Protective effect of ethanolic and water extracts of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against the toxic effects of mustard gas.

Ethanolic extract of H. rhamnoides L. leaf (HL-EOH), water and ethanolic extract of H. rhamnoides fruit (HF-W and HF-EOH), and H. rhamnoides flavone from fruit (HR-flavone) were evaluated against percutaneously administered sulphur mustard (SM), a chemical warfare agent. The animals administered with SM (9.7, 19.3 and 38.7 mg/kg) died at various days depending upon the dose and there was a significant reduction in the body weight. The H. rhamnoides extracts (1 g/kg; 3 doses; po) significantly protected the lethality, with a protective index of 2.4, 1.7, 1.7 and 2.2 for HL-EOH, HF-W, HF-EOH and HR-flavone respectively. Reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutalthione (GSSG) levels were reduced, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was elevated after percutaneous administration of SM. Oral administration of HL-EOH and HR-flavone significantly protected the body weight loss. Recovery in the levels of GSH, GSSG and MDA were also observed following oral administration of HL-EOH and HR-flavone. All the extracts were non-toxic and the LD50 was more than 5 g/kg. The present study shows that percutaneous administration of SM induces oxidative stress and ethanolic extract of leaf of H. rhamnoides and H. rhamnoides flavone from fruit can significantly protect it.

Neem oil--a fertility controlling agent in rhesus monkey.

Neem oil, an oil extracted from the seeds of Azadirachta indica has been found to act as a good spermicidal agent. Pre and post coital application of the oil intravaginally prevented pregnancy in rhesus monkey.

Circadian rhythmicity of growth hormone at high altitude in man.

Circulatory levels of growth hormone (GH) were estimated at 0600 h, 1200 h, 1800 h and 2400 h in each of 10 subjects of sea level residents (SLR) in New Delhi (226 m) and in high altitude natives (HAN) settled at an altitude of 3650 m. Both in SLR and HAN the GH secretion showed an identical pattern, the values were lowest at 0600 h and highest at 2400 h. Nevertheless, in HAN the GH levels at different timings of the day were found to be significantly higher than in SLR.

Contraceptive efficacy of Depot Provera jet-injected into the cervix.

Depot-medroxy progesterone acetate (DMPA) was jet deposited into the uterus/cervix of rats, rabbits and rhesus monkeys with the help of a modified jet injection apparatus. Since the drug was delivered under pressure, it was distributed deep into the muscular layers around the place of deposition. After one deposition the drug acted as an effective contraceptive for a period of three months. The merits of this delivery technique are discussed.

A study of pituitary-thyroid function during exercise in man.

Exercise induced modulations in circulatory T4, T3 and TSH were monitored in 14 healthy euthyroid male volunteers undergoing exercise on a bicycle ergometer at 750 KPM for 20 minutes. TSH response to 100 micrograms TRH was also studied in 4 exercising and 4 resting subjects. Serial blood samples were obtained before, during and after the exercise. Serum T4 exhibited a significant decrease (P less than 0.05) from 9.6 +/- 0.49 microgram/dl (mean +/- SE) to 8.3 +/- 0.47 microgram/dl at 20 min after the termination of the exercise, whereas a significant decrease (P less than 0.01) in T3 levels from 158 +/- 9 ng/dl to 144 +/- 8.2 ng/dl was recorded at 40 min after the termination of the exercise. The basal TSH levels as well as the sensitivity of the pituitary thyroid axis, monitored as overall TSH response, reflected by the sum of TSH values at different time intervals and the maximum rise over the basal levels (delta TSH) remained unaltered after exercise. These observations suggest that hormone secretion by the thyroid and its responsiveness to endogenous TSH are maintained after exercise. The decrease in circulatory T4 and T3 could be due to an increase in degradation of the hormones or may reflect a generalized adaptation phenomenon. The exact mechanism and significance of these alterations remains to be elucidated.

Plasma insulin, growth hormone, and blood sugar during exercise in man.

Alterations in plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI), human growth hormone (hGH) and blood glucose were studied in five male volunteers undergoing exercise for 20 min on a bicycle ergometer at 750 kpm/min. Plasma IRI and hGH levels before exercise were 4.42 +/- 1.35 micro U/ml (mean +/- SE) and 1.94 +/- 0.88 ng/ml respectively. A significant decrease (p less than 0.01) in plasma IRI was observed at 20 min postexercise and remained at lower levels upto 80 min of observations. hGH levels showed significant increase (p less than 0.05) to a mean value of 7.46 +/- 0.71 ng/ml at 20 min of exercise with a peak value of 16.0 +/- 5.04 ng/ml at 20 min postexercise. Sixty min after termination of exercise, hGH levels returned to pre-exercise values. Blood glucose rose progressively with the increase in the duration of exercise and peak levels were recorded at 20 min of exercise. Sixty min after termination of exercise, blood glucose levels returned to pre-exercise values. These observations suggest that exercise stress can lead to a physiological situation in which circulating insulin and glucose are not exclusively dependent on each other.