Spasmolytic effect of traditional herbal formulation on guinea pig ileum.

Background: The herbal formulation consisting of Andrographis paniculata Nees., Cassia fistula L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Cuminum cyminum L. is widely used by the local traditional practitioners in rural Northern Karnataka for spasmodic abdominal pain. Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate safety and spasmolytic effect of poly‑herbal formulation. Materials and Methods: Acute toxicity studies were carried out in Swiss mice, as per the Organization for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) guidelines. The spasmolytic activity of the formulation was studied in isolated guinea pig ileum model using histamine and acetylcholine as agonists. The data were analyzed by one‑way ANOVA, followed by Dunnetts post‑hoc test and P ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The formulation did not show any adverse toxic effects and found to be safe. It also showed significant (P < 0.05) relaxation in different agonist like histamine and acetylcholine‑induced contractions in guinea pig ileum. Conclusions: Antispasmodic activity of the herbal formulation can be attributed to its atropine‑like activity. The present findings, therefore, support its utility in spasmodic abdominal pain.

Shewanella algae in acute gastroenteritis.

Shewanella algae is an emerging bacteria rarely implicated as a human pathogen. Previously reported cases of S. algae have mainly been associated with direct contact with seawater. Here we report the isolation of S. algae as the sole etiological agent from a patient suffering from acute gastroenteritis with bloody diarrhoea. The bacterium was identifi ed by automated identifi cation system and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Our report highlights the importance of looking for the relatively rare aetiological agents in clinical samples that does not yield common pathogens. It also underscores the usefulness of automated systems in identifi cation of rare pathogens.

Activity of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. root and Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb. bark pastes in acute and chronic paw infl ammation in Wistar rats.

Background: The pastes prepared from roots of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. and barks of Holoptelea integrifolia Roxb. are widely used by traditional healers for the treatment of arthritis in rural northern Karnataka. Objective: The present study was undertaken to scientifi cally evaluate the safety and effi cacy of traditionally used formulations in experimental animals. Materials and Methods: The study, approved by IAEC was carried out in male Wistar rats and dermal toxicity in rabbits. Carrageenan model was used to assess effect on acute infl ammation. Paw volume were measured at 1, 2, 4, and 6th hour postchallenge. Chronic infl ammation was developed by using Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA). Paw volume, ankle joint circumference, and body weight were assessed on 1st, 4th, 8th, 14th, 17th, and 21st day. Paste was applied once every day to the infl amed area of the paw of respective groups of animals, continuously for 14 days. Statistics: The data were analyzed by one way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test. P ≤ 0.05 was considered as signifi cant. Results: The formulations did not show any dermal toxicity and found to be safe. Both the pastes signifi cantly (P < 0.05) suppressed, carrageenan-induced paw edema at 6th hour and Holoptelea integrifolia appears to be more effective than Plumbago zeylanica. Signifi cant reduction was observed in paw volume, ankle joint circumference and animal body weight gained. Conclusions: The tested formulations (P. zeylanica root and H. integrifolia bark pastes) showed signifi cant antiinfl ammatory activity. The present fi ndings therefore support its utility in arthritic pain, infl ammation and the claim of traditional practitioners.

Antiulcer activity of water soaked Glycine max L. grains in aspirin induced model of gastric ulcer in Wistar rats.

Introduction: Glycine max L. with Drakshasava, widely used by traditional healers as a formulation for the treatment of peptic ulcer in rural northern Karnataka in India, appears to be effective as assessed by patients and in our previously published research work of traditionally used formulation. Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and effi cacy of the overnight water soaked G. max grains. This is one of the components of traditional formulation. The study, approved by Institutional Animal Ethics Committee was carried out in male Wistar rats after assessing its toxicity in mice. Materials and Methods: Four groups of rats (n = 6 in each group) were treated with aspirin 200 mg/kg oral. In addition to aspirin control group received normal saline, standard group received 20 mg/kg omeprazole and 3rd and 4th group received G. max 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively. All treatments were administered orally every 24 h for 7 days. After 24 hours fasting, on the 8th day stomach contents were aspirated under anesthesia to estimate free and total acidity. Stomachs were opened along the greater curvature to calculate ulcer index and subjected to histopathology studies. Statistics: The results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed-by Dunnett’s post hoc test. P ≤0.05 was considered as signifi cant. Results: The severity of aspirin induced ulceration was found signifi cantly (P < 0.05) decreased in test groups compared with the control group. Free and total acidity was signifi cantly reduced in 500 mg/kg treated group, compared with the control group and was inferior to omeprazole treated group. Conclusion: The grain of G. max was found to be effective against aspirin induced ulcers.

