Comparative study to test efficacy of topical permethrin and oral ivermectin in the management of scabies- a prospective randomized, single blinded controlled study.

Background : Scabies is a contagious intensely pruritic ectoparasitic infestation caused by mite Sarcoptes scabiei hominis. Various treatment modalities are available but topical permethrin and oral ivermectin is considered to be safe and effective in the treatment of scabies. Aim : To compare the efficacy of topical permethrin and oral ivermectin in the treatment of scabies. Material And Methods : It was an interventional study conducted in the out patient department Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital.100 clinically diagnosed cases of scabies belonging to either sex and from 10-60 yrs of age were selected and divided into two groups. Oral ivermectin was given to group A and topical 5% permethrin was given to the group B and follow up at 1, 2 and 4 weeks of interval. at each visit and cure rate was compared. Results : Permethrin showed the efficacy of 89.1% in completely clearing scabietic lesions at 4 week interval as compared to oral ivermectin which showed 78.5% clearing of lesions in 4 weeks. Thus both the treatment modalities were almost equally effective. Conclusion : Oral ivermectin and topical permethrin both are almost equally effective but permethrine has rapid onset of action.

In vitro growth and shoot multiplication in Terminalia bellerica roxB. under controlled carbon dioxide environment.

The shoot cultures of Terminalia bellerica Roxb. were grown on Murashige and Skoog's medium containing 1.5 mg 1(-1) BAP (6- benzyl aminopurine), and supplemented with or without sucrose (3%). A range of CO2 concentrations (0.0, 0.6, 10, 40 g(-3)) was provided in small acrylic chambers by using different concentrations and combinations of NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate), Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate), KHCO3 (potassium bicarbonate) and K2CO3 (potassium carbonate). To obtain a CO2-free environment, a saturated solution of 10% of KOH (potassium hydroxide) was kept in the chamber. Complete absence of carbon source caused death of shoots within 20 days. Under controlled and enriched CO2, the shoots grew fully photoautotropically on sucrose-free medium. The growth of cultures was better with carbon dioxide (40 g(-3)) than sucrose (3%) in the medium. Maximum number of shoots, number of leaves per cluster, fresh and dry weight and chlorophyll contents were recorded when both sucrose and CO2 (40 g(-3)) were provided to the culture.