METHODS: Two focus group discussions, involving 5 participants each for Chinese and Indian groups, were conducted separately. Participant's personal information was collected anonymously. The discussion covered 5 areas: determinants for taking medications; reason for choosing alternative medications rather than hormone replacement therapy (HRT); how these medications help them; their view on cost-effectiveness and concerns over long-term use. The discussions were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed.
RESULTS: Chinese participants took supplements for controlling symptoms while Indian participants used herbs as a preventive measure during menopause according to their tradition. Women of both groups mentioned that they did not take HRT because of fear of side effects. Chinese group mentioned that medications remarkably improved their symptoms whereas Indian participants appreciated their herbals more for improvement in general wellbeing than for specific symptoms. All members agreed that using alternative medication was cost-effective. Both Chinese and Indian participants were quite confident in saying that long-term use will not be associated with any side effects. However, Indian group emphasized that proper preparation of herbal compound using different types of leaves, is essential in order to avoid untoward effects.
CONCLUSIONS: Chinese and Indian women used alternative medicine in prevention and treatment of menopause-related problems even as they were avoiding HRT because of the fear of side effects. They believed that their supplements were effective, safe and cost-beneficial even with long-term use.
METHODS: Twenty-four male albino rats were randomly divided into four groups with six in each group by simple random sampling method. Group 1 as control rats; Group 2 as STZ induced diabetic rats; Group 3 as diabetic rats treated with avocado fruit extract (AFE), 300 mg/kg as aqueous suspension orally for 30 days; Group 4 as diabetic rats treated with gliclazide (5 mg/kg) in aqueous solution orally for 30 days. The rats were fasted overnight and sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the blood was collected for various biochemical analysis and excision of hepatic and kidney were done for histological analysis. Levels of fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin were estimated. The activities of key enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism such as hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, glucose-6- phosphatase, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase were assayed by standard methods described in the methodology.
RESULTS: Oral administration of AFE significantly improved the altered levels of blood glucose, plasma insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, and modulated the activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes (P<0.05, respectively). The glycogen content in hepatic tissues was significantly increased in diabetic rats treated with AFE (P<0.05, respectively).
CONCLUSION: AFE plays a pivotal role to maintain normoglycemia in diabetes by modulating the activities of carbohydrate metabolic enzymes.
METHODS: Twenty-four male albino rats were randomly divided into four groups with six rats in each group: group I as control, group II fed with hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) for 45 days (4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid), Group III rats fed with HCD for 45 days + AEFM (300 mg/kg body weight/day orally) for last 30 days and group IV normal rats fed AEFM alone. The blood was collected using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) as an anticoagulant for various biochemical analysis, and excision of kidney was done for histological analysis.
RESULTS: The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), phospholipids (PLs), renal functional parameters and lipid peroxidation products were markedly mitigated in AEFM treated hypercholesterolemic rats (group III) compared to group I (P<0.01). Activities of both enzymic and non-enzymic free radical scavenging factors were significantly increased in group III compared to group I (P<0.01). In group III the mRNA levels of interstitial endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) genes were obviously up-regulated (P<0.01) and down-regulated in (P<0.05) compared with group I. Histomorphological observations also exhibited similar as in group III AEFM commendably protects the renal tissues compared with group I (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: AEFM can act as nephroprotective agent by attenuating the renal oxidative stress, lipid levels as well as regulating NOS level and by this means protects the kidney in hypercholesterolemic induced nephropathy experimental rats.