Spousal alcohol consumption and female hypertension status: evidence from Nepal.

OBJECTIVE: Psychosocial factors, such as environmental stressors, can increase the risk of hypertension. This study examines the role of the household environment in hypertension outcomes by assessing the link between female hypertension status and spousal alcohol consumption in Nepal. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. METHODS: We used the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey to assess differences in hypertension outcomes in women aged 15 to 49 years whose husbands drink alcohol and in those whose husbands do not. We estimated a multinomial logistic model to obtain adjusted differences in the likelihood of being hypertensive between the two groups. We also examined several socio-economic conditions across the two groups to discuss various aspects of the association. RESULTS: After controlling for anthropometric and various sociodemographic attributes, we find that women whose husbands drink alcohol were 2.5 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.31, 5.31) more likely to be hypertensive than women whose husbands do not. They were also more likely to experience food insecurity, to experience spousal violence, and to consume tobacco products. Among women whose husbands became intoxicated ('got drunk') very often, the likelihood of being hypertensive was 4.0 percentage points (95% CI: -0.26, 7.67) higher than among women whose husbands do not drink alcohol. CONCLUSION: Women whose husbands consume alcohol have an elevated risk of being hypertensive, illustrating the association between hypertension and the household environment. The findings document the added hypertension burden in socially vulnerable population groups and can inform initiatives to reduce alcohol consumption in Nepal.

Vegetation types, dominant compositions, woody plant diversity and stand structure in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary of Northeast India.

Present study was carried out to assess the vegetation types, diversity and phytosociological status of woody plants in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary of Tripura, Northeast India. Vegetation data was derived by 25 line transects (10 m wide and 500 m length, each 0.5 ha size). All woody species at >10 cm gbh (Girth at Breast Height) within each plots were measured and counted. A total of six forest types were classified by cluster analysis using Importance Value Index (IVI) of 289 woody species. Species diversity, forest structure and woody community associations were evaluated and discussed. One way ANOVA revealed significant differences in all species diversity measures and stand structure along the forest types. Distribution of stem density at ten different gbh classes showed reverse J-shaped curves. Population status of woody plants was also examined through grouping of all individuals into four population age stages viz. sapling (<30 cm gbh), adult (> or = 30 - <120 cm gbh), mature (>120 - 210 cm gbh) and old (> or =210 cm). To observe dominant composition and species population trend, IVI of top ten dominant species from all forest types were tabulated. The present study suggested that Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary is an important habitat in Tripura from floristic point of view and it should be conserved on priority basis for remaining wildlife endurances and monitor for forest livelihoods products for sustainable biodiversity conservation in this region.

Effect of vitamin E supplementation on arsenic induced oxidative stress in goats.

The present study was designed to assess whether supplementation of different levels of vitamin E to long-term arsenic exposed goats affords protection against the oxidative stress caused by the metalloid. Twenty-four crossbred lactating goats were distributed randomly into four groups (control, T(1), T(2) and T(3)) of six in each. The animals in T(1), T(2) and T(3) were given 50 mg/kg DM arsenic daily, while in T(2) and T(3), vitamin E @100 IU and 150 IU/kg DM, respectively, was also supplemented additionally for the period of 12 months. Compared to control, significant (p < 0.05) decline in SOD (45 %), CAT activities of erythrocytes (63 %), plasma total Ig (22 %) and total antioxidant activity (24 %) was observed in only arsenic treated groups and vitamin E supplementation in both doses produced partial mitigation effect against SOD (23 %, 20 %) and CAT (39 %, 48 %) while complete mitigation against total Ig (16 %, 7 %) and antioxidant activity (10 %, 8 %) was found. Average lymphocyte stimulation index at the end of experiment was (p < 0.05) lower in arsenic exposed groups (1.003 ± 0.01) and significant (p < 0.05) recovery was observed in response of vitamin E supplementation at higher doses (1.138 ± 0.03). So, vitamin E is helpful in reducing the burden of arsenic induced oxidative stress and activities of antioxidant enzymes in goats.

