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Maternal circulating CGRP and PTHrP concentrations were significantly lower in women with preeclampsia, which may contribute to the development of preeclampsia.

SUMMARYEcthyma gangrenosum (EG) is a cutaneous manifestation of invasive infection usually caused by pseudomonas, but can be caused by many bacteria, fungal and viral infections. We present the first reported case of EG caused by invasive Escherichia coli in a neonate. A neonate presented with evidence of sepsis and a rapidly evolving 3×3.5 cm 2 well-circumscribed haemorrhagic and necrotic ulcer on the left groin. There was evidence of decreased perfusion of the lower limb owing to pressure effect of the ulcer. The child responded well to anticoagulation and antibiotic therapy. It is crucial to clinically suspect EG and promptly start empiric antibiotic therapy covering pseudomonas to decrease the morbidity and mortality. However, other viruses, fungus and bacteria including E coli should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of EG in a neonate. BACKGROUND

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterised by isolated thrombocytopenia (peripheral blood platelet count <100 × 10(9)/L) in the absence of other causes or disorders that may be associated with thrombocytopenia. The upfront treatment in newly diagnosed ITP patients is steroids; however, about one-third patients do not respond, and require other treatment, including IVIg, anti-D, or splenectomy. Previous studies have shown decreased platelet production in some ITP patients, aside from the evidence of enhanced platelet destruction. Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RA), such as eltrombopag have been shown to provide good response in steroid non-responsive chronic ITP patients. We have studied response to eltrombopag in 25 newly diagnosed steroid non-responsive ITP patients; 80 % patients showed response at the end of 1 month, and 76 % sustained response at the end of 3 months. The platelet count rose from a mean value of 17.5 ± 3.6-152.5 ± 107.9 × 10(9)/L at the end of 1 month. Our results suggest a possible role of eltrombopag in newly diagnosed steroid non-responsive ITP patients. However, our study is limited in that it is a single-centre study, with a small sample size, and lacks a long-term safety profile. Our findings highlight the potential value of a larger prospective study on the upfront use of TPO-RA in patients of ITP.

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia xxx (2015) xxx-xxx w w w . s b f g n o s i a . o r g . b r / r e v i s t aOriginal Article a b s t r a c t Ficus religiosa L., Moraceae, is widely planted in the tropics. The chemical constituents of F. religiosa include tannin, saponin gluanol acetate, ␤-sitosterol, leucoanthocyanidin, and leucoanthocyanin. These are used for the treatment of pain, inflammation, impotence, menstrual disturbances, and urine related problems, and as uterine tonic. The present study aimed to evaluate hepatoprotective effects of F. religiosa latex on cisplatin induced liver injury in Wistar rats. In experimental protocol contained five groups of rats (n = 6). In which, group I (control) was administered acacia (2%, w/v) of 5 ml/kg throughout the experiment for 16 days. The group II (cisplatin treated) was administered single dose of cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg i.p.) on 1 st day. Group III (extract control) was administered 300 mg/kg p.o. of extract for 1 st to 10 th day. Group IV (Protective) was administered extract (300 mg/kg p.o.) of F. religiosa latex for 1 st to 10 th day and administered single dose of cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg i.p.) on 11 th day and group V (Curative) received single dose of cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg i.p.) on day 1 st , and administered extract (300 mg/kg p.o.) from 7 th to 16 th days. On the 6 th day in cisplatin treated, 10 th day in extract control and 16 th day in control, protective and curative, blood withdrawn from retro-orbital sinus of rats for biochemical estimation for serum and dissected out the livers for estimation of antioxidant enzymes and histopathological works. The cisplatin-treated group 2 showed a significant increase in serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and hepatocytes cells degeneration inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis it's were significantly (**p < 0.01) alleviates by protective groups.

Aim:This study is aimed to investigate the protective effect of Lithocare (LC) (a polyherbal formulation) against ethylene glycol (EG) induced urolithiasis in Wistar rats.Materials and Methods:The protective effect of LC (400 and 800 mg/kg) was evaluated using EG-induced urolithiasis in rats.Results:Administration of EG in drinking water resulted in hyperoxaluria, hypocalcemia as well as an increased renal excretion of phosphate. Supplementation with LC significantly reduced the urinary calcium, oxalate, and phosphate excretion dose-dependently. There was a significant reduction in the levels of calcium, oxalate as well as a number of calcium oxalate crystals deposits in the kidney tissue of rats administered with LC in EG-treated rats. There was a significant reduction in creatinine, urea, uric acid, and blood urea nitrogen when LC was administered in EG-treated rats.Conclusions:From this study, it was concluded that the supplementation of LC protected EG-induced urolithiasis as it reduced the growth of urinary stones. The mechanism underlying this effect might be due to its antioxidant, diuretic, and reduction in stone-forming constituents.

Objective To investigate effect of cisplatin on biochemical parameter and histology of pancreas and testis in Wistar rats. Material and methods Single dose cisplatin (10 mg/kg) was injected by intraperitoneal route in Wistar rats. Blood was withdrawn on 7 th day from cisplatin treated rats by retro-orbital sinus for biochemical estimation. Further rats were scarified and dissected out their pancreases and testes for estimation of antioxidant enzymes and histopathological study. Results The cisplatin-treated group showed a significantly ( P < 0.01 ) increased blood glucose level, Glycosylated hemoglobin in blood on the 7 th day as compared to the control group. Whereas cisplatin-treated group showed significantly ( p < 0.001 ) increased lipid peroxidation and decreased reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase in pancreatic and testicular tissue as compared to the control group. Histopathological sections of the pancreatic tissue showed marked vasoconstriction and micro infiltration were observed however testicular tissue showed degeneration in some somniferous tubules and also greatly depleted of germ cells in cisplatin treated group. Conclusion These findings demonstrated that the cisplatin could be induced diabetes and testicular toxicity due to their free radical mediated oxidative stress.

These findings demonstrated that F. religiosa latex and constituents have excellent nephroprotective and curative activities and thus have great potential as a source for natural health products.