Status of Herbal Drugs in Cardiovascular Research: A Review.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) constitute a leading cause of mortality. Heart disease in India occurs 10 to 15 years earlier than in the west. One fifth of the deaths in India are from coronary heart disease (CHD). The global burden of disease due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is escalating, principally due to a sharp rise in the developing countries which are experiencing rapid health transition. More than 2000 plants have been listed in the Traditional (Herbal/Alternative) systems of medicine and some of these are providing comprehensive relief to the people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, specially “hyperlipidemia” and “ischemic heart disease”. WHO reports indicate that around eighty percent of the global population still relies on botanical drugs and several herbal medicines have advanced to clinical use in modern times. This review work explains chemical and pharmacological status of various cardioprotective plants including phytoconstituents responsible for cardioprotection, pharmacological screening model and mechanism involved in cardioprotection.

Breath carbon monoxide concentration in Cigarette and Bidi smokers in India.

Objective. To measure and compare the breath carbon monoxide (CO) levels in cigarette and bidi smokers in India. Methods. Breath CO was measured in 389 smokers (241 cigarette smokers,148 bidi smokers) using portable breath CO analyser (Bedfont-England, Smokelyzer). Tobacco contents and length of single stick of different brands of cigarette and bidi were also measured. Results. Their mean age was 38.7±13.4 years. The average duration of smoking was 18.2±13.0 years. Average breath CO levels were 15.6±7.0 ppm in smokers and 4.07±1.16 ppm in non-smokers. Average breath CO level was significantly higher in bidi smokers (18.9±7.7 ppm) compared to cigarette smokers (13.6±5.8 ppm) when total consumption of cigarette/bidi was more than five pack-years (p=0.002). Average tobacco weight of bidi (216.8mg) was significantly less than cigarette (696mg). Conclusions. Bidi is equally or more harmful than cigarette smoking. One bidi may be considered to one cigarette for calculating “pack-years” of smoking.