Effect of tamarind ingestion on fluoride excretion in humans. (1/31)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) ingestion on excretion of fluoride in school children. DESIGN: Randomized, diet-control study. SUBJECT: Twenty healthy boys were included and 18 of them completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: Each subject consumed 10 g tamarind daily with lunch for 18 days at the social welfare boys' hostel. The nutrient composition of the daily diet was constant throughout the experimental period. RESULTS: Tamarind intake led to significant increase (P<0.001) in the excretion of fluoride in 24 h urine (4.8+/-0.22 mg/day) as compared to excretion on control diet (3.5+/-0.22 mg/day). However, excretion of magnesium and zinc decreased significantly (7.11+/-1.48 mg of Mg and 252.88+/-12.84 microg of Zn per day on tamarind diet as compared to 23.39+/-3.68 mg of Mg and 331.78+/-35.31 microg Zn per day on control diet). Excretion of calcium and phosphorous were not significantly different while creatinine excretion decreased with tamarind intake (225.66+/-81 mg creatinine/day with tamarind and 294.5+/-78.76 mg creatinine/day without tamarind). CONCLUSION: Tamarind intake is likely to help in delaying progression of fluorosis by enhancing urinary excretion of fluoride.  (+info)

Release behaviour of drugs from tamarind seed polysaccharide tablets. (2/31)

PURPOSE: This study examines the sustained release behaviour of both water-soluble (acetaminophen, caffeine, theophylline and salicylic acid) and water insoluble (indomethacin) drugs from tamarind seed polysaccharide isolated from tamarind kernel powder. It further investigates the effect of incorporation of diluents like microcrystalline cellulose and lactose on release of caffeine and partial cross-linking of the polysaccharide on release of acetaminophen. Applying exponential equation, the mechanism of release of soluble drugs was found to be anomalous. The insoluble drug showed near case II or zero order release mechanism. The rate of release was in the decreasing order of caffeine, acetaminophen, theophylline, salicylic acid and indomethacin. An increase in release kinetics of drug was observed on blending with diluents. However, the rate of release varied with type and amount of blend in the matrix. The mechanism of release due to effect of diluents was found to be anomalous. The rate of release of drug decreased on partial cross-linking and the mechanism of release was found to be super case II.  (+info)

Childhood lead poisoning associated with tamarind candy and folk remedies--California, 1999-2000. (3/31)

Lead poisoning affects children adversely worldwide. In the United States, elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) (>10 microg/dL) result primarily from exposure to lead-based paint or from associated lead-contaminated dust and soil; however, other sources of lead exposure, including folk remedies, Mexican terra cotta pottery, and certain imported candies, also have been associated with elevated BLLs in children. This report describes five cases in California of lead poisoning from atypical sources. Health-care providers should be aware of the potential hazards of certain food products, and community members should be educated about potential sources of lead poisoning for children.  (+info)

Cloning, expression and characterization of a family-74 xyloglucanase from Thermobifida fusca. (4/31)

Thermobifida fusca xyloglucan-specific endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (Xeg)74 and the Xeg74 catalytic domain (CD) were cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. This enzyme has a glycohydrolase family-74 CD that is a specific xyloglucanase followed by a family-2 carbohydrate binding module at the C terminus. The Michaelis constant (Km) and maximal rate (Vmax) values for hydrolysis of tamarind seed xyloglucan (tamXG) are 2.4 micro m and 966 micro mol xyloglucan oligosaccharides (XGOs) min-1. micro mol protein-1. More than 75% of the activity was retained after a 16-h incubation at temperatures up to 60 degrees C. The enzyme was most active at pH 6.0-9.4. NMR analysis showed that its catalytic mechanism is inverting. The oligosaccharide products from hydrolysis of tamXG were determined by MS analysis. Cel9B, an active carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)ase from T. fusca, was also found to have activity on xyloglucan (XG) at 49 micro mol.min-1. micro mol protein-1, but it could not hydrolyze XG units containing galactose. An XG/cellulose composite was prepared by growing Gluconacetobacterxylinus on glucose with tamXG in the medium. Although a mixture of purified cellulases was unable to degrade this material, the composite material was fully hydrolyzed when Xeg74 was added. T. fusca was not able to grow on tamXG, but Xeg74 was found in the culture supernatant at the same level as was found in cultures grown on Solka Floc. The function of this enzyme appears to be to break down the XG surrounding cellulose fibrils found in biomass so that T. fusca can utilize the cellulose as a carbon source.  (+info)

A mucoadhesive polymer extracted from tamarind seed improves the intraocular penetration and efficacy of rufloxacin in topical treatment of experimental bacterial keratitis. (5/31)

