Exposure to a “safe” dose of environmental pollutant bisphenol A elevates oxidative stress and modulates vasoactive system in hypertensive rats

Due to the prevalence of hypertension (one of the major risk factors of CVD) in the population, it is necessary to explore the adverse effects of daily tolerable and “safe” dose of bisphenol A (BPA) under hypertensive conditions. The current study exposed the Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 40 mg/kg b.w/day) induced hypertensive Wistar rats to BPA (50 μg/kg b.w/day) by oral administration along with appropriate controls for 30 days period. The results illustrate that a ‘safe’ dose of BPA does not influence the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and levels of circulatory biomarkers of tissue damage. On the other hand, BPA exposure significantly ( p < 0.05) elevates the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content in plasma and tissues (heart, aorta, liver and kidney) in hypertensive rats when compared with respective control (BPA alone exposed) rats. Similarly, a significant modulation of ROS generation in RBC, plasma nitric oxide (NO) level and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was observed only under hypertensive milieu. In conclusion, the observed adverse effects during ‘safe’ dose of BPA exposure are specific to the hypertensive condition. Therefore, a precise investigation to explore the effects of BPA exposure in vulnerable hypertensive populations is highly suggested.

KINETIC STUDY COMPARISON OF IMMOBILIZED GLUCOSE ISOMERASE (GENSWEET AND SWEETZYME IT) IN STIRRED TANK REACTOR AND PACKED BED REACTOR

Various additives have been employed to extend the brachial plexus block. Dexamethasone, when added to local anesthetic block prolongation with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects has been seen. Group I (Control group) received Inj. Lignocaine 1.5% plus adrenaline (1:200000) max safe dose of 7mg/kg+ NS- 2ml while group II (Dexa group) received Inj. Lignocaine 1.5% plus adrenaline (1:200000) max safe dose of 7mg/kg + Inj. Dexamethasone - 2ml (8mg). Total volume in each group ranged between 25-32ml considering the patients individual body weight. Block characteristics, duration and quality of analgesia in the post-operative period were noted. Dexamethasone hastens the onset and prolonged the duration of motor and sensory blockade. The mean duration of postoperative analgesia was prolonged till 8th hour in the dexamethasone group while in the control group it was continued till 3hrs, the role of rescue analgesia commenced after 3rd hour. Dexamethasone provides better hemodynamic stability and profound analgesia without any untoward side effects in the perioperative period. In the supraclavicular method of brachial plexus block, the addition of dexamethasone to lignocaine adrenaline offers excellent anesthetic and analgesia.

Principles of dose-setting in toxicology studies: the importance of kinetics for ensuring human safety

Regulatory toxicology seeks to ensure that exposures to chemicals encountered in the environment, in the workplace, or in products pose no significant hazards and produce no harm to humans or other organisms, i.e., that chemicals are used safely. The most practical and direct means of ensuring that hazards and harms are avoided is to identify the doses and conditions under which chemical toxicity does not occur so that chemical concentrations and exposures can be appropriately limited. Modern advancements in pharmacology and toxicology have revealed that the rates and mechanisms by which organisms absorb, distribute, metabolize and eliminate chemicals—i.e., the field of kinetics—often determine the doses and conditions under which hazard, and harm, are absent, i.e., the safe dose range. Since kinetics, like chemical hazard and toxicity, are extensive properties that depend on the amount of the chemical encountered, it is possible to identify the maximum dose under which organisms can efficiently metabolize and eliminate the chemicals to which they are exposed, a dose that has been referred to as the kinetic maximum dose, or KMD. This review explains the rationale that compels regulatory toxicology to embrace the advancements made possible by kinetics, why understanding the kinetic relationship between the blood level produced and the administered dose of a chemical is essential for identifying the safe dose range, and why dose-setting in regulatory toxicology studies should be informed by estimates of the KMD rather than rely on the flawed concept of maximum-tolerated toxic dose, or MTD.

