Apis mellifica - an effective insect drug

Apis mellifica [Syn: Apis mellifera] belonging to family Apidae. Its extract contains melittin, glycosidase, hyaluronidase, phosphatase-glucosidase, phospholipase A2, phospholipase B, protease inhibitor, apamine, adolapine, secapine, minimine, histamine, tertiapin, dopamine, mast cell degranulating peptide, pamine, procamine A, noradrenalin,-aminobutyric acid, -amino acids, glucose, fructose, complex ethers, potassium, calcium, magnesium. A. mellifica extract was made from whole insect. It is used in bites, stings, sore throat, urine retention, pain and headaches. There are no documented side effects associated with it

Anti-nociceptive activity of seed extract of Vernonia anthelmintica willd

Vernonia anthelmintica is commonly known as kali ziri. Its seeds are used for several therapeutical purposes. Its seeds contain many constituents of medicinal importance as vernodlin, vernodalol, and vernolic acid. It is commonly used psoriasis and leucoderma or white leprosy. It is potent wormicidal agent. The present study was conducted on seed's extract of V. anthelmintica to determine its analgesic potency. The activity was conducted on mice by using acetic acid induced writhes,hot plate method and by tail flick method using water bath. The results of the writhing test were highly significant and comparable with Aspirin, which produced 26 and 20 writhes. The percentage of inhibition of writhes with the two doses of crude extract was 65.45% and 64.28% at 300mg/kg, while 83.63% and 71.42% at 500mg/kg, where as with Aspirin it was 52.72% and 28.57% in first and second phase respectively. Hot plate and tail flick method also indicated that vernonia has potent analgesic activity. The drug can be utilized as anti-nociceptive agent

In vivo evaluation and safety profile evaluation of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [L.] Spreng. extract in rabbits

The aim of our research work was to investigate the effects of low dose of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [L.] Spreng. on rabbits. Crude extract was administered for 90 days in rabbits and hematology, biochemistry parameters and histopathology changes were analyzed. In result of it gender-based variations were observed in hematological, kidney function, liver function, cardiac enzymes and lipid profile. Urine analysis revealed same results as that of standard and control drug. No significant pathology was observed in heart, stomach, liver and kidney tissues of rabbits, treated with A.uva-ursi in a dose of 25 mg/kg/day. Our results justify the use of A. uva-ursi in medicine for treatment of variable pathologies

clinical trial using glass ionomers amalgams and composites. [Part-II]

OBJECTIVE: To report the results of a 2 year clinical trial comparing glass ionomer with amalgam and composite restorations in the primary molars. SUBJECT and METHODS: Stratified cluster random sampling of 6-8 year old was generated in 1993. After a clinical oral examination consent was obtained from the accompanying parents to restore the carious lesions identified with either amalgam, glass ionomer or composites. The sequence of the restorative material was decided randomly by the dental assistant at the start of the session. This sample was then followed until 1995. The 3 restorative materials were evaluated with criteria of durability, wear and discoloration. 77.7% of the glass ionomer restorations were sound as compared to 70.5% of the amalgams and 56.59% of the composites. 82% of the glass ionomers restorations showed minimal wear clinically as compared to 63% with the amalgams and composites. The difference was not significant. Marginal discoloration was highest in the glass ionomers group 67.2% as compared to 36.6% for composite. The difference was significant [P<0.01]. Glass ionomers can play an important part as a long lasting restoration in the deciduous dentition. The dual curing glass ionomers have successfully solved the problem of retention

Trend of caries experience in children registered with the Aga Khan School Health Care Centers in Karachi, Pakistan [Part 1]

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of dental caries among the 6-8 year olds in 1993 and in the 8-10 year old children in 1995 for the children registered with The Aga Khan School Health Centers in Karachi, Pakistan. It also reports the relationship between the prevalence of dental caries in the study population by age, sex and location. Stratified cluster random sampling of 6-8 years old in 1993 and the same group assessed in 1995 at the age of 8-10 years. dfs and dft for deciduous and DMFT and DMFS for the permanent teeth were scored based on the WHO Diagnostic Criteria. Data was collected on the WHO prescribed form. Calibration was done using the Kappa Index. The mean dfs for 360 children 6-8 years old examined in 1993 was 4.91[+ 6.76] while the mean dft was 2.32 [+ 2.8]. The mean dfs score for the 323 children in the 1995 follow-up study, the study population now 8-10 years old was 3.79 [+ 5.21] and the mean dft was 1.9 [+ 2.3]. The paired t-test analysis to compare the scores between 1993 and 1995 showed that the decrease was significant [p <.001]. The DMFS and DMFT scores increased significantly from 1993 to 1995. For 1993. the mean score for DMFS was 0.18 [+ 0.71] and the mean DMFT was 0.16 [+ 0.6] while for 1995 the mean DMFS score was 0.41 [+ 0.1] and DMFT was 0.37 [+ 0.82]. The paired t-test analysis showed this increase to be significant [p <.001]. From this study it is evident that the dental services currently provided appear inadequate to meet the needs of the children population in Karachi, given that over 90% of the all caries experience was found consisted of untreated decay. The results suggest an urgent change in the Dental Public Health sectors towards comprehensive preventive oriented oral health care programs