ABSTRACT
Background: Stress is the physiological, psychological and behavioral response by individuals when they perceive a lack of equilibrium between the demands placed upon them and their ability to meet those demands, which over a period of time leads to ill health. There are several ways of coping with stress. Some techniques of time management may help a person to control stress.Methods: Forced swim test- mice were randomized into two groups according to the body weights. Each group contains six animals. Each individual animal was allowed to swim inside the jar (25-12-25 cm) containing fresh water up to 15 cm height. Mice were allowed swim for 6 min. After initial struggle to escape the animal became immobile. Total immobility period was measured. Rotarod test- mice were randomized into two groups according to body weights. Each group contains six animals. Rats were placed on the lanes. Latency period was recorded at which each rat falls off the rod.Results: In first experiment, anti-stress activity of Ocimum sanctum in mice was demonstrated by measuring the immobility period during forced swim test and in the second experiment the measurement of the latency period of rats in rotarod apparatus was performed. Both the experimental procedures were compared with standard anti stress drug alprazolam.Conclusions: The present study suggests that Ocimum sanctum possess significant anti stress activity but less when compared to alprazolam.
ABSTRACT
Background: The SSRIs being used as 1st line therapy in treatment of depression have delayed therapeutic effect which makes the patient vulnerable to an increased risk of suicide and decreased adherence to the treatment and will prematurely discontinue the therapy. The present study was conducted to evaluate if low dose mirtazapine-escitalopram combination therapy has any add on benefit over monotherapy with escitalopram.Methods: In a single-centered, comparative study involving patients with depression attending the out-patient after screening and exclusion, 60 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive tablet mirtazapine 7.5 mg plus tablet escitalopram 10 mg intervention or tablet escitalopram 10 mg plus placebo intervention in a double-blind 6-week treatment phase. The primary outcome measure was the change in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score from baseline. Participants were evaluated at baseline, 1st, 2nd,4th and 6th week. Results were analyzed using Chi-Square test for adverse effects and independent t-test analysis for efficacy parameter.Results: In the analysis of results at 6th week the numbers of patients achieved remission in mirtazapine group are more with a p-value of 0.018 which is significant and the numbers of responders in mirtazapine group are also more which is statistically significant on chi-square test. There is no significant difference was observed between the two groups with reference to occurrence of adverse effect.Conclusions: Adding low dose mirtazapine has an added benefit in terms of efficacy and getting remission early with more number of responders in the treatment of major depression.
ABSTRACT
Background: The mulberry tree, a plant of the family Moraceae and the genus Morus, has been widely cultivated to feed silkworms. Various parts of Morus alba linn used as an Anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, free radical scavenging activity and neuroprotective agent. The plant contains flavonoids, moranoline, albanol, morusin coumarine, and stilbene, which have. In this study, anticonvulsant property of Morus alba leaves extract (MAE) was evaluated by using MES and PTZ induced convulsion in rats.Methods: Effects of MAE were evaluated in experimental models of electro convulsions, maximal electro shock (MES) and chemoconvulsion induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in rats (n=6), which were treated intraperitonially with doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg.Results: The duration of tonic hind limb extension (seconds) with MAE in MES induced convulsions at dose of 100, 200, 400 mg/kg is 8.33�21, 6.83�16 & 3.16�98 respectively. In the dose of 400 mg/kg of MAE showed highly significant results by reducing the duration of tonic hind limb extension in MES induced convulsions. And onset of jerky movements (seconds) with MAE in PTZ induced convulsions at dose of 100, 200, 400mg/kg is 157.83�99, 195.66�.02 and 295.50�.10 respectively. In the dose of 400mg/kg of MAE showed highly significant results by delaying the onset of convulsions.Conclusions: Results indicate that the MAE have anticonvulsant effects in MES induced convulsions and in PTZ induced convulsions.
