Posted by admin on Mar 31, 2017 in |
The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Helix aspersa crude extract on colonic injury resulting from hyperhomocysteinemia induced by feeding rats high methionine diet. Wistar albino rats (200-250g) were divided into four groups. Hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) was induced by methionine treatment (1g/kg/day) for 15 days. M group received only Methionine, MH and MP received Methionine and Helix aspersa Crude Extract (8g/kg/day) or Prednisolone (4 mg/kg/day) respectively at the 8th day until the end of experimentation. Prednisolone was used as a standard drug. At the end plasma homocysteine and C-reactive protein were evaluated, followed by colon histopathological investigations. Methionine treatment induced significant increase (P <0.001) in homocysteine and CRP levels in plasma as compared to control rats. Helix aspersa crude extract induces significant decreased of homocysteine (P <0.001) and CRP (P <0.01) levels as compared with experimental control group. The results were comparable to those obtained with prednisolone, a standard anti-inflammatory drug. Histological assessment showed colonic tissue damages in methionine treated group compared to control (P <0.001) as...
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Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2017 in |
Aims: To evaluate and analyze effectiveness of animal simulation based teaching in pharmacology in comparison to conventional methods to undergraduate medical students. Methods: An interventional and comparative study was conducted among second professional MBBS students. All students were divided into two groups A and B. Four demonstrations of experimental pharmacology were demonstrated by conventional method and animal simulation method by same teacher. Both groups were equally exposed to both modes of demonstrations. Every demonstration was followed by an assessment containing thirty objective type questions. Feedback was taken to analyze generalized opinion about the programme on likert’s scale. The data was analyzed by using Fisher’s exact test and p value calculated. Results: Percentage of students who scored 60% or more was higher in simulator based teaching in assessment related to procedure, related pharmacology and applied pharmacology. The difference between total scores of both groups in all four demonstrations was statistically significant with p value < 0.05. In feedback, percentage of students who opted three or more on likert scale was...
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Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2017 in |
Lithiasis is the process of stone formation in the kidney, bladder, and/or urethra. Herbal drugs are reported to be effective in the treatment of urolithiasis with no side effects. Grewia asiatica is a plant commonly used as a traditional herbal medicine and possesses the wide range of pharmacological applications. The present study investigated the antilithiatic activity of an ethanolic leaf extract of Grewia asiatica Linn (EEGA). Ethylene glycol (0.75% in water) feeding resulted in hyperoxaluria as well as increased urinary volume and its pH. EEGA (200 & 400 mg/kg) was given orally in curative and preventive regimens over a period of 28 days. Supplementation with EEGA significantly (p<0.05) restored urea, uric acid, creatinine, volume of urine and pH levels. The preventive regimen was found to be better than the curative regimen. The results were comparable with the standard drug, Cystone (750 mg/kg). Histopathological examination further corroborated the antilithiatic or nephoprotective activity of the extract. The presence of triterpenoids, flavonoids and saponins in extract might be responsible for significant antilithiatic...
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Posted by admin on Jan 31, 2017 in |
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) studies play an important role in isolation and identification of phytocompounds. Since, the chemical composition of the plants usually determines its biological activity, phytochemicals of possible pharmaceutical importance can be subjected to a detailed analysis. The present study is concerned with the GC-MS analysis of chloroform extract of the bark of Terminalia travancorensis, an evergreen tree, endemic to the Western Ghats. Reports on the benefits and or medicinal properties of T. travancorensis are rare or even absent. In this context, the present study was carried out to determine the chemical constituents of the bark by GC-MS analysis. Twenty two components were identified by GC-MS analysis in the chloroform extract. The major components detected were Friedelan-3-one (15.93%), gamma-sitosterol (10.48%), alpha -octadecene (8.54%), n-Tetracosanol-1 (8.21%), Phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) (7.77%), 1-Nonadecene (7.49%), Heptacosanol (6.16%), 1-Heptadecene (5.25%) and stigmast-4-en-3-one (5.46 %). Friedelan-3-one, the major compound is a triterpenoid possessing antifeedant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial and anticandidal activities. The second major compound, gamma-sitosterol plays a vital role in the structure and...
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Posted by admin on Nov 30, 2016 in |
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of non-polio enteroviral infections by quantitative and qualitative PCR assays in neonates 3-30 days old with clinical diagnosis of sepsis. Methods: The patients included all the neonates aged 3-30 days admitted with diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Blood specimens, throat swabs, and in 60 cases CSF specimens were tested for Enteroviruses (EVs), using a quantitative RT-PCR assay. Alternate RT-PCR assays separated polio and non-polio enteroviruses. Demographic data including age, sex, type of feeding and gestational age were obtained. Results: As PCR results revealed, of the 177 neonates with clinical diagnosis of sepsis, one patient (0.55%) was positive for non-polio EVs in all of throat, serum and CSF samples. In 3 patients (1.7%), the results were positive for non-polio EVs in both throat and serum, while in15 (8.45%) others only throat samples were positive. Sex, age and gestational age had no significant relationship with the prevalence of the infections statistically (P>0.05). The prevalence of non-polio EV infections ranged from 6.1%...
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