Possible biochemical mode of anti-inflammatory action of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. in rats.

The water soluble part of alcoholic extract of A. indica leaves at a dose of 200 mg/kg, p.o., exerted significant antiinflammatory activity in cotton pellet granuloma assay in rats. The extract also inhibited significantly the biochemical parameters (viz. DNA, RNA, lipid peroxide, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase) studied in cotton pellet exudate.

Observations on hepatic structure and function in fibro-calculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) vis-a-vis other diabetic subtypes.

Investigations of liver function and histology were undertaken in thirty four patients with Fibrocalculous Pancreatic Diabetes (FCPD). The data obtained were compared with those of similarly aged members of a diabetic control group comprising twelve patients with Protein Deficient Diabetes Mellitus (PDDM), twelve with Type 1 diabetes or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and four young patients with Type 2 Diabetes of Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). None of them had apparent past or present liver disease. Elevations of serum ALT (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase levels were fairly common and was often associated with mild fatty changes and occasionally with focal necrosis and inflammatory changes. Cirrhosis and inflammatory changes per se were infrequent and fatty changes per se did not occur. In contrast patients belonging to the other diabetic subsets were very occasionally afflicted with hepatic abnormalities or not afflicted at all. We propose that loss of hepatotrophic actions mediated by insulin and glucagon could initiate and/or enhance hepatic abnormalities in FCPD where deficiencies of insulin and glucagon coexist.

Experiences with fine needle aspiration cytology as a diagnostic procedure for breast lesions in a Calcutta Hospital.

Nine hundred and forty cases of breast lesions were subjected to fine needle aspiration. Nine hundred twenty-four of them were females and sixteen were males. Smears from the 60 female cases were rejected as unsatisfactory. Of the remaining 864 female cases (aged 15 to 72 years) 704 (81.4%) were benign. Histopathological correlations were done in 448 cases with diagnostic accuracy of 97.3%. One hundred and sixty (18.5%) out of 864 females were malignant and cytohistological correlation was done in 142 cases with 98.6% corroboration. Ten of the 16 male cases were histologically examined with full corroboration. Overall accuracy considering both males and females was 98.6%. Though there was underdiagnosis involving 12 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma when the lesions were small and deeply situated there was no overdiagnosis in this study.

Effects of chemically-induced stress on blood viscosity of rabbits.

Disease-induced stress in a living system needs its characterization before quantification. We address this problem by studying the flow behaviour of blood of rabbits. The flow behaviour of rabbit blood, both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic was observed by plotting viscosity levels against known shear stress. The curves obtained from normal animals showed a curvilinear relationship between eta and tau, whereas the curves obtained from the blood of the induced diabetic animals showed a 'thixotropic' nature i.e. viscosity varies inversely with shear stress. The results obtained were (a) increased viscosity associated with increasing doses, (b) the lower the shear stress, higher was the viscosity and (c) significant variation of viscosity levels between normal and induced-diabetic rabbits observed by increased stress. The possible interpretation of the results in the light of rheological properties of blood is discussed.

Incidence of malignancy in Bankura (a retrospective study).

A retrospective study on pattern of malignant lesions in a rural district of West Bengal from 1981-1990 was conducted in the department of pathology, BS Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal. A total number of 17,130 cases were received out of which 1976 were malignant lesions (11.53%). The peak incidence of cancer in both sexes was found between the 4th, 5th and 6th decades, ie, 31-60 years of age. Sex-wise distribution showed more incidence in female (1246-62.17%) than in male (730-37.83%). Cancer of the cervix (35.62%) showed the highest incidence in this series. Cancer of the larynx (11.94%) was the commonest cancer in males. Malignancy of the lymph node was observed in 11.43% cases. Malignancy of the lungs and vagina (< 0.5%) showed very low incidence.

Hypoglycemic effect of Ocimum sanctum leaf extract in normal and streptozotocin diabetic rats.

Oral administration of alcoholic extract of leaves of O. sanctum led to marked lowering of blood sugar level in normal, glucose fed hyperglycemic and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Further the extract potentiated the action of exogenous insulin in normal rats. The activity of the extract was 91.55 and 70.43% of that of tolbutamide in normal and diabetic rats respectively.

Effects of progesterone on some brain neurotransmitters in intact rats.

Effects of progesterone on four neurotransmitters (viz, noradrenaline, 5-HT, dopamine and histamine) of brain were seen in rats with intact ovaries. It was found that progesterone lowers the noradrenaline concentration in medulla, pons, midbrain, hypothalamus, thalami and pituitary, uniformly, when the rats were killed within 4 hours of progesterone injection. At longer intervals (48 hrs) effects of progesterone were seen when progesterone in heavy dose was administered to rats pretreated with estrogen. It is likely that one of the modes of action of the oral contraceptives may be the reduction of noradrenaline content in selected areas of brain, by progesterone. It is also suggested, therapeutic usage of progesterone carries the risk of development of depression in the user.

Hepatoprotective activity of Azadirachta indica leaves on paracetamol induced hepatic damage in rats.

Effect of A. indica leaf extract on serum enzyme levels (glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase) elevated by paracetamol in rats was studied with a view to observe any possible hepatoprotective effect of this plant. It was interesting to observe that serum enzyme levels were much elevated in paracetamol induced animals than in those receiving a combination of paracetamol and lead extract. It is stipulated that the extract treated group was protected from hepatic cell damage caused by paracetamol induction. The findings were further confirmed by histopathological study of liver.

Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effect of leaves of Vinca rosea linn.

Oral administration of water fraction of alcoholic extract of leaves of Vinca rosea (fam. apocynaeceae) led to marked lowering of blood glucose level in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic effect of the fraction was comparable with that of tolbutamide.