Dear Colleagues
I am happy to place before you the third issue of the calendar year 2005 (i.e. the July issue) which contains six articles.
Oxidative stress has been suggested to be a causative factor in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. A number of in vitro studies have shown that antioxidants, both endogenous and dietary, can protect nervous tissue from damage by oxidative stress. Moringa Oleifera (MO) leaves are rich source of vitamins and antioxidants. Chronic treatment with MO significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipid peroxidase in adult albino rats.
Cadmium is an important environmental and industrial pollutant which has been shown to produce learning disability and overactivity in children and anorexia in refinery and smelter employees. Diltiazem given prior to cadmium chloride intoxication showed protection against cadmium induced biochemical changes in the brain of Swiss albino mice.
Hyperglycaemia induced oxidative stress may be a significant factor predisposing to complications in diabetes mellitus. A significant increase in fasting blood sugar, catalase and malondialdehyde along with a significant decrease in reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase was observed in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus with stroke.
Induction to high altitude exposes the individual to increasingly severe hypoxia resulting in high altitude illnesses. High altitude pulmonary oedema and high altitude cerebral oedema, if unrecognized or left intreated are associated with a high mortality. Anoxia induced capillary damage, haematological alterations leading to increased viscosity and development of hypercoagulable state can result in ischaemic stroke. Adequate health education and proper planning before induction to high altitude can minimise high altitude illnesses. The clinical manifestations, pathogenesis and management of neurological syndromes has been discussed.
The pineal gland of insectiovorus bat, Rhinopoma kinneari subserves duel function namely photosensory and endocrine. The results indicate that the observed changes in pineal gland are probably mediated via the optic pathway, while the alterations in the testes and seminiferous tubules are due to modulation in the secretary functions of the pineal gland.
I would like to thank the members who have responded to my letters, emails and personal requests and sent their contribution to the journal, however I would request you all to enhance the submission of articles as then only we can keep the publications regular. This year I intend to bring out one more issue in September. From next year I would like to bring four regular issues plus a supplement which would contain the abstracts of papers presented and lectures delivered at the annual conference.