Lead toxicity and herbal medication

May 26, 2008
By Syed Akbar
Many people believe that herbal medicines are a safe bet. They think that allopathic drugs cause side-effects while herbal medication is good for the body and the mind.
But a team of researchers from Bangalore has come out with a scientific study which points out that many herbal medicines contains poisonous heavy metals, particularly lead. Injudicious use of herbal medicines will result in accumulation of lead in the blood causing severe health complications.
A study by T Venkatesh, A Ravi Raja, GN Vishal Babu and Geraldine Menezes of the department of biochemistry and biophysics, St John’s Medical College, Bangalore, some of the herbal medicines prepared from certain roots and leaves contain lead at alarming levels.
“Awareness about the toxic effects of non-essential metals is still lacking in developing countries. Lead is one among them, which ranks second in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’ s top 20 list of toxic metals. Some of the herbal medicines prepared from certain roots and leaves are known to contain this toxic metal at alarming levels.
We came across a person, who suffered from the toxic effects of lead such as vomiting and colicky abdominal pain after consuming an herbal remedy for jaundice treatment. This went unrecognised initially because of the presence of multiple problems like malaria and renal calculi. Lead poisoning as causative factor for anemia, vomiting and colic were confirmed only when blood lead concentration was estimated. A combination of chelation therapy and nutritional supplementation was found to be useful in reducing the body lead burden,” Venkatesh told this
correspondent from Bangalore.
Lead enters the body by routes such as inhalation, ingestion or by dermal contact, undergoes cumulative storage and it has no known biological functions. Major organs and systems like nervous system, hematopoietic system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, reproductive system, skeletal system, immunological system and renal system are affected by lead. People are exposed to lead from different environmental sources such as air, soil, food, drinking water or from different occupational and recreational sources and also occasionally from sources like folk
remedies, cosmetics, moonshine whisky and gasoline huffing. Folk and herbal remedies from the Indian subcontinent are a significant unrecognised source of lead toxicity.
A 39year old male patient from a village in Goa was referred to National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India, Bangalore, for the evaluation of lead poisoning. History revealed his habitual consumption of herbal medicines for any kind of illness. This time he had consulted a traditional practitioner for the treatment of jaundice in his village, who gave him syrup known in local language as Kadda.
After consuming 10 to 15 ml of Kadda everyday morning on empty stomach, for a period of 10 days, the patient experienced vomiting and severe abdominal pain. As the syrup did not cure jaundice he was admitted to Government Hospital for the treatment twice, on two occasions within a short period of two weeks.
All possible investigations including HbSAg and HIV were carried out. Results of biochemical investigations showed all normal except for mild elevation of total serum bilirubin -1.6 mg/dl (normal-0.2 to 1.0mg/dl) and Unconjugated bilirubin –1.3mg/dl (normal-0.2 to 0.6 mg/dl) suggestive of hemolytic jaundice. An abdominal CT scan revealed the presence of a 3mm calculus on the left kidney.
With persisting vomiting and severe abdominal pain, he was referred to a superspeciality private hospital in his place. At the time of admission - blood pressure was 130/90 mm of Hg; pulse rate was 76/minute and had no history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Laboratory investigations showed a decrease in hemoglobin 7.8 grams. Repeat CT scan confirmed the presence of left renal calculus. Endoscopy was normal. A barium meal and follow through study did not reveal any abnormality in the small bowel. Two days later after the admission the patient suffered from fever with chills. So test for malaria along with ICT, WIDAL, tests for Leptospira, Brucella, and dengue were carried out. All tests were negative.
A surgical opinion was sought because of the persistent abdominal pain and fever. Urine examination, which was normal initially, had shown 10-12 WBCs on repeat examination. During this time as a work up for anemia, a rectic count was done which was raised and suspected a possibility of hemolytic anemia; the entire work up for hemolytic anemia included sickle test, hemoglobin variant analysis.
As the fever was not coming down, the smear for malaria was repeated including the indirect Coomb’s test that was positive this time and Chloroquine was given. It was also noted that the W.B.C count was progressively coming down and showed leucopenia on the blood picture and a possibility of drug-induced cause was found out.
The fever and vomiting gradually subsided but not the abdominal pain. A bone marrow examination revealed microcytic blood picture. Finally doctors suspected lead poisoning and the patient was sent for blood lead analysis to the NRCLPI. He presented with extreme weakness of both lower limbs and abdominal pain. His blood pressure was 132/86 mm Hg, Heart rate 84/min.
Most significant findings were elevated blood lead level and elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Lifestyle diseases to beat viral threat

