ABSTRACT
Background: Asthma is a chronic disease that affects approximately 300 million people worldwide. Tectona grandis Linn. bark, also known as Teak (English), is traditionally used to treat asthma. However, the scientific data on anti-asthmatic and anti-cholinergic of this plant has got little attention. An attempt has been based on ethanolic extract of bark of Tectona grandis Linn. shown a tremendous effect on asthma when comparative study was done with normal and treated group.Methods: The anti-asthmatic activity of a 95% ethanol and 5% distilled water extract of dried and fresh Tectona grandis Linn. bark, was evaluated against histamine and acetylcholine-induced preconvulsive dyspnea (PCD) in guinea pigs fasted for 24 h were exposed to an atomized fine mist of 2% histamine dihydrochloride and acetylcholine aerosol (dissolved in normal saline) using nebulizer at a pressure of 300 mmHg in the histamine chamber (24�� cm, made of perplex glass. They were divided in groups Mepyramin (8 mg/kg) intraperitonially, atropine aerosol and Tectona grandis bark formulation (2.5, 5, 10 gm/kg) were administered orally 30 min prior to exposure. Animals, which did not develop typical asthma within 6 minutes, were taken as protected.Results: Ethanolic extract of Tectona grandis Linn. bark at 5 and 10 gm/kg significantly reduce bronchoconstriction as compared to control group along with significant mast cell stabilization activity.Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study shows that the ethanolic bark extract of Tectona grandis Linn. has potential antiasthamatic and antichlolinergic action in histamine and acetylcholine broncocontraction in guinea pigs.
ABSTRACT
Background: Knee osteoarthritis is an important cause for morbidity in elderly people. Therapy is largely symptomatic with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which pose risk in the elderly. Methionine is natural body constituent with novel property of blunting S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) inflammatory process and cartilage degradation. The aim of this study was to compare effectiveness of SAMe, with standard etoricoxib therapy in newly diagnosed knee osteoarthritis cases.Methods: 127 newly diagnosed knee osteoarthritis patients were randomized into two groups. 55 participants received treatment of etoricoxib 600 mg extended release once daily for 90 days (group 1) and 72 received etoricoxib 600 mg extended release once daily and SAMe 400 mg twice daily for initial 15 days followed by SAMe once daily 400 mg as maintenance dose for next 75 days (group 2). The outcomes were measured by knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS). Pre and post treatment KOOS scores of all cases were separately pooled to define the median for whole as well as components of KOOS parameters. Relative frequencies of cases with values around respective medians were compared by MOODS median test. Patient characteristics, disease characteristics were also examined for bearing on outcomes besides the treatment.Results: SAMe treatment was associated with significantly greater improvement in symptoms, activities of daily life, spontaneous recreational activities and the quality of life compared to etoricoxib therapy. The therapy was well-tolerated.Conclusions: The study confirms SAMe as superior therapeutic option in osteoarthritis. SAMe indeed has been reported to have specific anti-arthritic effects and promotive to general well-being.
ABSTRACT
Background: Hypertension and certain alteration in serum lipoproteins are complementary coronary risk factors. The effect of antihypertensive agents on lipid metabolism exhibits a wide range. Numerous studies have established that vasodilating beta-blockers are associated with more favorable effects on glucose and lipid profiles than non-vasodilating beta-blockers. The study was conducted to study the comparative effects of nebivolol and metoprolol on lipid profile in patients of essential hypertension. Methods: A prospective, randomized open label single center study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology in collaboration with Department of Medicine, MGM’s Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad in newly diagnosed patients of essential hypertension. Sixty patients of either sex in the age group of 30-65 years with blood pressure (BP) of ≥140/90 mmHg with deranged lipid parameters according to National Cholesterol Education Program were randomized into two groups. Group I received metoprolol (50 mg) and Group II received nebivolol (5 mg), both given once daily for 12 weeks. BP and lipid parameters were evaluated at baseline as well as at the end of 12 weeks. Results: There was significant reduction in BP values (p<0.0001) as compared to baseline in both the groups, however no significant difference was observed between two drugs revealing that their efficacy in reducing systolic BP/diastolic BP is comparable. Furthermore, both the drugs had a favorable effect on lipid profile, but more significant results on lipid profile were observed in the nebivolol group as compared to metoprolol group (p<0.0001). Conclusions: In our comparison study, it is seen that the favorable effect of nebivolol on serum lipids and its good tolerability profile make it a good choice for control of hypertension as well as preventing the long-term cardiovascular morbidities and mortalities.