Pakistan BioMedical Journal

Hesperetin: A Potent Phytochemical Constituent for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

2024-09-04T13:16:45+00:00

Hesperetin, a flavonoid abundant in citrus fruits and various vegetables, has emerged as a promising phytochemical for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, hesperidin offers a multifaceted approach to reducing the symptoms and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. The pathogenesis of RA involves a complex interplay between inflammatory cytokines, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress. Hesperidin exerts its therapeutic effects by modulating these pathways. This drug prevents the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, thus reducing inflammation and joint damage. Hesperidin shows immunomodulatory effects by modulating the function of immune cells. It inhibits the activity of inflammatory cells such as macrophages and neutrophils, which play an important role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, hesperetin inhibits the activation of nuclear factor κB, an important transcription factor involved in the expression of inflammatory genes, and exhibits broad anti-inflammatory effects. Hesperetin supplementation improves clinical symptoms and inflammatory markers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Hesperetin is a natural compound obtained from food sources and has fewer side effects than traditional rheumatoid arthritis drugs, making it an attractive alternative or complementary treatment. Hespertin is a promising approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Its pleiotropic mechanisms of action, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects, have great therapeutic potential to reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, stop the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients. This review article highlights the clinical trials needed to fully elucidate the therapeutic benefits of hesperetin and determine its role in the conventional treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Survey on Eczema; Its Perceptions and Characterization

2024-09-10T13:17:10+00:00

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a common inflammatory skin disease. It causes physical discomfort and also cause stress due to constant itching, which in the end leads to painful wounds. It can be triggered by environmental, genetic, stress, and anxiety factors. The symptoms of eczema are similar to other skin disorders. In some cases, incorrect diagnosis results in the administration of medication for other skin disorders. Objectives: To understand the patients’ knowledge about the disease and to create a sense of awareness for them. Methods: We prepared a questionnaire to get sense of people's understanding about eczema and surveyed students at Punjab University as well as we collected data with help of online google forms. There were 103 responses from people of both genders, age ranges from 20 to 35 years, and different educational backgrounds. Results: Most of the people think they understand what eczema is, but they have confused it with other skin conditions. According to the responses, sudden change in surroundings is the most triggering factor in causing eczema. Only 1% of people think it could be a contact disorder and can be triggered by pets and refined carbs. The most challenging weather for eczema is winter and the time is night. Conclusions: it was concluded that eczema is a really disturbing disease. This disorder is incurable yet. However, with proper care, timely treatment, and by taking preventive measures, can prevent to flare-up.

Significance of Myocardial Perfusion SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography) Imaging in the Detection of Silent Myocardial Ischemia in Type II Diabetic Patients with Microalbuminuria

2024-09-11T13:17:12+00:00

Silent Myocardial ischemia is frequent among type II diabetic patients. Objectives: To evaluate the role of microalbuminuria in predicting silent myocardial ischemia in diabetics undergoing myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and identify a sub-group for early myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and precise coronary artery disease treatment. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Medicine Cancer Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan from December 2023 to May 2024. Fifty-four patients were included in the study. All patients were type II diabetics with no previous history of coronary artery disease or angina pectoris. Gated myocardial perfusion scintigraphy was performed in all the subjects. Microalbuminuria was assessed in the morning urine samples of each patient. Results: Silent myocardial ischemia was detected in 26 (48%) of the 54 patients. The incidence of silent ischemia was significantly higher (p<0.05) in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria 22 (58%) as compared to diabetic individuals without microalbuminuria 12 (75%). Microalbuminuria was the independent and significant predictor of silent myocardial ischemia on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (odds ratio 6.61, 95% CI 1.23 – 35.38; p=0.027). Conclusions: It was concluded that testing for microalbuminuria in asymptomatic type II diabetes patients can improve testing accuracy for detecting silent myocardial ischemia with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. Myocardial perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography scintigraphy (SPECT) is a useful imaging technique for early coronary artery disease detection in individuals with DM.

