisie et 15 participants de chaque groupe ont marché à reculons à leur vitesse maximale. La RVM correspondait à la différence entre la vitesse de marche maximale et la vitesse choisie. Les chercheurs ont comparé les groupes au moyen du test de Student unilatéral pour échantillons indépendants ou du test U de Mann-Whitney d'une valeur alpha de 0,025. Résultats : les adultes âgés très vulnérables aux chutes étaient considérablement plus lents pendant la marche vers l'avant à leur vitesse (11,7 %, p = 0,006), la marche vers l'avant à la vitesse maximale (15,5 %, p = 0,001), la marche vers l'arrière à leur vitesse (25,3 %, p = 0,002) et la marche vers l'arrière à la vitesse maximale (23,8 %, p = 0,006). Les adultes âgés très vulnérables aux chutes présentaient une RVM vers l'avant (25,4 %, p = 0,03) et à reculons (23,7 %, p = 0,03) plus faible. Conclusions : la RVM à reculons n'est pas utile pour distinguer entre les adultes âgés en santé et ceux très vulnérables aux chutes. D'après les résultats, la vitesse de marche vers l'avant ou à reculons pourrait être une mesure préférable à la RVM.

Adverse Clinical Effects of Botulinum Toxin Intramuscular Injections for Spasticity.

OBJECTIVE: The adverse events (AEs) with botulinum toxin type-A (BoNTA), used for indications other than spasticity, are widely reported in the literature. However, the site, dose, and frequency of injections are different for spasticity when compared to the treatment for other conditions and hence the AEs may be different as well. The objective of this study was to summarize the AEs reported in Canada and systematically review the AEs with intramuscular botulinum toxin injections to treat focal spasticity. METHODS: Data were gathered from Health Canada (2009-2013) and major electronic databases. RESULTS: In a 4 year period, 285 AEs were reported. OnabotulinumtoxinA (n=272 events): 68% females, 53% serious, 18% hospitalization, and 8% fatalities. The type of AEs reported were - muscle weakness (19%), oropharyngeal (14%), respiratory (14%), eye related (8%), bowel/bladder related (8%), and infection (5%). IncobotulinumtoxinA (n=13): 38% females, 62% serious, and 54% hospitalization. The type of AEs reported were - muscle weakness (15%), oropharyngeal (15%), respiratory (38%), eye related (23%), bowel/bladder related (15%), and infection (15%). Commonly reported AEs in the literature were muscle weakness, pain, oropharyngeal, bowel/bladder, blood circulation, neurological, gait, and respiratory problems. CONCLUSION: While BoNTA is useful in managing spasticity, future studies need to investigate the factors that can minimize AEs. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the AEs can also improve guidelines for BoNTA administration and enhance outcomes.