Comparative effect of Ocimum sanctum, Commiphora mukul, folic acid and ramipril on lipid peroxidation in experimentally-induced hyperlipidemia.

Treatment with C. mukul and O. sanctum, showed a significant decrease in cholesterol and triglyceride levels respectively. O. sanctum also significantly increased serum HDL-cholesterol compared to control. Serum MDA levels were significantly reduced in all the treated groups compared to control suggesting that each of the drugs under study were effective in their free radical scavenging action. Erythrocyte SOD activity was increased in all the treatment groups with C. mukul showing the maximum effect followed by O. sanctum, folic acid and ramipril. The erythrocyte CAT activity was significantly increased in all the drug treated groups with maximum increase seen in O. sanctum and ramipril treated groups, whereas lesser effects were observed with C. mukul and folic acid groups. Thus, the indigenous drugs, C. mukul and O. sanctum had beneficial effect on hypercholesterolemic rabbit model, both in terms of lipid profile as well as antioxidant potential. Ocimum sanctum was found to be the most promising of all the drugs. Moreover, it could be hypothesized that these plant products along with folic acid and ramipril can be explored for synergistic effect for treatment for hypercholesterolemic conditions.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients and its correlation with glycaemic control.

Infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Chronic hyperglycaemia impairs host defense mechanism such as cell mediated immunity, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function, antibody formation etc. PMNL serves as bodies first line of defense against various infections. The present study was undertaken to establish a correlation between impaired PMNL function, blood glucose levels and its improvement with good glycaemic control with glibenclamide and glimepiride, with special reference to parameters such as respiratory burst and O2(-) and H2O2 production by diabetic neutrophils.

Involvement of GABA-A receptor chloride channel complex in isolation stress-induced free choice ethanol consumption in rats.

The present study revealed the effect of diazepam, a benzodiazepine, and progesterone, a pregnane precursor of neurosteroids, which act via modulating GABA-A chloride channel complex on the isolation stress-induced free choice ethanol consumption in adult rats. Isolation stress for 24 hr over a period of 6 days produced a significant increase in ethanol consumption, which persisted during the 6-day recovery period. Pretreating the animals with diazepam (5 mg/kg, i.p.), or progesterone (5 mg/kg, i.p.), blocked the isolation stress-induced increase in ethanol consumption. Bicuculline (2 mg/kg, i.p.), a GABA-A receptor antagonist significantly attenuated the effect of both diazepam and progesterone on stress-induced modulation of ethanol consumption. Isolation stress also caused an increase in total fluid consumption, which was antagonised by both diazepam and progesterone. Like ethanol consumption, this effect of diazepam and progesterone on isolation stress-induced increase in total fluid consumption was attenuated by bicuculline. Neither diazepam nor progesterone produced an increase in ethanol consumption in non-stressed rats. However, unlike diazepam, progesterone administration to non-stressed rats caused a significant increase in total fluid consumption. Results of the present study thus show that GABAergic mechanisms may be playing an important role in isolation stress-induced increase in ethanol consumption.