Purpose and Background: This study aims to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice towards folic acid consumption among pregnant female population of Karachi, Pakistan.The daily requirement of folic acid should be increased in pregnancy to prevent pregnancy complications specifically neural tube defects, anencephaly and other birth defects
 

Methodology: A cross sectional population based study was conducted on two hundred healthy pregnant women through a close ended questionnaire for assessing their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding consumption of folic acid in pregnancy. All the results were analyzed through SPSS.
 

Result: Out of 200 questionnaires, 170 were returned duly filled. It showed that 54% of the women had knowledge about the importance of folic acid in pregnancy whereas only 29% knew about the complications of folic acid deficiency in the developing fetus. The results revealed adequate consumption in 18% of the population, 42% insufficient consumption while 40% didn’t consumed any source of folic

acid. Dietary intake of folic acid was carried out only by 50% of the selected women. 42.9% women had wrong practice of consuming folic acid during pregnancy. There seems to be no significant association between the age and knowledge of participants as well as education and practice regarding folic acid consumption.
 

Conclusión: The results clearly stated that educating women about folic acid consumption during pregnancy will help in prevention of pregnancy complications and fetal abnormalities.

The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities of methanol extract of Sida rhombifolia L. leaves along with the presence of major phytochemicals. The crude leaf extract of Sida rhombifolia L. was investigated for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities using various experimental models. Anti-diabetic activity was determined by Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). To determine the analgesic activity, acetic acid induced writhing model was used on mice. For anti- inflammatory activity test Inflammation (paw edema) was induced by injecting 0.1ml of 1% Carrageenan.

 

The extract caused a significant (p<0.001) dose-dependent reduction of blood sugar, inflammation and pains induced by different agents used. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of Glycoside, alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, Tannin and steroid type of compounds. Leaf extract possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects which may be mediated through the phytochemical constituents of the plant.

Polyphenolic compounds like Gallic acid, ethyl gallate, quercetin, kempferol, proanthrocyanidin, EPGA, resveratrol have been familiar as neutraceuticals for possessing anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Arjun Tree (Terminalia Arjuna) is a very ancient plant which contains many reported polyphenolic compounds having antifungal, cardioprotective, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-bacterial, cytotoxic, anti-oxidant properties. Here we reported methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna, which neutralized 50% (IC50) of free radicals at a concentration of 3.29 μg/ml, while the standard neutralizes 50% (IC50) of free radical at a concentration of 1.92 μg/ml. The total phenolic content was 449.8 μg/ml of dry weight of extract, expressed as gallic acid equivalents. The total flavonoid concentration was 206.91μg/ml, expressed as quercetin equivalents. In the brine shrimp lethality test, LC50 obtained from the line slope were 0.419 and 12.5, which is greater than that of 0.781 μg/ml for standard vincristine sulphate, aqueous fraction.