Bacterial keratitis is a serious infectious ocular disease requiring prompt treatment to prevent frequent and severe visual disabilities. Standard treatment of bacterial keratitis includes topical administration of concentrated antibiotic solutions repeated at frequent intervals in order to reach sufficiently high drug levels in the corneal tissue to inhibit bacterial growth. However, this regimen has been associated with toxicity to the corneal epithelium and requires patient hospitalization. In the present study, a mucoadhesive polymer extracted from tamarind seeds was used for ocular delivery of 0.3% rufloxacin in the treatment of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus keratitis in rabbits. The polysaccharide significantly increased the intra-aqueous penetration of rufloxacin in both infected and uninfected eyes. Rufloxacin delivered by the polysaccharide reduced P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in the cornea at a higher rate than that obtained by rufloxacin alone. In particular, use of the polysaccharide allowed a substantial reduction of S. aureus in the cornea to be achieved even when the time interval between drug administrations was extended. These results suggest that the tamarind seed polysaccharide prolongs the precorneal residence times of antibiotics and enhances drug accumulation in the cornea, probably by reducing the washout of topically administered drugs. The tamarind seed polysaccharide appears to be a promising candidate as a vehicle for the topical treatment of bacterial keratitis.  (+info)

Screening of stimulatory effects of dietary risk factors on mouse intestinal cell kinetics. (6/31)

AIM: Although epidemiological and experimental studies validate influence of genetic, environmental and dietary factors in the causation of various types of cancers including colon, results from all these sources are inconclusive. Hypothesizing that high fat diet and obesity are among the major predisposing factors in the incidence of colon cancer, we evaluated the role of diet constituted with food material derived from a tropical plant, Tamarindus indica Linn (TI). METHODS: A two part randomized double-blind study was conducted employing inbred Swiss albino mice from a single generation for the whole investigation. One day-old neonates (n = 12) were subcutaneously administered with monosodium glutamate (MSG) to induce obesity (OB). At weaning these animals were maintained on modified AIN-76 diet supplemented with 10% TI and 10% fat bolus (w/w, TIFB) for 8 wk. Subsequently, in the second part of study, four groups of animals belonging to the same generation, age and gender (n = 12 per group), were maintained on: AIN-76 control diet (CD); AIN-76 mixed with 10% TI extract (TI); and, mixed with 10% TI and 10% FB (TIFB) for 8 wk, to determine intestinal crypt cell proliferation, functionally-specific enzyme activities, fermentation profile, and energy preferences. RESULTS: We observed a significant increase in the crypt cell production rate in distal colonic segment of experimental animals when compared with the controls. This segment also contained significantly low butyrate levels compared to control and TIFB groups. All the experimental groups showed a gross decrease in the enzyme activities viz., succinate dehydrogenase, acid-galactosidase and dipeptidyl amino peptidase IV demonstrating pathological stress caused by the test regimens, and an altered metabolic flux in the cellular environment. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated a cumulative response to the three dietary factors, one of which (TI) is reported, herein, for the first time to modulate kinetics of large intestinal mucosa, contributing to total risk posed by these test agents.  (+info)

Attenuation of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by aqueous extract of seed of Tamarindus indica. (7/31)

Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were divided into mild diabetic (MD) and severe diabetic (SD) on the basis of fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels. Diabetes was confirmed here by intravenous glucose tolerance test (GTT), biochemical assay of glycogen content in liver and skeletal muscle, glucose-6-phosphatase activity in liver, and serum insulin levels. Hyperlipidemia developed in these experimental diabetic rats was assessed by quantification of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) and triglyceride (TG) in serum. Aqueous extract of seed of Tamarindus indica was given to MD and SD rats at the dose of 80 mg and 120 mg/0.5 ml distilled water/100 g body weight/d respectively for 14 d. Significant attenuation of hyperglycemia was indicated by measuring FBG, glycogen level and glucose-6-phosphatase activity along with monitoring of intravenous GTT and serum insulin level. Similarly, correction of hyperlipidemia in diabetic rats after this extract supplementation was confirmed by significant reduction in the levels of above-mentioned hyperlipidemic indicators. Intravenous GTT was performed that highlights the antidiabetic action of this extract is not due to its effect on the intestinal rate of glucose absorption but may be due to modulation of intracellular glucose utilization in target organs. This study focus the efficacy of this extract for the management of experimental diabetes in rat model which may shed some light on the scientific basis of ancient herbal therapy in this line using this seed.  (+info)

Foreign body aspiration in adults. (8/31)

Foreign body aspiration is not an uncommon problem, particularly in children, the elderly, and those with predisposing factors like neurological impairment. In adults, regional differences exist in the type of foreign body aspirated. We report four cases of foreign body aspiration in South Asian adults, three of which were related to the widespread habit of chewing stimulant seeds such as betel nuts (two) and tamarind seed (one). It is important for clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for the diagnosis of foreign body inhalation in the appropriate clinical setting. Bronchoscopy is necessary not only for the diagnosis but also for the removal of foreign body from the bronchial tree. Once the foreign body is removed, the improvement in symptoms is usually dramatic, making it rewarding for any physician to manage.  (+info)

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