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ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF COFFEA CANEPHORA EXTRACT IN DIABETIC RATS: INSIGHTS FROM TNF-Α REDUCTION AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY INDICES
Full text linkBackground: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and systemic inflammation. Coffea canephora var. robusta contains bioactive compounds with potential antihyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to evaluate the metabolic and inflammatory effects of its ethanolic extract in a rat model of T2DM.
Materials and Methods: Forty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into 11 groups, including normal, diabetic controls, and treatment groups receiving ethanolic or ethyl acetate extracts (100–400 mg/kgBW). T2DM was induced using a high-fat diet and streptozotocin ± nicotinamide. Outcomes measured were fasting blood glucose (FBG), glucose-lowering percentage (%GL), fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), and TNF-α levels.
Results: The 400 mg/kgBW ethanolic extract group showed a significant reduction in FBG (p = 0.017), percentage of glucose lowering (p = 0.000), TNF-α levels (p = 0.000), and body weight (p = 0.000) compared to diabetic controls, indicating improved metabolic regulation.
Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of C. canephora improves glycemic control, enhances insulin sensitivity, and reduces inflammation in T2DM rats, supporting its potential for future clinical validation
EXPLORING INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES USED BY TRADITIONAL PRACTITIONERS IN RWANDA
Full text linkBackground: Traditional Practitioners (TPs) serve as primary healthcare providers in Rwanda, offering culturally relevant healing methods. Despite their importance, there's a lack of understanding regarding their infection prevention and control (IPC) practices.
Materials and Methods: The study conducted in-depth interviews with Traditional Practitioners (TPs) in four Rwandan districts.
Results: Four main themes emerged from 50 interviews in this study. 1) Many day-to-day traditional medicine procedures pose risks of infection to Traditional Practitioners. 2) TPs' concepts and understanding of infection are often basic and not evidence based. 3) TPs' beliefs and attitudes toward infection prevention and control may not prioritize patient-centered care. 4) TPs employ various IPC measures, including some scientifically questionable or incorrect practices.
Discussion: Challenges such as lack of formal medical training and resources hinder effective IPC practices among Traditional Practitioners (TPs). Addressing the gaps in IPC practices among Traditional Practitioners (TPs) is crucial for promoting patient safety and public health in Rwanda. Improving IPC knowledge and practices, providing comprehensive training, and institutionalizing traditional medicine are recommended. Additionally, more research is needed to support the effectiveness and safety of traditional healing practices
GENETIC DETERMINANTS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND VIRULENCE IN Staphylococcus aureus ISOLATES FROM HOSPITAL SURFACES IN HIGH-RISK AREAS OF LOJA, ECUADOR
Full text linkBackground: Staphylococcus aureus is a microorganism associated with nosocomial infections, characterized by its high pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance, posing a critical risk in hospital environments. This study aimed to determine its presence, antibiotic susceptibility, and the detection of virulence, adhesion, and regulatory genes on hospital surfaces using phenotypic and molecular methods.
Materials and Methods: A total of 200 surface samples were collected from a secondary-level hospital, including clinical wards, ICU, and emergency areas. S. aureus was isolated using phenotypic techniques (mannitol, coagulase, DNase) and genotypic methods (detection of nucA and femB). Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer method. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was employed to identify resistance and virulence genes.
Results: S. aureus was detected in 7.5% of the samples analyzed, with higher prevalence in Clinic I and Emergency areas. The most contaminated surfaces included door handles, tables, and keyboards, identified as critical transmission points. Among the isolated strains, 66.6% were resistant to penicillin, while 100% were sensitive to methicillin and vancomycin. Virulence genes (tst, sea) were present in 26.6% and 13.3% of the strains, respectively. Regarding regulatory genes, agrI (73.3%) was the most common, followed by agrIII. For adhesion factors, icaD and icaC were the most frequently detected genes.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the pathogenic potential of S. aureus and its ability to persist on inert surfaces, representing a significant risk for infection transmission
FAMILY SUPPORT, MOTIVATION, AND PATIENT ADHERENCE TO TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT: INSIGHTS FROM INDONESIA
Full text linkBackground: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health issue globally, with patient adherence to treatment being critical for successful outcomes.
