Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Scientific Understanding of the Disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder, is characterised by persistent synovial inflammation, erosion of bones and cartilage, leading to joint destruction. Clinical manifestations are morning stiffness, pain in shoulder, neck and pelvic girdle, loss of mobility with fever, fatigue, malaise, loss of body weight, and development of rheumatoid nodules. Environmental and genetic factors are important contributors in its susceptibility.

Chemotherapy-Induced Oxidative Stress in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Introduction Plasma antioxidant capacity in children receiving chemotherapy decreases due to the effect of the disease and chemotherapy. Increased oxidative stress (OS) predisposes to an increased risk for chemotherapy-related toxicity and febrile neutropenic episodes. Materials and methods We conducted this case-control study in the hematology-oncology unit of the department of pediatrics of a tertiary hospital in Delhi, India, from November 2017 to March 2019 to compare OS between children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and healthy controls.

Divulging the Intricacies of Crosstalk Between NF-kB and Nrf-2/Keap1 Pathway in the Treatment of Arthritis by Dimethyl Fumarate.

The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that use of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) may mitigate arthritic symptoms in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats through activation of NF-E2-related factor 2(Nrf-2) and suppression of NF-kB pathway. Arthritis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of collagen type II (200 µl) at the base of the tail. After induction arthritic rats were treated with DMF (25 mg/kg b.

Efficacy of Oral vs. Intravenous Calcium Supplementation for Continuation Therapy in Hypocalcemic Seizures: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy of oral vs. intravenous calcium supplementation for continuation therapy in hypocalcemic seizures.

Methods: Sixty children between 1 mo and 5 y presenting with hypocalcemic seizures without any other underlying febrile, chronic systemic disease, or acute neurological illness were included.

Oxidative Stress in Cerebrospinal Fluid During Treatment in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Introduction Central nervous system (CNS) treatment using intrathecal chemotherapy and cranial radiation to enable long-term disease-free survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comes at the cost of neurotoxic side effects and long-term sequelae. We investigated oxidative stress as a possible mechanism of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity in children with ALL. Materials and methods In this case-control study, we estimated the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a DNA damage product, in children with B-cell ALL and control children.

Prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in severe acute malnutrition.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of hypocalcaemia in under-five children (1-59 months) hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Design: A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of hypocalcaemia among children hospitalised with SAM. Serum Ca and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-(OH)D) were estimated.

Stigmasterol protects rats from collagen induced arthritis by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder, in which imbalance in synthesis and production of inflammatory cytokines promotes cartilage and bone destruction. Out of the numerous factors contributing to RA prognosis, the transcription factor NF-kBp65 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) signaling module has been well implicated as a key regulator of inflammation and downstream signaling events in RA. Stigmasterol (STG) is a natural plant based product exhibiting anti-inflammatory activity, however, the mechanism through which it exhibits anti-inflammatory activity has not been completely understood.

Cardiac autonomic tone, plasma BDNF levels and paroxetine response in newly diagnosed patients of generalised anxiety disorder.

The study examined the effect on cardiac autonomic tone via heart rate variability (HRV), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in newly diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) cases with paroxetine-controlled release (PX) CR intervention. Fifty GAD cases using DSM-5 criteria, matched with healthy controls (HC) were assessed with clinical measures (Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Clinical Global Impression- Severity Scale (CGI-Severity), General Health Questionnaire -12 (GHQ-12), HRV, plasma BDNF levels initially and 6 weeks postintervention with paroxetine CR. HRV parameters were significantly lower in GAD vs HC at baseline for standard deviation of normal to normal intervals (SDNN) and proportion of differences in consecutive NN intervals that are longer than 50 ms (pNN50).

Chemokines: A Potential Therapeutic Target to Suppress Autoimmune Arthritis.

Background: Chemokines are a family of low molecular weight proteins that induce chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, which mainly depends on the recognition of a chemo-attractant gradient and interaction with the substratum. In Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), abundant chemokines are expressed in synovial tissue, cause inflammatory cells migration into the inflamed joint that necessitates the formation of new blood vessels i.e.

In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a devastating disease characterized by continual addition of leukocytes and T cells within the articular cavity causing inflammation and cartilage destruction. Withania somnifera is one of the most precious medicinal herbs, reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of Withania somnifera roots (WSAq) in Collagen Induced Arthritic (CIA) rats.

Interleukin10-1082 A/G polymorphism: Allele frequency, correlation with disease markers, messenger RNA and serum levels in North Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. IL-10 stimulates B cell survival and is involved in antibody isotype switching. The serum IL-10 levels are increased in RA patients.

Association of polymorphic variants in IL1B gene with secretion of IL-1β protein and inflammatory markers in north Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) is a key mediator of inflammation which affects cell proliferation and differentiation. IL-1β is considered to contribute to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Polymorphisms in cytokine genes are highly influenced by ethnicity.

