Aim To explore the changes regarding the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of bronchial asthma (BA) exacerbation in pregnancy in the setting of advancements in the management and pharmacotherapy of asthma compared with that previously reported. Patients and methods A prospective cohort study recruited 308 pregnant asthmatic patients in the period from January 2015 to January 2018. All patients received asthma health education (adherence to medications, proper usage of inhalers, written action plan, trigger avoidance, and smoking cessation counseling) and a monthly revision and adjustment of asthma medications according to its control together with treatment of exacerbation when present until 36 weeks of gestation. BA exacerbation was the primary outcome of the present study. Results Seventy-seven (25%) patients experienced exacerbations, and 25 of them were hospitalized, with ICU admissions in 11 (3.5%) patients. Exacerbation was evident in those with higher;Deg;BM;Deg;I (32.86±3.53 kg/m2, P=0.01), current smoker (28.6%, P<0.001), low education level (42.9%, P=0.01), and severe baseline asthma (57.1%, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis identified certain independent predictors of exacerbation and hospitalization in pregnant asthmatics. Pregnant asthmatic with;Deg;BM;Deg;I more than 32.5 kg/m2 [odds ratio (OR), 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.67–3.99; P=0.026) and current smoker (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.39–4.79; P=0.03) were more likely to have exacerbation. Moreover, those with baseline severe asthma (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.12–2.31; P=0.028) were at increased risk of hospitalization owing to exacerbation. There was no association between adverse perinatal outcomes and;Deg;BA;Deg; exacerbation in pregnant asthmatics. Conclusion The incidence of BA exacerbation during pregnancy is observed to be reduced in the present study compared with the previously reported. Being smoker and having higher BMI were predictors of exacerbation, whereas severe baseline asthma was predictor of hospitalization in pregnant asthmatics.
The aim of the present study was to enhance thermal stability and functionality of high linoleic corn oil by blending with healthy oils. Oil blends (10% and 20%, w/w) of black cumin oil and coriander oil with corn oil were formulated. Thermal oxidative stability and radical scavenging activity of corn oil and blends stored under oxidative conditions (60°C) for 15 days were studied. By increasing the proportion of black cumin oil and coriander oil in corn oil, levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased, while monounsaturated fatty acids content increased. Progression of oxidation was followed by measuring peroxide value, conjugated dienes, and conjugated trienes. Inverse relationships were noted between peroxide value and oxidative stability at termination of storage. Levels of conjugated dienes and conjugated trienes in corn oil and blends increased with an increase in time. Corn oil:black cumin oil and corn oil:coriander oil blends gave 12–22% and 26–36% inhibition of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals, respectively. Oxidative stability of oil blends were better than corn oil, most likely as a consequence of changes in fatty acids and tocopherols' profile, and minor bioactive lipids found in coriander and black cumin oils.
Herbs rich in bioactive phytochemicals were recognized to have biological activities and possess many health-promoting effects. In this work, cold-pressed thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) oil (TO) was studied for its lipid classes, fatty acid profile, tocols and phenolics contents. Antioxidant activity and radical scavenging potential of TO against free radicals (DPPH・ and galvinoxyl) was determined. Antimicrobial activity (AA) of TO against food borne bacteria, food spoilage fungi and dermatophyte fungi were also evaluated. Neutral lipids accounted for the main lipid fraction in TO, followed by glycolipids and phospholipids. The major fatty acids in TO were linoleic, oleic, stearic, and palmitic. γ-Tocopherol (60.2% of total tocols) followed by α-tocotrienol (26.9%) and α-tocopherol (9.01% of total tocols) were the main tocols. TO contained high amounts of phenolic compounds (7.3 mg/g as GAE). TO had strong antiradical action wherein 65% of DPPH・ radicals and 55% of galvinoxyl radical were quenched after 60 min of incubation. Rancimat assay showed that induction time (IT) for TO: sunflower oil blend (1:9, w/w) was 6.5 h, while TO: sunflower oil blend (2:8, w/w) recorded higher IT (9 h). TO inhibited the growth of all tested microorganisms. TO exhibited various degrees of AA against different food borne bacteria, food spoilage fungi and dermatophyte fungi, wherein the highest AA was recorded against dermatophyte fungi and yeasts including T. mentagrophytes (62 mm), T. rubrum (40 mm), and C. albicans (20 mm) followed by food spoilage fungi including A. flavus (32 mm) with minimal lethal concentrations (MLC) ranging between 80 to 320 μg/mL. Furthermore, TO exhibited broad-spectra activity against food borne bacteria including S. aureus (30 mm), E. coli (25 mm) and L. Monocytogenes (20 mm) with MLC ranging between 160 to 320 μg/mL. The results suggest that TO could be used economically as a valuable natural product with novel functional properties in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.