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This study is to determine the antibacterial efficacy of Lawsonia inermis against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which has become a leading cause of infections. The leaves of Lawsonia inermis also known as Henna or lalley leave were subjected to extraction with seventy percent (70%) methanol using the cold maceration technique after which phytochemical screening and partitioning were carried out following standard procedures, hence, three fractions of the methanol extract of Lawsonia inermis (crude extract, aqueous and chloroform fractions) were used against thirty strains of MRSA by using the agar well-diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration as a determination method. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Saponins, Tannins, Terpnoids, and steroids. A two old serial dilution was done for each of the fractions viz; 100mg/ml, 50mg/ml, 25mg/ml, 12.5mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml. The various dilutions were used on the test organism and there was increase in zones of inhibitions with increase in extract concentrations. At 100mg/ml, the crude fraction had a maximum inhibition zone of 15.30mm which was higher than the inhibition zone of the standard antibiotic used, and a minimum inhibition zone of 9 mm as compared to the standard antibiotic used having a minimum inhibition zone of 4.33mm. Among all the fractions used, the crude fraction of the methanol extract of Lawsonia inermis showed the best activity against the test organism (MRSA) Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Others showed lesser activity as compared to the standard antibiotic used. Keywords: Lawsonia inermis linn, MRSA, Crude extract

U tubes have been used for a wide variety of hepatobiliary problems. We report a patient with multiple complications possibly related to the use of a U tube. These include secondary biliary cirrhosis, intrahepatic bilomas, and enterocutaneous fistula. The relatively rare entities of intrahepatic biloma and enterocutaneous fistula are reviewed.

The aim of this study was to characterize the circadian variation of oral tacrolimus disposition in 8 stable liver allograft recipients. In the steady state, a total of 23 blood samples was taken before and after tacrolimus administration during a 24-hr period and the pharmacokinetic parameters were compared. The area under the curve (AUC) of tacrolimus after the morning dose was significantly larger than after the evening dose (211+/-43 ng x hr/ml [morning] vs. 179+/-45 ng x hr/ml [evening], P=0.02). The time to peak (Tmax) was significantly shorter after the morning dose than after the evening dose (1.6+/-0.7 hr [morning] vs. 2.9+/-0.6 hr [evening], P=0.002). The peak (Cmax) was significantly higher after the morning dose than after the evening dose (32.2+/-10.2 ng/ml [morning] vs. 19.1+/-4.3 ng/ml [evening], P=0.003). However, the trough (Cmin) was not significantly different between the morning dose and the evening dose (13.1+/-3.9 ng/ml [morning] vs. 13.3+/-4.4 ng/ml [evening], P=0.4). This study demonstrated that tacrolimus disposition in liver transplant patients was determined by administration time.

Surgical resection has been the standard approach for primary and metastatic liver tumors. Long-term survival, however, is limited because of recurrence or hepatic decompensation. Failure of chemotherapeutic regimens or liver transplantation (OLT) to prevent recurrence has resulted in the need for multimodality therapies. We report our experience with preoperative hepatic arterial chemoembolization (CET) followed by OLT in highly select patients. Over a 33-month period, 23 of 41 patients (56%) referred with primary (n = 16) or metastatic neuroendocrine (n = 7) liver tumors met eligibility requirements. Despite mild, self-limited chemical hepatitis, CET was well tolerated in all but three elderly patients who succumbed to liver failure. Four of five patients ultimately received OLT. Three are alive and free of disease at a mean followup of 17 months, one died of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, and one (NET) remains well at 33 months with elevated glucagon levels but no measurable disease. All NET patients are alive with resolution of hormonal symptoms. Four of five noncirrhotic patients died of disease, and one has progressive tumor growth. Although OLT following CET achieves superior survival, its application is limited to a minority of patients with such tumors. Careful pretreatment staging and patient selection combined with caution in the use of CET in elderly cirrhotic patients is critical to the success of such therapies.

This study investigated the effect of grapefruit juice on cyclosporine A (CsA) bioavailability in 10 renal transplant patients. Under CsA steady state conditions, patients were randomly administered their usual dose of CsA with either 8 ounces of grapefruit juice or 8 ounces of water. Using a crossover design, a 12-hr pharmacokinetic study was then conducted. Grapefruit juice increased the area under the concentration versus time curve (4218+/-1497 ng x hr/ml [grapefruit juice] vs. 3415+/-1288 ng x hr/ml [water], P=0.029) and 12-hr trough (244+/-214 ng x ml [grapefruit juice] vs. 132+/-56 ng x ml [water], P=0.09), but it did not change peak concentration (734+/-290 ng x ml [grapefruit juice] vs. 708+/-305 ng x ml [water], P=0.76). In addition, grapefruit juice delayed the time to peak concentration compared with water (5.4+/-3.0 hr [grapefruit juice] vs. 2.8+/-0.8 hr [water], P=0.025). These data suggest that concurrent administration of grapefruit juice with CsA will delay the absorption of CsA and increase the drug exposure of CsA without changing peak concentration.

Overall, patient and renal allograft survivals after cadaveric transplantation have improved significantly since the incorporation of CsA into the standard immunosuppressive regimen. Overall, patient and renal allograft survivals were significantly better for non-diabetic recipients when compared to diabetic recipients after cadaveric transplantation. Living-donor renal transplant recipients have a better outcome than cadaveric transplant recipients. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death after renal transplantation. Death on dialysis accounted for the second largest number of posttransplant mortalities. Sepsis and malignancy remained the next most important causes of death after renal transplantation.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major complication of bone marrow transplantation. This report describes reversal of GVHD by infusion of stored recipient bone marrow following combined liver-bone marrow allotransplantation. Graft-versus-host disease developed at the end of the first postoperative week. The skin involvement progressively spread to approximately 80% of the body surface and was not affected by modification of the immunosuppressive treatment. On the 42nd and 43rd postoperative day 1.23 x 10(8) and 1.6 x 10(8) autologous bone marrow cells per kg of recipient body weight were infused. The skin rush began to dramatically improve and resolved within 2 wk from the autologous marrow infusion. Autologous bone marrow storage previous to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for tolerance induction could constitute a safety net in case of occurrence of GVHD.

Primary tumors of the liver that are of clinical significance are rare. Ninety-five percent of such lesions when encountered will be malignant and only 5% will be benign. Malignant primary hepatic lesions represent 2% to 3% of primary cancers encountered in the United States. Hepatocellular carcinoma constitutes 90% of malignant liver primaries in the adult. Seventy-five percent of cases are associated with cirrhosis of the liver and patients with hepatitis B infection have a 33- to 200-fold excess risk for this malignancy. Cholangiocarcinoma represents 5% to 10% of hepatic primary malignancies while hepatoblastoma is distinctly uncommon in adults. Treatment is primarily surgical, and resectability is limited by the presence of cirrhosis and spread of the tumor within and outside of the liver. Of the benign liver tumors, the liver cell adenoma seem to be associated with oral contraception and have a proclivity for intraperitoneal hemorrhage, especially during pregnancy. Focal nodular hyperplasia is a tumor-like condition that also may be associated with oral contraception. This article describes five cases, two of which had quite unique presentations.