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Bergenia ciliata is a weed of hilly areas of Pakistan that generally grows in rock crevices. In the present study, flowers of this weed were collected from Murree, Pakistan. The dried flowers were extracted in methanol and subjected to GC-MS analysis that showed 7 compounds in it. The predominant compound was hexanedioic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (48.88%) followed by γ-sitosterol (22.56%). Moderately occurring compound was cyclohexane, 1,3,5-triphenyl-(12.87%). The remaining compounds namely n-hexadecanoic acid (4.97%), pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl ester (3.77%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z)- (2.94%) and 9,12,15- octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)- (2.92%) were categorized as less abundant compounds. Literature survey indicated that these compounds possess antimicrobial, larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and/or antidiabetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to analyze the phytochemical profile of Euphorbia prostrata Aiton through GC-MS and identification of possible antifungal, antibacterial and other pesticidal compounds through literature survey. Whole plant material of the weed was collected from Lahore, Pakistan and shade dried followed by two-week extraction in ethyl acetate. The filtrates were analyzed by GC-MS that showed the presence of 19 compounds. The major compound in the extract was 9,19-cyclolanost-24-en-3-ol, (3β)- (24.62%) followed by 9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol, 24-methylene-, (3β)- (19.51%) and γ-sitosterol (12.51%). Other compounds were phytol (8.11%), n-hexadecanoic acid (6.15%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z,Z)- (4.90%), neophytadiene (4.88%), cyclohexane, 1,3,5-triphenyl- (3.71%), hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (3.04%), phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl- (2.42%), octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (2.24%), octacosane (2.11%), 1-heptacosanol (1.71%), stigmasta-5,24(28)-dien-3-ol, (3β,24Z)- (1.71%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, ethyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)- (1.29%), oxirane, hexadecyl- (1.21), 9,12- octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- (1.05%), Z-8-methyl-9-tetradecenoic acid (1.01%), and 9-octadecyne (0.76%). Literature survey revealed that eight compounds possess antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal and/or insecticidal properties. Most of the pesticidal compounds were antibacterial in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strains has resulted in an increase in tuberculosis, which seems to be a major threat to community well-being worldwide. Approximately 3.6 % of new tuberculosis patients, with MDR-TB reaching 20% in the past, were treated with TB treatment. Pakistan is ranked fifth among the 22 countries with the highest prevalence of MDR-TB. According to WHO estimates, new MDR-TB cases account for 4.2 percent of all cases, while recurrence/retreatment cases account for 16 percent of all cases. This ratio accounts for about 15,000 MDRTB cases in Pakistan each year. Methodology: From January 2018 to December 2020, 377 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study at the Department of Pulmonology at Lady Reading Hospital in Pakistan, which serves as the provincial reference point for the management of MDR-TB. To collect data, consecutive sampling was used. Results: Of the 377 patients, 80 (21.2 %) are between the ages of 10 and 29, and indeed the sample data also include 212 (56.2%) males and 165 (43.8%) females. The married proportion was 217 (57.5%), 153 (40.6%) of patients had less than Rs. 25000 monthly wages, and 98 (25.9 %) of these MDR-TB patients were illiterate. In addition to the monthly wages, 247 (65.5%) of patients are financially dependent on someone other than their brother, father, or husband. Conclusion: MDR-TB treatment and management face one of the most serious risks, owing to the persistence and potential consequences of infection and the confined social and economic intervention strategies. These studies have suggested significant improvement in both adherence to treatment and cure rates among MDR-TB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) still remain a global public health problem. TB is deadly disease caused by a bacterium named Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Now a day TB is resurgence in the form of drug resistant TB (DR-TB). In order to improve adherence to anti-TB treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) promotes the use of directly observed therapy (DOT), in which patients undertake medications under the direct observation of a health care provider. Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim to find out treatment outcome of 11 months STR treatment for MDR-TB patients atPMDTLRH. Results: This study was conducted fromJuly 2017 to March 2020. In this study only those patients were enrolled who were eligible for newly assigned 11 months short treatment of MDR-TB. All those patients who were achieved final outcomes at time of this final draft were included in this study. The numbers of such patients were 109. Mean age of study cases was 19.544 with standard deviation ±15.947. Majority of study cases (56.0%) were females. For study purpose, study cases were divided into four different groups, of which most of the cases belonged to the age group form 45 years to 64 years of age. About 77.1% of these cases achieved successful treatment outcome and remaining 22.9% of study cases achieved unsuccessful treatment outcome. Conclusion: The findings of the current study have several clear implications for TB control efforts. In light of these findings, it could be concluded that to reduce DR-TB transmission in the community, improvement of treatment outcomes, via ensuring adherence, paying special attention to poor and patient having very far residency form the treatment site. Treatment adherence made better by offering a short, highly effective treatment regimen for MDRTB because of the main challenge in achieving the successful treatment outcome is the large number of pills that patients must ingest every day. This study also concluded that with the experience and dedicated team it is very easy to achieve best success rate for any type of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resistance to the first-line drugs is a major issue in tuberculosis (TB) control. Globally 20% of previously treated TB cases have been reported to have multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Pakistan is among the top high TB burden countries with an annual incidence