ABSTRACT
Background: Impetigo is a contagious bacterial skin infection that affects both adults and children. Topical antibacterials such as mupirocin and fusidic acid are the most commonly used in both primary and secondary impetigo. Clinical trials have shown high efficacy of retapamulin in the treatment of secondary impetigo. However, its use in primary impetigo is limited. To this purpose, we compared the safety, efficacy and adherence to treatment of fusidic acid with retapamulin in primary impetigo.Methods: A total of 50 patients with a clinical diagnosis of primary impetigo, between 2-12 years of age, having <10 lesions, 3/5 signs and symptoms, skin infection rating score ?4 and pus score ? one were involved. Patients who were having secondary impetigo leions were excluded. Twenty-five patients received 2% fusidic acid cream three times a day, and the remaining 25 patients received 1% retapamulin ointment two times a day for seven days. Skin Infection Rating Scale (SIRS) was used to assess the severity of disease at baseline and end of treatment. Clinical success was considered when SIRS score of zero each for pus, crust and pain and 0/1 each for erythema and itching. Clinical failure is a SIRS score of ?1 for pus.Results: Baseline disease characteristics such as a number of lesions, the severity of disease (SIRS) and pus scores were statistically similar between the two groups. The clinical improvement observed with both fusidic acid and Retapamulin (20/25, 80%) and (21/25, 84%) treatments was not statistically different (p>0.05). Both drugs were well tolerated.Conclusions: Both fusidic and retapamulin showed similar clinical success in patients with primary impetigo. Since fusidic acid has anti-inflammatory property and its treatment is cost-effective, it can be considered as first-line treatment and retapamulin in fusidic acid-resistant impetigo.
ABSTRACT
Background: Ocimum sanctum commonly known as Tulsi has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of O. sanctum aqueous leaf extract in thermal and chemical induced pain and inflammatory animal models. Methods: Wistar albino rats (150-200 g) and swiss albino mice (25-30 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups of 6 animals each. The control group, test group, and standard drugs group received normal saline, O. sanctum extract (100 mg/kg), aspirin, and celecoxib respectively, by oral feeding. The anti-inflammatory effect was assessed by carrageenan induced rat paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma in rats. Analgesic effect was assessed by hot plate method and acetic acid induced writhing method in mice. Results: In carrageenan induced rat paw edema, maximum inhibition by O. sanctum, aspirin, and celecoxib were 13.43%, 30%, and 32%, respectively, and time to reach maximum inhibition for O. sanctum was 2 hrs. In cotton pellet induced granuloma, percentage inhibition by O. sanctum, aspirin, and celecoxib were 23.85%, 45.84%, and 42.77%, respectively. In hot plate method, maximum inhibition by O. sanctum, aspirin and celecoxib were 143.92%, 288.18%, and 260.59%, respectively. In acetic acid induced writhing method, percentage protection by O. sanctum, aspirin, and celecoxib were 50.2%, 71.4%, and 66.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates statistically significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of O. sanctum.
ABSTRACT
Background: The present study was carried out to evaluate the analgesic activity of aqueous extract leaves of Murraya koenigii linn in Albino rats using tail fl ick method, Eddy’s hot plate methods and anti-infl ammatory activity in Carrageenan induced paw edema in rats. Methods: The analgesic activity was evaluated using Eddy’s hot plate induced hyperalgesia and tail fl ick method, which served as thermal induced pain, where the animal were placed on the hot plate and the reaction time to (lick the paw/ jump out) from the hot plate was observed, 0, 30, 60, 90 mins. Murraya 300 mg, 600 mg/kg/body weight (BW) and ibuprofen (5 mg/kg BW) was administered per oral. The anti-infl ammatory activity was measured by Carrageenan induced paw edema volumes at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 hrs using mercury plethysmometer, which served as chemical induced pain models. Results: The mean reaction time in Murraya at a dose of 600 mg/kg at 0 min 5.45±0.72, at 30 mins 6.52±1.03, at 60 mins 7.6±0.81, at 90 mins 8.8±0.63 respectively. The mean reaction time increased signifi cantly with Murraya at dose of 600 mg/kg when compared with control. In the ibuprofen group, the mean reaction time at 0 hr was 0.28±0.04, at 1 hr 0.34±0.05, at 2 hrs 0.46±0.03, at 3 hrs 0.61±0.05, at 4 hrs 0.76±0.05. The mean reaction time Murraya in group 600 mg/kg at 0 hr 0.27±0.04, at 1 hrs 0.39±0.03, at 2 hrs 0.48±0.06, at 3 hrs 0.68±0.05, at 6 hrs 0.80±0.03, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that the aqueous extract of Murraya (leaf) extract revealed signifi cant analgesic and anti-infl ammatory in thermal and chemical induced pain models.