Evaluations of antidepressant activity of Punica granatum peel extract in albino mice

Background: Depression is the most common disorder of mental illnesses and affects excess of 10-15% of population. According to the WHO reports, more than 350 million persons suffer from depression all over the world. The aim of present study is to evaluate anti-depressant activity of Punica granatum peel extract (PgPE) in albino mice.Methods: Male albino mice (20-30 g) were used. Animals were divided into 5 groups with 6 animals in each which were subjected to forced swim test. Group 1 is control, group 2 received (standard) imipramine 10 mg/kg, p.o, group 3 (T1) PgPE 50 mg/kg, p.o, group 4 (T2) PgPE 100 mg/kg, p.o, group 5 (T3) PgPE 200 mg/kg, at first animals were forced to swim for 15 min (trained), and the study was performed after 24 hrs. All the animals were treated with individual drug 60 min prior to study, animals were forced to swim for 6 min and the duration of immobility was recorded. The mouse was considered immobile when it floats motionlessly or made only those moments necessary to keep its head above the water surface. The total duration of immobility of each mouse was recorded after the test in each group.Results: The duration of immobility is significantly reduced at PgPE 200 mg/kg and results were analysed by one way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Conclusions: PgPE 200 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) decreases the duration of immobility in mice.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of Triognella foenum graecum Linn seeds:Determination of bioactive compounds and pharmacological analysis

Objective:To investigate the effect of temperature and pressure on supercritical CO2 extraction of Triognella foenum graecum Linn seeds,to determine the optimal condition which leads to highest percentage of the accumulative yield and revealing the chemical composition of supercritical CO2 extract.Methods:Temperatures in the range of 40-60℃ and pressures in the range of 10-25 MPa were used.FTIR and GC-MS analysis were used to detect the bioactive compounds present in the extract.The broth dilution method and slope method were used to evaluate the anti-microbial and anti-tuberculosis activities and the in vitro anti-malarial assay was carried out according to the micro assay protocol of Rieckmann and his coworkers.Results:The temperature was more affected than the pressure on the extraction performance and the highest yield of the extract (3.111％) was attained at 60℃ and 10 MPa.FTIR and GC-MS showed that the chemical composition of the extract included conjugated linoleic acid methyl ester as the major active principle (with concentration of 72.28％),followed by saturated fatty acid methyl esters (16.03％),steroids (8.09％) and organic siloxane compound (3.61％).The extract showed moderate anti-bacterial activity with MIC values 100,250,125 μg/mL towards Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenus respectively.It exhibited high inhibition effect towards the fungi Candida albican with MFC value (250 μg/mL).The extract had low antituberculosis activity with MIC value (100 μg/mL) and comparable MIC value (0.29 μg/mL) towards Plasmodium flaciparurn.Conclusions:Supercritical CO2 extraction as alternate and green technology is performed successfully to extract the bioactive compounds from the seeds of T.foenum graecum Linn and it is concluded that this extract can be used as an alternate source of synthetic anti-biotic drugs.

Alloimmune cytopenia part I hemolytic disease of the fetus and the newborn [HDFN]

One of the most dramatic advances of modern medicine has been the discovery and development of diagnostic methods, treatment and prophylaxis of hemolytic disease of the fetus and the newbom [HDFN]. In a few decades, the field has progressed from a complete lack of understanding of the condition to a detailed grasp and understanding of the molecular and immunological bases of the disease. These advances have in turn culminated in the development of prophylaxis and the near total elimination of its morbidity. In this review, we shall briefly cover the history and progress of developments of this condition and presents the new concepts in the classification and nomenclature of alloimmune cytopenia of pregnancy. We will also provide a short account on advances in the pathophysiology, treatment and prevention of this condition. A review of developments in management will be discussed together with highlights of health care issues of women with alloimmune cytopenia

Alloimmune cytopenia: part II ; alloimmune thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia alloimmune thrombocytopenia

Feto-maternal alloinmmune thrombocytopenia and neutropenia occurs when the mother produces antibodies against a platelet or a neutrophil alloantigen that the fetus has inherited from the father. As a result, there is destruction of the fetal platelets or the neutrophil according to the condition and result in a reduction in their numbers. Reduction in the platelets can cause intrauterine fetal bleeding or bleeding after birth. In severe cases, this bleeding may lead to long lasting disabilities. In the case of neonatal neutropenia the reduction of the neutrophils will increase the susceptibility to serious infectious. Current advances in management attempts at the prevention of thrombocytopenia and neutropenia in the fetus. This includes administration of intravenous immunoglobulin corticosteroids, or intrauterine transfusion of antigen-compatible platelets or neutrophils to the fetus. The management is costly and requires specialized labs and skilled perinatal and neonatal care