Impact of Moderate Intensity Exercise on Serum Albumin Concentration

2024-09-12T13:17:24+00:00

Serum Albumin is the highly active protein in the blood which is working for oncotic pressure as well as, transportation of endogenous and exogenous ligands throughout the body compartments. Objective: To study the moderate-intensity exercise outcomes on serum Albumin quantities in the students. Methods: Twenty participants with the age group of 18-25 years were randomly selected from the Department of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan by using a recruitment method based on a BMI of 18.5-24.9 and an albumin level between 3.5 and 4.9 g/dL and then divided the population into two groups, the Control, and the Experimental group, with each of 10 participants. 12- A week of exercise procedure was subjected to the experimental group. A blood sample (5mL) was collected from each subject and thus marked with a unique identification code. The data were analyzed through a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS, Version 22.0). However, appropriate statistical tools were used. Results: A significant variation was found in the albumin values before and after the intervention. The mean (including standard deviation) values for all tests of the experimental group were 4.650 ± 1269 pre-test, and 5.010 ± 0.994 post-test. The mean values of all control group tests were 4.620 ± 0.1135 pre-test, and 4.640 ± 0.1075 post-test. Conclusion: It was concluded that moderate-intensity exercise significantly impacts serum albumin concentration among non-athlete students.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Hyderabad, Pakistan

2024-09-13T13:17:37+00:00

Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs due to high blood glucose levels owing to insulin resistance or insufficiency. The uncontrolled glycemic levels could impact gastrointestinal inflammation indicating a potential link between T2DM and Helicobacter pylori infection. Objective: To study the risk factors and prevalence related to Helicobacter pylori in T2DM and non-diabetic mellitus patients in Hyderabad Pakistan. Methods: A case-control study with a cross-sectional design was done by including 146 participants from Hyderabad, divided into two groups, one with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the other healthy individuals. A 5 mL blood sample was taken to analyze HbA1C levels and Helicobacter pylori infection. A questionnaire was used to collect other demographic and clinical information. The significance of differences in the data were evaluated using t-test and chi-square. Results: Out of 146 participants, Helicobacter pylori was detected in 39.7% (29) of diabetic patients and 45.2% (33) of non-diabetic participants with no statistical significance (p-value > 0.05). Helicobacter pylori positive diabetic patients had higher BMI values and were found to be obese as compared to Non-DM Helicobacter pylori positive participants. In Helicobacter pylori positive non-diabetic patients, it was found statistically significant differences (p-value <0.05) among fast food consumption. Diabetic patients on prolonged use of medications were found to have significant incidence of Helicobacter pylori as compared to non-diabetics. Conclusion: This study revealed that Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly higher in non-diabetic control group than in diabetic patients.

The Role of Epigenetics in Disease and Health: Beyond DNA Sequences

2024-09-04T13:16:36+00:00

In recent decades, the field of genetics has revolutionized our understanding of biology. In particular, we know about how genetic information encodes the blueprint for life and how variations and mutations in these sequences contribute to disease or health. What is unique is that the genetic trait changes do not always caused by any changes in genetic sequences.

Epigenetics refers to the study of how environmental factors and lifestyle choices can affect the gene activity. Changes in the heritable traits of organisms can be caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration to the underlying DNA sequence. Therefore, this change does not involve any DNA mutation.

DNA methylation is a biological process of adding a methyl group to the DNA molecule. The activity of DNA segments can change without changing the sequence by the process of methylation. This process plays an important role in normal development and aberrant DNA methylation patterns are associated with various diseases. Histones are highly basic proteins around which DNA is wound. The modifications in histone protein plays a fundamental role in most biological processes and can alter the accessibility of the DNA for transcription, as well as influencing gene expression. There are non-coding RNA molecules that do not encode proteins but play vital role in regulating the gene expression by interacting with other molecules and influencing chromatin structure.

Over the past few decades, mechanisms of epigenetics have emerged as a crucial factor in governing every biological process in the human body. Throughout human life, these mechanisms have been impacted various physiological and pathological conditions. For example, cancer is often characterized by epigenetics abnormalities, such as hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes or hypomethylation of oncogenes. Epigenetic modifications are also implicated in complex diseases like cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions and neurodegenerative disorder. Beyond these diseases, epigenetics also offers insights into health and development. Furthermore, understanding the epigenetic mechanisms influence human health, leading to new preventive strategies and treatment of various diseases. Early life experiences, including nutrition and stress, can lead to epigenetic changes that affect long-term health outcomes of the individual.

Advances in this research can pinpoint any epigenetic changes that affect long-term health outcomes. The advances of epigenetic research can lead to early diagnosis and preventive measures. Identifying the epigenetic markers associated with the diseases enable early detection of the diseases and more effective preventative strategies. Some epigenetic therapies like; drugs that modify histone acetylation or DNA methylation, are already in development and provide future treatments for disease. To understand how life style factors, influence epigenetic regulation can lead to personalized lifestyle recommendations that influence the public health strategies