A Study of Antidiarrheal Effects of Guava Leaf (Psidium guajava Linn.) in Experimental Animals

Background : Diarrheal diseases are caused by several agents including infections or chemical agents that induced irritation of the gut wall, decrease electrolyte and water absorption or increase secretion. Much of interest is now focused on indigenous plants as herbal medicine. Our work will be on plants with antidiarrheal actions.Objective : To study of the antidiarrheal effects and the possible mechanism of actions of guava leaf and pomegranate fruit bark extracts in experimental animals.Design : Experimental animal.Setting : Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University.Subjects : Swiss albino mice were used in the in vivo studies. Animals were divided into control group (20 animals), and treatment (80 animals). They were given with extracts at two doses levels (high and low), then animals were induced to develop diarrhea with several agents. For in vitro studies, isolated Guinea pig ileum segments were used. Ileum was induced to contract with electrical stimuli or chemical spasmogens Ach. or BaCl2Measurement : Number of defecation, texture of stool, and time to onset of diarrhea were recorded. Amplitude of contraction was recorded for in vitro studies.Results : In this study, the extracts of guava leaf and pomegranate fruit bark, at either 0.5 or 1 g/kg body weight, were tested for antidiarrheal effects. In in vivo experiments, mice were treated with either 0.5 ml of castor oil or 2 g/kg body weight of MgSO4 in order to induce loosening of stool. It was found that both extracts, at concentration tested, could reduce the loosening of stool induced by either castor oil or MgSO4 significantly. With isolated guinea pig ileum, both extracts also inhibited the contraction induced by either acetylcholine, BaCl2 or electrical stimulation at frequency 0.2 and 10 HZ.Conclusion : The results suggest that the extracts might act through cholinergic or non-cholinergic nerve in ileum wall and/or directly on ileum smooth muscles.

Certain Metabolites Detected in Magnetic Resonance Spectrum of the Brain : Their Meaning and Clinical Applications

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides metabolite/biochemical information about tissues non-invasively in vivo. MRS has been used clinically in the investigation of neurological and neurosurgical disorders. In vivo proton spectroscopy allows the detection of certain metabolites in brain tissue, such as N-acetyl aspartate, creatine, choline, myoinositol, amino acids and lipids. N-acetyl aspartate is a neuronal marker. Choline indicates the normal energy metabolism of the brain. Myoinositol is considered a glial marker, while, amino acids and lipids are encountered in brain abscesses and necrotic processes. Understanding roles of these metabolites will help in defining the nature and extent of brain diseases.

Management of Hypertension in the General Practice Clinic: Post-Marketing Surveillance with a fixed Combination of Perindopril and Indapamide

Background and objectives: A fixed-dose combination of perindopril and indapamide (FCPI) is currently used as antihypertensive agent. We studied the short-term efficacy and safety of FCPI in Thai hypertensive patients.Methods: The study was a post-marketing surveillance and safety monitoring in a prospective, observational, multicenter trial in ambulatory hypertensive patients recruited in daily hypertension and diabetes clinics in 18 hospitals in Thailand. The study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of FCPI (4/1.25 mg) given once daily for3 months during October 2008 to May 2009. Results: Of the 476 hypertensive patients, 39.3 % had stage 1 hypertension with mean baseline BP of 145.7/86.1 mmHg and 51.5 % had stage 2 hypertension with mean baseline BP of 167.5/98.7 mmHg and 9.2 % were prehypertensive. In stage 1 hypertension, BP control was achieved in 86.6% of patients by month 3, and BP reduction was significant at month 1 (12.1/5.7 mmHg [p\< 0.001]) and at month 3 (15.8/7.7 mmHg [p\< 0.001]), respectively, compared with baseline. In stage 2 hypertension, BP control was achieved in 88.5% patients by month 3 (132.9/78.8 mmHg), and BP reduction was significant at month 1 (25.6/14.1 mmHg [p\< 0.001]) and at month 3 (34.6/19.9 mmHg [p\< 0.001]), respectively, compared with baseline. Overall, blood pressure was below 140/90 mmHg in 74% of patients at month 1. Adverse drug reactions reported in about 0.2 % of patients were dry cough, dizziness and hypokalemia.Conclusion: The fixed-dose combination of perindopril and indapamide (4/1.25 mg) was effective and well tolerated in daily clinical use for BP control in Thai hypertensive patients.Key words: Fixed-dose combination of perindopril and indapamide (FCPI); antihypertensive; hypertension; stage 1 hypertension; stage 2 hypertension