of 270 per 100,000 and estimated to have more than 13000 MDR-TB cases. In the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) the annual incidence of TB is around 55,000 out of which around 5% are retreatment cases. So a survey was needed to determine prevalence of MDR-TB in KPK. Objectives: Objective of the present study is to find out the prevalence of MDR-TB among previously treated (Category II) pulmonary tuberculosis patients in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methodology: A total of 131 cultures positive retreatment patients were included in this cross sectional study. Drug susceptibility testing with Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Streptomycin, Ethambutol and Pyrazinamide were performed with standard technique. Results: Of the 131 patients, 54 (41.2%) showed resistance to one or more drugs. Resistance with isoniazid and rifampicin [MRD-TB] was seen in 20 patients (15.3%). Resistance to streptomycin was highest (31.3%), followed by isoniazid (26.0%). Conclusion: The result of this study showed prevalence of drug resistance of 41.2% and MDR-TB of 15.3% with the first line ATT among retreatment cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among 186 retrospectively evaluated patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, 33.9% were cured, 6.6% completed treatment, 25% died, 18.3% were lost to follow-up, 2.2% failed treatment, and 13.8% were still undergoing treatment by the end of the study period. Rural residence was a risk factor for loss to follow-up (odds ratio [OR], 3.315; P  = .016), whereas baseline body weight <40 kg (OR, 2.175; P  = .042) and resistance to ofloxacin (OR, 2.889; P  = .025) were risk factors for death. Despite programmatic management, treatment outcomes of the current cohort were distressing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the profile of TB/multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) among household contacts of MDR-TB patients. Methods Close contacts of MDR-TB patients were traced in the cross-sectional study. Different clinical, radiological and bacteriological were performed to rule out the evidence of TB/MDR-TB. Results Between January 2012 and December 2012, a total of 200 index MDR-TB patients were initiated on MDR-TB treatment, out of which home visit and contacts screening were conducted for 154 index cases. Of 610 contacts who could be studied, 41 (17.4%) were diagnosed with MDR-TB and 10 (4.2%) had TB. The most common symptoms observed were cough, chest pain and fever. Conclusions The high incidence of MDR-TB among close contacts emphasize the need for effective contact screening programme of index MDR-TB cases in order to cut the chain of transmission of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major public health problem in developing countries such as Pakistan. Objective: The current study was conducted to assess the frequency of drug resistant tuberculosis including multi drug resistance (MDR- TB) as well as risk factors for development of DR-TB, in Punjab, Pakistan. Methodology: Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed, using proportion method, for 2367 culture positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) cases that were enrolled from January 2012 to December 2013 in the province of Punjab, Pakistan, against first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. The data was analyzed using statistical software; SPSS version 18. Results: Out of 2367 isolates, 273 (11.5%) were resistant to at least one anti-TB drug, while 221 (9.3%) showed MDR- TB. Risk factors for development of MDR-TB were early age (ranges between 10–25 years) and previously treated TB patients. Conclusion: DR-TB is a considerable problem in Pakistan. Major risk factors are previous history of TB treatment and younger age group. It emphasizes the need for effective TB control Program in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to explore the causal organism of dieback of Eucalyptus citriodora Hook in different areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Diseased samples of E. citriodora suffering from dieback were collected during January to March 2010. Purple to reddish spots were observed on leaf of this tree. Pathogen was isolated on malt extract agar medium. Isolated fungus was identified as Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl. The isolated fungus was inoculated on E. citriodora leaves. The same fungus was re-isolated from the artificially inoculated diseased leaves that confirms A. alternata as causal agent of dieback in E. citriodora in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out at the Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan during 2007 to investigate the phytotoxic effects of an alien weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. in comparison with two native Asteraceous weed species viz. Ageratum conyzoides L. and Sonchus oleraceous L. on mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) germination and growth. The highest concentration of Parthenium leaf extract (15% w/v) reduced mungbean germination by 26 percent as compared to 11 and zero percent reduction due to same extract concentration of S. oleraceous and A. conyzoides, respectively. Shoot length of mungbean seedlings was reduced by 17-52 percent and 23-52 percent, and shoot biomass by 26-36 percent and 2.4-58 percent due to various extract concentrations of parthenium and A. conyzoides, respectively. Shoot length was stimulated by extract of S. oleraceous. In general, extracts of all three test weed species stimulated the root growth of mungbean. The results conclude that aqueous extracts of alien weed Parthenium exhibited more phytotoxic effects on germination of mungbean as did by two test native weed species belonging to same family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted at the Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan during 2008. Herbicidal activity of aqueous extracts of two medicinal plants of family Solanaceae viz. Withania somnifera Dunal and Datura alba Nees was evaluated against Rumex dentatus L., one of the most problematic weeds of wheat in Pakistan. Aqueous extracts of root and shoot of both test medicinal plant species resulted in pronounced suppression in germination as well as seedling growth of target weed species. However, variability in herbicidal potential of different types of employed extracts was evident. Germination was comparatively less susceptible while root growth in R. dentatus was highly susceptible to all aqueous extracts. Application of aqueous extracts caused 68 percent reduction in germination, 62 percent in shoot length, 96 percent in root length and 68 percent in seedling biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]