Estudio de la actividad antibacteriana y la toxicidad en gambas en salmuera de dos especies de Polygonum / Assessment of anti-bacterial activity and brine shrimp toxicity of two Polygonum species

Se estudi¨® la actividad antibacteriana de las partes a¨¦reas de Polygonum barbatum var. barbata y Polygonum stagninum(Familia: Polygonaceae) frente a diversas cepas bacterianas mediante el ensayo de difusi¨®n en disco, as¨ª comola toxicidad en gambas en salmuera mediante el ensayo de letalidad de gambas en salmuera. Todos los extractos/fracciones, a excepci¨®n del extracto/fracci¨®n de MeOH, presentaron niveles de actividad antibacteriana de bajosa moderados frente a la mayor¨ªa de las cepas de la prueba (zona de inhibici¨®n = 7-21 mm). Todos los extractos yfracciones presentaron considerable toxicidad general hacia las gambas en salmuera. Los valores de LD50 de losextractos/fracciones de la prueba se encontraron en el rango de 2,19 a 114,81 ¦Ìg/mL, mientras que la del controlpositivo (sulfato de vincristina) fue de 0,61 ¦Ìg/mL

The extracts of the aerial parts of Polygonum barbatum var. barbata and Polygonum stagninum (Family: Polygonaceae)were assessed for anti-bacterial activity against a number of bacterial strains using the disc diffusion assay, andbrine shrimp toxicity using the brine shrimp lethality assay. All extracts/fractions, except the MeOH extract/fraction,exhibited low to moderate levels of anti-bacterial activity against most of the test strains (zone of inhibition = 7-21mm). All extracts and fractions displayed considerable general toxicity towards brine shrimps. The LD50 values of thetest extracts/fractions were within the range of 2.19 to 114.81 mg/mL, whereas that of the positive control (vincristinesulphate) was 0.61 mg/mL

Analgesic, antiinflammatory and CNS depressant activities of sesquiterpenes and a flavonoid glycoside from Polygonum viscosum.

Analgesic, antiinflammatory and CNS depressant activities of four sesquiterpenes, viscosumic acid, viscozulenic acid, viscoazucine and viscoazulone, and a flavonoid glycoside, quercetin-3-O-(6''-feruloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside isolated form the aerial parts of Polygonum viscosum (Polygonaceae) have been assessed. All test compounds exhibited CNS depressant activity in open field test, all but viscoazulone showed analgesic activity in Eddy's hot plate test, all sesquiterpenes inhibited acetic acid induced abdominal writhing in mice, and all but viscoazucine and the flavonoid glycoside exhibited mild to moderate antiinflammatory effect on carrageenan induced rat paw edema.

Analgesic, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory principle from Scoparia dulcis.

Scoparinol, a diterpene, isolated from Scoparia dulcis showed significant analgesic (p < 0.001) and anti-inflammatory activity (p < 0.01) in animals. A sedative action of scoparinol was demonstrated by a marked potentiation of pentobarbital-induced sedation with a significant effect on both onset and duration of sleep (p < 0.05). Measurement of urine volume after administration of scoparinol indicated its significant diuretic action.

Isolation and structure elucidation of viscoazucine, a novel sesquiterpene from Polygonum viscosum.

A new sesquiterpene, 1,4-dimethoxycarbonyl-7-(1-methylethyl)- 3,3a,6,7,8,8a-hexahydroazulene (viscoazucine) (1), and a known flavone, 3',5,7-trihydoxy-3,4',5'-trimethoxyflavone (4), have been isolated from Polygonum viscosum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, notably UV, MS and NMR.

Quercetin 3-O-(6"-caffeoyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside from Polygonum viscosum.

The methanol extract of the whole plant parts of Polygonum viscosum has yielded a flavonol glycoside, 3-O-(6"-caffeoyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1), the structure of which has been determined unambiguously by UV and a series of one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments, notably, (1)H, (13)C, DEPT, COSY45, HMBC and HMQC.

A sesquiterpene acid and flavonoids from Polygonum viscosum.

4-Isobutyl-6-methyl-5-oxo-3a,4,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-inden-13-oic acid (named viscosumic acid) and quercetin 3-O-(6"-feruloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside, and the known 3',5-dihydroxy-3,4',5',7-tetramethoxyflavone have been isolated from Polygonum viscosum. The structures of these isolates were determined primarily on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectral analyses, notably, 13C PENDANT, COSY45, TOCSY, GOESY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC.

Preliminary studies on the antiinflammatory, analgesic and diuretic activity of stagninol, a sesquiterpene isolated from Persicaria stagnina.

Stagninol, a sesquiterpene, isolated from Persicaria stagnina Linn showed significant antiinflammatory and analgesic activity (P < 0.001) in animals. A sedative action of stagninol was revealed by a marked potentiation of pentobarbital induced sedation with significant effect on both onset (P < 0.001) and duration (P < 0.01) of sleep. Measurement of urine volume after administration of stagninol indicated its significant diuretic action. Biochemical investigations revealed that both crude extract and stagninol showed dose dependent reduction of blood uric acid and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). There was an increase in serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) level with the crude extract but stagninol showed no significant changes of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), SGPT and SAP level.