Objective:To develop the missing link between hyperuricemia and hypertension.
Methods: The study was conducted in Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Nephrology Unit of Internal Medicine Department. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure readings by definitions of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee. Totally 205 newly diagnosed and untreated essential hypertensive cases and age-sex matched normotensive controls were enrolled in the study. The potential confounding factors of hyperuricemia and hypertension in both cases and controls were controlled. Uric acid levels in all participants were analyzed.
Results:Renal function between newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and normotensive healthy controls were adjusted. The mean serum uric acid observed in newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and in normotensive healthy controls were (290.05±87.05) μmol/L and (245.24±99.38) μmol/L respectively. A total of 59 (28.8%) participants of cases and 28 (13.7%) participants of controls had hyperuricemia (odds ratio 2.555 (95%CI:1.549-4.213), P<0.001).
Conclusions: The mean serum uric acid levels and number of hyperuricemic subjects were found to be significantly higher in cases when compared to controls.

Various synthetic progestogens that are used as contraceptives have been reported to influence lipid and lipoprotein fractions differently. Depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), a synthetic progestogen, is used by Nepalese women as a contraceptive agent. Our study aims to determine the effects of long-term use of DMPA on lipid metabolism. We performed this study on 60 healthy Nepalese women who had been using DMPA for more than 2 yr and age- and weight-matched control subjects who were not using hormonal contraceptives. Fasting blood samples were collected from the subjects for the estimation of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, and the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were estimated using the Friedewald's equation. TC and LDL-C levels in DMPA users were significantly higher than those in non-users. Our study concluded that DMPA use induces lipid metabolism changes that can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology ; Cholesterol/blood ; Cholesterol, HDL/analysis ; Cholesterol, LDL/analysis ; Contraceptive Agents, Female/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism/*drug effects ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate/*adverse effects ; Nepal ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides/blood

OBJECTIVETo develop the missing link between hyperuricemia and hypertension.

METHODSThe study was conducted in Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Nephrology Unit of Internal Medicine Department. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure readings by definitions of the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee. Totally 205 newly diagnosed and untreated essential hypertensive cases and age-sex matched normotensive controls were enrolled in the study. The potential confounding factors of hyperuricemia and hypertension in both cases and controls were controlled. Uric acid levels in all participants were analyzed.

RESULTSRenal function between newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and normotensive healthy controls were adjusted. The mean serum uric acid observed in newly diagnosed hypertensive cases and in normotensive healthy controls were (290.05±87.05) μmol/L and (245.24±99.38) μmol/L respectively. A total of 59 (28.8%) participants of cases and 28 (13.7%) participants of controls had hyperuricemia (odds ratio 2.555 (95% CI: 1.549-4.213), P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe mean serum uric acid levels and number of hyperuricemic subjects were found to be significantly higher in cases when compared to controls.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hyperuricemia ; blood ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nepal ; epidemiology ; Uric Acid ; blood ; Young Adult

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic pharmacognostical characters of Costus speciosus (aerial parts) along with their physico-chemical parameters and fluorosence analysis. Method: The pharmacognostical characters were determined in terms of macroscopy, microscopy, powder microscopy, leaf constant, fluorescence analysis and preliminary phytochemical investigation. Results: The findings of macroscopy revealed that leaves elliptic to oblong or oblong-lancoelate, thick, spirally arranged, with stem clasping sheaths up to 4 cm, flowers large, white, cone-like terminal spikes, with bright red bracts. Transverse section of leaflet showed the presence of cuticularised epidermis with polygonal cells on adaxial surface and bluntly angled cells on abaxial surface of lamina, mesophyll cells differentiated in to single layered palisade cells on each surface and 2-3 layered spongy parenchyma, unicellular and uniseriate multicellular covering trichomes, paracytic stomata and vascular bundles surrounded by sclerenchymatous multicellular sheath. Preliminary phytochemical screening exhibited the presence of various phytochemical groups like alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phenolic constituents. Further, the leaf constants, powder microscopy and fluorescence characteristics indicated outstanding results from this investigation Conclusions: Various pharmacognostical and physico-chemical parameters have pivotal roles in identification, authentication and establishment of quality parameters of the species.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic pharmacognostical characters of Costus speciosus (aerial parts) along with their physico-chemical parameters and fluorosence analysis.

METHODThe pharmacognostical characters were determined in terms of macroscopy, microscopy, powder microscopy, leaf constant, fluorescence analysis and preliminary phytochemical investigation.

RESULTSThe findings of macroscopy revealed that leaves elliptic to oblong or oblong-lancoelate, thick, spirally arranged, with stem clasping sheaths up to 4 cm, flowers large, white, cone-like terminal spikes, with bright red bracts. Transverse section of leaflet showed the presence of cuticularised epidermis with polygonal cells on adaxial surface and bluntly angled cells on abaxial surface of lamina, mesophyll cells differentiated in to single layered palisade cells on each surface and 2-3 layered spongy parenchyma, unicellular and uniseriate multicellular covering trichomes, paracytic stomata and vascular bundles surrounded by sclerenchymatous multicellular sheath. Preliminary phytochemical screening exhibited the presence of various phytochemical groups like alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phenolic constituents. Further, the leaf constants, powder microscopy and fluorescence characteristics indicated outstanding results from this investigation.

CONCLUSIONSVarious pharmacognostical and physico-chemical parameters have pivotal roles in identification, authentication and establishment of quality parameters of the species.