Tumor necrosis factor-α -308 polymorphism in North Indian rheumatoid arthritis patients and association with mRNA and serum TNF-α.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severely disabling chronic autoimmune disorder that leads to progressive inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. TNF-α, a potent proinflammatory cytokine, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of RA. The endogenous formation of TNF-α may be influenced by TNF-α promoter polymorphisms.

Effect of Low Level Subchronic Microwave Radiation on Rat Brain.

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the effects of subchronic low level microwave radiation (MWR) on cognitive function, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) level and DNA damage in brain of Fischer rats.

Methods: Experiments were performed on male Fischer rats exposed to microwave radiation for 90 days at three different frequencies: 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz. Animals were divided into 4 groups: Group I: Sham exposed, Group II: animals exposed to microwave radiation at 900 MHz and specific absorption rate (SAR) 5.

Association of organochlorine pesticides with the mRNA expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha () & cyclooxygenase-2 () genes in idiopathic preterm birth.

Background & Objectives: Preterm birth (PTB) is an important cause of prenatal death, neonatal morbidity and mortality and adult illness. Increased inflammation occurs in normal parturition, and inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress are found to be higher in PTB cases. The present study was planned to investigate the association of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) with mRNA expression of inflammatory pathway genes such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in preterm delivery (PTD) cases.

Profile of oxidative stress in response to treatment for type 1 leprosy reaction.

Objective: To measure oxidative stress in Type 1 leprosy reaction, and to document the effect of anti-leprosy multidrug therapy (MDT) and anti-reaction drugs on measures of oxidative stress.

Materials And Methods: A prospective study was carried out at a teaching hospital involving consecutive patients with Type 1 reaction. MDA (malondialdehyde), FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) and GSH (reduced glutathione) were measured in venous blood samples as measures of oxidative stress and compared at inclusion, after 4 weeks of initial therapy (following standard guidelines including MDT, NSAIDS, and systemic steroids), and 4 weeks after clinical remission.

Effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) root extract on amelioration of oxidative stress and autoantibodies production in collagen-induced arthritic rats.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder. Withania somnifera Dunal (Solanaceae) (WS), is a common medicinal plant used in traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of arthritis, and is an ingredient of anti-arthritic polyherbal formulations such as Habb-e-Asgand® and Arthritin™. In the present study, we evaluated the antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of aqueous extract of WS root (WSAq) in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) rats.

Cognitive impairment and neurogenotoxic effects in rats exposed to low-intensity microwave radiation.

The health hazard of microwave radiation (MWR) has become a recent subject of interest as a result of the enormous increase in mobile phone usage. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic low-intensity microwave exposure on cognitive function, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and DNA damage in rat brain. Experiments were performed on male Fischer rats exposed to MWR for 180 days at 3 different frequencies, namely, 900, 1800 MHz, and 2450 MHz.

Association of CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and CYP17 gene polymorphisms and organochlorine pesticides with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

It is well established that steroidal hormones (testosterone and estrogen) increase benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) risk. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes especially CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and CYP17 metabolize these hormones. Apart from that, several endocrine disrupting organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are reported to mimic the activity of these steroidal hormones.

Gene environment interaction in preterm delivery with special reference to organochlorine pesticide: a case control study.

Objectives: To assess the Gene-Environmental interaction between maternal organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) level and CYP17 gene polymorphism with the risk of preterm delivery (PTD).

Materials And Methods: Maternal blood samples of hundred cases (n = 100) of PTD and of equal number of healthy controls were collected at the time of delivery. OCPs levels were estimated by Gas chromatography system equipped with electron capture detector and PCR-RFLP was used for polymorphic analysis of CYP17 gene.

Increased level of organochlorine pesticides in chronic kidney disease patients of unknown etiology: role of GSTM1/GSTT1 polymorphism.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown etiology represents about 16% of CKD patients in Indian subcontinents and 10% worldwide. The aetiology of CKD of unknown etiology remains unclear though epidemiological studies indicate the involvement of the environmental toxins. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been detected in general population in India.

Evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of Majoon Suranjan, a Unani formulation, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: an experimental study.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder. Allopathic treatments for RA have various side-effects and limitations. Majoon Suranjan (MS) is a polyherbal Unani formulation used to treat RA.

Safety evaluation and therapeutic efficacy of Habb-e-Asgand, a commonly used antirheumatic polyherbal Unani formulation.

Context: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder. Habb-e-Asgand (HEA) is a polyherbal, Unani formulation widely used in the treatment of RA. Traditional systems of medicine or plant-based drugs are an attractive alternative treatment because of their professed efficacy in curing the disease.

Possible role of oxidative stress and brain derived neurotrophic factor in triazophos induced cognitive impairment in rats.

Triazophos, O,O-diethyl-1-H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl phosphorothioate, (TZ) is an organophosphate pesticide widely used as an insecticide in agriculture fields, however, its adverse effects on cognitive function remain unknown till date. The present study was designed to identify the effect of TZ on cognitive function in order to gain an insight into the molecular mechanism(s) probably involved in TZ induced toxicity. Wistar male albino rats were orally administered with TZ at 8.