May 23, 2008
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, May 22: Bacteria, viruses, germs and worms will play a low profile in the next two decades as lifestyle diseases overtake infectious and communicable diseases.
The global burden of disease is fast shifting from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases, with chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke now being the chief causes of death globally, including India.
While the World Health Organisation warns that shifting health trends will push lifestyle diseases up the chart, health experts in India point out that the trend has already started in the country with the number of heart diseases and diabetes going up considerably.
According to a WHO report, leading infectious diseases like diarrhoea, HIV, tuberculosis, neonatal infections and malaria will become less important causes of death world-wide over the next 20 years. The WHO has arrived at this projection based on data on 73 health indicators.
Senior interventionist cardiologist Dr DK Barua says the chief causes of death are non-communicable diseases like heart attack, diabetes and hypertension. "The incidence of non-infectious diseases has gone up considerably. We are on the ascending stage now and 20 years from now, India could over take China in diabetic cases," he says.
The WHO statistics show risk factors like smoking and alcohol consumption will push the number of non-communicable diseases including maternal mortality, which is currently as high as 450 per lakh live births in India and other developing countries.
King George Hospital superintendent Dr T Ravi Raju supports WHO data saying India will become a leading county in terms of number of cases of diabetes and heart and kidney ailments. The average life span of an Indian was 37 years before Independence and now it has gone up to 65. "Continents were wiped due to cholera, malaria, tetanus and other communicable diseases but India could control them. Polio, cholera and small pox has been eradicated from the country. Before they could get heart and other non-infectious diseases, Indians were dying of communicable diseases. In heart diseases, the cases in India are nine times higher than that of Japan and six times more than that of US," he says.
Health experts say that the change in pattern of diseases is not necessarily due to the change in lifestyle or stress but Indians are genetically more prone to heart diseases than those living in any other developing country. About 15 per
cent of Indians are suffering from diabetes and in another 20 years, the percentage could go up to 20 per cent.

India Defence: Electronic warfare to move to satellites

By Syed Akbar
May 19, 2008
Hyderabad, May 18: India is planning to move its electronic warfare systems to satellites to make it difficult for most of its enemies to shoot down. Currently, electronic warfare systems (EWS) are mounted on ground vehicles or on pilotless aircraft. Though they are highly advanced, they are limited by range and have shortcomings apart from the fact that they are vulnerable to enemy attack.
The satellite-based EWS are more attack-proof because just about three countries have jealously-guarded capability to shoot down satellites. EWS are used to monitor enemy communication systems and jamming enemy radio and radar signals. They can even play havoc with the enemy’s missiles and electronic equipment. Advanced nations like the US have already developed the technology to put their EWS on satellites. India plans to manufacture the technology indigenously.
The city-based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory will develop the satellite EWS technology in association Bharat Electronics Limited and Electronics Corporation of India Limited. “Since the technology needs to be lightweight to be put in satellites, we are going for miniaturisation. The size of the equipment needs to be reduced by 10 times,” a senior defence scientist told this correspondent.
The miniaturisation of EWS will involve strengthening of electronic signalling systems so that it can have a large electromagnetic range. Once the satellite-based EWS is in place, India will have a greater military advantage in the region as it can monitor enemy nations. In another development, the Indian Army will get a boost with the induction of Samyukta electronic warfare system by November. DLRL has developed integrated electronic warfare systems for tactical battlefield operations as well as low conflict scenarios to meet the Army’s operational requirements. Samyukta will be India’s largest EWS. It is fully mobile and developed for tactical battlefield use. Its advantages include coverage of wide range of frequencies and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Naked Neck Polish: Hyderabadi breeds new variety