This study aimed to investigate the roles of family support and motivation in influencing adherence to TB treatment in Indonesia.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients at four health centers in Padang Municipality, Indonesia, between January and November 2024. A total of 125 respondents diagnosed with drug-sensitive TB and in the second stage of treatment participated. Data were collected through structured interviews using validated questionnaires, assessing family support, motivation, and treatment adherence. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships between variables.
Results: The findings revealed significant relationships between family support and motivation (β = 0.931, t-value = 47.016, P<0.001), family support and adherence to TB treatment (β = 0.229, t-value = 2.743, P=0.006), and motivation and adherence to TB treatment (β = 0.775, t-value = 9.334, P<0.001).
Conclusion: Family support and motivation play crucial roles in enhancing patient adherence to TB treatment. Strategies to strengthen family involvement and patient motivation should be integrated into TB control programs to improve treatment outcomes. Further research is recommended to explore additional factors influencing adherence in different contexts
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE BIOACTIVE FRACTION AND PHYTOFABRICATED SILVER NANOPARTICLES OF PTEROCARPUS SANTALINOIDES L’HERIT EX DC
No full textBackground: Recently, the use of medicinal plants for therapeutic effects has gained attention, especially in the fight against drug ineffectiveness and antimicrobial resistance. Many studies have investigated the antimicrobial activities of various parts of Ptercarpus santaliniodes but there is limited knowledge about the activity of phytofabricated silver nanoparticles of the leaf extract. Therefore, this study is aimed at comparing the antimicrobial activities of the most active fraction of P. santaliniodes L’Herit ex DC. and its phytofabricated silver nanoparticles.
Materials and Methods: 500 g of pulverized dried leaves were extracted, fractionated, and investigated for antimicrobial activities using the agar diffusion method. Silver nanoparticles were phytofabricated and characterized using colour change, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared. The percent inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs),and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of silver nanoparticles and the most active fraction were determined.
Results: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of secondary metabolites. The inhibition zone diameters of fractions were in the range of 8.5-18 mm with fraction 5 exhibiting the highest antimicrobial activity than the standard, ciprofloxacin. The brown colour and UV-Vis spectroscopy at 318 nm confirmed the formation of silver ions and O-H, O=C=O,C=H,C=O, C=C, and N-H functional groups. The phytofabricated silver nanoparticles had a higher percent inhibition compared to fraction 5, thus, a more significant antimicrobial activity. The MICs of both samples on three organisms are 0.16 mg/mL and MBC/MFCs are >1.25 mg/mL.
Conclusion: The phytofabricated silver nanoparticles of Pterocarpus santaliniodes could be a template in antimicrobial drug discovery and development
EFFECT OF DIURNAL INTERMITTENT FASTING (DIF) ON ANTIOXIDANT AND PRO INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS ACTIVITY IN MALE RAT MODEL OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS
Full text linkBackground: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation. Diurnal intermittent fasting (DIF), a fasting pattern synchronized with circadian rhythms, has been proposed as a potential strategy to alleviate metabolic disturbances, but evidence from controlled animal studies remains limited.
Materials and Methods: This experimental study employed a post-test-only control group design using thirty-six male Wistar rats. T2DM was induced by streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) and nicotinamide (230 mg/kg). Animals were randomized into four groups: diabetic control (G1), and three DIF-treated groups fasting two (G2), three (G3), and six (G4) days per week. Blood glucose was measured weekly. On day 28, serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:DIF significantly reduced blood glucose levels in all intervention groups compared to the control (p < 0.05). The G4 group showed the highest SOD activity and the greatest IL-6 reduction (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant glucose difference between G3 and G4, suggesting a plateau in glycemic improvement.