Assessment of caffeine intake with food by Polish females and males

Background. Caffeine is the most widespread psychoactive substance in the world. With long-term consumption of caffeinated beverages, there is a high probability of overtaking on caffeine. Objective. The aim of the study was to estimate the consumption of caffeine in the daily caffeine intake of Polish consumers, determine the caffeinated products in the intake of this substance. Materials and methods. The survey was completed by 433 respondents living in Poland. The research tool was the electronic questionnaire, which consisted of: a) questions about personal data and measurement anthropometric and the level of physical activity and smoking; b) questions regarding the portion size and frequency of consumption of coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, energy drinks and colacarbonated beverages. Results. The main sources of caffeine in the respondents' diet include: coffee (Me 43.64 mg/d) and tea (Me 37.60 mg/d). Approximately 20% of respondents exceeded the threshold of daily caffeine intake (safety level for children and adolescents up to 3 mg/kg b.w, for adults up to 5.7 mg/kg b.w), considered safe. Conclusions. Respondents who have crossed the safe dose of caffeine intake, should limit the consumption of products being its main source (coffee).

Common plants used in the treatment of typhoid fever, their active components and toxicity related issues: A review

Plants and their extracts are a primary source of health care in most communities. The usage of plants in the treatment of diseases has been observed in ancient times and still applicable in the present. Plants extracts are used due to their easy availability and affordability. Some of these extracts are being sold locally in markets while others manufactured and used in household settings. Most often, the producers of these extracts do not show proof of safety and efficacy before marketing these products. Consequently, the negative effects and the downside following the consumption of these products remain unknown. Moreover, the plant extracts are not regulated for purity and potency. Impurities present and the potency of the plant products might also contribute significantly to adverse effects following consumption. Typhoid fever has been one of the disease in which most developing countries especially in Africa, resort to the usage of traditional methods involving plant extracts in its treatment. Various research carried out have documented the anti-typhoid activity of these extracts on the basis of zone of inhibition against the pathogen. There is however scarcity of information on the bioactive components possessed by these plants. This paper reviews the common plants used in the treatment of typhoid fever, active components and risk following their indiscriminate usage. The review is composed by literature search on herbal plants for typhoid fever obtained from PubMed and Google Scholar. Knowledge of these active components will help effectively standardize the safe dose needed in the disease treatment

The Effective Dose Analysis of Head CT-Scan on Adult Patients

This study was aimed to determine the difference of the effective dose from the clinical and theoretical on the head CT-Scan examination of adult patients and compare the data with the permitted dose limit from BAPETEN. The data collected at Haji Hospital Surabaya using MSCT Siemens Somatom Definition AS 64 Slice on five adult patients, aged between 28-67 years old. The step before the scanning process were adjusting the voltage (kV) and current values (mA) on the CT-Scan. The scanning duration for each patient was 4s and resulted in head images with CTDIvol and DLP values displayed on the monitor screen. The effective dose limit value for the head CT scan was 2.8 mSv, according to BAPETEN. The study results showed that the effective dose on head CT Scan examination was below the safe dose limit value, while the different fractions between the clinical and theoretical of Patient A, B, C, D, and E was 4.11%; 5.46%; 6.19%; 6.52%; and 5.42%, respectively.

Development and Preliminary Validation of LoAD Calc, a Mobile App for Calculating the Maximum Safe Single Dose of Local Anesthetics

Local anesthetics systemic toxicity can lead to life-threatening situations. Correct calculation of the maximum safe dose is therefore paramount in preventing such complications. Different solutions have already emerged to support anesthesiologists but are seldom used in clinical practice as they require either access to a computer or specific documents to be at hand. A mobile app could provide an easy and practical solution; however, the few apps already created for this purpose often lack key elements, allowing invalid data to be entered and suggesting doses that might exceed the maximum safe dose. We describe the development of LoAD Calc, a mobile health (mHealth) app developed using a modified version of the Information Systems Research framework, which adds design thinking modes to the original framework. The app was enhanced through multiple iterations and developed with the aid of contextual observations and interviews, brainswarming sessions, prototyping, and continuous feedback. The design process led to the creation of two prototypes which underwent thorough testing by a sample of eight anesthesiologists. The final version of the app, LoAD Calc, was deployed on Apple and Android mobile test platforms and tested again by the same sample until deemed fit for release.