May 18, 2008
By Syed Akbar
A fancy poultry breeder from Hyderabad has created an exotic new variety of "Polish", without feathers on its neck. This is the first time that a Polish bird has been bred with a naked neck.
The breeder took a Naked Neck bird and crossbred it with a Polish bird to
obtain Naked Neck Polish. This he achieved in the eighth generation. Moreover, the new bird has several genetic advantages over ordinary poultry birds. It is resistant to a number of poultry diseases.
The new Naked Neck Polish is presently on display at a private poultry farm in Caravan area of old city of Hyderabad. Similar cross breeding attempts have been made in different parts of the world without much success.
"One has to wait for at least eight generations to confirm that a chosen
feature obtained from cross breed sustains in the offspring. In our case, we have successfully demonstrated that Naked Neck Polish bird could be achieved and the
new features sustained in the subsequent generations," says fancy poultry
breeder Naveed Qureshi.
Naked Neck Polish birds are now available only in Hyderabad and Naveed plans to export them to other countries, once the Union government lifts the ban on poultry imports-exports imposed in the wake of bird flu scarce in some Asian countries including West Bengal State in the country.
The Naked Neck is the only breed of poultry, which has no feathers on the neck. The bird has its origin in Central Europe and is popularly known as Transylvanian Naked Neck. It is also called Turken as the bird was wrongly thought to have evolved from cross breed between a chicken and a turkey.
It is a dual-purpose utility bird that gives a large number of eggs. It is in high demand for the rich quality of its meat and easy plucking of feathers. On the other hand Polish breed originated in Poland and is famous for its beauty. It bears crown-like feathers on its head. The bird is bred for fancy and is resistant to most of the poultry diseases.
"All these features from the two species of birds have been obtained in the new variety Naked Neck Polish. There are as many as 14 basic colours and several new standard colours," says Naveed, whose sprawling farm has more than 100 varieties of exotic birds including frizzled white Poland, white crest blue Polish, austrolop, orpinton, play mouth rock, white wyndoh and modern English game.

Powerful EWS decoys to seduce incoming missiles

May 13, 2008
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, May 12: The city-based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory is working on a state-of-the-art decoy system for the Indian Navy to protect vital installations from missile attacks by enemy nations.
The decoy will be equipped with the most modern electronic warfare system and the DLRL is looking for collaboration with some international firms to develop the technology.
"It will emit strong signals to seduce an in-coming missile and detract it from the targeted path. The missile will hit the decoy and the naval ship or vital installation will escape from the missile attack," DLRL director R Sreehari
Rao told a select group of reporters.
The decoy can also be towed to enable the aircraft to draw the missile's attention away from itself to a done or false target. It is programmed in such a way to "lure away" an in-coming missile by presenting a more attractive target.
"The system protects the aircraft, naval ships and other installations against
radar guided missiles.
The decoys can be free flying as well. Since it is a self-propelled decoy, it has
a fairer chance of enticing away a missile than a towed decoy.
Referring to the need for miniaturisation of electronic warfare systems, Dr Sreehari said the DLRL has plans to develop high altitude based EWS that could have a large range. He said the Samyukta electronic warfare system would be ready by November this year.
"In battle field, electromagnetic spectrum is extensively used for various purposes. Traditionally winning the war means control over land, air and sea based assets. he fourth dimension of war is control over EM spectrum. No war can be won without effectively controlling the EM spectrum," he said. Sreehari Rao said the DLRL had developed integrated electronic warfare systems for tactical battlefield operations as well as low conflict scenarios meeting the operational requirements of Indian Army.

Helicobacter pylori may cause cancer of the stomach

May 13, 2008
By Syed Akbar
Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that lives in the human gut, is capable of causing severe health complications including carcinomas. Certain genotypes of H pylori have higher predictive value for the development of intestinal-type cancer at an early age.
Researchers at the Centre for Liver Research and Diagnostics, Deccan College of Medical Sciences and the Department of Gastroenterology, Osmania General Hospital, have suggested that genotyping of H. pylori will serve as a useful tool for screening people at increased risk of developing malignancy. The city study is in contrast to earlier findings that H. pylori has no role in gastric cancers.
The study was led by eminent gastroenterologist CM Habibullah. Malignant tumours of the stomach are common, but the incidence of stomach cancer varies from country to country, probably a result of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors.
"Stomach cancer often occurs in older people whose stomachs produce only small quantities of acid. Although infection with Helicobacter pylori has been proven beyond doubt in the aetiopathogenesis of various gastric disorders, not much is known about the genotypes of H pylori infection in early-onset gastric cancer," the study noted.
As part of the study, 92 patients were separated into three groups on the basis of their endoscopic findings: group 1, gastric cancer; group 2, gastric ulcer; group 3, non-ulcer dyspepsia.
According to the city team of researchers, gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths world-wide. Malignancy of the stomach is the most common cancer in Asia, nearly two-thirds of which occurs in developing countries.
"Our understanding of gastric cancer underwent a discernible shift with the discovery of Helicobacter pylori. Infection with H pylori probably still plays a leading role in the development of gastric cancer in young patients. In a country such as India, where more than 75 per cent of the population are infected, it has been proved beyond doubt that H pylori infection is high, especially in areas of low socio-economic status and bad hygiene conditions," the scientists said.
In addition, a number of environmental factors have been shown to be associated with gastric cancer, including high-salt diets, N-nitrosamines and low intake of dietary antioxidants typically found in fresh fruit and vegetables.