Objective: To investigate phytochemical screening, antimicrobial activity and qualitative thin layer chromatographic separation of flavonoid components, antioxidant activity and total flavonoid compound of Terminalia arjuna.
Methods:For phytochemical screening, some common and available standard tests were done. Antimicrobial bioassay was done through agar well diffusion method. Detection of antioxidant activity and flavonoid compounds were done through thin layer chromatography. Total antioxidant activity was measured by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in colorimetric method. Aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used for total flavonoid determination.
Results:Phytochemical screening showed the active compounds presence in high concentration, such as phytosterol, lactones, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and tannins and glycosides. The antimicrobial activity of extract showed that greater inhibition zone against Gram negative bacteria than Gram positive bacteria. This methanolic extract showed a promising antioxidant activity, as absorption of DPPH redicles decreased in DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Flavonoids components having antioxidant property present in the methanol extract at a level of 199.00 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried methanol extract in colorimetric method.
Conclusions: The Terminalia arjuna bark extract revealed the presence of bio-active constituents which are known to exhibit medicinal as well as physiological activities.

OBJECTIVES: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) adversely impacts food security in households of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Little research has focused on food insecurity among PLWHA in India. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of and factors relating to food security in households of PLWHA in the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. METHODS: A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out among 173 PLWHA residing in Siliguri and registered at the Anti-retroviral Therapy Centre of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital. Data was collected at the household level with interviews of PLWHA using a food security survey instrument. We analyzed the associations using logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of household food security among the participants was 50.9% (88/173). Five years or more of schooling, higher socioeconomic class and males were found to be significantly associated with a higher likelihood of food security. A later stage of the disease and the presence of other family members with HIV/AIDS were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of food security. The major coping strategies to deal with food insecurity in the acute phase HIV infection included borrowing money (56.1%), followed by spousal support, loans from microfinance institutions, banks, or money lenders, borrowing food, or selling agricultural products. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that only about half of households with PLWHA were food secure. Prior interventions relating to periods of food and economic crisis as well as strategies for sustaining food security and economic status are needed in this area.
Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Family Characteristics* ; Food Supply* ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; Humans* ; India ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence

A 16-year-old female presented with dribbling of urine along with voluntary voiding since birth. Renal imaging revealed hydroureteronephrosis on the right side; the uterus and ovary were normal. A radionuclide scan showed a left nonfunctional kidney. On cystovaginoscopy, the urethra was shown to be normal and the urinary bladder was tubular with small capacity and an absent trigone. Although the vagina was capacious, no ureteric orifices were found. Computed tomography corroborated the diagnosis of bilateral, single ectopic ureters draining into a grossly dilated vagina. This case is unique because it is a bilateral single-system ureteral ectopia in a completely differentiated female genital tract that presented late in adolescence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second such ureteral abnormality reported in the literature so far. The patient underwent ileocystoplasty with right ureteric reimplantation and nephroureterectomy for the left nonfunctional kidney, which histopathology showed to be tuberculosis. The patient is continent with cystometric capacity of more than 300 mL.
Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Ovary ; Parturition ; Replantation ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterus ; Vagina

INTRODUCTIONThe introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has led to the reduction of mortality and the improvement of the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of adherence to HAART among PLWHA, and to assess the factor(s) affecting nonadherence, if any.

METHODSThis study was a hospital-based analytical, cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted between July and October 2011. A total of 370 adult HIV-positive patients registered in the Antiretroviral Therapy Centre of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal, India, were included. Nonadherence was defined as missing at least a single dose of medicine within the last four days. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 19.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA).

RESULTSA total of 87.6% of patients were found to be adherent to HAART. Principal causes of nonadherence were forgetting to take medicine (70.2%), being away from home (65.2%), and busyness with other things (64.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that nonadherence was significantly associated with a positive family history of HIV/AIDS (odds ratio [OR] 16; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-114.3; p = 0.01), occurrence of side effects with HAART (OR 9.81; 95% CI 1.9-51.7; p = 0.01) and employment (OR 5.93; 95% CI 1.5-23.2; p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAlthough overall adherence was high, the factors that affect nonadherence can be addressed with proper counselling and motivation of patients and their family members. Adherence to HAART could delay the progression of this lethal disease and minimise the risk of developing drug resistance.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; methods ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; Humans ; India ; Male ; Medication Adherence ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Young Adult