Experimental evaluation on lithotriptic property of musa paradisiacal linn. And crataeva nurvala [Buch-Ham] J. Hooker and Thomson A comparative study

The fast development in Science and Technology in this 21 st century has motivated Man to live a sophisticated life leading to Stress related disorders. Tinned and fast foods have replaced the traditional healthy foods, landing up in many ailments and Calculus is one such Giant disease which is a growing menace in this Century, due to many etiological factors like intake of Calcium diets, less water intake, alcoholism, exposure to hot atmosphere, unhealthy diet habits and suppressing of natural urges etc. The phenomenon of lithofication has been explained in all Classical Ayurvedic texts in the name of Ashmari. This disease Ayurvedic texts, there is one variety where both the medicinal and the surgical treatments are advised and agreed upon by all the Acharyas and this entity is the Mutraashmari. The cause and mechanism of their formation is still uncertain. On one handsurprisingly Calculi does not always form when such factors are present and on the other hand Calculi may develop when factors are apparently absent too. In the long run, different varieties of urinary calculi were recognized which in turn resulted in the development of various medical treatments, most of which failed to achieve a favourable response. Urolithiasis constitutes one of the commonest afflictions requiring surgical interventions despite the major advances achieved in conventional modes of treatment. Urinary calculi is estimated to be present in about 5-7 million patients in our country. Urolithiasis is a frequent clinical problem with an incidence of 0.1 to 6% in general population. The sex ratio shows that males are more affected to this particular condition. Despite the overwhelming influence of modern medicine by way of tremendous advances in synthetic drugs and our dependence on them, a large section of the world population still believes on drugs from plant sources because of their effectiveness, easy availability, low cost and less toxic effects

Pharmacognostic studies on Kucandana [Adenanthera pavonina Linn.]

Adenanthera pavonina L., a tree belonging to family Mimosaceae is of immense medicinal importance. In South India, the leaves are used in chronic rheumatism, gout, haematuria and as an aphrodisiac, while the stem bark finds mention traditionally as well as in folklore in the treatment of various skin diseases especially eczema. Hence a pharmacognostic study of leaf and stem bark involving morphology, anatomy, powder microscopic characters is presented. Externally the cork is several layered, tanniniferous, often with lenticellular openings. Cortex is traversed by a thick sclerenchymatous band. Calcium oxalate crystals are found in the cortex and secondary phloem. Medullary rays 2-4 cells wide is present in the secondary phloem besides patches of sclerenchyma and prisms of calcium oxalate. The leaf epidermis in surface is sinuate with abaxial side rather more prominent. Leaf is hypostomatic with predominantly paracytic stoma. Trichomes are mostly unicellular conical besides few uniseriate conical hair on either surfaces. In transection leaf is rather flat adaxially and ribbed prominently on abaxial, Cells of cortex in midvein close to bundle possess prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate