jpans
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Abstract: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual carotenoids content and composition are complicated, time consuming and in fact very costly. The crucial and vital part is the availability and reliability of the pure standards. Most of the individual carotenoids are commercially available either in natural or synthetic form but they are quite expensive and some of it not available in the market anymore. These problems strongly associated with the accuracy and reliability of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis data. Therefore, this study aimed to set up an analytical scheme of obtaining b-carotene standard from the leaves of Morinda citrifolia as one of the carotenoid standards for HPLC analysis. M. citrifolia has been selected due to its abundance throughout the year with tropical climate. The scheme via open column chromatography (OCC) established that the purity of β-carotene standard was 97% and the coefficient of correlation was 0.9923. However after 30 day storage period of time, the purity decreased to 95.46%. Although these had an effect on the carotenoid standard stability but it can be a reliable source of β-carotene standard for HPLC analysis as well as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, food and beverage industries. Keywords: |
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Abstract: Objective: This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Snake anti-venom Immunoglobulin [IgG] manufactured by Anti-Snake Venom [ASV]/Anti-Rabies [ARV] Serology Laboratory, Health Department, Government of Sindh. Methods: The prospective, observational single arm study was conducted after the approval of IRB. Study included six patients with viper [Echis carinatus sochureki] snakebites referred to the emergency ward of Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences Hospital, Nawabshah and District Headquarter Hospital Mithi, Sindh, Pakistan with consultation of Clinical and Principal investigator. The study was conducted over a period of three months [August 2015 to November 2015]. All patients were given IV infusion of 10 mL [1 vial] investigational ASV diluted in 100 mL normal saline except one patient who received 5 mL management dose and 5 mL subsequent dose for the recovery of coagulopathy. The efficacy was assessed by Primary and secondary efficacy endpoints, i.e. the dose at which maximum no of patients were treated [permanent restoration of normal blood coagulation tested by 20-minute whole blood clotting test [20-minute WBCT] with minimum toxicity. Results: All patients recovered from coagulopathy after receiving IV infusion of 10 mL investigational ASV diluted in 100 mL normal saline tested by 20-minute WBCT. Mean Recovery time was 9:15 ± 3:25 hours. Conclusion: Safety and efficacy was assessed for the Bivalent Anti venom Immunoglobulin-NQ1 [IgG] manufactured by ASV/ARV Serology Laboratory, Health Department, Government of Sindh.. Keywords: |
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Abstract: The use of extrusion can be regarded as beneficial due to its short production time and wide variety of foods produced by this method. South Africa as a developing country has been involved in food extrusion since the 1980’s and this technology is gaining momentum in academic research areas. A number of research efforts related to extrusion in South Africa have shown the consumption of extruded dry beans can reduce plasminogen activator inhibitor levels in hyperlipidaemic men; the production of sorghum-cowpea extruded instant porridge resulted in a nutritional acceptable product and can be used to supplement the diet of young children to assist with protein deficiencies. Furthermore, research has proven extruder parameters play a role in the outcome of the product and can influence product properties. Based on these research initiatives, Vaal University of Technology/Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods (VUT/CSL) has acquired an Extrusion Pilot Plant to implement interdisciplinary research of nutrition and engineering science. The research will look at process optimisation studies to obtain maximum product output and evaluating nutritional compositions of the products under various conditions. It is hoped the future research efforts at VUT/CSL will address food and nutrition insecurity and showcase the pilot plant as a testing facility and potential advancement to commercialisation. Keywords: |
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Abstract: Two sliding scale regular human insulin (RHI) algorithms (SSI) were retrospectively evaluated to identify those who develop severe hyperglycemia (blood glucose (BG) > 180 mg/dL) and for glycemic management of continuously-fed, critically ill trauma patients with mild to moderate hyperglycemia (BG 126 to 179 mg/dL). Assignment of low or high SSI was based upon anticipated severity of difficulty in glycemic control. BG was obtained every 3 to 6 hours. Target BG range was 70 to 149 mg/dL. Patients who were unable to achieve a BG < 150 mg/dL with SSI and who required a continuous intravenous RHI infusion were identified. Twenty-five of 121 patients (21%) failed SSI necessitating more intensive insulin therapy. The low and high intensity SSI groups exhibited a baseline BG of 123 + 33 mg/dL and 164 + 20 mg/dL (P = 0.001). Average BG for each group was 129 ± 14 mg/dL and 145 ± 21 mg/dL (P = 0.001). Each group spent 20 ± 4 and 16 ± 5 hours/day within the target BG range (P = 0.001), respectively. Mild hypoglycemia (BG 40 - 60 mg/dL) occurred in 11% and 7% of patients from each group (P = N.S.). Severe hypoglycemia (BG < 40 mg/dL) occurred in zero and two (5%) patients, respectively (P = N.S). SSI served as a useful technique to identify those requiring more intensive insulin therapy and was safe and efficacious for continuously-fed, critically ill trauma patients with mild to moderate hyperglycemia. Keywords: |
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Abstract: Some plants that are processed into foods often contain natural substances that may be hazardous to human health. One example is coumarin, which is known to cause liver and kidney damage in rats, mice and probably humans. Coumarin is found in different Cinnamomum species such as Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum loureiroi, and Cinnamomum burmannii; all commonly referred to as cassia. Another hazardous substance is Safrole. Safrole is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals; and is mainly present in cinnamon leaf oil and could be a possible contaminant in cinnamon powder. European Council’s Directive on food flavourings 88/388/EEC limits safrole in foodstuffs to 1ppm. The content of coumarin is regulated in the European Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. In the present study, coumarin and safrole levels were analyzed in locally bought cinnamon samples and cinnamon-flavored food products using a validated HPLC method with diode array detector (DAD). Appreciable amounts of coumarin were found in bakery products with concentrations up to 39.466 mg/kg in certain kinds of cookies, whereas safrole was undetectable. Our exposure data on coumarin in bakery products show that there is still a need for a continued regulation of coumarin in foods. A toxicological re-evaluation of coumarin with the aim to derive scientifically founded maximum limits should be conducted with priority. Keywords: |