Objective: To explore the antidiabetic and the antidiarrhoeal effects of ethanolic extracts of Cynodon dactylon Pers. aerial parts (EECA) in Wistar rats. Methods: To assess the antidiabetic activity of EECA, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) model and alloxan induced diabetic test (AIDT) model were performed. The EECA was used at the doses of 2 g/kg, 1 g/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight in OGTT model and 1.5 g/kg was used for AIDT model. Castor oil-induced diarrhoeal model and gastrointestinal motility test with barium sulphate milk model were performed for evaluating the antidiarrhoeal effects at doses of 1 g/kg, 750 mg/kg respectively. Results: The dose 2 g/kg in OGTT and 1.5 g/kg in AIDT model blood glucose levels decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in Wistar rats that showed antidiabetic effect of EECA. After administration of EECA at the dose of 1 g/kg, the extract showed significant (P < 0.05) antidiarrhoeal activity in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal model. The results were also significant (P < 0.05) in barium sulphate milk model for the same dose by using above mentioned animals. Conclusions: It is concluded that EECA contains both antidiabetic and the antidiarrhoeal properties.

Introduction: Obesity in childhood is a major cause for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) at adulthood. The present study was a cross-sectional research aimed to examine the relationship between childhood obesity and dietary pattern with CVD in patients (n=100) from Tangail City, Bangladesh. Methods: Dietary patterns, laboratory tests, demographic, and anthropometric interrelated data were measured in patients with stroke and heart attack from five hospitals. The research also used 24-hour recall method and a food frequency questionnaire for assessing daily energy and macronutrient intakes. Results: Weight (p=0.004), body mass index (BMI) (p=0.001), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) (p=0.009), and waist circumference (WC) (p=0.030) was significantly different between males and females whereas lipid profile was not significantly different between genders. There were no significant associations between intakes of red meat, salt, fast food, fish, egg, nuts and seeds with heart attack and stroke. On the contrary, there were significant associations between fried food intake with heart attack and stroke (p=0.080 and p=0.020). The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between carbohydrate (p=0.001), protein (p=0.001), and fat (p=0.001) intakes with the total energy intake of respondents. The findings also showed that there was a significant relationship between carbohydrate (p=0.003), protein (p=0.001), and fat (p=0.001) intakes with body mass index of the respondents. Conclusion: CVD diagnosis in adult patients was found to be associated with fried food intake but not with childhood obesity.