ABSTRACT
The snake shed skin though considered as biological waste products have been mentioned in folk and traditional medicine for treatment of ailments like skin disorders, parturition problems etc. Shedded skin extract (5 mg.kg-1, sc) did not produce any change in the estrous cycle of normal cycling female mice. However in 10 mg.kg-1, sc dose, the extract caused a temporary cessation of the estrous cycle at diestrous phase in normal cycling female mice for 10 days. SSAE (10 mg.kg-1, sc) caused a significant change in the level of LH, FSH, progesterone, estradiol, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Histopathology of uterus and ovary showed structural disorientation in both. The results substantiate the influence of snake shed skin in mice reproductive cycle.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cytokines/metabolism , Elapidae , Estradiol/metabolism , Estrous Cycle/drug effects , Estrous Cycle/metabolism , Female , Fertility/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Hormones/metabolism , Mice , Ovary/metabolism , Ovary/pathology , Progesterone/metabolism , Reproduction , Skin/chemistry , Uterus/metabolism , Uterus/pathologyABSTRACT
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune disorder which causes swelling, redness, pain, stiffness, restriction of limb movements, decreases life expectancy and early death of the patients. Available drugs include non steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesics, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and steroids (glucocorticoids etc). All these drugs have their own limitations such as gastrointestinal irritations, cardiovascular problems, and drug dependency. Search for alternative therapy from natural products are being ventured throughout the world. Zoo therapy in arthritis, a common practice of the ancient times that have been mentioned in traditional and folk medicine. The scientific basis of some of the zoo products are being explored and have been showing promising results in experimental rheumatoid arthritis. These therapies have minimum side effects and many of them have potential to give rise to drug development clues against rheumatoid arthritis. The present review is an effort to establish the folk and traditional treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using zoo products.
ABSTRACT
Anticancer drug development from natural resources are ventured throughout the world. Animal venoms and toxins a potential bio resource and a therapeutic tool were known to man for centuries through folk and traditional knowledge. The biodiversity of venoms and toxins made it a unique source of leads and structural templates from which new therapeutic agents may be developed. Venoms of several animal species (snake, scorpion, toad, frog etc) and their active components (protein and non protein toxins, peptides, enzymes, etc) have shown therapeutic potential against cancer. In the present review, the anticancer potential of venoms and toxins from snakes, scorpions, toads and frogs has been discussed. Some of these molecules are in the clinical trials and may find their way towards anticancer drug development in the near future. The implications of combination therapy of natural products in cancer have been discussed.