Ocular chemical injuries and their management

Chemical burns represent potentially blinding ocular injuries and constitute a true ocular emergency requiring immediate assessment and initiation of treatment. The majority of victims are young and exposure occurs at home, work place and in association with criminal assaults. Alkali injuries occur more frequently than acid injuries. Chemical injuries of the eye produce extensive damage to the ocular surface epithelium, cornea, anterior segment and limbal stem cells resulting in permanent unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Emergency management if appropriate may be single most important factor in determining visual outcome. This article reviews the emergency management and newer techniques to improve the prognosis of patients with chemical injuries.

Effect of microbial contaminants on triphala drug efficacy during storage and enhancement of therapeutic spectrum of the drug in vitro

Present paper deals with the efficacy of Triphala churna extracts, extracted by using different processes viz. Chi-Pien Chen, Boiled [aq.], Alcoholic and Cold against five bacterial test organisms i.e. Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Sarcina lutea, Bacillus megatcrium and Bacillus species by seeded agar diffusion method and its microflora during storage period of six months. Strength of the drug in terms of unit strength was also investigated. Positive correlation between concentration and efficacy of the drug was recorded in beginning. Maximum drug efficacy of the drug was found at 100% concentration followed by 75%, 50% and 25% respectively. Behaviour of drug efficacy of different types of extracts could not yield any definite pattern against all bacterial test organisms in relation to drug storage period. Maximum drug efficacy was found at zero day against S. typhi in case of Chi-Pien Chen and boiled extract while this value was recorded at two months storage period for some bacterial test organisms. A gradual declined trend of drug efficacy was noted in alcoholic and cold aqueous extracts with the duration of drug storage for all test organisms. A trend of regular enhancement of microbial flora during storage period was found. Negative correlation between drug efficacy and microbial load of the drug could be established

Evaluation of therapeutical potential of some drug plants by drug efficacy test in vitro

Present paper deals with the study of therapeutical potential of aqueous extract of leaves, seeds and stem bark of certain drug plants like Ocimum sanctum, Piper nigrum and Ficus religiosa against certain bactcrial species i.e., Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis separately in vitro in terms of inhibitory effect. A treatment of combined mixture of all the three extracts at different ratios i.e., 1: 1: 1, 1: 1: 2, 1: 2: 1 and 2: 1: 1 of O. sanctum, P. nigrum and F. religiosa was also done to find out variability of potency in vitro. Results revealed that maximum inhibition zone was recorded against extract of O. sanctum against both bacterial species [E. coli and B. subtilis] followed by P. nigrum and F. religiosa. A trend of enhancement of therapeutic potency [efficacy] was noted with an increase of amount of drug extract [in terms of ml.] and showed positive line of correlation with unit of drug extract and efficacy. The mixture of different ratios of O. sunctum, P. nigrum and F. religiosa showed maximum drug efficacy against both bacterial species at ratio of 1: 2: 1 [where 02 for P. nigrum] and 2: 1: 1 [where 2 for O. sanctum. Minimum drug efficacy was recorded at ratio 1: 1: 1. The treatment of bacterial strains with combined mixture showed better efficacy in both species as compared with separate treatment in general. The compound extract treatments were much encouraging and have given a new direction in the field of herbal therapeutics for the researchers to work in this area

Antimicrobial potency of three fruit drugs and formulated triphala drug against certain bacterial species associated with urinary tract infection [UTI] in vitro

Present paper deals with the findings of drug efficacy of three fruit drugs viz. Emblica officinalis. Terminalia belerica and Terminalia chebula extracted in aqueous, alcohol and ether - against four bacterial species commonly found associated with urinary tract infection [UTI] i.e. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus and Pseudomonas species isolated from forty human urine samples. Maximum antimicrobial potency of each fruit drug was recorded for 100% concentrated extract in all the extract types [aqueous, alcoholic and ether] but a declined trend of drug potency was recorded with the dilution factor of the extract in all cases. In general, maximum drug efficacy was recorded in aqueous extract followed by alcoholic and ether extract. Similar trend was also found in the compound formulated drug [Triphala] prepared from above three different drugs. A positive correlation of drug efficacy with drug concentration was clearly found

Antibacterial activity of certanin indigenous drugs and drug plants against certain bacterial species

In the present investigation, an effort has been made to enhance the therapeutic spectrum of indigenous drugs and drug plants by testing their efficacy against certain bacterial test organisms [pathogenic as well as non-pathogenic] and by comparing their strength with known antibiotics. Aqueous decocted extract of two drugs viz. Triphala churan and Chyavanprash and two drug plants viz. Adhatoda vasica and Azadirachta indica have been evaluated against Escherichia coli, Sarcina lutea, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus [biocontrol]. Triphala churan was profoundly effective against all test organisms, but Chyavanprash was effective against Bacillus megaterium and Escherichia coli. Leaf extract of Azadirachta indica was ineffective on all the test organisms, while leaf extract of Adhatoda vasica was effective only against Bacillus [biocontrol]. There was a definite correlation between drugs concentration and their efficacy. Out of the three test antibiotics, Penicillin G was failure against all test organisms while Tetracycline and Amoxycillin were effective only against E. coli and Sarcina lutea respectively