Experimental and clinical evaluation of a mixture of medicinal plants commonly used in folk therapy of diabets mellitus

A mixture of raw dried and grounded medicinal plants [Nigella Sativa, Chamomella, Damsesa, Mahlab and Aloe]and two legumes [Helba and Termis] in a proportion of one volume of each medicinal plant, and five volumes of each legume has been largely used in Folk medicine by many diabetics for better control of blood glucose Ievel. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of this mixture on fasting and 2 hours post prandial serum glucose levels and fasting serum insulin level in alloxan diabetic albino rats and in parents with type II diabetes mellitus. The results revealed that oral administration of the tested mixture to alloxanized rats [0.5 gm/kgm/day] and to diabetic patients [5 gm/day] for two or four weeks produced statistically significant lowering of fasting and 2 hours post prandial serum glucose levels accompained with a significant elevation of serum insulin level. Histopathological examination of pancreas of alloxanized rats demonstrated that this mixture produced a marked increase in the size of islet tissue with significant recovery of the destructed B-cells. This study is a preliminary report of the antidiabetic action of this tested mixture. Further well controlled studies are required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long term use of this mixture and to investigate the possible underlying mechanism [s] for it's antidiabetic action

Pharmacological study of a new synthetic potential diuretic

A new synthetic disulfamyl compound with pyrimidine nucleus was studied for its oral diuretic action in both rats and dogs and it was found to have directic activity comparable to that of hydrochlorothiazide, but with the advantage of less augmentation of potassium excretion. Acute toxicity studies revealed that this compound has exceedingly high oral and intraperitoneal LD[50] [>8000 mg/ Kg and 325.6 mg/ Kgm] respectively. Again the subacute toxicity studies confirmed the very low toxicity of this compound as is induced no significant changes in all the parameters studied and was devoided of the hypokalaemic effect produced by hydrochlorothiazide. Pharmacological in vivo and in vitro studies pointed to the potential parasympathomimetic activity of the test compound