Conclusion: DIF improves glycemic control, enhances antioxidant defense through increased SOD activity, and reduces systemic inflammation via IL-6 suppression in a T2DM rat model. These findings support the potential of DIF as a complementary therapeutic approach for T2DM, although further research is needed to determine the optimal fasting regimen and its applicability in humans
The TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE FOR CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY: A CASE SERIES WITH OPTIC COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY SCANS
No full textBackground: The aim of this study was to investigate a potential therapy for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Materials and Methods: Six males aged 28-45 with CSC were treated with a TCM formula called Bupleurum and Poria Variant Decoction (Jia Jian Chai Ling Tang), in the form of concentrated powder herbs (4.0 g) taken before meals, three times daily. They were monitored clinically with optic coherence tomography (OCT) scans every one or two weeks until CSC symptoms completely resolved.
Results: All six cases showed clinical improvement after receiving the prescribed treatment, with subretinal serous fluid progressively decreasing within 3 weeks to 3 months based on follow-up OCT scans.
Conclusions: The patients with CSC responded positively to the Jia Jian Chai Ling Tang prescription, indicating a potential new approach for treating CSC. This study suggests a promising avenue for further exploration in CSC treatment options
BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL INFECTIONS IN PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS AND THE DRUG SENSITIVITY TEST PATTERNS
Full text linkBackground: Other microbial infections in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients pose significant challenges, complicating treatment outcomes and potentially increasing mortality rates. This study aims to characterize the bacterial and fungal infections profiles in pulmonary TB patients.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted at Adam Malik Hospital in Medan, Indonesia, from June 2020 to May 2022, involving inpatients diagnosed with drug-sensitive or drug-resistant TB. The data was analyzed from total sampling subjects based on medical records.
Results: From 125 pulmonary TB patients, 64% had drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) and 36% had drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), with a majority being male and underweight. Microbial analysis showed 33.6% (n=42) of the subjects exhibited bacterial growth, 8.8% (n=11) had fungal growth and 30.4% (n=38) had mixed infection. Of 80 DS-TB patients, 80% had bacterial and fungal infections compares to 60% of 45 DR-TB patients, with Microbial growth patterns was significantly difference between DS-TB and DR-TB patients, with 38.8% (n=31) of DS-TB patients displaying mixed bacterial and fungal growth, in contrast to only 15.6% (n=7) of DR-TB patients. There were no significant differences in antibiotic resistance; however, antifungal sensitivity testing revealed a significant difference in response between DS-TB and DR-TB patients, particularly to Flucytosine, Fluconazole, and Micafungin.
Conclusions: There is a considerable presence of bacterial and fungal infections, with Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans being the most prevalent. The antifungal sensitivity testing suggesting a need for personalized antifungal treatment strategies between DS-TB and DR-TB patients.
KNOWLEDGE AND PREDICTORS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF STANDARD PRECAUTIONS FOR INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL AMONG HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS
Full text linkBackground: Infection prevention and control involve health care practitioners, who are saddled with the duty of ensuring implementation of standard preventive measures to prevent healthcare associated infections.
Objectives: To assess the knowledge and predictors of implementation of standard precautions for infection prevention and control among health care practitioners (HCPs).
Material and method: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional design was employed in assessing HCPs in Uganda in from April – October 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive, Pearsons’ correlation, linear and binary logistic regression with the aid of SPSS Version 22
Results: Among the 222 healthcare practitioners assessed, 127 (57.2%) and 115 (51.8 %) had good knowledge and practice towards implementation of standard infection prevention and control precautions respectively. Chi square analysis indicated that age of healthcare practitioner (p=0.02; CI: 0.018 – 0.23), hospital unit of practice (p=0.003; CI: 0.002 – 0.004) and the type of facility where the health care practitioner works is significantly associated with their knowledge, while profession of the healthcare practitioner (p=0.002; CI: 0.001-0.003) and hospital unit of practice (p=0.002; CI: 0.001-0.003) were associated with implementation of the standard infection prevention and control precautions. Linear regression revealed knowledge is a significant predictor of good practice towards implementation of preventive measures (OR = 0.19; CI 0.102 – 0.272; p < 0.001).
Conclusion. Healthcare practitioners had poor knowledge and practice towards infection prevention. Thus, emphasizing continuous education and training for all healthcare professionals about infection prevention and control interventions as well as strict adherence to proper infection prevention and control practices