ABSTRACT
Graded doses of 50% ethanolic extract of dried fruit pulp of Aegle marmelos (AME) (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) daily for 14 days in acetic acid (AA)-induced colitis in rats showed 200 mg/kg of AME as an optimal effective dose against AA-induced colonic damage score and weight. This dose (200 mg/kg; po) was further studied in AA-induced colitis for its effects on various physical (mucous/blood in stool, food and water intake and body weight changes), histology, antibacterial activity and biochemical parameters like free radicals (nitric oxide and lipid peroxidation), antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione) and myeloperoxidase (acute-inflammatory marker) activities in rat colonic tissue. AME decreased colonic mucosal damage and inflammation (macroscopic and microscopic), mucous/bloody diarrhea, fecal frequency and increased body weight affected in AA-induced colitis. AME showed significant antibacterial activity and enhanced the antioxidants but decreased free radicals and myeloperoxidase activities thereby decreasing tissue damage and inflammation and thus, affording ulcer healing. The above effects of A. marmelos authenticated its use in indigenous system of Medicine.
Subject(s)
Aegle/chemistry , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Antioxidants/metabolism , Bacteria/drug effects , Body Weight/drug effects , Colitis/drug therapy , Colitis/pathology , Colon/drug effects , Colon/pathology , Drinking Behavior/drug effects , Feeding Behavior/drug effects , Female , Free Radicals/metabolism , Fruit/chemistry , Male , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Rats , Wound Healing/drug effectsABSTRACT
A study of farmer's lung (FL) disease was carried out in 197 subjects engaged in farming and having respiratory complaints of varying duration. It revealed that 13.2% of the subjects had precipitating antibodies against thermophilic actinomycetes, with Faenia rectivirgula (Micropolyspora faeni) alone accounting for 85% of the positive reactions. Precipitating antibodies against Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and T. thalpophilus were observed only in 1.5% and 0.5% of the subjects, respectively. Two subjects concomitantly demonstrated F. rectivirgula and T. vulgaris-specific serum precipitins. Sixty (30%) of the subjects related their respiratory symptoms to exposure to wheat straw/thresher's dust or other vegetable substrata in the working environment. Based upon a suggestive clinical history, roentgenography, pulmonary function studies and demonstration of serum precipitins against F. rectivirgula, FL was diagnosed in 4 subjects whose salient features are presented and discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first authentic report on FL from India. A comprehensive epidemiological survey is indicated to determine the prevalence of FL in different geo-climatic regions of the country.