Plant-derived compounds in treatment of leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a neglected public health problem caused by the protozoan species belonging to the genus Leishmania affecting mostly the poor populations of developing countries. The causative organism is transmitted by female sandflies. Cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral clinical manifestations are the most frequent forms of leishmaniasis. Chemotherapy still relies on the use of pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, paromomycin, miltefosin and liposomal amphotericin B. However, the application of these drugs is limited due to low efficacy, life-threatening side effects, high toxicity, induction of parasite resistance, length of treatment and high cost. Given the fact that antileishmanial vaccines may not become available in the near future, the search for better drugs should be continued. Natural products may offer an unlimited source of chemical diversity to identify new drug modules. New medicines should be less toxic or non-toxic, safe, more efficient, less expensive and readily available antileishmanial agents, especially for low-income populations. In the present review, special focus is on medicinal plants used against leishmanaiasis. The bioactive phytocompounds present in the plant derivatives including the crude extracts, essential oils, and other useful compounds can be a good source for discovering and producing new antileishmanial medicines

Evaluation of cross immunity and histopathological findings in experimentally infected BALB/c mice with neospora caninum and besnoitia caprae

Caprine besnoitiosis is an economically important disease of goats. Neospora caninum, another coccidian parasite of worldwide distribution, infects several animal species and is a major cause of abortion in cattle. Combined infections of N. caninum and Besnoitia caprae can occur in geographical areas endemic for both species of parasite in goats. This experiment was conducted to investigate the possible cross-immunity between these two infections in experimentally infected BALB/c mice. Forty BALB/c mice were divided into four equal groups. The mice of Groups 1 and 4 were inoculated with 1x10[6] live virulent tachyzoites of N. caninum [NC-1], while animals of Groups 2 and 3 were inoculated with sterile tissue culture medium. Each mouse in Groups 1 and 2 was challenged 28 days later with 1 xl0[6] live virulent bradyzoites of-B. Caprae [BC-1]. Following the challenge, the mice in Groups 1 and 2 showed 100% morbidity and 100% mortality within 9 days post infection, while all the animals of Groups 3 and 4 remained alive. The dead animals were necropsied. The survivors [mice in Group 3 and 4] were euthanized 9 days after inoculation and the gross and histopathological lesions in different organs were investigated. Immunization and challenge experiments with lethal dose of B. caprae in the highly susceptible BALB/c mice showed no cross-protection between N. caninum and B. caprae

effect of bone marrow graft on bone healing: a radiological and biomechanical study

There are multiple methods for acceleration of bone healing. Bone marrow has been shown to contain osteoprogenitor cells. To determine the effect of percutaneous bone marrow injection on bone healing. 15 mature, 2-kg-weighing white New Zealand rabbits from both sexes were randomized into 3 groups: Group I: Only osteotomy of right radius was performed and a 5 mm bony defect was made. Group II: Same as group I, with the defect filled by bonegraft, taken from the iliac crest. Group III: Same as group I plus percutaneous bone marrow injection 5 days after the operation. 45 days post-operation, the rabbits were sacrificed. The radii of both forelimbs were isolated and tested by tensile testing machine. There was a significant difference between groups I and III [p<0.001] for toleration of maximum load and bending stiffness. No significant difference was observed between groups II and III for these parameters. Bone marrow injection has an effect on bone healing comparable to bone grafting. This technique is non-invasive and simple without any significant complication

[Morphology and biomechanical properties of tendons and ligametns]

Tendons and ligaments are much prone to different types of injuries and hence pose serious orthopaedic problems in man and all species of animals. Regardless of age, or level of activity, every human being or animal is in some danger of tendinous or ligamentous injury even during its daily routine activity. However, the incidence of tendon injury is higher in certain sections of the human population such as athletes and similarly in certain species of animals like race horses. The treatment of these ailments advocated so far is mainly aimed to restore the functional and structural integrity of the damaged tissue in the shortest possible time. The different therapies tried so far have not proved ideal. The basic knowledge on the morphological, biochemical and biomechanical aspects of normal, load bearing tissues are not adequately available and thus a large gap still exists in our present knowledge of normal tendons structure and their functions. This article is therefore, aimed to present the information on tendon and ligament's morphology by light and electron microscopy, biochemical constitute, arid biomechanical properties of normal tendon, to provide a base line to study the repair mechanisms of injured tendons and ligaments

effect of physical activity on tendon healing

It has been documented that normal tendons and ligaments are responsive to changes in mechanical stimuli, but there is little experimental data showing the effect of mild physical activity or restricted exercise on the treatment of tendon or ligament injuries. As such, the effect of free exercise, cage confinement and external fixation on healing of a standard induced tendon injury in the superficial distal flexor tendon of the rabbit were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. The lesions in the exercise group were well organized and showed a greater degree of crimp formation at the histological level The tenoblasts were more mature and the inflammatory cells were fewer in the lesions. Whereas the animals with cage confinement and external fixation exhibited a disorganized arrangement of collagen fibrils with a large population of active tenoblasts and inflammatory cells. Electron microscopic quantification showed mean fibril diameter higher in the exercised group as compared to others. Mobilization in the early stage following tendon injury might accelerate wound healing and thus he advised in management of tendon injuries

[Some aspects of macroscopic and microscopic studies of placentation in camel [camelus dromedarius]]

Salient aspects of a study on the placentation of camel at gross, light and electron microscopic levels are presented which included the analysis of various factors on five pregnant uteri. The observation confirmed that unlike other animals, in camel, the fetus only develops in the left born of the uterus. Based on the distribution and the type of the chorionic villi, the placenta was found to be in diffused form as in horse. At light microscopic level there were six layers between the fetal and maternal blood and thus the placenta of camel can also be classified as epitheliochorial form. The umbilical cord in camel is limited to the amniotic sac which is similar to cow and sheep but it contains two arteries, two veins and one urachus. Little amount of elastic fibers was also observed in the histolotgical and electron microscopical sections. At the electron microscopic level both binucleated and mononucleated cells in trophoblastic layer were confirmed. The study thus concludes that, unlike other ruminants, the camel placenta is similar to horse which is classified as diffuse, nondeciduated and epitheliochorial type