Hospitalisation due to infectious and parasitic diseases in District Civil Hospital, Belgaum, Karnataka.

To assess the burden of infectious and parasitic diseases on hospital services at District Civil Hospital (DCH) Belgaum, a retrospective study was carried out using discharge records concerning 8506 inpatients due to infectious and parasitic diseases among 95,655 patients admitted for all causes during the reference period 2000-2003. Out of the 21 causes of infectious and parasitic diseases, only 5 contributed maximally towards hospital admission. The most frequent cause was intestinal infections (44.0%) followed by tuberculosis (35.4%). 57.5% of these admissions were from the productive age group of 20-54 years. Tuberculosis is the most important disease in terms of hospital bed days (59.7%). Tuberculosis and intestinal infectious diseases represent more than three-fourth of the overall burden in terms of hospital bed days.

Conservation of wild animals by assisted reproduction and molecular marker technology.

Wild animals are an integral component of the ecosystem. Their decimation due to abrupt natural calamities or due to gradual human intervention would be disastrous to the ecosystem and would alter the balance in nature between various biotic components. Such an imbalance could have an adverse effect on the ecosystem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to put an end to the ever increasing list of endangered species by undertaking both in situ and ex situ conservation using tools of modern biology, to ascertain the degree of genetic variation and reproductive competence in these animals. This review highlights the development and use of molecular markers such as microsatellites, minisatellites, mitochondrial control region, cytochrome b and MHC loci to assess the genetic variation in various Indian wild animals such as the lion, tiger, leopard and deer. The review also presents data on the semen profile of the big cats of India. Reproductive technologies such as cryopreservation of semen and artificial insemination in big cats are also highlighted.

Apoptosis in endometrium of mouse during estrous cycle.

The present study was carried out to evaluate apoptosis in endometrium and to correlate these changes with the circulating levels of estradiol and progesterone in the mouse. Apoptosis was observed in various compartments of mouse uterus i.e. stroma, glandular epithelium and luminal epithelium depending on the stage of cycle. Stromal cell apoptosis was observed during various stages of cyclicity except on estrus day. Luminal epithelial cells showed apoptotic changes during all stages of cyclicity except on diestrus day. During metestrus, apoptosis was observed in glandular and luminal epithelia as well as stromal cells. Steroid antagonists such as tamoxifen and onapristone altered the apoptotic changes in the uterus. The results suggest that epithelial cell apoptosis is regulated by estrogen while stromal cell apoptosis is under the control of progesterone.

Localization of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the endometrium of common marmosets Callithrix jacchus.

In the present study, changes in the immunohistochemical localization of endometrial estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) during various stages of the ovarian cyclicity in common marmoset, have been reported. Ovarian cyclicity was monitored by estimating plasma estradiol and progesterone. During the early follicular phase, weak ER immunolocalization was observed in the endometrial stroma. During the late follicular phase under the influence of rising estradiol levels, stromal ER localization was intense. During the luteal phase, ER localization was absent in the stroma indicating that high concentrations of progesterone suppressed ER. PR localization was not observed in the stroma during the early follicular phase, while weak staining was seen in the stroma during the late follicular phase. PR localization was maximum during the mid luteal phase. However in marmoset, endometrial ER and PR localization was restricted only to the stroma. This unique feature may be due to the characteristic reproductive profile of this nonmenstruating species and needs to be studied further. Thus it can be hypothesized that in the marmoset endometrium, steroid hormone mediated effects possibly occur directly in the stroma and are then transmitted to the epithelium by autocrine/paracrine action of growth factors and cytokines.