Background: Liver is an essential metabolic organ. It can be damaged due to prolonged use and higher doses of drugs, exposure to some chemicals, toxins, or infectious agents. Herbal plants as ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) may have free radical scavenging activity thereby can be used for the prevention and treatment of liver damage. Objective: To observe the effect of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract on gentamicin induced changes of some liver marker enzymes e,g serum aspartate amino transferase (AST ) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) in Wistar albino rats. Methods: This experimental study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), Dhaka from 1 st July 2010 to 30 th June 2011. A total number of 35 Wistar albino rats, aged 90 to 120 days, weighing between 150 to 200 grams were selected for the study. After acclimatization for 14 days, they were divided into control group (Group A) and experimental group (Group B). Control group was again subdivided into group A 1 (baseline control, consisted of 10 rats) and group A 2 (gentamicin treated control group, consisted of 10 rats). Again, experimental group (Group B-ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group) consisted of 15 rats. All groups of animals received basal diet for 22 consecutive days. In addition to this, group A 2 also received gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg /kg body weight/day) for the last eight (15 th to 22 nd day) consecutive days. Again, group B received ashwagandha root extract (500mg/kg body weight/day, orally) for 22 consecutive days and gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg/kg body weight /day) for last eight (15 th to 22 nd day) days. All the animals were sacrificed on 23 rd day. Then blood and liver samples were collected. For assessment of liver function, serum AST, ALT and bilirubin levels were estimated. All these tests were done by standard Laboratory technique. The statistical analysis was done by one way ANOVA and Bonferroni test as applicable. Results: The mean serum levels of AST and ALT were significantly (p<0.001) higher in gentamicin treated control group and in ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group in comparison to those of baseline control group. . Again, these levels were significantly (p<0.001) lower in ashwagandha pretreated and gentamicin treated group than those of gentamicin treated control group. Conclusion: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract restored serum AST, ALT towards normal levels in gentamicin intoxicated rats which may be due to its free radical scavenging activity. Therefore it may have hepatoprotective effect.

The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) can be reduced by preventing transmission with rapid and precise case detection and early treatment. The Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a useful tool for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) with rifampicin resistance within approximately two hours by using a nucleic acid amplification technique. This study was designed to reduce the underdiagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary TB and to assess the clinical and radiological characteristics of PTB patients. This cross-sectional study included 235 participants who went to the Luyang primary health care clinic from September 2016 to June 2017. The demographic data were analyzed to investigate the association of patient gender, age group, and ethnicity by chi-square test. To assess the efficacy of the diagnostic test, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated. The area under the curve for sputum for both AFB and gene-Xpert was analyzed to compare their accuracy in diagnosing TB. In this study, TB was more common in males than in females. The majority (50.71%) of the cases belonged to the 25–44-year-old age group and the Bajau ethnicity (57.74%). Out of 50 pulmonary TB cases (smear-positive with AFB staining), 49 samples were positive according to the Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay and was confirmed by MTB culture. However, out of 185 smear-negative presumptive cases, 21 cases were positive by Gene-Xpert MTB/RIF assay in that a sample showed drug resistance, and these results were confirmed by MTB culture, showing resistance to isoniazid. In comparison to sputum for AFB, Gene-Xpert showed more sensitivity and specificity with almost complete accuracy. The additional 21 PTB cases detection from the presumptive cases by GeneXpert had significant impact compared to initial observation by the routine tests which overcame the diagnostic challenges and ambiguities.

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Background The stature of a living human reflects the nutritional, genetic, and disease patterns of individual experiences. This study adopted a simple linear regression method and R2 values to identify the preferred model for stature estimation based on the lengths of the arm, radius, ulna, and hand; breadth of the hand; and circumference of the wrist of the adult Bangladeshi male population. This cross-sectional study was performed in the Anatomy Department of Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, from January 2009 to June 2011. One hundred right-handed adult Muslim Bangladeshi males aged 25 to 45 years participated in the study. Results The regression model using right and left ulnar length explained 63% of the measured stature with the least standard error of the estimate (0.435 and 0.436), the model using left and right arm length explained 60%, the model using left and right radius length explained 51%, and the model using left- and right-hand length explained 44% of the measured stature. However, the models using left and right handbreadth and wrist circumference explained only 11 to 13% of the measured stature with a higher standard error of the estimate (6.66 to 6.73). For 25- to 45-year-old Bangladeshi Muslim males, the ulnar length of both sides was the best predictor of stature. Conclusions Linear regression equations in estimating stature effectively may encourage its application in future studies addressing different age groups, sexes, nutritional statuses, religions, and ethnicities of Bangladesh.

Background: Regulation of electrolytes and body fluids are essential for maintaining the body homeostasis. Kidney plays an important role for these regulations. Higher doses of drugs, toxins, infectious agents, chemicals etc. can causes kidney damage and ultimately electrolytes disturbances can be occurred. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herbal plant may have some role on serum electrolytes balance. Objective: To observe the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root on serum electrolytes against gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar albino rats. Methods: This experimental study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), Dhaka from 1 st July 2010 to 30 th June 2011. A total number of 35 Wistar albino rats, age from 90 to 120 days, weighing between 150 to 200 grams were selected for the study. After acclimatization for 14 days, they were divided into control group and experimental group. Control group was again subdivided into baseline control, (10 rats) and gentamicin treated control group, (10 rats). Again, experimental group (gentamicin treated group after ashwagandha treatment) consisted of 15 rats. All groups of animals received basal diet for 22 consecutive days. In addition to this, gentamicin treated control group also received gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg /kg body weight/day) for the last eight (15 th to 22 nd day) consecutive days. Again, gentamicin treated group after ashwagandha treatment received ashwagandha root extract (500mg/kg body weight/day, orally) for 22 consecutive days and gentamicin subcutaneously (100mg/kg body weight /day) for last eight (15 th to 22 nd day) days. All the animals were sacrificed on 23 rd day. Then blood samples were collected and kidney weight was measured. For assessment of kidney function, some serum electrolyte levels e,g. serum sodium, potassium and chloride ion levels were estimated by ion selective electrode (ISE) electrolyte auto analyzer method, by using Biolyte 2000 auto analyzer . However, body weight and kidney weight of the animals were measured to assess the nephrotoxicity in these groups of animals. All these tests were done in the laboratory of Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, SSMC. Statistical analysis was done by one way ANOVA and Bonferroni tests as applicable. Results: The serum sodium and chloride ion levels were almost similar in all the groups and the differences were not statistically significant. The mean serum levels of potassium ion were significantly (p<0.001) lower in gentamicin treated group and (p<0.05) in gentamicin treated group after ashwagandha treatment in comparison to that of baseline control group. But this level of gentamicin treated group after ashwagandha treatment was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that of gentamicin treated group. Initial body weight was almost similar and no significant difference of this value was observed among the groups. Whereas, the final body weight was significantly (p<0.001) lower in gentamicin treated control gro...